MONUMENT TO ANTE STARCEVIC UNCOVERED IN ZAGREB

ZAGREB, Feb 28 (Hina) - On the 103rd anniversary of the death of Ante Starcevic, Croatian Parliament vice-president Zarko Domljan and representative of the Fraternity of the Croatian Dragon, Juraj Kolaric, on Sunday unveiled a monument to this respectable Croatian politician. The Fraternity of the Croatian Dragon initiated the erection of the monument. Ante Starcevic in 1861 established the Croatian Party of Rights and sought self-determination for the Croatian people. In the turbulent history of the Croatian people, especially in the second half of the 19th century, Starcevic opened new pages for Croatian history, accentuated Croatian pride and drew the basis of the present Croatian state, Kolaric said before the many residents of Zagreb and senior state, church and public officials gathered in front of Ante Starcevic's home where the monument was unveiled. Kolaric recalled the Croatian people's difficult struggle and suffering in their efforts to create their own state. Zarko Domljan recalled Starcevic's speeches at the Croatian Parliament in which he was always "consistent and direct", stressing freedom was the basic condition for the success of the Croatian people. Starcevic stressed the natural aspiration of every nation to become independent and to create their own state, and in his speeches he never feared for the future of the Croatian people, Domljan said. (hina) lml