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PRESS CUT - Croatian Press News in English	

November 20, 1998


* TOP STORY

1. FIGHT TRADE DEFICIT WITH EXPORTS RATHER THAN RESTRICTIONS
2. CEI SUMMIT BEGINS TODAY

* CROATIA

3. CALVARY OF VUKOVAR CROATS MARKED WITH CANDLES
4. FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF NEW SHORT WAVE TRANSMITTER
5. SLOVENES MASSIVELY DISMISSING CROATIAN WORKERS WITHOUT SEVERANCE PAY
6. CROATIA WANTS TALKS WITH MONTENEGRO
7. SAKIC HEARINGS
8. NEW EDITION OF MATICA
9. PREPARATIONS FOR 16TH INTERNATIONAL RIJEKA CARNIVAL
10. CROATIAN SKIING WONDER CONTINUES TO AMAZE WHITE CIRCUS
11. SENSATIONAL NIGHT IN MOSCOW
12. CROATIA IS SO CLOSE, YET SO FAR
13. ZAGREB WILL PLAY 6TH ROUND GAME AGAINST OSIJEK

* ICTY

14. SIMONOVIC CALLS FOR EQUAL TREATMENT AT ICTY
15. MCDONALD REPEATS NEED TO PRESSURE MILOSEVIC

* BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

16. GANIC & MURATOVIC REJECT KLEINS COMMENTS
17. SERBS USED CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN SREBRENICA?
18. KOSCHNICK NEW GERMAN SPECIAL ENVOY TO B&H?

* NEIGHBOURHOOD NEWS

19. TITO MAKES TOP 10!
20. SKOPJE WELCOMES NATO & REBUFFS BELGRADE
21. CREW OF CRASHED U.S. CHOPPER STILL MISSING



Todays Exchange Rates: http://www.hic.hr/turizam/tecaj/
Todays Weather Report: http://www.hic.hr/turizam/prognoza/

***


* TOP STORY

1. M. Tasler, Protiv trgovinskog deficita izvozom, a ne restrikcijama,
Vecernji list, November 20, 1998, p. 2.
FIGHT TRADE DEFICIT WITH EXPORTS RATHER THAN RESTRICTIONS

ZAGREB - Yesterday at the Zagreb International Fair, a two day economic
forum of the Central European Initiative (CEI) began. The forum is being
held at the suggestion of this years chairing country - Croatia.

The forum, which attracted 700 participants - not only from CEI member
countries - was ceremoniously opened by Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa. He
pointed out that the basis of co-operation and establishment of close ties
among CEI countries is a joint interest geared toward the protection of
peace, stability and security, as well as to strengthen economic
development and political dialogue in Europe.

"On the whole, the CEI market covers approximately 240 million resident and
social production is close to 2,000 billion USD. The make up of this market
will be more realistic if we exclude Italy and Austria. These two countries
account for three quarters of the social product, while one quarter is
accounted for by the rest of the CEI countries which have 170 million
residents. By organising this first economic forum, the Republic of Croatia
wishes to contribute to the development of economic relations within the
territory of the CEI, among its members and among the industrially most
developed countries," stated Matesa.

The working part of the economic forum progressed through an exhibition of
the public and private sectors and with presentations of some attending
countries. The presentation of Croatia to interested business people and
international institutions began with a lecture by economy minister Nenad
Porges.

"The Croatian government is determined in its intention not to implement
any restrictive trade measures to lower the trade deficit and the deficit
of product exchanges. All our efforts are directed toward measures to
increase exports. Some of these measures have already shown results,"
explained Porges. He concluded his address by saying that "some foreign
investors could get the impression that the country is a small market if it
is closed. However, Croatia has already moved far away from the confines of
a closed market."

Others who spoke about the characteristics of the Croatian included deputy
privatisation minister Damir Ostovic, Dr Branko Vukmir and executive
manager of the Croatian Agency for Motivating Investments, Vanja Kalogjera,
as well as the manager of the Croatian Agency for the Protection of the
Marketplace, Desa Mlikotin-Tomic.

