MESIC SLAMS HDZ PROCLAMATION

SLAVONSKI BROD, Sept 30 (Hina) - Croatia's President Stipe Mesic said on Saturday the Croatian Democratic Union party (HDZ) was evidently unable to accept coming into and stepping down from power in a democratic fashion. Mesic reacted to a proclamation the largest opposition party issued today calling on the Croatian people to use democratic means to express disagreement with what it says is dangerous conduct of the regime, and urging early parliamentary elections.#L# "What do they want with new elections? They will no longer be in parliament, while now they hold a few seats at least," said the president, adding it was now clear who was "behind all this hullabaloo." The proclamation came in the wake of Mesic's decision of yesterday to retire seven active generals. They were among the 12 signatories of Thursday's open letter in which they called on state institutions and the media to oppose the negative and false presentation of the Homeland Defence War, Croatia's early 1990s war of independence from the former Yugoslav federation. On Thursday, Mesic said that individuals from the HDZ had their hands in the generals' letter. "I apologise because I said that there were some groups or individuals in the HDZ, when evidently the HDZ leadership is behind everything," Mesic told reporters in the eastern town of Slavonski Brod where he attended a folklore ensembles manifestation. Mesic said the most important thing for Croatia at this moment was to attract foreign capital, peacefully and composedly, within the rule of law, and to activate domestic resources. (hina) ha