BOSNAIN CROAT ASSEMBLY SLAMS PETRITSCH

MOSTAR, April 20 (Hina) - The Croat National Assembly (led by the political party HDZ BiH), on Friday accused the international community's High Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina of quashing the economic prospects of Bosnian Croats. The Assembly (HNS) asserted that the blocking of the Hercegovacka Banka produced incalculable damage. "His (Wolfgang Petritsch's) latest actions, along with the abuse of authorities of SFOR, are undoubtedly directed at stripping Bosnian Croats of their political rights and at quashing their economic prospects, " read a statement released by the Assembly on Friday. In addition, Petritsch's assertion that his moves were not directed against the Bosnian Croat people proved to be incorrect. According to the Assembly, this is obvious in the case of the latest raid on the Hercegovacka bank when the SFOR (NATO-led Stabilisation Force) troops blew up the bank's safety vault and when the money and furniture inside the bank's administration building in Mostar were destroyed. The Assembly added that due to the blockade of the bank, 50,000 retirees would not be able to receive pensions, while 4,500 clients and 90,000 depositors could not have their money at their disposal. (hina) ms