***

2. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, November 20, 1998.
CEI SUMMIT BEGINS TODAY

ZAGREB - The most important international event in Croatia, since it
declared its independence, will be a two day summit of Central European
Initiative (CEI) heads of state or foreign affairs ministers, which begins
today. It is expected that the summit will also serve for numerous
bilateral meetings among those present. Croatia has already set a whole
series of bilateral meetings, including with the Austrians and Italians,
who are the only CEI members of the European Union. Croatian foreign
minister Granic has stated that Croatia hopes to move yet another step
closer to inclusion in PHARE and other international programmes that would
financially aid Croatia and increase its international trade, especially
with EU countries.

The General Secretary of the European Council, Daniel Tarschys, will also
be participating at the CEI summit in Zagreb and it is expected he will be
having bilateral meetings with, among others, Premier Matesa, foreign
minister Granic and European integration minister Ljerka Mintas-Hodak.

***


* CROATIA

3. S.B., Svijecama obiljezen krizni put vukovarskih Hrvata, Glas
Slavonije, November 20, 1998, p. 56.
CALVARY OF VUKOVAR CROATS MARKED WITH CANDLES

VUKOVAR - Fifty Vukovar Croats who survived the occupational forces on
November 19, 1991, in the basement of the Borovo Comerc building, lit
candles there yesterday in memory of their killed comrades in arms and
fellow Vukovar residents. Candles were lit in the basement of the building
which, in spite of the fact there were 600 defenders and civilians inside,
the aggressor targeted with artillery shells and then set it ablaze. As one
of the survivors, Petar Mlinaric, recalled, everybody was taken out of the
building with their hands behind their backs and heads bowed down and were
then loaded onto busses, which took them to execution sites and
concentration camps in Begejci, Sremska Mitrovica, Nis and elsewhere in
Serbia. Many never returned from their trips
 Candles were also lit at in
front of the elementary school in Borovo Naselje, where a group of Croats
were murdered, as well as in the centre of the town where 12 Croatian
police officers were killed on May 2, 1991. A procession was also formed
along the Trpinja Road, where in 1991, defenders and civilians were taken.
Candles were lit and flowers left along the road. The commemoration was led
by Borovo Naselja parish priest Ante Perkovic.

***

4. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, November 20, 1998.
FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF NEW SHORT WAVE TRANSMITTER

ZAGREB - Four years ago today, November 20, 1994, near Ivanic Grad, a new
100 kW short wave radio transmitter was put into use. At that time, Croatia
was still defending itself from the aggressor and was also involved in the
propaganda war that the Serbs launched against it throughout the world. The
investment of 2 million DM made it possible for Croats all over the world,
especially those in North America, to listen to Croatian Radio and Croatian
Information Centre radio programming. The General Manager of the Croatian
Heritage Foundation and Croatian Information Centre, Ante Beljo, at the
time, stated that the "new transmitter means Croats world-wide will hear
the truth - the right news at the right time."

***

5. V. Gasparic, Slovenci masovno otpustaju hrvtaske radnike bez otpreme i
naknade, Vecernji list, November 20, 1998, p. 3.
SLOVENES MASSIVELY DISMISSING CROATIAN WORKERS WITHOUT SEVERANCE PAY

LJUBLJANA - Residents of Zagorje (Croatia) who have been earning their
daily bread in Slovenia for years are coming home more often with their
walking papers. The number of unemployed Croats registered in Pregrada -
under whose jurisdiction are bordering towns and municipalities - who were
formerly employed in Slovenia is increasing. Out of 592 unemployed
residents of Hum na Sutli, Pregrada and Desinic, according to October
statistics, 107 were formerly employed in Slovenia. Before the said
residents registered at the unemployment office, they endured a very
uncomfortable process, according to the member of parliament in the House
of Representatives and president of the Croatian Democratic Union for the
Krapina Zagorje County, Dragutin Bracun.

