GOSPIC CITY COUNCIL SESSION GOSPIC, July 21 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic on Friday attended a session of Gospic's city council and government held ahead of tomorrow's Gospic Day. Mesic and associates are visiting Lika-Senj
County in central Croatia. Addressing the session, the President said it was necessary to activate all available human and economic resources to revive the Lika area and the entire Croatia. It is necessary to ensure security for foreign investments which are paramount for all-round progress, provide new jobs and revive the economy devastated in last decade's war, said President Mesic. He also pointed to the importance of forming a capable management and condemned giving jobs on the basis of political suitability, saying it was harmful and retrograde. The war is behind us but its consequences are not the only cause for the dire economic situation, Mesic told the residents of Gospic, adding we must get bet
GOSPIC, July 21 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic on Friday
attended a session of Gospic's city council and government held
ahead of tomorrow's Gospic Day.
Mesic and associates are visiting Lika-Senj County in central
Croatia.
Addressing the session, the President said it was necessary to
activate all available human and economic resources to revive the
Lika area and the entire Croatia.
It is necessary to ensure security for foreign investments which
are paramount for all-round progress, provide new jobs and revive
the economy devastated in last decade's war, said President Mesic.
He also pointed to the importance of forming a capable management
and condemned giving jobs on the basis of political suitability,
saying it was harmful and retrograde.
The war is behind us but its consequences are not the only cause for
the dire economic situation, Mesic told the residents of Gospic,
adding we must get better organised. He added the construction of a
highway connecting south and central Croatia across Lika would
boost economic development of the area and activate its resources.
Mesic also commented on some aspects of Croatia's foreign policy,
saying that tying Croatia into some sorts of Balkans associations
was out of the question. Those who wish to isolate Croatia from
Europe and the world are the ones spreading fear of such
associations, he said.
Lika-Senj County prefect Ante Frkovic reminded of the devastating
demographic picture of Croatia's largest and most poorly populated
county. He said a highway across Lika would ensure an accelerated
prosperity for the area, adding reconstruction means for the county
should be allocated based on its specific economic and demographic
situation.
Commenting on this spring's arrival of investigators of The Hague
war crimes tribunal to the Gospic area, mayor Milan Kolic said he
objected to the liability of collective guilt and advocated truth
and justice for all.
After the city council and government session, President Mesic
attended the unveiling of a monument to Homeland War soldiers and
civilians killed in the defence of Gospic. The monument was
unveiled by members of the victims' families. Gospic's defence
claimed the lives of 250 local soldiers and civilians and 106
soldiers from elsewhere in Croatia.
(hina) ha