NGO CALLED 'GONG' SETS UP REGIONAL OFFICE IN SISAK

SISAK, July 21 (Hina) - A regional office of the non-govermental organisation called GONG ('Citizens Observe Election in Organised Manner') was established in Sisak (50 kilometres south-east of Zagreb) on Wednesday. By this September, GONG is to set up 12 branches which will be located mostly in offices of other non-governmental organisations on the ground. As of this September, GONG will open regional offices in 16 cities and towns, said the co-ordinator of GONG local offices, Jelena Svilar, at e news conference in Sisak. So far GONG has employed 24 politically independent persons in regional offices and other branches. During the forthcoming parliamentary election this NGO is to engage about 8,500 volunteers for monitoring voting at all polling stations in Croatia. Svilar told reporters about GONG's demand that an institute of "domestic non-party observers" be included into election legislation. She added that GONG had joined the Croatian Journalists' Association (HND) this summer in an action being conducted on the Adriatic coast where activists are visiting coastal towns by ship and promoting, as they say, human rights, and civil freedoms as well as the freedom of expression. (hina) ms ,