HDZ MARKS 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF TUDJMAN'S BIRTH

ZAGREB, May 14 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) on Tuesday marked the 80th anniversary of the birth of the first Croatian president and founder of the HDZ, Franjo Tudjman. #L# "Successful defence was a precondition for Croatia's international recognition and a precondition for the successful defence was a united national corps, which is Franjo Tudjman's legacy," HDZ president Ivo Sanader said, adding that the continuation of political reconciliation among the Croat people was a permanent obligation of all. Attending the event were senior HDZ officials and Tudjman's former close associates, as well as his son Stjepan. "Attempts to depict Franjo Tudjman as the chief strategy maker and ideologist of an undemocratic and autocratic society were made by the same people who between 1980 and 1990 were the pillars of a system which negated basic human rights," HDZ parliamentary whip Vladimir Seks said. He recalled that Tudjman had been banned from speaking in public and that in the isolation that was imposed on him he became an active member of the Croatian section of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights. The head of the party foundation "Hrvatski drzavni zavjet", Ivic Pasalic, called on intellectuals and scientists to research Tudjman's work as a statesman. Tudjman did all he could so that Croats do not "re-experience Bleiburg" and lose their state, Pasalic said, adding that the current authorities, which he said denigrated Tudjman's policy of reconciliation, should learn from that policy. Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences president Ivo Padovan, academician Vlatko Pavletic, the head of the Croatian History Institute, Mirko Valentic, and other officials spoke about Tudjman as a historian and scientist. Senior officials of the HDZ and the Croatian True Revival (HIP) association today laid wreaths at Tudjman's grave at Zagreb's Mirogoj cemetery. (hina) rml