SARAJEVO, March 17 (Hina) - Defence Minister of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mijo Anic, on Saturday appointed General Ivo Lozancic as the deputy commander of the Croat-Moslem Federation's army, the Bosnian Television reported
this evening. Under Anic's decree, Lozancic's predecessor Lieutenant General Dragan Curcic was relieved of this duty who three days ago said that he tendered his resignation explaining his act as the expression of his loyalty to Croat people. Lt. Gen. Curcic was the first high-ranking officer of the federal army to openly express his support to the Croat National Assembly (HNS) which recently decided to set up temporary self-rule in Bosnian Croat areas, labelled by the international community as self-styled administration. The Assembly is led by the Bosnian Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ BiH), a major Bosnian Croat political party which decided to boycott the establi
SARAJEVO, March 17 (Hina) - Defence Minister of the Federation of
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mijo Anic, on Saturday appointed General Ivo
Lozancic as the deputy commander of the Croat-Moslem Federation's
army, the Bosnian Television reported this evening.
Under Anic's decree, Lozancic's predecessor Lieutenant General
Dragan Curcic was relieved of this duty who three days ago said that
he tendered his resignation explaining his act as the expression of
his loyalty to Croat people.
Lt. Gen. Curcic was the first high-ranking officer of the federal
army to openly express his support to the Croat National Assembly
(HNS) which recently decided to set up temporary self-rule in
Bosnian Croat areas, labelled by the international community as
self-styled administration.
The Assembly is led by the Bosnian Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ
BiH), a major Bosnian Croat political party which decided to
boycott the establishment of the new authorities in Bosnia after
the last year's elections accusing the international officials of
rigging them.
Ivo Lozancic, a member of the New Croatian Initiative (NHI) and the
war commander of Bosnian Croat units (HVO) in the central Bosnian
municipality of Zepce, will be the acting deputy commander of the
federal army and actually at the helm of its Croat component (HVO).
Another eight Bosnian Croat assistants or deputy assistants in the
federal defence ministry, on Friday offered their resignation
explaining that act as a token of their support to the Croat self-
rule.
Minister Anic was quoted by the Bosnian television as saying that he
could understand their conduct given that all of them were exposed
to the pressure from the HDZ BiH.
The transition of authorities at offices in the defence ministry
was carried out with the consent of the NATO-led Stabilisation
Force in Bosnia (SFOR).
(hina) ms