BOSNIAN CROATS WARN THERE ARE NO CONDITIONS FOR LOCAL POLLS

POLLS $ SARAJEVO, Sept 8 (Hina) - Top Bosnian Croat officials said on Monday that conditions for holding free, fair and democratic elections in Bosnia- Herzegovina still had not been created. Croat officials met in Sarajevo to analyse preparations and conditions for holding country-wide municipal elections scheduled for September 13- 14, according to a statement issued by the office of Kresimir Zubak, the Croat member of Bosnia-Herzegovina's collective presidency. They said that a number of violations of the Dayton peace agreement had been committed during the voter registration process and that a large number of people had been denied "their basic human and political right" to vote. The statement said that Bosnian Croat officials had "verified information" from abroad, particularly from Australia, Switzerland, Germany and Austria, where they claim a large number of citizens of Bosnia- Herzegovina of Croat nationality were denied registration. It said that international organisations failed to ensure the holding of election rallies in the Serb-controlled towns of Derventa, Bosanski Brod and Bosanski Samac although requests had been submitted in time. Croat officials criticised the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for its failure to complete electoral lists several days before the elections and for its unequal treatment of the media which had violated electoral rules and regulations during the election campaign. They said that the media engaged in an anti-Croat campaign had not even been given a warning. (hina) vm jn 081803 MET sep 97