BUS INTERCEPTED AND ROBBED IN BOSNIAN SERB AREA

SARAJEVO, March 8 (Hina) - A bus of the Sarajevo-based 'Centrotrans' company was held up on Friday while travelling between Sarajevo and the eastern Bosnian town of Gorazde. Several robbers intercepted the bus at Ravna Romanija (under Serb control) and, prevented, at gunpoint, it from moving further, the Bosnian Federation's Interior Ministry reported on Saturday. The highwaymen entered the bus and insulted and robbed a dozen passengers . After that they shot several pistol bullets at the bus and threw a hand grenade, but there were no serious consequences. The Federal Interior Ministry reminded that 'Centrotrans' busses had been several times damaged and passengers abused since the re-establishment of road traffic between the Bosnian capital and Gorazde. Therefore, International police (IPTF) and the Stabilisation Force (SFOR) were asked to take measures so as to protect passengers and cars from robbery. Busses and trucks travel between Sarajevo and Gorazde still along the road most sections of which are under Bosnia Serb control. The Bosnian capital is connected with Gorazde by a corridor that entirely belongs to (Croat-Moslem) Federation, but this make-shift road cannot be used by busses and big truck. (hina) mš 081825 MET mar 97