POLITICIANS, EX-OFFICIALS CONDEMN ACCUSATIONS AGAINST DR. BOSANAC

VUKOVAR, Sept 5 (Hina) - The findings of an audit the Croatian Health Insurance Institute (HZZO) carried out in the general hospital in Vukovar, which noted a series of irregularities in the work of the hospital, are "a clumsily formulated ruling for the political disposal of the hospital's head, Doctor Vesna Bosanac," said Andrija Hebrang, the head of an association of Croatian doctors who volunteered for Croatian troops in 1990 and 1991. #L# All accusations are fabrications, and the statement issued by the HZZO has no elements for launching petty offence proceedings, let alone criminal action, Hebrang said at a news conference on Thursday which, as he said, he organised in response to the media lynching of Dr. Bosanac. "The media lynching of Dr. Vesna Bosanac is the continuation of the lynching of Croatian war veterans, Homeland Defence War disabled veterans, Croatian generals, and the war-time government," this former health minister asserted. Hebrang criticised incumbent Health Minister Andro Vlahusic for having accused Dr. Bosanac before any decision was made on whether any action will be taken against her. Hebrang insisted on Vlahusic's resignation owing to this case as well as the situation in the Croatian public health system. Dr. Vesna Bosanac, who was present at the conference, refuted the negative elements from the HZZO statement, and asserted that she always did her best to organise work in the Vukovar Hospital, to the satisfaction of doctors, medical staff and patients. She urged Croatian authorities to provide a much stronger moral, financial and political backing to the hospital at whose helm she had been during the Serbian aggression against Vukovar. A former health minister, Juraj Njavro, expressed his support to Dr. Bosanac at the news conference as well. Lately the media have commented on the statement by the HZZO whose commission carried out a control over the financial and medical activities of the Vukovar hospital last February. Following the statement, which was compiled in the wake of an anonymous call on alleged financial wrongdoing in the hospital, Vukovar State Prosecutor Zlatan Jaric asked for a police investigation into the activities of the hospital. A few days ago Jaric told Hina that as the result of the police probe, criminal action would within two weeks be launched against some people from the hospital. Several associations of war veterans and local branches of the Croatian True Revival (HIP) party have recently defended Dr. Bosanac. According to them, unchecked accusations in the media against Dr. Bosanac are levelled at all Croatian veterans as well. (hina) ms sb