ZAGREB, April 23 (Hina) - The state security and public peace and order in Croatia is very good and stable, and the events in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia are being closely monitored, Croatian Interior Minister Ivan Penic told a
regular news conference of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party on Friday. By entering the demilitarised red zone on the Montenegrin side of the Croatian-Yugoslav border, the Yugoslav Army has violated an international agreement. Croatian diplomacy reacted to that, but Croatia is treating the problem as a Yugoslav internal issue, Penic said. There have been no attempts of illegal border crossing into Croatia from FRY, but this happens almost every day on the border with Bosnia-Herzegovina. Croatia is not requesting that Kosovar Albanians who have illegally crossed the border into Croatia (via Bosnia-Herzegovina) leave, as it is estimated their lives would
ZAGREB, April 23 (Hina) - The state security and public peace and
order in Croatia is very good and stable, and the events in the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia are being closely monitored,
Croatian Interior Minister Ivan Penic told a regular news
conference of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party on
Friday.
By entering the demilitarised red zone on the Montenegrin side of
the Croatian-Yugoslav border, the Yugoslav Army has violated an
international agreement. Croatian diplomacy reacted to that, but
Croatia is treating the problem as a Yugoslav internal issue, Penic
said.
There have been no attempts of illegal border crossing into Croatia
from FRY, but this happens almost every day on the border with
Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Croatia is not requesting that Kosovar Albanians who have illegally
crossed the border into Croatia (via Bosnia-Herzegovina) leave, as
it is estimated their lives would be in jeopardy, he said.
Penic added there are currently 4,500 Kosovar Albanian refugees in
Croatia, most of whom have been accommodated with family, while 500
of them have been placed into the Gasinci refugee camp.
Speaking about the strike of employees of the Tisak newspaper
distribution company, HDZ spokesman Ivica Ropus said this company
was the problem of those who founded it, who are now trying to place
the responsibility on the Croatian Government.
The Government was in some way 'blackmailed' in solving the
problem, Ropus said, and announced more details on the problem at a
news conference of the Croatian Government.
The case of drawing finances from the Tisak company is being
investigated by a group of experts, Penic said.
Asked about recent talks between Croatian President Franjo Tudjman
and a special United States envoy for the Balkans, Robert Gelbard,
Ropus said the two did not discuss the electoral law nor a special
list of candidates from which MPs are voted into the Parliament by
Croatian citizens with residence abroad.
Their right to vote has been guaranteed by the Croatian
Constitution, and the HDZ is expressing readiness to discuss the
number of candidates on the list, as well as the electoral unit for
the diaspora, Ropus said.
Commenting on a claim made by the international High representative
for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Carlos Westendorp, that he would prevent
Croatian citizens in Bosnia-Herzegovina to vote in upcoming
elections for the Croatian National Parliament, Ropus said this was
Westendorp's current standpoint.
Ropus expressed hope this would not occur.
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