REQUEST FILED FOR INVESTIGATION INTO JELAVIC AND SIX ASSOCIATES

MOSTAR, July 31 (Hina) - The Sarajevo cantonal prosecutor's office filed a request on Tuesday for an investigation against the president of Bosnia's Croat National Council (HNS), Ante Jelavic, and six of his associates for advocating the establishment of the HNS and Croat self-rule in Bosnia, sources from HNS who wished to remain anonymous have said. The same source revealed the request for the investigation was also filed against Marko Tokic, president of Croat Self-rule, Ivo Andric Luzanski, former president of Bosnia's Croat-Muslim federation, Zdravko Batinic, presidency member of Bosnia's Croatian Democratic Union party, Petar Milic, founder of the Croatian Christian Democrats, Miroslav Prce, former federal defence minister, and Dragan Curcic, a Croat Defense Council (HVO) general. The request was filed because of "founded suspicion that (the aforementioned) organised the HNS and decided to set up an inter- cantonal and inter-municipal council establishing a temporary Croat self-rule... in municipalities with a predominantly Croat population", and because of "suspicion that they committed the criminal act of violating the territorial integrity" of Bosnia- Herzegovina and the federation. In the request "Ante Jelavic, Miroslav Prce and Dragan Curcic are suspected" of being responsible for disbanding the HVO, the Croat component of the federation's army, without the consent and knowledge of the federal government and Defence Ministry and Bosnia's state presidency. It was added that Jelavic, Prce and Curcic "have violated the principle of managing and commanding the joint army of the BH Federation, which has undermined the Federation's defence power." (hina) np ha