PRESIDENT MESIC: GOVERNMENT TOO SLOW IN SOLVING PROBLEMS

ZAGREB, Nov 13 (Hina) - Croatian president Stjepan Mesic told a student's symposium Monday night that the government authorities were too slow in finding solutions to bring Croatia out of its current stagnation. The government must implement the programme for which it had received the trust of voters, and if it cannot do that, it must step down -- and this is democracy, Mesic said, adding that ministers who cannot implement the government's programme must be replaced by those who could do so. "One needs to establish priorities and solve problems with courage," the president said, stressing that Croatia must be made attractive for foreign investments. Asked about a recent open letter by the Croatian Bishops' Conference about the difficult social situation in Croatia and the reactions by government representatives to the letter, Mesic said he thought this was a misunderstanding. The letter did not mention exclusively the current government, but also the one before, because, as he said, problems did not appear just two years ago. The students, however, voiced their disagreement with his opinion. Asked by students whether, after his apology to Jews for the crimes committed against them during the Independent State of Croatia (1941-1945), Mesic would also apologise to the victims of Bleiburg (where hundreds of Croatian soldiers and civilians were killed during WWII), the president said he would, because one should pay one's respect to all innocent victims, and those who committed crimes against Croats should also apologise to Croats. (hina) lml