PROTEST RALLY STAGED IN FRONT OF 'SLOBODNA DALMACIJA' DAILY

SPLIT, April 29 (Hina) - A committee set up by the Headquarters for the Protection of Homeland War Dignity to protect Split's "Slobodna Dalmacija" daily on Sunday held a news conference in front of the daily's building in the southern Croatian city. The Headquarters claims the news conference grew into a spontaneous gathering of more than 1,000 people who protested against the replacement of the head of the daily's management, Miroslav Ivic, and the announced replacement of editor-in-chief Josip Jovic. The street in which the "Slobodna Dalmacija" building is located was closed for traffic due to a large number of protesters. A vice-president of the Headquarters and the Committee for the Protection of "Slobodna Dalmacija", Petar Kacunko, demanded that the government re-appoint Ivic by May 3 or a big protest rally would be organised on Split's central promenade on May 6. "May 6 is the tenth anniversary of another protest, when Croatian Split took to the streets to defend Croatia; this year it will take to the streets to defend "Slobodna", which is the only (paper) to publish statements also by those whose opinions differ from Mesic's, Racan's, Linic's, Antunovic's and others' views. Miroslav Ivic, a successful director, has been replaced only because he did not want to replace Josip Jovic. We shall show again how this town breaths," Kacunko said, among else. The gathering was addressed by representatives from the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Association for Croatian Identity and Prosperity (HIP), Democratic Party (DC), Croatian Party of Rights (HSP), Croatian Revival Party, Croatian Pure Party of Rights (HCSP) and other parties which signed a form for admission to the Committee. Representatives of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS), which also signed the admission form, were not allowed to address the gathering because their party formed an alliance with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the upcoming local election in Split. Protesters at today's rally shouted insults and chanted insulting songs on the mention of the names of incumbent state officials. The rally was triggered off by this week's dismissal of the daily's director and head of the management board, Miroslav Ivic, who was replaced on the government's initiative. It is expected that the daily's editor-in-chief Josip Jovic will be replaced as well. The daily has been facing problems for several years now as a consequence of its privatisation, which was annulled by a court ruling, however, the ruling came too late to save it from a dire financial situation. (hina) rml