SEVEN CANDIDATES FOR BH ELECTIONS TAKEN OFF LISTS

( Editorial: --> 3336 ) SARAJEVO, 13 Aug (Hina) - An election appeals subcommission in Bosnia-Herzegovina has excluded seven candidates from candidates lists for the September elections. Excluded were three Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia- Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) candidates, two Serb Coalition candidates and two Coalition for an Integral and Democratic Bosnia- Herzegovina candidates, it was said in Sarajevo on Wednesday. The decision on eliminating the candidates from the election lists was made following complaints by some political parties concerning the violation of pre-election rules, the subcommission said in a statement. The three HDZ BiH candidates are from Posavina, Tuzla-Podrinje and Herzegovina-Neretva cantons. They were eliminated from the lists after the subcommission established that the claims by the New Croat Initiative (NHI) saying the HDZ BiH in the Ravne/Brcko municipality threatened persons who intended to leave the party were true. The Office of the High Representative has been advised to replace the mayor of Orasje. The two Serb Coalition candidates were eliminated from the election lists because of demonstrations which occurred in Banja Luka on 23 July, when members of the Serb Coalition did not allow the burial of the Banja Luka Mufti near the site of the Ferhadija mosque, which was blown up during the war. The two candidates of the Coalition for an Integral and Democratic Bosnia-Herzegovina for the Una-Sana canton assembly were eliminated from the lists after the local community head in Coralici (Cazin municipality) - a member of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) - refused access to community buildings for members of the Party of Democratic Changes (SDP BiH) who wanted to hold a meeting. (hina) rml 131417 MET aug 98