CRO EMBASSY KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT PROCEEDINGS AGAINST ROJNICA

ZAGREB, Feb 23 (Hina) - The Croatian Embassy in Buenos Aires has not received any information about initiated proceedings against the former Ustasha officer, Ivo Rojnica, today a respectable businessman living in Argentina since 1947, Ambassador Neda Rosandic-Saric said. She added the Embassy had received numerous calls from reporters ever since the Italian daily "La Repubblica" published on Sunday that proceedings had been initiated against Ivo Rojnica in Argentina. Head of the Argentine institute against discrimination, xenophobia and racism, Victor Ramos, said last May he would initiate an inquiry into Rojnica's activities during World War II. If there are indications that he had committed war crimes, we do not want him in our country, Ramos told the British agency Reuters at the time. The Argentine Justice Ministry's Public Relations Service knows nothing about proceedings against Rojnica either. The Service's head, Marcelo Nachon, confirmed in a telephone conversation with Hina that he was not acquainted with any proceedings, and referred to Ramos. Ramos did receive Hina's request for a comment, but after repeated attempts, Hina was unable to reach him. Ivo Rojnica entered Argentina in 1947 under the assumed name of Rajcinovic. Having received Argentine documents in 1951, he requested his old surname back. Rojnica was an Ustasha officer in Dubrovnik in 1941, where, according to some witnesses, systematically persecuted Jews and Serbs, and had ordered compensation of Jewish property. Today a reputable businessman in the textile industry, Rojnica categorically stated he was not a war criminal to the Argentine daily "La Nacion" last May. I was a fighter for the independence of my country and they attacked me for that, Rojnica told the daily, claiming his being a war criminal was a big lie started by Serbs and communists. (hina) lml