REGISTRATION OF BH VOTERS IN CROATIA IS GOING SMOOTHLY - ZORIC

ZAGREB, August 1 (Hina) - Leader of the National Coordination Committee for the Preparation and Holding of Elections for Bosnian Citizens in Croatia, Damir Zoric, on Thursday informed representatives of several foreign embassies to Croatia and representatives of U.N. and European Union agencies about the registration of Bosnian voters in Croatia for the Bosnian September elections. Zoric said registration was going smoothly and that there was enough time for it to be completed by 5 August, and added that more than 35,000 voters had registered by 10 a.m. of today. Explaining the registration procedure to representatives of the embassies of the United States, Belgium, Switzerland, Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and to representatives of the U.N. High Commission for Refugees, the European Community Monitoring Mission and the European Community Humanitarian Office, Zoric said that some 90 per cent of already registered voters chose to vote in Croatia on 7 September, so that their vote could be counted in the towns where they lived before the war. Zoric said that the Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe would guarantee security, but not the transport of voters who decided to go to vote in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He added that the transport of 30,000 voters from Croatia to Bosnia and back would cost about 1 million German marks. "We don't have that money", Zoric said. "Registrations to vote and take part in the elections can't and won't influence the refugee status in Croatia", he concluded, adding that after the elections, refugees could return to Croatia without any change to their status. (hina) ha mm 011302 MET aug 96