ZVO AND SDSS CONDEMN INCIDENTS IN VUKOVAR

VUKOVAR, Feb 17 (Hina) - The Joint Council of (mostly Serb- populated) Municipalities in the Croatian Danube River region (ZVO) and the Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS), harshly condemned an incident which occurred in Vukovar on Monday evening. The ZVO said in a statement Wednesday that five persons of Croatian nationality had provoked guests and staff in several bars in the eastern Croatian town of Vukovar on the night of February 15. According to the ZVO, some guests and staff were physically assaulted. The ZVO described the incident as a deliberate act, aiming at bringing disturbance and fear (amongst Serbs), adding that its utmost goal was further ethnic cleansing of the Croatian Danube River Region. The ZVO statement read the five perpetrators already had files opened at the police for crimes previously committed in that region. The SDSS called on highest authorities and state institutions asking for help in preventing the savagery of extremists, whose behaviour could lead to the cancellation of results so far achieved in peaceful reintegration, which could have a damaging effect on Croatia in the long-run. Vukovar-Srijem County police commissioner Stipo Rimac told Hina the incidents occurred in Vukovar's suburbs of Borovo and Borovo Naselje on the night of February 15. The commissioner said charges had been filed against the five perpetrators, and added police would continue to take preventive measures against those disturbing public peace and order, and provoking other ethnically motivated incidents. (hina) it jn/lml