5 April 2006

ZAGREB - Croatian football hooligans, even if they are known offenders, will be allowed to travel unhindered to the World Cup in Germany this summer, the Zagreb daily Vecernji List said Wednesday.

"Unlike Great Britain, Croatia did not send the list of fans who have taken part in violence on matches, because there was no legal grounds for that," the newspaper said.

Croatia's draft law which foresees the creation of a database of problematic fans and measures against hooligans - including a temporary withdrawal of passports - has not been passed yet.

Despite the massive problems they frequently create, most hooligans eventually face only minor fines, instead of the criminal procedure foreseen by the draft law.

"It may well happen that the 'boys from Malta' will easily travel to Germany," the newspaper added, referring to a gang of a few hundred fans who started a massive brawl on Malta last year during World Cup qualifications.

The daily estimated that there are several thousand persistently violent fans in Croatia. They wreak havoc on international and domestic matches in football and other sports.

DPA

Subject: German news