CROATIAN HOMELAND WAR SOLDIERS STAGE PROTEST IN SPLIT

SPLIT, May 10 (Hina) - Numerous Croatian Homeland War soldiers on Wednesday staged a protest in Split, dissatisfied with the attitude of the new Croatian authorities towards them and the Homeland War. The protest was opened by the spokesman of the Split-Dalmatia County Centre for the Protection of the Dignity of the Homeland War, Alen Basic, who said: "Are we a bunch of extremists? They must apologise for how they describe us," which gave rise to a booming "Croatia! Croatia!" across the town quay. "Why and who is trying to equalise the victim and the criminal? In this oldest town in Croatia we say we shall not allow this," Basic said. On behalf of the Centre, Luka Podrug said the protest had been organised as a testimony of the love of soldiers towards Croatia, not as a show of force or chaos as some would wish. The Homeland War soldiers said by gathering in Split they wished to express dissatisfaction with the Government's attitude towards them and the Homeland War, as the new authority wishes to diminish the value of the War, they said. The HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union), that is, the former authority, manipulated us, while the new authority wishes to trample on us. We shall not allow this, they asserted. The protest began with Croatia's national anthem which the entire quay sang, followed by a minute of silence for fallen soldiers. Several thousand soldiers from all parts of Croatia gathered in Split, including residents of Split. The participants agreed to adopt a declaration, that is, requests which would be forwarded to the Government. (hina) lml jn