CROATIAN REPRESENTATIVE IN BELGRADE PRESETS PROTEST NOTE

BELGRADE, March 7 (Hina) - Croatian Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), Zvonimir Markovic, yesterday presented a protest note to the director of the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry Neighbouring Countries Department, Dragomir Vucicevic, over the recent harrassment of Croats in the town of Letnica in Kosovo, southern Serbia. A Croat delegation from Letnica visited the Croatian Office in Belgrade during the weekend to complain about the harassment they have been exposed to since the deployment of a Yugoslav army unit in their town after border incidents between Serbia and Macedonia. Mere harassment turned into downright persecution two weeks ago, when the army arrested several Croats and seized their livestock for "military purposes." The Croat community has also been facing expulsion threats, which prompted no less than 3,200 Croat residents out of 4,000 to leave the area. Markovic requested clearance from the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry to visit the dwindling Croatian community in Letnica. (Hina) mar rv as 071109 MET mar 95