PM RACAN ACCEPTS EUROPEAN INTEGRATION MINISTER'S RESIGNATION

ZAGREB, June 21 (Hina) - Prime Minister Ivica Racan informed the government on Thursday he had accepted the resignation of European Integration Minister Ivan Jakovcic. A decision relieving Jakovcic of duty has to be signed by the parliamentary speaker. Racan reiterated his earlier assessment that cooperation with Jakovcic had been good. He expects the good relations will last into the future. The PM one again pointed to the joint responsibility of building good relations between Zagreb and the northern Adriatic peninsula of Istria. Jakovcic is the president of the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) party. Racan told the government he would not comment on the different interpretations the media offered for Jakovcic's resignation. He did, however, answer one question raised in the media, namely was he a bad shepherd if the Istrian goat got lost? The goat, namely, is the symbol of Istria. "I am not a strict shepherd, certainly not a keeper, but it may also be that the goat is a little naughty," said Racan. Jakovcic did not attend today's government session, but the PM conveyed Jakovcic's thanks for cooperation with the entire government. Jakovcic resigned to his post after the government okayed a Justice Ministry motion to suspend ten articles of the Istria County Statute, of which Jakovcic was one of the authors. The final decision on the matter will be passed by the Constitutional Court. (hina) ha