OSCE MISSION IN BOSNIA CRITICISES CROATIA'S OFFICIAL TOMAC

SARAJEVO, April 20 (Hina) - The OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina has criticised the statements of Croatia's politician Zdravko Tomac on the latest development in Bosnia. Statements of the Sabor's deputy speaker Zdravko Tomac that the international community must change the electoral law in Bosnia as a pre-condition for the settlement of the current crisis in that country are based on incorrect claims and on being not acquainted with the situation, the OSCE mission stated in Sarajevo on Friday. During his visit to Sweden, Tomac said he could see the settlement of the crisis in the re-change of the electoral rules and in the return of Croat representatives to the institutions in the Bosnian Federation. Prior to the local elections in Bosnia last November, the OSCE mission altered some electoral rules. After that a major Bosnian Croat party - HDZ BiH - boycotted the establishment of the new authorities. Responding to Tomac's statement, the OSCE mission in Bosnia said it had several times explained to the Croatian official that Bosnia had no election law and elections in that country had been conducted in accordance to provisional electoral rules and regulations. The OSCE mission advised Tomac to call on HDZ BiH representatives to come back into legally elected bodies of authority in Bosnia, according to a statement signed by the OSCE spokesman in Sarajevo, Luke Zahner. The OSCE added that the Provisional Election Commission, which has helped conducted the ballots in Bosnia since 1996, is being in the process of dissolution, and is ready to transfer the entire responsibility for the conduct of elections to local authorities as soon as a permanent election law be adopted. Discussions on that permanent act are under way. (hina) ms