DEPUTY PM REFUTES CLAIMS ABOUT WAR CRIMES CHARGES AGAINST FORMER POLICE OFFICIALS

ZAGREB, March 27 (Hina) - Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic said on Wednesday that based on its communication with the Hague war crimes tribunal, the Croatian government could not conclude that the prosecutor's office charged former police officials Ivan Jarnjak, Zeljko Sacic and Mladen Markac for crimes committed in Croatia. He was reacting to an article in Globus weekly which stated the three former officials were on the tribunal's list of suspects for omissions in the performance of commanding duties when the Croatian Democratic Union party was in power. The government never received a direct request which would indicate the three were held accountable, said Granic. The Globus allegations were also refuted by the government's public relations service, which said in a statement they were untrue. Agreed procedure stipulates that when the Hague prosecution is interested in interviewing Croatian officials, a request is forwarded to the Croatian government, which organises the interview. Jarnjak is a former interior minister, Gen. Markac a former commander of the Interior Ministry's special units, and Sacic a former assistant interior minister. (hina) ha