OSIJEK, April 28 (Hina) - The chairwoman of the association of ethnicGermans and Austrians in Osijek, Vesna Pichler, on Thursday sent aletter to the Council of Europe and the Committee of Regions inStrasbourg asking them to "help stop
the replacement of personnel whohave supported a recent initiative for the establishment of theCroatian Democratic Assembly for Slavonia and Baranja".
OSIJEK, April 28 (Hina) - The chairwoman of the association of
ethnic Germans and Austrians in Osijek, Vesna Pichler, on Thursday sent a
letter to the Council of Europe and the Committee of Regions in Strasbourg
asking them to "help stop the replacement of personnel who have supported a
recent initiative for the establishment of the Croatian Democratic Assembly for
Slavonia and Baranja". Pichler wrote that the purpose of
establishment of that nongovernmental organisation was to help the government
ensure the economic recovery of a region that was lagging behind in economic
development.
Pichler, who is a member of the founding committee of that NGO, added
that the official political authorities in Croatia ascribed political
connotations to the association, which she said only intended to use "models of
economic policy" to help in the development of Slavonia and Baranja.
Pichler therefore called on the Council of Europe to help protect
efforts aimed at promoting regional interests.