SERB REPS PROTEST AT ARREST OF 3 SERBS SUSPECTED OF RAPE & MURDER

( Editorial: --> 4644 ) VUKOVAR, Apr 4 (Hina) - High Croatian Serb representatives Saturday forwarded a protest note to the Croatian President in relation to the arrest of three Serbs from Vukovar suspected of having committed serious crimes in 1991. According to a statement from Vukovar-Srijem County police, the three Serbs were arrested for multiple rape, attempted murder and murder. Croatian Serb heads said in their note that the arrested Milan Lovric, Dragan Savic and Djuro Opacic were not on the list of 25 people to be amnestied. They demand that President Franjo Tudjman use his authority to stop the arrests of members of Serb nationality. "The latest arrests of citizens of Serb nationality (...) have newly destabilised the already complex political and security situation in the Croatian Danubian region", Serb heads said in the protest note. They assess such events represent a direct pressure on population in eastern Croatia. The protest note was signed by Serb Democratic Independent Party president Vojislav Stanimirovic, Serb National Council president Milorad Pupovac, Joint Council of (Serb majority) Municipalities president Milos Vojnovic, and Vukovar City Council president Marko Ceprnja. According to the County police statement, an investigation showed that Milan Lovric on September 16, 1991 raped M.M. from Vukovar, that Dragan Savic, from Vukovar, on September 19, 1991 attempted to murder M.M. from Vukovar, and that Djordje Opacic, from Vukovar, and another unknown person on October 22, 1991 attempted to murder A. S. from Vukovar. Later the same month, Opacic killed M.V., A.V. and S.G. All crimes were committed in eastern Croatian town of Vukovar. (hina) ha jn 041746 MET apr 98