BOSNIAN HDZ DISMISSES PETRITSCH'S DECISION ON SACKING HDZ PRESIDENT

MOSTAR, March 9 (Hina) - The Presidency of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia-Herzegovina (HDZ) in Mostar dismissed a recent decision by international high representative to the country, Wolfgang Petritsch, who sacked HDZ president and member of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina Ante Jelavic and three other party officials, Ivo Andric Luzanski, Marko Tokic and Zdravko Batinic. After a session Friday, the HDZ Presidency said it also dismissed Petritsch's explanation for his decisions on the relieving of duties and prohibiting the four HDZ officials from public political work, deeming this as an attempt of squashing basic human rights. "The decision on the dismissal of the Croat member of the Bosnian Presidency is an abolishment of the Presidency's constitutional position and a definite annulment of the Croat electoral will. The HDZ Presidency holds this an utter institutional crisis in Bosnia- Herzegovina, for which the high representative is fully responsible," the statement issued after the session said. Jelavic told reporters Petritsch's decision on the dismissal of HDZ's officials were not accepted, "despite possible consequences". (hina) lml sb