SECURITY IN DANUBE REGION VERY GOOD, SAYS INTERIOR MINISTRY

( Editorial: --> 5891 ) VUKOVAR, Apr 9 (Hina)- State of security in the Croatian Danube region is very good, even better than in some other Croatian areas, Deputy Minister of the Interior Josko Moric told the press in Vukovar today. Speaking about recent statements of some international officials who directly blamed the state of security and frequent arrests by the Croatian police for emigration of Serbs from the region, he described them as "demagoguery". The citizens should feel reassured by the fact that the police is doing its job well, Moric said. Speaking about the tasks of the police force in that region, i.e. protection of law and order and the property of all citizens, Moric said that between 15 January and 1 April 1998 the police got court warrants to search 33 homes. In those searches the police seized, inter alia, 43 long barrelled weapons, 19 hand-guns, 4,157 rounds of different ammunition, 31 mines, 26.5 kilograms of explosives, 22 offensive grenades and 1 hand held rocket launcher. Out of the 33 homes that have been searched, 26 belonged to members of the Serb national minority, two to ethnic Hungarians, three to Croats and two to members of other ethnic communities. Most unregistered weapons have been seized in homes of members of the Serb national minority, Moric stressed. Those weapons belonged primarily to members of the Serb Independent Democratic Party and today he discussed that with leaders of the Joint Municipal Council and the SDSS, Moric said. "I told them police officers would keep carrying out such and similar actions, and arresting persons who are suspected of criminal acts", Moric said. In that context he mentioned a recent arrest in Vukovar of three Serbs, accused of rape, murder and attempted murder. "For such serious criminal acts there is no statute of limitations. In such and similar cases Ministry of the Interior will exercise its legal authority and take all the perpetrators to court, irrespective of their national and ethnic origin", Moric said. When asked to comment on a rumour that the three Serbs had been released from custody, Moric said he had not received such information. After all, such matters are decided by the judiciary and not by the police, Moric said. (Hina) mm mr 092003 MET apr 98