ITALIAN UNION HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE

PULA, July 25 (Hina) - Due to dissatisfaction with the Croatian Education and + Sports Ministry's 4 July 1997 Decision on Passing Curricula for the Organization of + Education in Languages of National Minorities or Ethnic Communities in Croatia, the + president of the Italian Union's Executive Committee, Maurizio Tremul and Fabrizio Radin, in charge of the Union's school sector, on Friday held a press conference in the + sea port of Pula, northern Adriatic. After analyzing the disputed Decision, Tremul and Radin told reporters, the Italian Union's Executive Committee concluded the Italian Union shall start a + court procedure with the Croatian Constitutional Court to assess the Decision's constitutional and legal foundation, and shall file a complaint with the + authorized Administrative Court in relation to the procedure of passing curricula for + organizing education in national minority languages. The Italian Union assesses the Decision as negative for the future work of Italian language schools, Tremul and Radin told reporters, adding the Decision + directly interfered with the rights of national minorities concerning education, by + openly denying them. All other national minority associations in Croatia shall be acquainted with + this decision, the Italian Union representatives further said, adding they expect + their support with the constitutional dispute. The complaint has as yet not been sent to the Constitutional and + Administrative Courts, but a letter has today been forwarded to Croatian Education and Sports Minister Ljilja Vokic, demanding the revocation of the disputed Decision by the+ end of this month. In the contrary, the complaint shall be filed, Tremul and Radin + concluded. (hina) ha 251704 MET jul 97