US$ 30 MILLION EMBEZZLED IN BOSNIA SINCE MAY

( Editorial: --> 7224 ) SARAJEVO, Oct 31 (Hina) - Carlos Westendorp, the High Representative in charge of the implementation of the peace accords in Bosnia-Herzegovina, said on Friday that an international investigation established that even 53 million German (US$30 million) marks had been embezzled in both Bosnian entities since this May. According to Westendorp, it was established that Bosnia's commodity reserves directorate allocated money, collected from the sale of some goods, for financing the illegal state institutions instead earmarking it for the Bosnian Croat-Moslem federal budget. Those institutions that got the money should have been eliminated , according to the Dayton peace agreement. Westendorp told a news conference that the Croat-run Herzeg- Bosnian commodity reserves' directorate had ceased operating, whereas the directorate of the former Republic of Bosnia- Herzegovina had not been closed yet. The Spanish diplomat reiterated that the international community insisted that Bosnia's Presidency and Ministerial Council adopt 18 laws, necessary for the functioning of the state, by the beginning of December. Otherwise, he warned, we would act more resolutely. Westendorp said that it would be possible that the mandate of his office would be changed and a kind of protectorate introduced. (hina) mm mš 311958 MET oct 97