OTTO VON HABSBURG MEETS OSIJEK COUNTY OFFICIALS

OSIJEK, April 21 (Hina) - The president of the International Paneuropean Union and a member of the European Parliament, Archduke Otto von Habsburg, was received by Osijek County officials on Sunday. Habsburg, accompanied by his secretary Stephan Baler and Austrian Paneuropean Union president Karl von Habsburg, arrived in Croatia on Saturday for a two-day visit to Osijek and the Serb-occupied area of eastern Croatia. The visit had been organized by the UN Transitional Administration in Eastern Slavonia and the Osijek branch of the Paneuropean Union. Speaking of his visit to the occupied area, Otto von Habsburg said that the native population was awaiting the restoration of Croatian government authority, adding that the main problem was newcomers and the still strong influence of paramilitary leaders such as Arkan. He said that Belgrade authorities should take more energetic steps against Arkan and his paramilitary troops. Archduke Habsburg said that he had talked to some Hungarian families living in the area whose opinion was that Croatian authority should be established as soon as possible. (hina) vm 211458 MET apr 96