ZAGREB, June 6 (Hina) - A conference, entitled "European Prospects of Democratic Croatia", which five German foundations organised with the aim of staging a debate of government and Opposition representatives, experts and other social
factors about important questions of Croatia's future, was opened in Zagreb on Wednesday in the presence of Croatian President Stjepan Mesic.
ZAGREB, June 6 (Hina) - A conference, entitled "European Prospects
of Democratic Croatia", which five German foundations organised
with the aim of staging a debate of government and Opposition
representatives, experts and other social factors about important
questions of Croatia's future, was opened in Zagreb on Wednesday in
the presence of Croatian President Stjepan Mesic. #L#
Participants in the conference, who will attend different
workshops to focus on Croatia's foreign, security, economic and
social policies, the building of the rule of law, civil society and
pluralistic media, and innovative fields in education and
environmental protection, were addressed by President Mesic, who
spoke about his stand on the situation in the country and the
imperatives the Croatian government was faced with.
Europe and democracy are Croatia's strategic commitments and
"democracy is a political commitment which does not tolerate
compromises," he said, warning that there were still strongholds of
opposition to Croatia's European and democratic orientation.
"Much has been done as regards rapprochement with Europe and the
rest of the world," he said commenting on Croatia's membership in
Partnership for Peace and the World Trade Organisation, and the
initialling of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the
European Union. However, those were "the first results, which are
logical and expected," he said.
Croatian citizens expected a more radical break-up with the times
of "partial democracy", when the term Europeanism "was an empty
word which could not hide political primitivism of the worst kind,"
however, "concrete, vitally important results have not been
achieved."
The government imperatives, Mesic said, are the strengthening of
the institutions of a democratic society and law-based state, the
implementation of the proclaimed policy, particularly the economic
one, with emphasis on foreign investments.
The President also commented on the Homeland War, which, he said,
should be "rid of the burden of war crimes." "Croatia was
established in that war and it must enter history unsoiled," he
said.
For Croatia to achieve this, "we must call to account, through our
own judicial system and in cooperation with the Hague tribunal, all
those who were involved in war crimes," Mesic said.
He reminded the media that their task was to inform and not
indoctrinate.
He also pointed to the importance of regional cooperation as a
precondition for joining integration processes, but stressed
"cooperation with neighbours, that is, countries in the region, can
and must not result in the re-establishment of Yugoslavia."
(hina) sb rml