MORIC'S OFFICE WARNS ABOUT DISPLAY OF ILLEGAL FLAGS IN DANUBE REGION

REGION ( Editorial: --> 4756 ) VUKOVAR, Feb 26 (Hina) - The Vukovar-based office of the Croatian Interior Ministry on Thursday warned local authorities in the Danube River region that they cannot display in public places illegal flags and symbols "which are not the flag and the symbol of the Serb ethnic community in Croatia". Such flags and symbols would be removed from public places, the office of Assistant Interior Minister Josko Moric said in a statement. "Despite repeated warnings to the local administration and self- government in the Croatian Danubian region, it has been registered that illegal flags and symbols, which are not the flag and the symbol of the Serb ethnic community, are being displayed in public places" said the statement, signed by the office's spokesman Slavko Rako. The office cited a regulation of Article 9 of the Constitutional Law on Human Rights and Freedoms and Rights of Ethnic and National Communities or Minorities in Croatia: "The ownership and use of insignia and symbols of ethnic communities and national communities or minorities shall be free". "The official use of insignia and symbols of ethnic and national communities or minorities requires obligatory display of adequate insignia and symbols of the Republic of Croatia". The use of other flags and symbols on public buildings and in places, which are not provided for by the Constitution and the Constitutional Law, is subject to penalty, the statement said. "Members of the Interior Ministry will use their powers to remove flags and symbols and press charges against responsible legal entities, officials or citizens," said the statement, stressing that "these measures do not refer to the legitimate, legally established flag of the Serb ethnic community, if, in line with the provisions of the Constitutional Law, the flag is displayed alongside the flag of the Republic of Croatia". According to the statement, police were receiving "reports by alarmed residents of the Croatian Danubian region, because of encounters with persons wearing various uniforms with various insignia, mostly those of former Serb paramilitary units from the area". "Those persons are often being encountered while hunting and carrying weapons, which causes additional anxiety and fear," the statement said. The office also warned that the wearing of such uniforms and insignia was contrary to the law. "Such uniforms, parts of uniforms and insignia will be taken away by the police, who will also take measures provided by the law against those citizens who wear them," said the statement. (hina) jn rm 261522 MET feb 98