HSLS LEADER OUSTS PARTY MEMBERS FROM OSIJEK COUNTY

ZAGREB, Oct 29 (Hina) - The leader of the Croatian Social Liberals, Drazen Budisa, on Tuesday replaced the party's council in Osijek- Baranja County, with Vilim Herman at the helm, because the branch recently decided to operate independent of the party headquarters. #L# The HSLS said in a statement that Budisa had requested the party's statutory commission to exclude nine members from the Osijek- Baranja County branch. That he will oust Osijek Liberals from the party Budisa unofficially announced after yesterday's four-hour dramatic meeting in Osijek, called to discuss a decision by the party's county branch to confirm last week's decision to start operating independent of the party headquarters. Budisa considered the decision an attempt to establish a new party and a violation of the party statute, stating that Osijek Liberals had thus excluded themselves from the party. Herman told reporters after yesterday's meeting that the party members from Osijek had not excluded themselves from the party and that Budisa would have to oust them himself if he believed that their decision on more autonomy meant the establishment of a new party. (hina) rml sb