LUCIN:'VONS' DECIDED NOT TO PROCESS SERB WAR CRIMES SUSPECTS IN 1998

ZAGREB, Sept 27 (Hina) - Croatia' police had launched over 2000 investigations of crimes committed against Croats in eastern Croatia during the Serb aggression and occupation. In 1998, the Defence and National Security Council (VONS), led by the late President, Franjo Tudjman, however, made a decision to process only 25 Serb war criminals, said Croatian Interior Minister, Sime Lucin, in the parliament answering a question of an HDZ deputy, Jadranka Kosor, who asked whether it was possible that persons, against whom charges were pressed for war crimes, were living freely in Osijek- Baranja County. Considering such a political decision made by the VONS, there are possibly such cases you have mentioned, Minister Lucin told Ms. Kosor. As we are no longer bound by the VONS decision, we are likely to process such cases, Lucin concluded during Wednesday's question time before the House of Representatives. Asked whether this summer's wildfires were the consequence of terrorist activities, Lucin answered that there was a considerable number of cases of arson and most arsonists were found. There was no case of the organised arson and we cannot speak of terrorist acts, he explained. Asked how the Government was planning to thwart the grey market, a Deputy Prime Minister Slavko Linic said inspection teams would intensify their work. He added that most irregularities and criminal acts had been detected in companies, a majority owner of which is the Government. Therefore it is necessary to upgrade the responsibility of management and supervisory boards of those companies and appoint honest and responsible managers to the duties, Linic said. (hina) ms