HSP PRESIDENT SPEAKS ABOUT PARTY FORUM IN VUKOVAR

( Editorial: --> 1981 ) VUKOVAR, Feb 14 (Hina) - About 800 members and supporters of the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) Saturday attended a public forum the party held in Borovo Naselje, a district in the eastern town of Vukovar. Before the forum, HSP leaders laid wreaths at the new cemetery in Vukovar for all those killed in the Homeland War. According to a statement issued by the police earlier today, while driving through downtown Vukovar and upon entering the hall where the forum was held, party members and supporters despite repeated warnings disturbed public order and peace with constant sounding of sirens, shouts, noise, singing, and the Roman salute. Addressing the forum, HSP president Anto Djapic said that representatives of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe had reported that "some members of the HSP are singing fascist songs with black flags of the HOS (the party's paramilitary force at the beginning of the conflict) unfurled." "I refute these remarks", Djapic said, adding that "members of the HSP have never sung fascist, but only Croatian, patriotic songs. If (OSCE) considers the hoisting of Croatian flags and HOS volunteers' flags fascism, then they can leave Croatia." "Members of the HSP did not get killed in the Homeland War not to be permitted to sing today in Croatian Vukovar 'Jura i Boban' (a far- right song) and other patriotic songs", the party's president told the forum. Speaking about the current political situation in Croatia, Djapic advocated a mass return of Croatian displaced persons this spring and summer. Croatian displaced persons cannot wait another six years to return to their homes, the HSP president said. Djapic believed the renovation of houses in eastern Croatia should be the priority of Croatia's state policy, so that 10,000 displaced persons might return at one go. If the ruling HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) is not willing to make this last step, the Croatian Government should schedule an extraordinary parliamentary election in the east, the HSP president said. After the three-hour forum, those who attended left in peace. The Vukovar-Srijem County police requested that due to earlier disturbance of public peace and order, penalty procedures be initiated against the organiser of the rally, seven bouncers and 46 other persons. (hina) ha 142053 MET feb 98