"The companies simply do not issue a request to the embassy for a work
permit, after which they notify the employee that he/she cannot work unless
they have the said permit!" explained Bracun. After their employment is
terminated, the former employee receives no severance pay or funds from the
Employment Office of the Republic of Slovenia, though a social insurance
agreement was signed between Slovenia and Croatia last year, obligating
either to grant funds from their employment offices in such cases. Denial
of work permits are also suffered by those with working disabilities who
have only a few more years left to their retirement.

To protect the rights of Croatian citizens who are working in Slovenia, the
Krapina Zagorje County has employed an attorney who will sue in the name of
dismissed employees. Bracun also told us that there is a possibility of
including international institutions in the processes.

The Slovenian side, as we have learned, is justifying their actions by
saying their citizens have the same status in Italy and Austria. However,
they are forgetting that Slovenia and Croatia were in the same country for
40 years and that daily border crossings were a very normal thing, which
was never the case with Austria and Italy.

There are still approximately 1,000 Croats still employed in Slovenia, who
are being taxed 15 percent more than Slovenian citizens for the same job.
However, how long these lucky ones will enjoy a work permit from their
employers is an open question. Though it was promised that work permits
would not be issued for less than three months, Croatian workers are only
able to obtain three month extensions. Of course, every extension costs 100
DM


***

6. Milovan Nedeljkov, Hrvati zele razgovor sa Crnom Gorom, Vecernji list,
November 20, 1998, p. 13.
CROATIA WANTS TALKS WITH MONTENEGRO

PODGORICA - According to the Montenegrin foreign minister, Branko Perovic,
Croatian foreign minister Mate Granic did not say Croatia will only
negotiate with Belgrade, i.e., the FRY government, about the Prevlaka dispute.

"That was the statement of Granics spokesperson who was criticised because
of what he said," Perovic stated in an interview for the Podgorica daily
Vijesti. He further said that "the statement by the Croatian side
precisely indicates that talks with Montenegro are possible." In so far as
the third round of talks on Prevlaka between Croatia and Yugoslavia are not
successful, "it is not impossible that Montenegro and Croatia will begin
bilateral talks on the problem," said Perovic. The Montenegrin foreign
minister also pointed out that the further participation of Montenegrins in
the Yugoslavian expert delegation is conditioned by whether the opening of
the Debeli Brijeg border crossing will be added to the discussions, which
can be treated as a separate problem to the Prevlaka dispute.

It is interesting, however, that in that same issue of Vijesti with the
Perovikc interview, the head of the Montenegrin delegation to the expert
team on the Prevlaka dispute, Nebojsa Vucinic, stated that Montenegro, from
the formal legal aspect, "cannot open the Debeli Brijeg border crossing
unilaterally and independently of Belgrade." Vucinic, however, did not
completely finish his thoughts on whether Montenegro intends to
unilaterally open the said border crossing, saying the answer has to "be
placed in the domain of political guess work." It is also interesting that
the Montenegrin foreign minister stated that it has become completely
relative what can be considered as FR Yugoslavia.

***

7. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, November 20, 1998.
SAKIC HEARINGS

ZAGREB, BELGRADE - In Croatia there are two separate ongoing legal
procedures against husband and wife Dinko and Nada Sakic, who are both
accused of crimes committed in WW II Croatia. In the process against Dinko,
the Zagreb County state attorneys office requested the hearings be
completed and that a decision be made on whether to prosecute him or not.
According to the state attorneys office, the conditions for indicting
Sakic have been met and any witnesses that did not appear during the
investigative procedure can be called to testify at a trial against this
former commander of the prison camp in Jasenovac. Namely, a number of
witnesses were called from FR Yugoslavia and Bosnia & Herzegovina, but they
could not come for various health and security reasons. However, there was
enough testimony from other witnesses for the court to make a decision on
indicting Sakic.

At the same time, a very unconventional process has begun in Belgrade, as
the Yugoslav authorities have decided to launch a parallel process against
Sakic in Belgrade, in spite of the fact that he was extradited from
Argentina to Croatia and his process is in Croatia is in progress.
Yugoslavia has charged him with the crime of genocide according to Article
141 of the Criminal Law of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The
Investigative judge at the Belgrade District Court has already interviewed
10 witnesses, which claim to have witnessed his alleged crimes, i.e., that
they were at Jasenovac.

