BOSNIAN CROATS TO STAND ON THEIR OWN TWO FEET IN FUTURE - JELAVIC

SARAJEVO, July 15 (Hina) - Ante Jelavic on Saturday was re-elected as the President of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia- Herzegovina (HDZ BiH). He was the only candidate, and was elected for the second two-year- long term of office by a majority vote at the sixth convention this political party held in Sarajevo. Giving a report on the HDZ BiH activities in the last year, prior to his re-election, Jelavic said this party had become a strong political factor in the last ten years and asserted that it defended, in a consistent and dignified manner, interests of Bosnia-Herzegovina's Croats, fighting for their full equality with other two constituent peoples (Serbs and Moslems or Bosniaks). During his one-hour-long speech, Jelavic said the HDZ BiH would remain a centrist party but it was also intending to transform itself into a modern European popular party with Democratic Christian orientation. He fully supported a recent ruling of the Bosnian Constitutional Court which confirmed that all three peoples are constituent on the whole territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Jelavic criticised the incumbent government in Croatia, claiming that "it has taken some hard and, for us objectively unacceptable moves, leaving the HDZ authorities in Bosnia-Herzegovina to their own devices." "Therefore, in the future Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina will primarily rely on themselves and their strength," the Bosnian HDZ leader stressed. Present at the HDZ BiH convention in Sarajevo were delegations of HDZ and Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) from Croatia and Bosnian political parties as well as many members of the Diplomatic Corps in the Bosnian capital. The event commenced with striking up Bosnia-Herzegovina's national anthem which was followed by the national anthem of Croatia. While the Croatian anthem was being performed, foreign diplomats, who attended the convention, remained sitting. (hina) ms