PRESIDENT MESIC VISITS VIROVITICA COUNTY

VIROVITICA, Dec 15 (Hina) - All resources in the country must be directed toward stimulating development, Croatian President Stipe Mesic said on Friday during a meeting with Virovitica-Podravina County officials, emphasising first results of a changed attitude toward economy in Croatia were expected this spring already as the time of major transformation-privatisation scandals was passing by. President Mesic, who is visiting Virovitica-Podravina County today, held talks with county officials, business people and parliamentary deputies from the county about the situation in the local self-government, economy, social policy, reconstruction and refugee return. County prefect Ivan Horvat informed the President about the county's grave economic situation and problems with filling the budget. "Virovitica-Podravina County has 9,000 unemployed persons, which is 27 percent of the total population, which puts us above the state average, but we have the best export and import record, which makes us first in Croatia," Horvat said. Mesic said this problem could be solved by devising mechanisms for the stimulation of advantages of every county. (hina) rml