SPLIT COUNTY AWARDS POP SINGER PATRIOTISM CHARTER

SPLIT, Oct 30 (Hina) - The leadership of Split-Dalmatia County on Wednesday decided unanimously to award singer Marko Perkovic Thompson a charter for the promotion of Homeland War values and patriotic music among young people. #L# The decision is final since the awarding of charters does not require the consent of the county assembly. County prefect Branimir Luksic of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) said the county leadership had accepted suggestions by a large number of people who attended what many say was a magnificent concert in Split, which gathered more than 40,000 fans. The county leadership includes 13 members of the Croatian Bloc coalition, which comprises the HDZ, Croatian Pure Party of Rights, Croatian Democratic Republican Party, Croatian Dalmatian Home, and the Croatian Spring Party. Marko Perkovic Thompson is a pop signer whose concerts abound with radical rightist messages and fascist symbols. (hina) rml sb