OSCE MISSION HEAD EXPECTS SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AFTER BH ELECTION

( Editorial: --> 7791 ) SARAJEVO, Sept 3 (Hina) - The upcoming general election in Bosnia could easily bring significant changes, the head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe mission in Bosnia and chairman of a temporary election commission, Robert Barry, said on Thursday. Barry told today's issue of Sarajevo daily paper Oslobodjenje he disagreed with the international high representative for Bosnia who said earlier on no great surprises should be expected from the election. I think this year's election will bring surprises both in the Croat- Muslim Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina and in the Bosnian Serb entity, Barry said, emphasising the greatest contribution to that effect could be made by the large number of as yet undecided voters. The US diplomat said he personally expected significant changes in the election of a new parliament and authorities in Federation cantons. Divisions among hardliners have already taken place among all sides, now in the Croatian Democratic Union of BH (HDZ BH), previously in the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) and among radicals in the Bosnian Serb entity, Barry told Oslobodjenje. He emphasised however that the final decision on when these forces would leave the political scene for good was up to the voters. Barry described this year's pre-electoral campaign as considerably more favourable for opposition parties than in the past, as these parties now have the opportunity for equal representation in the media. The exception, according to Barry, are Croatian Radio-Television, Radio Herceg-Bosna and Radio Sveti Jovan, about which the Electoral Appeals Sub-Commission will soon issue a statement. The total costs of the September election will amount to US$30 million. The holding of the election will carried out by 32,000 men, including 2,700 international observers, Barry concluded. (hina) ha 031129 MET sep 98