SCANDAL ERUPTS IN BOSNIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

SARAJEVO, Jan 22 (Hina) - Bosnian (Croat-Moslem) Federation's Premier Edhem Bicakcic demanded the replacement of his deputy and the federal Finance Minister, Drago Bilandzija, accusing him of being responsible for a financial scandal in which 23 million German marks were missing from the federal budget. The Sarajevo press splashed this story on the front pages on Wednesday and said Bicakcic blamed Bilandzija for letting a Siroki- Brijeg-based company 'Lijanovic' import goods without paying customs duty. According to Bicakcic's accusations, Bilandzija exempted the company from customs duty while importing goods worth 173.35 million German marks. Bicakcic sent a request for relieving Bilandzija of duty to the Federation's President Kresimir Zubak and Vice President Ejup Ganic, as well as to leaders of the HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) party in Bosnia, Bozo Rajic and of the Moslem-led SDA (Party of Democratic Action) Alija Izetbegovic. A German diplomat, Michael Steiner, and the US Embassy's charge d' affaires in Bosnia, Michael Parmley were also notified of the request. No one wanted to confirm officially this information in Sarajevo on Wednesday morning, but the 'Oslobodjenje' daily reported that Bicakcic and Bilandzija had met on Tuesday. A session of the federal government was cancelled, due to the fact that Croat ministers did not appear at it. (hina) mm mš 221311 MET jan 97