JOHANNESBURG, June 18 (Hina)- Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Thursday called on Croats living in the Republic of South Africa to return to their homeland. "Come to Croatia", Tudjman said at a dinner with members of the Croatian
Diaspora in Johannesburg last night. Acknowledging the role of Croat emigrants, including those from South Africa, in the establishment and defence of an independent Croatia, Tudjman called on them to join Croats in the homeland in building Croatia as a state of democracy, freedom and happiness of all its citizens. "Unfortunately, the Croatian people is cut in two and there are as many Croats living in foreign countries as there are in Croatia. That is why the role of Croat emigrants is of extreme importance in the building of an independent Croatian state; without their role we could not have managed in the homeland itself", Tudjman said. He recalled the difficult
JOHANNESBURG, June 18 (Hina)- Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on
Thursday called on Croats living in the Republic of South Africa to
return to their homeland.
"Come to Croatia", Tudjman said at a dinner with members of the
Croatian Diaspora in Johannesburg last night.
Acknowledging the role of Croat emigrants, including those from
South Africa, in the establishment and defence of an independent
Croatia, Tudjman called on them to join Croats in the homeland in
building Croatia as a state of democracy, freedom and happiness of
all its citizens.
"Unfortunately, the Croatian people is cut in two and there are as
many Croats living in foreign countries as there are in Croatia.
That is why the role of Croat emigrants is of extreme importance in
the building of an independent Croatian state; without their role
we could not have managed in the homeland itself", Tudjman said.
He recalled the difficult times of creation of the Croatian state,
which, he said, had been opposed by both America and Europe.
"... when we declared independence, they wanted it (Croatia) to be
defeated. They imposed an arms embargo and we had to arm ourselves
in all possible ways we knew".
"Later, international factors wanted a different Croatia, a
Croatia which cannot think and decide for itself, a Croatia which
does not care for its own people. When they failed, they had to
recognise us... as a state which is the most stable factor in this
part of Europe".
"...I heard you talk about problems in the homeland, and you are
right. We have economic problems, but which state doesn't? We
decided on a free market, not because it was the road to heaven, but
because history has shown that there is no better solution",
Tudjman said recalling that pensions and salaries in Croatia had
increased three times since the introduction of the kuna, despite
the fact that the country had to care for a large number of displaced
people and refugees.
He reiterated his recent statement that there were 10-15 per cent of
Croatian citizens who were not willing to accept Croatia's freedom,
democracy and independence. Such examples exist everywhere, but
they belong to the past, he added.
The President also recalled the year 1990, when with the Croatian
Democratic Union's (HDZ) leadership and a programme of an
independent Croatia, he competed against a coalition of some 30
parties and the communists.
"Nobody believed that we would be able to establish the Croatian
state - but we established it. They had their analyses, opinion
polls, but we had hearts and confidence in the Croatian people.
We are dealing with the current problems with the same confidence,
convinced that we will be able to solve them.."
"We have one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It is our
duty to settle it, to return Croatian emigrants, to make it a state
of democracy, welfare and happiness of all of its people", Tudjman
said, calling on Croatian emigrants to return to Croatia.
Also present at the event at President Tudjman's side were Foreign
Minister Mate Granic, Upper House vice-president Ivan Aralica and
HDZ secretary for the Diaspora, Marin Sopta.
In his address to the gathering, Aralica called on Croat emigrants
to participate in the forthcoming parliamentary elections in as a
large number as possible. Aralica remarked that the international
community and individuals from Croatia who believed that emigrants
did not need representatives in the Sabor because they were not
paying taxes in Croatia had won in the creation of election rules in
Croatia. "You have paid your taxes to Croatia very much so", he
added.
Foreign Minister Mate Granic informed the emigrants about
Croatia's foreign policy position, announcing that Croatia would
enter the World Trade Organisation as early as this year, and begin
talks on accession to the European Union and the Partnership for
Peace.
Granic reminded that by condemning Milosevic, the United States and
European powers were recognising that it was Milosevic's regime
which in 1991 carried out an act of aggression against Croatia.
However, those powers, at the time Croatia needed it, did not
support its independence, he added.
HDZ secretary Marin Sopta presented opportunities Croatia was
offering to emigrant returnees. He presented an estimate according
to which 95 per cent of Croatian emigrants wish to return to their
homeland.
At the end of last night's event, President Tudjman decorated a
number of South African Croats for their contribution to the
establishment of the Croatian state.
President Tudjman will end his visit to the Republic of South Africa
after a meeting with the Croatian community in Cape Town on Friday.
(hina) rml