HUNGARIAN PRESIDENT ATTENDS RE-NAMING OF ZAGREB STREET TO ANTALL

ZAGREB, Sept 28 (Hina) - Hungarian President Arpad Goencz on Tuesday attended a ceremony of renaming a Zagreb street after the first Hungarian premier, Jozsef Antall, and uncovered a plaque in his honour. "I am deeply touched with this act for which I thank the officials and residents of the city of Zagreb," Goencz said. During Antall's mandate Hungary gave recognition to the independence of Croatia. He died in 1993. Zagreb Mayor Marina Matulovic-Dropulic said Antall was a "man who had mostly contributed to the friendship between the two countries," and provided Croatia with exceptional support during the Serb aggression. Goenzc was greeted by the president of the City Assembly, Zlatko Canjuga, who stressed that the renaming of the street was a way for "Croatia and Zagreb to by only a small measure pay back Hungary for its support and friendship". With his exceptional resoluteness, excellent insight into the situation in the country and region, determination and tolerance, Antall made it possible for the first democratic elections to take place in Hungary, after which he became the first premier and established a new order in his country. Through his actions he became an inalienable part of Hungary's modern history, Goencz said at the ceremony which was also attended by Antall's wife and son. "Antall knew how to recognise the mutual interests of our two countries, and his acts, as well as this ceremony, are additional proof of the unbreakable and fate-based connection between Hungary and Croatia," Goencz said. The Joseph Antall street is located between the Zagreb Fair and the racetrack in the south part of the city. (hina) lml jn