MOSTAR: PROBE AT HERCEGOVACKA BANKA TO LAST SEVERAL MONTHS

MOSTAR, April 5 (Hina) - The temporary management of the Hercegovacka Banka, together with the Office of the High Representative to Bosnia (OHR), has so far submitted judicial authorities some 20 cases in which there are indications of abuse and crime at the bank. The investigation should last another several months, the bank's temporary manager, Toby Robinson, said in Mostar on Friday. #L# High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch last year appointed a temporary management for the bank, which followed the establishment of Croat self-government only by a month. Asked whether there were any leads to the "abused kunas" which had been sent from Croatia's budget, Robinson said that every kuna of the 1.1 million paid for assistance to Bosnian Croats would be investigated. She said that some categories of soldiers and victims of war had not received assistance, although the funds had been sent to the bank to that purpose. This is one of the areas we are investigating with Croatia, she said. Petritsch's deputy Donald Hays said Hercegovacka Banka was an institution for political goals of a small group which not only worked to undermine the Bosnian Constitution, but to fully control the economic area where Bosnian Croats lived. All three possibilities -- rehabilitation, sale or liquidation are not included, Robinson said. (hina) lml sb