MESIC HOLDS PRESIDENTIAL PRE-ELECTORAL RALLY IN SLAVONSKI BROD

SLAVONSKI BROD, Jan 8 (Hina) - Croatian presidential candidate Stipe Mesic on Saturday said he was satisfied with the change the victory of the SDP/HSLS coalition at recent parliamentary elections brought Croatia. Addressing a rally in Slavonski Brod at which he presented his candidacy for Croatian president, Mesic said it was now the electoral winners' task to fulfil their promises. He pointed out no revanchism must occur in the process. "This however does not mean that we should not address the issue of the accountability of those who brought Croatia in such an unenviable position. Somebody must answer for the looting which took place in Croatia," Mesic said. "When electing the president, elect a person, and not a party, because that person must guarantee that those who won the elections will realise what they promised," he said. Mesic advocated the reorganisation of secret services in Croatia, stating he did not know how many exactly there were in Croatia. He also said it is necessary to fully separate the Church from the state, and advocated further assistance to Croats in neighbouring Bosnia-Herzegovina but, he stressed, not of the kind which brought certain Croat structures in Herzegovina DM3 million per day. Mesic is the presidential candidate of the HNS/HSS/LS/IDS/ASH coalition. (hina) ha