WIERSMA: CROATIA'S FUTURE LIES IN EUROPE

ZAGREB, Feb 28 (Hina) - Jan Marinus Wiersma, deputy chairman of the European Union committee on expanding integration processes, said in Zagreb on Monday Croatia's future lay in Europe following political changes that had taken place. Wiersma and a high delegation of the European Socialist Party, whose vice-president he is, met during a one-day visit to Zagreb with the national and Zagreb municipal leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and party representatives in parliament. It was announced that the delegation should also meet Premier Ivica Racan. Addressing a news conference organised by the SDP Zagreb branch, Wiersma said that, like the majority of voters in Croatia, his party, too, believed Croatia's future lay in Europe. Wiersma said his party's delegation was visiting Croatia to support the new authority and Premier Racan and its sister-party. He believed Croatia could play an important role in the region in the implementation of the Stability Pact. The head of the SDP in Zagreb, Milan Bandic, said his party and its coalition partner intended to take over authority in Zagreb in two months' time. Bandic did not want to say whether he meant calling early elections in Zagreb or taking over authority at the City Assembly in some other way. He only announced a special news conference this week on that matter. (hina) mm rml