BELJO'S REPLACEMENT MAKES CROATIAN WORLD CONGRESS VERY BITTER

ZAGREB, July 10 (Hina) - The Croatian World Congress (HSK), the umbrella organisation of societies of Croatian immigrants in 29 countries, described the replacement of the head of the "Hrvatska Matica Iseljenika (HMI) or the Croatian Emigration Institute" as a blow to the Croatian Diaspora, read a statement adopted by the Croatian World Congress at its fourth convention held in Zagreb last week. The statement was forwarded to the media on Monday. How Ante Beljo was replaced, reminded the HSK leadership of the manner and methods which Serb extremists exploited in expelling non-Serb population from the occupied territories during the Homeland War, read the statement. However, the HSK added that it would continue "to co-operate with and contact the HMI regardless of who its head is," because this is an institution which functions for Croatian immigrants. The HSK denied the assertion given by the newly-appointed head of HMI, Boris Maruna that the 'Matica' had very closely been tied with the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). "In that period (while the HDZ was in power) we viewed the HMI as an open institution which was at service to us concerning all issues," read a statement. The Congress described a statement that 'Matica' had been transformed into one of closest institutions in Croatia as "a typical example of deluding the Croatian public so that it could more easily accept the political replacement of Ante Beljo. The HSK wonders if this is not the case of politically-motivated replacement why Beljo has been succeeded by Boris Maruna, a member of the Socialist Democratic Party (SDP), and a man who did not get any support of Croats abroad at the last elections. (hina) jn ms,