PODGORICA: SNP COMMENTS ON MINISTER KOVAC'S SUICIDE

PODGORICA, April 12 (Hina) - The leadership of the Montenegrin Socialist People's Party (SNP), a Yugoslav oriented party, on Friday confirmed that one of their reputable members and federal Health Minister, Miodrag Kovac, died tragically in Madrid on Thursday night. #L# The SNP notes that Dr. Kovac had "continually and particularly recently, been exposed to unforeseen and unfounded attacks by the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and individual regime newspapers in Montenegro". Podgorica daily "Publika" on March 30th reported that Kovac was faced with "huge problems" and that he "could be arrested for the illegal import and transport of medicines". The daily reported claims from "their sources" from the federal government that there "was undeniable evidence that Kovac materially damaged the state and threatened the lives of citizens by offering them medicines that were not properly certified". Vice-president of the Socialist Party of Serbia Mirko Marjanovic on Friday commented on Kovac's suicide and connected it to the adoption of the law on co-operation with The Hague and the Belgrade agreement on redefining relations between Serbia and Montenegro. (hina) sp sb