PREMIER MATESA: PUBLIC ASSEMBLY BAN LEGALLY BASED

( Editorial: --> 9322 ) ZAGREB, March 13 (Hina) - At Friday's session of the House of Counties Premier Zlatko Matesa spoke about the basis and importance of the Croatian Government's decision to ban public gatherings in the Croatian Danube River region until 1 August. According to the ban, the Interior Minister is responsible for instructing police to implement this decision until 1 August. "If this country suffers on the international scene, if its efforts suffer, such as its inclusion into Euro-Atlantic organisations, then the Government's decision to temporarily ban public gatherings in the Danube area is reasonable," said Premier Matesa adding that the decision was in line with the Law on Public Assembly and fully legally based. The Party of Rights (HSP) rally in Knin, announced for 14 March, has been banned by the Sibenik-Knin police because of founded suspicions that there would be the same disturbance of public order and peace as at a recent HSP rally in Vukovar, said Interior Minister Ivan Penic answering questions by Velimir Kvesic and Miroslav Rozic of the HSP. Penic recalled that 43 infringements were reported to police because of events at the Vukovar rally. The Minister explained that the ban was necessary because of a shift in public perception in Europe, where footage from the HSP rally in Vukovar is used as evidence that political asylum should be given to Serbs leaving Vukovar and the Croatian Danube region. Serbs leaving Croatia and the Croatian Danube region is explained with this type of underhanded method but they are actually leaving because of entirely different reasons, economic ones, Penic highlighted. The Minisiter said that he has knowledge of Serbs in Knin organising planned rallies as well, adding that those rallies will not be approved either. Banning the HSP rally in Knin does not mean that HSP rallies will be banned in other towns. This is the assessment for this moment, said Penic. (hina) mm mrb/rm 131947 MET mar 98