SERB COUNCILLORS WALK OUT OF VUKOVAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

( Editorial: --> 3753 ) VUKOVAR, March 31 (Hina) - Councillors from the Independent Serb Democratic Party (SDSS) walked out of a Vukovar Town Council meeting on Tuesday dissatisfied with the representation of Serbs in the town administration. "We have discussed this many times, but up to now no significant moves have been made to establish national balance in the Vukovar administration," said Milos Vojnovic, leader of the local SDSS councillors. Last week the SDSS main committee sent a letter to the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) secretary-general Ivan Valent, claiming that Vukovar's town assembly "exercises only the most basic of its responsibilities, and even those under supervision of by the mayoral office". Vojnovic added that the SDSS was also bitter about a recent appearance by HDZ's Vukovar town committee president Petar Mlinaric on local television and his comments which "contribute in no way to creation of a peaceful atmosphere in the Croatian Danube region and the establishment of mutual trust". Mlinaric responded to Vojnovic's statement by saying that what he said on the Vinkovacka televizija broadcast was only the truth. Following a break, town assembly chairman Marko Ceprnja confirmed that no progress had been made in the debate and suggested that SDSS and HDZ representatives meet soon to resolve the problems mentioned. (Hina) jn mb /mr 312144 MET mar 98