Due to the fact that according to FRY law such processes are secret (except
when Albanians are in question, as their trials are aired on national
television) not much is known about what these 10 witnesses claim. It is
presumed that one of the witnesses could be Pavle Boskovic, the brother of
Mile Boskovic who was allegedly executed personally by Sakic. Of course,
this process is pointless, as Sakic is under the jurisdiction of the
Croatian authorities and the Yugoslav process is just another example of
Serbian propaganda.

The latest news in the Dinko Sakic case is that the investigative judge has
determined that, after questioning 46 witnesses and gathering the necessary
documentation, the investigative procedure against Dinko Sakic is over and
the case files have been sent to the county state attorneys office.

On the other hand, the first witness in the investigative process against
Nada Sakic will be called today. It is expected that judge Zeljko Pajalic
will be questioning Cecilija Cokljat, a former prisoner at the Stara
Gradiska Prison Camp.

***

8. N.G., Matica, Vecernji list, November 15, 1998.
NEW EDITION OF MATICA

ZAGREB - The latest edition of Matica, the monthly of the Croatian
Heritage Foundation include: lead story on the visit of Pope John Paul II
to Croatia and the Beatification of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac; Marijan
Majstorovic talks to Academic Lujo Margetic about the latest results of the
new studies of the Baska Plaque; numerous other cultural and political
articles and a block on Croats living abroad (e.g. Diaspora media, Days of
Croatian Culture in Australia, the naming of a street in Chicago after
Cardinal Stepinac, Croata ties conquering Tasmania
).

Visit Matica on-line at URL http://www.matis.hr/matica/

***

9. E. Culjat, Pripreme za 16. Medjunarodni rijecki karneval, Vecernji
list, Rijeka, November 20, 1998, p. 11.
PREPARATIONS FOR 16TH INTERNATIONAL RIJEKA CARNIVAL

RIJEKA - The carnival spirit is waking up in Rijeka again, which can be
seen through the preparations for the 16th International Rijeka Carnival,
to be held February 5 - 14, 1999. Last week there was a meeting of carnival
groups in the Rijeka City Hall and the carnival programme was announced by
Ines Stiglic from the Rijeka Tourist Society. The opening ceremonies will
take place on February 5, 1999, on the Delta in Rijeka, which will mark the
start of this 16th annual internationally acclaimed carnival. Other points
in the programme include choosing a carnival queen, a concert by the
Trsat city band, traditional car race Paris - Bakar, and carnival
parades of children and adults. On Valentines Day, February 14th, an
international carnival parade will wander through Rijeka streets, marking
the end of the festivities. Numerous international and domestic groups have
already registered their participation and the rules of allegorical
vehicles for the closing parade have also been set.

***

10. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, November 20, 1998.
CROATIAN SKIING WONDER CONTINUES TO AMAZE WHITE CIRCUS

PARK CITY - Croatian skiing wonder, 16 year old Janica Kostovic, continues
to raise eyebrows on the ski circuit. Kostovic placed an amazing 4th place
in the Park City (USA) giant slalom, 2.63 seconds behind the winner,
Alexandra Meissnitzer (Austria) with a time of 2.18.13. Second place went
to Ertl and third place went to another phenomenal skier from
Liechtenstein, Heeb, who was a mere 0.37 of a second better than Janica.

***

11. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, November 20, 1998.
SENSATIONAL NIGHT IN MOSCOW

MOSCOW - Last night was sensational for Zadar, as they defeated hometown
CSKA from Moscow in their 8th round game of the basketball Euroleague Group
C. In a seesaw battle, Zadar came out on top 66:68 (32:32). The
significance of this game lies in the fact that CSKA is made up of
practically the entire Russian national team and that they did not manage
to defeat Zadar in the two games they played against them. Not even the
mighty Kisurin and Tihonenko could not prevent a Zadar victory! The other
results from this groups are Ulker - Olympiakos 79:89 and Alba - Kinder
75:72. Here are the Group C standings after 8 rounds of action:

