CROATIAN ROMANY LEADER APOLOGISES TO POLICE FOR STATEMENTS IN PULA BOMB CASE

ZAGREB, June 26 (Hina) - The leader of an umbrella Croatian Romany organisation, which gathers 21 associations, on Tuesday apologised to the Croatian police for recent statements made by some Romany leaders, who accused it of being inefficient and requested that Interior Minister Sime Lucin resign over a bomb attack on a Romany family in Pula, in which a Romany was killed. During today's meeting with police director Ranko Ostojic, the president of the Council of Croatian Romany Associations, Nusret Seferovic, condemned statements by the president of the Istria County Romany Association, Husein Veli, who in advance accused skinheads of the Pula incident, in which Romany Ramadan Gusanij was killed. Seferovic also apologised on behalf of the president of the Romany Party branch in Zagreb, Kasum Cana, who demanded Minister Lucin's resignation. Seferovic claims Cana was misinformed about the tragic event and that statements directed against the police are made by Romany associations which refuse cooperation and are not part of the Council. "Such statements only add fuel to the flames and are detrimental to all Croatian citizens," said Seferovic thanking the police for apprehending the suspect in the Pula bombing (a relative of the victim) in such a short time. Ostojic said the police were faced with an unprecedented slam campaign but managed to solve the case despite the pressure they were exposed to. (hina) rml