CROAT PARTIES IN BH TO DISCUSS POSITION OF CROATS IN COUNTRY

MOSTAR, Oct 24 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and another eight, mostly less influential Croat parties in Bosnia- Herzegovina, on Monday in the southern Bosnia-Herzegovina town of Mostar decided to hold a Croatian people's assembly in Novi Travnik on October 28 at which they are to discuss the constitutional-legal position of Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The assembly will discuss the way of realising equality, sovereignty and constituency of Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina, read a statement issued after the meeting. The meeting was held at the invitation of Croatian member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency and president of the HDZ BiH Ante Jelavic. Party representatives decided that a recent decision of the Provisional Election Commission of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Mission to BiH on the way of electing representatives to both houses of Bosnia's parliament was against the Constitution, adding the decision was taking away the constituent quality from the Croat people in Bosnia, the statement read. The statement also read that signatories of the meeting demanded the withdrawal of the decision of the Provisional Election Committee. The New Croatian Initiative (NHI) refused to attend yesterday's meeting in Mostar. NHI president Ivo Lozancic told Hina that "the HDZ BiH is losing positions and reputation in public's eye therefore it wished to mobilise the electoral body and make it homogeneous. Lozancic added his party did not wish to serve as a cover to such a policy. The Croatian Peasants' Party ((HSS) BiH said that its representative did not have the authority to sign anything at Monday's meeting in Mostar. The statement also read that an initiative committee for the preparation and the organisation of the Croatian people's party had been established which includes representatives of all political parties of all political parties present at Monday's meeting. (hina) it jn