OSCE Mission to Croatia condemns Vukovar bomb attacks

ZAGREB, 23 May 2005 - The spokesperson of the OSCE Mission to Croatia, Antonella Cerasino, today condemned a series of bomb attacks that occurred over the weekend in the Vukovar area.

"Incidents like this, coming so soon after local elections which were held in a tolerant and democratic atmosphere, are very worrying", Ms. Cerasino said.

"We fully concur with Prime Minister Ivo Sanader in hoping that these incidents do not undermine coexistence and reconciliation in this part of Croatia and throughout the entire country. We trust that the police investigations will identify the perpetrators and lead to their prosecution."

Ms. Cerasino said that other recent incidents, such as the murder of a Serb in Karin Gornji and fighting between Serb and Croat students near Vukovar, could raise ethnic tensions.

The first of the bomb explosions took place in the city of Vukovar on Friday night. It was followed by two other explosions late Saturday night in the municipalities of Trpinje and Borovo, both of which are mainly populated by ethnic Serbs. No one was injured.