Olympiakos		+59	15
Kinder			+57	13
CSKA Moscow		+32	12
Ulker			-16	12
Zadar			-42	11
Alba			-90	9

***

12. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, November 20, 1998.
CROATIA IS SO CLOSE, YET SO FAR

DUBROVNIK - Last night in Dubrovnik Croatia was so close to the first ever
UEFA Indoor Soccer Championship in Spain that they could already hear the
sounds of the castanets. They were up against Poland 7:6 with 30 seconds
left in the game, when Robert Dabrowski scored to tie the game up at 7:7.
That was how it ended, which means that Poland has to defeat Andorra (which
defeated Slovakia 6:4 last night) to go to Spain, while Croatia would have
to steam-role over Slovakia with a better goal difference than Poland,
which already is +7. Of course, "the ball is round" is a comment many in
the Croatian soccer world like to make, but right now Poland has all the
makings of winning the qualification tournament in Dubrovnik.

***

13. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, November 20, 1998.
ZAGREB WILL PLAY 6TH ROUND GAME AGAINST OSIJEK

ZAGREB - Another turn of events has occurred in the dynasty episode from
the 6th round Premier Division game between Osijek and Zagreb. To refresh
your memories, Zagreb came to Osijek to play their sixth round game, but
most of the players did not have valid medical papers and the delegate of
the game decided to register the game 3:0 for Osijek and the two teams
never took to the pitch. This decision was appealed by Zagreb three times.
The first two times the league decided the game would remain registered as
a 3:0 Osijek victory, however, yesterday the appeals commission of the
Croatian Soccer Federation decided that Article 56 of the regulations
cannot be applied. Namely, the said article stipulates that if a team does
not show up for a game, the team that made it to the stadium gets the
victory, however, the new explanation of the appeals commission was that
Zagreb did, in fact, show up for the game, but could not play due to a lack
of necessary documentation. This epic, however, is still not over, as both
teams have the right to appeal the decision and then a date for a rematch
has to be set.

***


* ICTY

14. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, November 20, 1998.
SIMONOVIC CALLS FOR EQUAL TREATMENT AT ICTY

NEW YORK - The Croatian ambassador to the United Nations, Ivan Simonovic,
addressed the UN General Assembly to express Croatias dissatisfaction with
the unequal representation at The Hague based war crimes tribunal.
Simonovic told the UN GA that up to now not a single case at the ICTY has
involved an individual or individuals for crimes committed against Croats
in Bosnia. Moreover, the Croatian diplomat cited 14 documented cases.
"Unequal representation is a serious obstacle for the continued
implementation of the peace process in the region," stated Simonovic.

***

15. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, November 20, 1998.
MCDONALD REPEATS NEED TO PRESSURE MILOSEVIC

NEW YORK - President of the ICTY Gabrielle Kirk McDonald repeated her
appeals to the UN Security Council in regard to FR Yugoslavias continued
defiance of the UN SC. FRY continues to deny visas to ICTY investigators to
travel to Kosovo to look into the atrocities committed there by Yugoslav
police and military forces during their crack down on ethnic Kosovo
Albanians. The head of the ICTY reminded the UN SC that the ICTY is under
their authority and that any rejection of ICTY demands is a direct
challenge to the authority of the United Nations Security Council.

***


* BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

16. J.Pa., Ganic i Muratovic demantirali Kleina, Vecernji list, November
20, 1998, p. 7.
GANIC & MURATOVIC REJECT KLEINS COMMENTS

SARAJEVO - "I think that, according to the contacts I have had thus far,
there will first be a meeting, perhaps a part of the delegation or only Dr
Ejup Ganic, then a signing ceremony will be organised," stated the B&H
Ambassador to Croatia, Dr Hasan Muratovic in a B&H TV interview. In reply
to a question of whether the signing of a Special Relations Agreement
between the Federation of B&H and the Republic of Croatia in the next few
days, Muratovic pointed out "I think there will be no meetings this week."

