SERB NATIONAL COUNCIL TO HOLD FOUNDING SESSION ON SATURDAY

ZAGREB, July 14 (Hina) - The Federation of Serb Organisations and the Joint Council of Municipalities of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srijem decided at a meeting in Zagreb on Monday that the Serb National Council would hold its first session on Saturday. The president of the Federation of Serb Organisations, Milorad Pupovac, told reporters after the meeting that the Serb National Council was a political, advisory and coordination body of the Serbs in Croatia. Its aim is to help the Serbs in Croatia exercise their national, cultural, educational, economic and all other rights and interests and promote their cooperation with the Serbs outside Croatia. Under its statute, the Council will consist of three councillors from each county and the city of Zagreb, Serb members of parliament, six councillors of the Joint Council of Municipalities, members of Serb organisations and institutions in Croatia, Serb political parties, the Serbian Orthodox Church, prominent public figures of Serb nationality and representatives of the Serb diaspora. Pupovac said that the process of nomination of candidates for the Council had been completed in 18 out of 21 counties. (hina) vm mm 141731 MET jul 97