PRESIDENT MESIC VISITS ISLAND OF VIS

KOMIZA, Nov 24 (Hina) - President Stjepan Mesic, accompanied by Public Works Minister Radimir Cacic, arrived in Komiza on the island of Vis for a two-day visit on Saturday. Mesic held a meeting with local leaders, describing the absence of councillors of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and the Pure Party of Rights (HCSP) as politically unwise. He wondered how they could fight for Croatia's future without recognising democratically elected state institutions and their representatives. In talks with the local population, the president said the islands, despite good legislation envisaging their development, were not used sufficiently. Mesic mentioned the example of Israel, half the size of Croatia, which he said was half desert but had six million people populate the other half. Speaking about his recent visit there, the president said it was paid to eliminate the legacy of the past as the Jews were the most numerous victims of the Second World War. Nevertheless, present- day Israel is full of capital and brains, he said, urging initiating ways of bringing said capital to Croatia's islands. Mayor Vicko Mardesic said Komiza saw its future in the realisation of two projects - the construction of a fish port with a fish market, and in nautical tourism and the building of a big tourist settlement on the location of a former barracks of ex-Yugoslavia's federal army. (hina) ha sb