NO LIMITATIONS FOR SERIOUS CRIMINAL ACTS: INTERIOR MINISTRY

( Editorial: --> 5337 ) ZAGREB, April 7 (Hina) - The Croatian Interior Ministry on Tuesday said three Vukovar Serbs had been recently arrested because of suspicions they committed serious criminal acts, such as murder, attempted murder and rape, for which there was no limitation nor abolition. The Ministry was responding to a letter that leaders of the Danube region Serb community sent to President Franjo Tudjman on April 4. In the letter they "vehemently protested" against the arrest of three men. An Interior Ministry statement says that "by not doing its duty, defined by the law, the police would have seriously violated its legal competencies and the constitutional order". On April 4 the three arrested citizens were escorted to the Vukovar county court investigative prison, under suspicion that they committed serious criminal acts in 1991, the statement said. Commenting on the view from the Serb leaders' letter that these and some previous arrests had "further destabilised an already complex situation in the Danube region", the Ministry stressed that "it would be more rational to expect that persecution of people suspected for such serious criminal acts would bolster the security, confidence and legal order based on the Constitution and the law". "The police forces of the Ministry of the Interior will keep exercising their legal rights, in accordance with their legal authorities and in the interest of the peace, security and property of all Croatian citizens," the Interior Ministry statement said. (Hina) mm mr /mb 072051 MET apr 98