AUSTRALIAN AND CROATIAN FLAGS DISPLAYED IN FRONT OF CROATIAN HOUSE

SYDNEY, Sept 10 (Hina) - On Sunday, Australian and Croatian flags were hoisted up to the flagpoles in front of the Croatian Club in Punchbowl, which will be used as the Croatian Olympic House during the Olympics in Sydney.#L# Present at this ceremony were Croatian athletes who are taking part in the biggest sporting event, and several thousand Croatian immigrants and Australians of the Croatian descent. Australian flag was raised by Marko Franulic, an eminent Australian Croat, who is president of the Croatian soccer club 'Sydney United'. The Croatian flag was hoisted by one of the best Croatian swimmers, Gordan Kozulj. National anthems were stricken up on that occasion. On behalf of the Croatian Society Sydney, its chairman, Tomo Mlinaric, addressed the gathered athletes and guests adding that this Croatian House would be open for everybody. He wished Croatian participants much success and many medals in the Olympics. The Australian-Croatian Olympic Committee's head, Frano Busic, said this association had been established nine years before in order to help Croatian sportswomen and sportsmen and added that it would specially award the most successful Croatian participants in the Olympic Games. Croatian Consul General in Sydney Ljubinko Matesic described the Olympic Games as an excellent occasion for Australian Croats to demonstrate their unity and to support Croatian athletes. On behalf of Croatian athletes, Matija Ljubek, the Croatian Olympic mission head, thanked Australian Croats for their support. Ljubek assessed the participation of 95 Croatians in the greatest sporting event as a big success of a small country such as Croatia. At the end of this ceremony the Croatian Society chief manager, Jozo Brkic, invited all guests and athletes to come to a party. Besides them, Croatian reporters and Australian media representatives were also at the party. (hina) ms