SITUATION IN MOSTAR CALMING DOWN - MAYOR PRSKALO

ZAGREB, Feb 12 (Hina) - Commenting on the situation in Mostar, Mostar Mayor Ivan Prskalo said to the Croatian Television central news broadcast on Tuesday night that the situation was calming down and that there were no serious excesses. Prskalo added that there had been still incidents at the Sarajevo-Ploce road according to reports. "We have received information that a priest and a nun were assaulted and their vehicle was set on fire. A pregnant woman and her husband were thrown out of their car, and she was even physically abused," he added. He reiterated that the situation in that southern Bosnian town was tense, but he denied allegations that no one could enter the western part of Mostar form the eastern halve. "Who ever has good intentions and good will", they can come into the western part, Prskalo said. Asked to comment on a written demand of Michael Steiner, Bildt's deputy, that 26 evicted Bosniak (Moslem) families must be immediately allowed to return to western Mostar, Prskalo replied that it was not true that 26 Moslem families were expelled. On Monday night there were two or three such cases, he said adding that most of those families had moved into eastern Mostar due to fear of the new situation. He stressed that the return was guaranteed to all families with no problem. "They can feel safe as all Moslems who live in western Mostar, but only if they have sincere intentions toward Croatian people." Prskalo said he had tried to arrange a meeting with Moslem authorities' representatives from the eastern part of the town, but that nobody had come. On Monday he had asked in a letter, through the special envoy's office in Mostar, for the organization of such session in order that talks on calming the situation start as soon as possible, as no one, particularly not Croats, wished such situation in Mostar, he said. (hina) jn mš 121127 MET feb 97