BELGRADE POLICE BREAK UP "WELCOME" FOR CROATIAN BASKETBALLERS

( Editorial: --> 2873 ) BELGRADE, Jan 7 (Hina) - Zagreb basketball team Cibona arrived in Belgrade on Wednesday for tomorrow's Euro League match against the Yugoslav capital's Partizan. But an incident caused by Partizan fans occurred upon the arrival of the Cibona team at Belgrade's Inter-Continental Hotel. Partizan fans arrived in front of the hotel an hour ahead of the Croatian basketball players in order to, as they said, "welcome" Cibona's players. They began shouting abuse at the players, waving Serbian flags, chanting Serb war and rebel songs, throwing firecrackers and lit torches, and shouting "We will return to Vukovar!" Some were dressed in clothes typical of Chetniks, Serb quislings from World War Two. The same Chetnik clothes were worn by members of paramilitary units during the Serb aggression on Croatia who called themselves Chetniks too. When in expressing their "welcome" Partizan fans tried to break into the hotel's hall, the police used batons. One person was lightly injured. Thanks to undertaken security measures, Cibona players were accommodated at the hotel, where they were met by 60 local reporters who wished them a genuine welcome. According to Cibona coach Aleksandar Petrovic, the team is ready for tomorrow's match. "In Belgrade, the chances to win are split, 50-50," he said, adding that "Partizan has not one chance of winning in Zagreb". (hina) ha jn 072019 MET jan 98