GOVT OFFICE FOR U.N.-ADMINISTERED AREA WRITES TO GEN. KLEIN

OSIJEK, 16 Jan (Hina) - The Croatian government office for the U.N.-administered area of eastern Slavonia, Baranja and western Srijem on Thursday issued a statement saying that Dragica Bodjanac, born 1951, had been killed with two rounds from a machine gun at 7.45 p.m. on 14 January in Ilok. After committing the crime, perpetrator Z.B., born 1974, fired seven shots at a UNTAES vehicle and severely wounded the husband of the deceased, Miroslav Bodjanac, who was in the vehicle. Transitional Police Force have carried out an investigation into the incident at the crime scene. An arrest is imminent. #L# The head of the government office, Ivica Vrkic, sent a letter to the U.N. Transitional Administrator for the area, Jacques Klein, protesting strongly on behalf of the Croatian government against the incident. 'The latest incident in Ilok proves that extremists in the Croatian Danubian area are still active and are trying to stop the process of peaceful reintegration. This only confirms the fact that more Croatian police officers in Transitional Police Forces could only increase the level of security as well as the fact that the implementation of Croatian laws and the establishment of Croatia's judicial system in the U.N.- administered area should start as soon as possible', Vrkic said. In order to make this tragic event the last one which jeopardizes the safety of residents of the U.N.-administered area, the murderer of Dragica Bodjanac should be tried according to Croatian laws, said Vrkic in his letter to Klein. (hina) rm jn 161508 MET jan 97