PROBE INTO MOSTAR BANK INDICATES SUSPICIOUS TRANSACTIONS WITH DEFENCE MINISTRY

SARAJEVO, Feb 6 (Hina) - A probe into the transactions of the Mostar-based Hercegovacka Banka has indicated a high number of suspicious transactions with the Bosnian Federation's Defence Ministry, the bank's temporary manager, Tobby Robinson, told federal Defence Minister Mijo Anic on Wednesday. According to the findings, the federal Defence Ministry owes the bank's companies Croherc, Eronet, Herzegovina Osiguranje, and Elektroprivreda Mostar millions of convertible marks. Robinson suspects corruption. The Defence Ministry said in a statement Anic questioned the authenticity of the debts. Particularly suspicious is more than 860,000 marks the ministry owes Herzegovina Osiguranje in the form of life insurance for members of the Croat Defence Council, the Croat component of the federation's armed forces. The military staff allegedly knew nothing about the insurance. "We all know there would be no Hercegovacka Banka and Hercegovina Osiguranje if there had been no ties arranged with the Defence Ministry," said Anic. The Defence Ministry statement said Robinson was also interested in details of cooperation between the Croatian Finance Ministry and the Bosnian Federation's Defence Ministry. (hina) ha