OSCE ACCUSES SERBS FOR FAILURE TO ESTABLISH SREBRENICA AUTHORITIES

AUTHORITIES ( Editorial: --> 2240 ) SARAJEVO, March 25 (Hina) - Richard Ellerckmann, deputy head of the Mission of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Bosnia-Herzegovina, on Wednesday accused Bosnian Serbs of sabotaging yesterday's attempt to establish the new municipal authority in Srebrenica, eastern Bosnia-Herzegovina. Speaking at a press conference in Sarajevo, Ellerckmann said that representatives of the Serb Democratic Party and Radical Party acted against a previously reached agreement and decided that the national anthem of the Bosnian Serb entity "Boze Pravde" (Lord of Justice) be played at the beginning of the first session of the municipal council, which was rejected by Bosniak councillors who refused to participate in the session. The municipal council of Srebrenica was elected in September last year. Six months after the implementation of municipal elections, nine out of 136 municipalities in Bosnia-Herzegovina still do not have new municipal authorities because parties which won the majority of votes in municipal parliaments failed to agree on the distribution of power. The arbitration decision on the organisation of the Srebrenica municipal authority was made on 13 March by High Representative Carlos Westendorp and head of the OSCE Mission Robert Barry. Ellerckmann said that the decision was reasonable and stressed that its implementation would be insisted upon. The new session of the Srebrenica Municipal Council will be called for next week, he added. (hina) jn rm/mrb . 251459 MET mar 98