MATESA: UN CIVIL POLICE WILL CONTRIBUTE TO SECURITY IN DANUBE REGION

( Editorial: --> 3812 ) ZAGREB, 26 Nov (Hina) - The mandate of the U.N. Transitional Administration in Eastern Slavonia (UNTAES) ends on 15 January next year, said Premier Zlatko Matesa during Wednesday's question hour in the Parliament House of Representatives. MPs were interested in the nature of the role of the UN civil police support group, which the Croatian Government proposed to be sent to the Croatian Danube river region after the withdrawal of UNTAES. The support group would perform a 'narrowed segment of police role in maintaining security in the region', said Matesa. The Government would not want to see the security situation in the region deteriorate in any way after the withdrawal of UNTAES. Such scenarios could arise, and the Government proposal is aimed at preventing them, Matesa said, stressing the proposal was in no way the extension of the UNTAES mandate or a new role of the UNTAES. War crimes never become obsolete, even if they involve members of transitional police forces. "They will be dealt with sooner or later, even if they worked in the Croatian police," said Interior Minister Ivan Penic, answering a question by Boris Kandare of the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP). Kandare mentioned the name of a Transitional Police Forces member, who was seen in shots showing the fall of Vukovar, and wanted to know how it was possible that such persons could sign a work contract with the Croatian Interior Ministry if "the Ministry knew or should have known that they are on the list of war criminals". Answering questions on Value Added Tax, Finance Minister Borislav Skegro said that claims on the increase of prices of some groups of products by introducing VAT were unfounded. Prices are not based on analyses and simulations but on merchants' decisions, and those decisions depend on a series of conditions, not only on VAT, said Skegro. Every European Union country imposes taxes on imported consumer goods, Skegro said. The fact that current regulations allowed part of the profit made during shopping abroad stay in foreign countries was a reason more for the introduction of VAT as of 1 January 1998, Skegro said. (hina) jn rm 261651 MET nov 97