A BRIEF LOOK AT CROATIAN PRESS ON TUESDAY, MAY 3

ZAGREB, May 3 (Hina) - Today's issue of the Zagreb daily VJESNIK carries on the front page a report on signing a social peace agreement between the Government and Trade Union of Social Welfare Workers, as well as Tudjman's reply to Izetbegovic's letter. Vjesnik also brings an enquiry about the treatment of Croatian defenders in Zagreb hospitals, and a report on the situation in Croatian crisis areas. An article headlined "Man Kidnapped in Blue Zone" deals with the kidnapping of Croatian citizens who come too close to the disengagement line with UNPA North. "Serbs Do Not Observe Weaponry Pull-Out" headlines a report from Sector East, saying that local Serbs did not implement a single clause of the 29 March agreement. Today's editorial by Branko Podgornik, titled "Parliament Takes Over" and dealing with a new arrival on the Croatian political scene, the Croatian Independent Democrats (HND), estimates that Mesic and Manolic "hinted to the Croatian President that he should heretofore rely on the new parliamentary majority and new associates". VECERNJI LIST carries a report headlined "Damage Totals DEM 2.3 Billions" which lists war-damaged health care facilities. The article carries statistics about the number of killed and wounded, the number of damaged hospitals in 17 towns and about medical equipment destroyed during the war. Today's editorial by Visnja Staresina ("Intolerance Off Limits") deals with the implementation of the Washington Agreements in the light of President Tudjman's letter to Bosnian President Izetbegovic. The international community and particularly the United States, which backed the Agreement, proved "incapable to check the disobedience of Bosnian Serbs and rebel Serbs in Croatia." This has given new arguments to those who would like the agreement to fall through, and meanwhile the Serbs continue chopping off chunk after chunk of Bosnia, Staresina concluded. 031350 MET may 94