This actually is a rejection of a statement made my Deputy High
Representative Jacques Klein that the said agreement will be signed on
Saturday November 21, 1998, "at the stroke of noon." The B&H TV report also
mentioned the request of Ejup Ganic that clarification will be requested
from Croatian foreign minister Granic on what he meant when he said that
the agreement will mean the legalisation of funding from Croatia for the
Croatian Defence Council (HVO).

***

17. Hina, Srbi koristili kemijsko oruzje u Srebrenici?, Vjesnik, November
20, 1998, p. 32.
SERBS USED CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN SREBRENICA?

THE HAGUE - The latest report issued by Human Rights Watch states that the
Bosnian Serbs used chemical weapons while conquering Srebrenica in the
Summer of 1995, in order to incapacitate Muslims fleeing after the town had
fallen. The report issued on Thursday in The Hague, author Joost
Hiltermann, contends that the Serbs fired shells with BZ gas at fleeing
Bosniaks. The said gas is only lethal if one is exposed to high quantities,
but in lesser quantities it causes incapacitation and hallucinations
similar to the effects of LSD.

According to the Human Rights Watch reporter, the Serbs used the gas due to
a lack of troops needed to cause Srebrenica Muslims to flee the town and
kill those trying to escape to UN controlled areas. Human Rights Watch
requested that the ICTY investigates their suspicions.

***

18. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, November, 20, 1998.
KOSCHNICK NEW GERMAN SPECIAL ENVOY TO B&H?

BONN - According to Hina reports, it is expected Germany will name former
European Administrator of Mostar Hans Koschnick as their new B&H special
envoy. Koschnick was the European Administrator of Mostar from 1994 - 1996,
when he returned to Germany. It is expected Koschnick will take over from
the current special envoy, as the last elections in Germany caused a change
in power and Koschnick is a member of the governing Social Democratic Party.

***


* NEIGHBOURHOOD NEWS

19. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, November 20, 1998.
TITO MAKES TOP 10!

ROME - The Italian daily Corriera della Sera published an article that
ranked world dictators. The basis of the success of the tyrants was the
length of their reign. Former Yugoslav dictator, Josip Broz Tito, made the
top ten list, as he was in power for 35 years. His 8th place ranking is
shared with Todor Zivko (Bulgaria) and Alfred Stroessner (Paraguay). The
top three most notorious rulers, according to this list, are Kim II Sung
(49 years) from North Korea, Enver Hoxa (40) from Albania and Fidel Castro,
who is still in power with 39 years of tyranny in Cuba.

***

20. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, November 20, 1998.
SKOPJE WELCOMES NATO & REBUFFS BELGRADE

SKOPJE - The commander-in-chief of NATO Allied Forces in Southern Europe,
US Admiral James Ellis, and French para-troop General, Marcel Valentin,
were in Skopje on Wednesday to talk to Macedonian authorities. Valentin
will most likely be the commander of the rapid reaction force for
intervening in Kosovo in aid of Verification Mission personnel if their
lives are threatened.

President Kiro Gligorov told his guests that Macedonia is in support of a
NATO base in his country because of the humanitarian nature of the mission,
adding that it is also within the strategic plans of Macedonia to join the
alliance.

In other news, the Macedonian Foreign Ministry sent a "sharp protest"  to
Yugoslavian authorities in connection to the recent Serbian warning to
Skopje not to provide a base for NATO's rapid reaction force because it is
an "interference in the internal affairs of a the sovereign state of FR
Yugoslavia." The Macedonians rebuked Belgrade by saying that it was none of
Yugoslavias business who Macedonia chooses to welcome on its territory.

***

21. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, November 20,1998.
CREW OF CRASHED U.S. CHOPPER STILL MISSING

ROME - On Thursday, off the Italian coast near Sicily in international
waters, an American military helicopter crashed and two of its four member
crew went missing. Search crews are combing the area, but as of Friday
morning there was still no sign of the US pilots. American sources refuse
to disclose the nature of the operation the two chopper pilots were
involved in, as well as their identities.





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10,000 Zagreb                 E-Mail:   hicnews@hic.hr
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