UNION REPRESENTATIVES HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE ON FRIDAY RALLY

( Editorial: --> 3642 ) ZAGREB, Feb 21 (Hina) - The President of the Association of Croatian Workers' Unions (URSH) Boris Kunst said at a press conference on Saturday that some 60,000 to 80,000 people participated in Friday's protest rally against the economic and social situation in the country. International union monitors, who are visiting Zagreb, estimated that the number of protesters at yesterday's rally was between 60,000 and 80,000, Kunst said. According to data provided by the organisers of the rally, some 30 protesters were injured, eight of them seriously. Kunst refuted claims by the Interior Ministry that organisers are responsible for incidents and for failing to organise groups which would keep order. "It is exclusively police who are responsible for incidents in Jurisiceva street, because they attacked protesters, while on some other locations the melee was caused by some people who are not union members, but, it seems so, had been sent to cause conflicts," said Kunst, calling on police to identify those persons and make their names known. The committee for the organisation of the rally described the decision of the Zagreb municipal leadership to prohibit the gathering in Jelacic Square as "getting around the highest constitutional principles and values," adding it would submit a request for the establishment of constitutionality of the decision. The committee has also requested Zagreb city councillors to change their decision within a month, and the Government to start meeting their requests. Otherwise, the committee will attempt to organise a new protest rally in Jelacic Square. Union members were supported in their requests and the condemnation of the decision on prohibiting the rally by representatives of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS), the Croatian Party of Pensioners (HSU), the Action of Social Democrats of Croatia (ASH) and the Istrian Democratic Party (IDS). Niko Gunjina, President of the Croatian Trade Unions' Association (HUS), said that after last night's rally he had been told by the secretary general of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Ivan Valent, that he (Gunjina) had been suspended and was not wanted as a representative at today's HDZ general convention. Gunjina explained that as the founder of the HDZ in the Zagreb suburb of Tresnjevka he froze his membership in the HDZ after he had been elected HUS president. Before the fourth general convention of the HDZ, he reactivated his membership in the party so that he could initiate the solution of economic and social questions at the highest party meeting, Gunjina said. (hina) rm 211424 MET feb 98