RADOS RE-ELECTED LIBRA PRESIDENT AT PARTY CONVENTION

ZAGREB, Sept 20 (Hina) - Jozo Rados was re-elected president of Libra at this ruling coalition party's first electoral convention in Zagreb on Saturday, while Zrinjka Glovacki-Bernardi and Vilim Herman were elected vice presidents. #L# The party adopted a platform declaration advocating the adjustment of Croatian laws to European Union standards, faster reforms in education and science, reforms in state administration and agriculture, faster privatisation, the abolishment of mandatory military service, an independent justice system, and combating the grey economy. Members also adopted a platform for the Libra Youth Club, which stresses that it is imperative to improve the quality of education and science. Libra's first electoral convention, which pooled 355 members, was welcomed by representatives of trade unions, foreign embassies, and some political parties. Mate Arlovic of the Social Democratic Party and Andrea Feldman of the Liberal Party proposed cooperation at coming parliamentary elections. Libra president Rados told reporters afterwards every coalition should be based on common platforms. He reiterated Libra would not sacrifice its platform for two or three seats in parliament but added that it would not close its doors to anyone. Submitting a report on the party's work over the past year, Rados said Libra had accomplished "the fundamental goal -- keeping the government and the country stable". Speaking about the government's performance, Rados said major headway had been made in the democratisation of the country, but also cautioned about the negative aspects, such as an unclear programme and lack of courage in the implementation of reforms. Rados recalled that the incumbent government had achieved the highest growth of gross domestic product among transition countries, but cautioned that the export-import ratio constituted Croatia's biggest macroeconomic problem. (hina) ha