CRO PRESIDENT ISSUES MESSAGE TO ALL CROATS FOR STATEHOOD DAY

ZAGREB, May 28 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Friday issued a public message to all Croats, in Croatia and abroad, and to all Croatian citizens, on the occasion of May 30, Croatia's Statehood Day. Following is the unofficial translation of the message: "To Croats in the homeland and in the world, to all Croatian citizens, I wish the best for the greatest holiday of free and sovereign Croatia - Statehood Day. "I express my gratitude to all who have contributed to the realisation of the highest, centuries-long dream and goal of Croatian generations - the creation of an independent state. "In the past decade, since the establishment of democratic Croatia, despite the aggression, the occupation of part of the territory, and the hundreds of thousands of displaced persons, through a policy of reconciliation and national unity, paying with victims and deprivation on the part of the Croatian people, we have succeeded in completely liberating our country and in creating a politically and economically stable democratic order. "Our future depends on us alone, on our unity and mutual social solidarity, on personal initiative and responsibility in all fields of building, so that we may build our independent and sovereign, democratic state into a state of social justice, a firm juridical system, prosperity and happiness for all of its citizens." (hina) ha