SAFETY SITUATION IN DANUBIAN AREA, LIBERATED AREAS IMPROVING

ZAGREB, Sept 24 (Hina) - The situation of security in the Croatian Danube river region (under the UN Transitional Administration) and in the liberated areas is improving, Croatian Interior Minister Ivan Penic said in Zagreb on Wednesday. "Security conditions in these areas are not only being equalised with those in other areas of Croatia, but some tendencies are even superior, which is especially evident in the decrease in the number of felonies and in the large increase of police efficiency," Penic said. He said that in the reintegration of the Croatian Danubian area, the most had been accomplished in the reintegration of the Danubian police into the Croatian police system. Penic said that the police force in the Danubian area would be handed under Croatian Interior Ministry authority by 15 January at the latest. At a news conference held on occasion of the Police Day (celebrated on September 29), Penic said that his ministry continuously worked on the development of police in line with European experience. Great attention was being turned toward the democratic supervision of police work, as well as the strengthening of trust between the police and the public. "This especially pertains to further tasks of the Interior Ministry in increasing safety in the liberated areas in the final stage of the peaceful reintegration," Penic said. The number of police officers in Croatia would be reduced from the current 34,000 to 28,000 in the upcoming period, in line with European standards. There would be one police officer to every 160 to 170 residents. Citing the elementary indicators of the safety situation, Penic said that the trend of reduction of crime in general had continued - it was 8.1% less in the first eight months this year than kin the same period last year. Police case solving efficiency has been increased in the same period from 73.5% to 75%, the number if homicides and attempted homicides have decreased by 4.2%, crimes against property have decreased by 16.9%, safety offences by 34.7%, while offences against the constitutional order and against humanity and international law had decreased by 67.1 percent. However, robbery has increased by 8.9%, organised crime by 1.3 %, white-collar crime by 4.3 percent and drug-related crime by 55.9 percent. (hina) lm jn 241629 MET sep 97