CROAT REFUGEES FROM POSAVINA SUPPORT MESIC AND BUDISA

ZAGREB, Jan 19 (Hina) - The Association of Displaced Persons and Refugees from the northern Bosnian region of Posavina (Bosnian Serb entity) on Wednesday called on Croats from Republika Srpska to vote for Drazen Budisa and Stipe Mesic in the upcoming presidential election. Budisa and Mesic meet all requirements and expectations of Posavina Croats, Association's vice-president Berislav Andrijevic told reporters today. He added the two candidates supported a single and whole Bosnia-Herzegovina with three constituent peoples. Andrijevic said the invitation to vote for Mesic and Budisa was also an invitation not to vote for Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) candidate Mate Granic, because he had implemented a poor policy of his party toward Bosnia-Herzegovina and Europe. The Association's president Mate Gogic offered congratulations to the Opposition Six which won the election. On January 3, Croatia freed itself from the uniformity of an irrational policy, Gogic said. He expressed hope that the new authority would continue helping Croats in all parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina in a transparent manner and through institutions. Addressing the problem of Croat refugees to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Gogic said there were almost no Croat returns to the Bosnian Serb entity. He also spoke about the return of Serb refugees to Croatia, sending a message to presidential candidates who are opposing the return of Serbs that those Serbs are not in Serbia but in Croats' homes in the Bosnian Serb entity and that their return to Croatia is what the return of Bosnian Croat refugees depended on. (hina) rml