ZAGREB SUMMIT - SPOKESMAN ZAGREB, Nov 23 (Hina) - A spokesman for the Croatian Interior Ministry confirmed on Thursday the police were ready for the Zagreb Summit, but declined to identify the location where the police expected the
largest number of protesters opposing the arrival of Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica to appear.
ZAGREB, Nov 23 (Hina) - A spokesman for the Croatian Interior
Ministry confirmed on Thursday the police were ready for the Zagreb
Summit, but declined to identify the location where the police
expected the largest number of protesters opposing the arrival of
Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica to appear. #L#
"As far as the police are concerned, the Zagreb Summit can begin,"
spokesman Slavko Rako told Hina, but refused to say where the police
expected the largest number of protesters to gather. "That is
operational information," he said.
Contrary to the opinion of a part of the public, the protest rallies
which have been announced can be held in any part of the city, except
in the so-called "security zone", surrounding the
"Intercontinental" hotel and the museum "Mimara", Rako said.
This area can be entered only with credentials, and it is sealed off
with a high metal fence, within which policemen with automatic
rifles will be positioned.
Rallies against the arrival of the Yugoslav president Vojislav
Kostunica on the day of the summit have been announced by the
Headquarters for the Protection of the Dignity of the Homeland War,
Croatian Opposition Council, Association of Disabled Croatian
Homeland War Veterans (HVIDR), New Croatian Right, and the Croatian
Academic Community of Zagreb University.
The associations said they would stage rallies as close to the
sealed-off area as possible.
An association of workers unions also announced a protest rally, to
be held in Zagreb's Cvjetni Square on Friday afternoon. The purpose
of the rally is to warn about the workers' difficult position and
problems. The Union of Croatian Albanian Communities will stage a
rally in St Mark's Square in front of the government building, to
warn the international community about the need to resolve the
status of Kosovo.
The Zagreb summit will be secured by about 5,000 police officers,
including 1,300 commandos.
Zagreb hospitals will be on the standby during the summit.
A medical station has been set up at the Intercontinental hotel and
an ambulance will be available in front of the hotel as of Thursday
evening.
(hina) rml