SDP, HSS, HSLS PARTY REPS EXPRESS CONDOLENCES FOR TUDJMAN'S DEATH

ZAGREB, Dec 11 (Hina) - Following the death of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, president of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ivica Racan, president of the Croatian peasants' party (HSS) Zlatko Tomcic and spokeswoman for the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), Djurdja Adlesic, expressed condolences Saturday morning to Tudjman's family, and their personal sorrow. "I express my condolences to the family of Franjo Tudjman and the Croatian Democratic Party (HDZ)," Racan said. "We all lost the President of the Republic. Tudjman powerfully marked our recent Croatian history. Tudjman's contribution to the creation of Croatia will remain a permanent value. It is our responsibility to maintain it," Racan said. "Although the news about President Tudjman's death had been expected, the HSS and myself personally received it with great sorrow, because a man dies, who was by the will of the Croatian people elected as president of the state and who entwined a great part of his life into the creation of Croatia's freedom and its international recognition," Zlatko Tomcic said. With the death of President Tudjman a chapter of Croatia's recent history has ended. I believe that the Croatian people share gratitude to Tudjman and his role in the creation of the independent State of Croatia. I express my deepest condolences to members of his family, friends and state officials, Tomcic said. Adlesic expressed condolences on behalf of the HSLS and herself personally. "We are sorry that this happened. This is a great loss for the citizens of Croatia. We sincerely hope that responsible people, primarily politicians, will show maturity and respond appropriately to the moment in which Croatia finds itself," Djurdja Adlesic said. (hina) lml