SFOR TRANSCENDED THEIR AUTHORITY IN WEST MOSTAR -- HDZ

ZAGREB, Oct 15 (Hina) - The ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) supports the assessment of the Croat leadership in Bosnia- Herzegovina that the Stabilisation Force had in Thursday's action of searching the west Mostar television station Erotel overstepped their authority and that this could jeopardise the further implementation of the Dayton Agreement, HDZ spokesman Ivica Ropus said at Friday's news conference in Zagreb. The SFOR had been manipulated in searching secret troops in the Croat part of Bosnia-Herzegovina instead of in other parts of the country where they probably exist, Ropus said. The text of the law on the election of members of parliament will be adopted in the form in which it had been submitted for the first reading, and the correction of the law on electoral units is possible, Ropus said, explaining that the HDZ would soon decide on the number of electoral units (9+1, 10+1 or 12+1). He said all variables in establishing the electoral units were open and it was difficult to expect an agreement between the HDZ and the Opposition with regards to the electoral law. Ropus confirmed that the HDZ would accept the initiative by the Opposition on restarting negotiations, but only if talks on the electoral law and on the regulations for the Croatian Television's conduct during the elections were held separately. "We expect it is possible to reach a consensus among parties in parliamentary discussions, and to expect this is realistic," Ropus said. Replying to a reporter's question, Ropus said Croatia was not facing sanctions for not extraditing Mladen Naletilic Tuta to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. He stressed it was never said Tuta would not be extradited, but an obstacle has occurred in the legal procedure. The proceedings against Tuta are legal, not political, and Croatia has insisted on maintaining the autonomy and authority of the Croatian justice system, Ropus stressed. (hina) lml jn