OSIJEK COUNTY PREFECT RECEIVES E.U. MONITOR MISSION CHIEF

OSIJEK, Jan 16 (Hina) - Osijek County prefect Branimir Glavas on Thursday received the newly-appointed head of the European Union Monitor Mission, Paul Verfailli, and his deputy, Willem van Veen, to discuss upcoming countrywide local elections and the current situation in UN-administered eastern Croatia. "I'm sure that (UN Transitional Administrator) General Klein and the military component of UNTAES will leave Croatia this year and I believe that the mission will stay for a while longer, which suits Croatia because you will be able to see for yourselves that we'll fulfil our obligations towards all ethnic minorities, including the Serb," Glavas said, adding that he would be cooperative in the conduct of elections. Speaking of the local elections scheduled for mid-March, Verfailli noted that none of the dozen political parties registered in the Danube river area before the war were operating and that the local Serb population did not have much sympathy for the Serb People's Party and the Serb Democratic Forum which are active in Croatia. (hina) vm mm 161723 MET jan 97