VICE-PREMIER MEETS DELEGATION OF UNASSIGNED POLICE OFFICERS

ZAGREB, Dec 6 (Hina) - Croatian Vice-Premier Zeljka Antunovic said after a meeting with a delegation of unassigned police officers on Thursday their request to be assigned "challenges the essence of the rationalisation process in the Interior Ministry" and would therefore probably not be met. Around 160 unassigned police officers protested today in Zagreb's St. Mark's square demanding to be assigned to new posts or retired, and that some officials in the ministry's internal control department be replaced and the reorganisation plan and cases of abuse of office in the interior ministry examined. Government officials and the police agreed the ministry should consider every objection regarding possible irregularities in the process of making police officers available, correct mistakes and establish responsibility for them. Antunovic said the demands of the unassigned police could be considered also after the expiry of their period of notice. The programme providing for surplus labour offers numerous possibilities, from re-training to new employment, but it has not been accepted well, she said. Interior Minister Sime Lucin promised retirement to unassigned police officers who have met retirement conditions. The head of a body coordinating associations of unassigned police officers, Nikola Domjanovic, told reporters the government's answer was expected in ten days. The government officials were surprised at the examples of illegal activities in some ministries and institutions we informed them about, from cases of organised crime to fifth columnism, Domjanovic said. "Those who break the law should be removed from the police and those who want to work and are competent and love their country should be re-assigned," Domjanovic said. (hina) sb rml