JOINT COUNCIL OF MUNICIPALITIES AND SDSS CONDEMN INCIDENT IN BERAK

VUKOVAR, Aug 11 (Hina) - President of the Joint Council of (east Slavonian) Municipalities (ZVO), Milos Vojnovic, and deputy president of the Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS), Miroslav Keravica, on Wednesday called on Croatian authorities to prevent and remove the causes of incidents among ethnic groups and to "neutralise individuals and groups standing behind continues incidents in this region". The joint statement was issued following an incident in Berak (eastern Croatia) where a Serb resident was killed in a fight with a Croat Monday. Vojnovic and Keravica stressed they had drawn the attention of Croatian authorities and organs to the fact that "incidents in Berak and other locations to the detriment of Serbs which have been happening for some time now could lead to tragic consequences". The arrival of representatives of the highest Croatian institutions to the area in the past several months had not led to a defusing of tensions, but on the contrary, "to further inflammation of the situation due to irresponsible statements made by individuals". Vojnovic and Keravica protested because "not one incident on an ethnic basis was not sanctioned," which, as they stressed, practically encourages the perpetrators. (hina) lml