LOCAL SELF-GOVT MUST BEGIN FUNCTIONING BY 1 NOV - VUKOVAR-SRIJEM COUNT

COUNT $ Y PREFECT VUKOVAR, Oct 13 (Hina) - The prefect of the eastern Croatian Vukovar-Srijem County on Monday warned municipality and town heads in the UN-administered part of the County that he will request the Croatian government to issue sanctions against them unless by 1 November they reach decisions necessary for normal living in the municipalities and towns in question. Public utility companies in 12 UN-administered municipalities and two towns in the County are about to collapse due to unpaid services and uncollected tax, Prefect Rudolf Koenig told a meeting with local authorities, representatives of the Croatian government and the UNTAES. Those municipalities and towns which have not done so as yet, especially those in which the Serb Democratic Independent Party (SDSS) won the last election, must therefore reach appropriate decisions and enable residents to pay services and taxes, Koenig said. The Mayor of Vukovar and Ilok called on residents to start paying dues which displaced persons have been paying all through their exile. According to Vojislav Stanimirovic, SDSS president and vice president of the National Committee for the implementation of a programme on the restoration of trust, local Serbs will cooperate in efforts to normalize living in the municipalities in question. The government should be requested to provide additional funds until the decisions to be reached start showing results, Stanimirovic proposed. Croatian assistant administration minister Mirko Tankosic, who is also in the Committee, announced bigger assistance by the government. The municipalities and towns must fulfil the basic legal conditions in order to receive the assistance, he added. Ivica Vrkic, co-chairman of the National Committee, announced the Committee will open an office in Vukovar. (hina) ha jn 132130 MET oct 97