EUROPEAN SOCIALISTS SUPPORT RACAN'S GOVERNMENT

ZAGREB, April 28 (Hina) - The coalition government of Ivica Racan enjoys the support of European Socialists because it has turned a new page in the process of Croatia's democratisation and as regards the resolution of the problem of human and minority rights in line with European values, the head of a delegation of the Parliamentary Group of the European Socialists, Enrique Baron, told reporters in Zagreb on Friday. Baron also announced that Socialist parliamentarians will lobby in European forums for accelerating negotiations on Croatia's admission to the European Union. The Parliamentary Group of the European Socialists held the new conference at the Social Democratic Party (SDP) headquarters prior to leaving Croatia, where it met the highest state officials. The delegation said it would invest efforts aimed at increasing the international community's financial assistance to Croatia, which so far has amounted to 15 million Euros. It was judged that the moves the government had made so far should contribute to the success of a donors' conference, which should be held in June this year. The delegation of the Parliamentary Group of the European Socialists said the upcoming elections for the Zagreb City Assembly were of great importance for Europe's policy toward Croatia. (hina) rml