IDS PARTY MEMBERS AGAINST ANNOUNCED CRO&SLOVENE AIR FORCES EXERCISE

IDS PARTY MEMBERS AGAINST ANNOUNCED CRO&SLOVENE AIR FORCES EXERCISE PULA, Oct 5 (Hina) - The Istrian Democratic Alliance (IDS) branch in Pula on Thursday expressed its indignation at announcements that Croatia's and Slovenia's Air Forces would perform a joint military exercise in Premantura, i.e the natural park of the Kamenjak Cape, in Istria. Ivica Matosevic, the head of the county institution "Natura Histrica" described the cape as a natural gem. The former Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) used to exploit this area as its training field. Despite decisions of the "Natura Histrica" institution, county authorities and the Environmental Protection Ministry, Croatia's Defence Ministry continued with similar practice, IDS representatives complained. They wondered whether Slovenians would invite Croatia to participate in a military exercise at their famous Bled Lake. Matosevic stressed that Cape Kamenjak was unique thanks to its paleontological and botanical characteristics. German environmentalists compare it with the Amazon. If the cape retains to be military testing ground, this will badly affect tourism in the municipality of Medulin, the municipal head Dario Mezulic said. He also stressed that this would bring into question an international project called "Istrian Village" in which foreigners already invested 30 million German marks. The exercise is set for 8-20 October. (hina) ms