CROATIAN PRESIDENT FORWARDS NEW YEAR'S MESSAGE

ZAGREB, Dec 30 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on Sunday forwarded a New Year's message to all Croatian citizens, stressing this year has seen such progress which was "objectively possible to achieve", adding he wished that "the New Year would bring us another big step closer to our aim: a democratic, civilised, European, progressive Croatia, based on the rule of law." #L# The year 2001 was difficult for many, Mesic said, adding progress was made in those areas where it was possible. The direction in which Croatia has been going is good and it will remain the same in 2002, he said. Highlighting economic recovery and unemployment as the main problems, Mesic said some progress had been made in that regard, but it was not visible enough to everyone. Attempts to attract foreign capital have yielded results as well, he said, expressing confidence that foreign investments in Croatia would continue to grow. Croatia's international position has been increasingly improving and the country has left the state of isolation in which it was before last year's elections. "Today's Croatia has been recognised and accepted as a reliable partner whose opinion is wanted and respected," Mesic said but warned the EU was not promising "only milk and honey". Croatia cannot do without the EU and association with the EU is not only our wish but our fate, he added. It is very important that we have managed to secure the individual approach, which means that our integration in the EU will depend exclusively on our acceptance of European standards, Mesic said. Our credibility will be judged according to our fulfilment of international obligations, he said, and added that cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the development of regional cooperation would primarily benefit Croatia. The President announced the return of all citizens who were expelled or fled the country in previous years, adding this would prove the maturity of democracy and strengthen the rule of law in Croatia. He reminded the incumbent government had inherited the unresolved problems of the previous government and solving them would take time. "We promised a democratic, civilised, European and progressive Croatia, based on the rule of law," he said, adding "I wish the New Year would take us one step closer to that goal." Calling for national unity, he stressed that political or any other differences "must not lead us away from the European path of democracy we have embarked on." (hina) np