INTERIOR MINISTER UNCOVERS MEMORIAL TO FIRST KILLED CROATIAN POLIC

POLIC $ EMAN PLITVICKA JEZERA, March 31 (Hina) - Croatian Interior Minister Ivan Penic on Monday uncovered a memorial to Croatian police officer Josip Jovic, the first defender of Croatia to have been killed on the Plitvica lakes on 31 March 1991, during the Homeland War. The sacrifice of Josip Jovic and others who died for Croatia had not been in vain, Penic said, adding that Croatia was now free with only weeks till the return to Vukovar. Recalling the situation in the Croatian Danube river region, Penic said that after the departure of UNTAES troops on 13 July, "Croatian police insignia, all state insignia, Croatian laws, and most importantly, those who were displaced," would enter the area. "Let this memorial be an everlasting memento of the fact that the tree of the Croatian people is impossible to fell," Deputy Interior Minister Zlatko Gledec said. Present at the uncovering were the family of Josip Jovic, president of the Croatian Constitutional Court Jadranko Crnic, members of the Supreme Court, deputy president of the Croatian Parliament, Jadranka Kosor, commander of the Croatian Military School, Lieutenant General Josip Lucic, assistants to the interior minister, police chiefs, retired General janko Bobetko, members of Parliament, representatives of the Croatian Cultural Society, Zadar County prefect Sime Prtennjaca, representatives of political parties, Homeland War Invalids' associations and other public officials. (hina) lm 311543 MET mar 97