PAVLETIC RECEIVES REPS. OF HOMELAND WAR VETERANS' ASSOCIATIONS

ZAGREB, Dec 22 (Hina) - Croatia's National Parliament Sabor President Vlatko Pavletic, who is the acting President of Croatia, and a Vice-President of the Sabor, Jadranka Kosor, on Wednesday held the Christmas and New Year party for representatives of a dozen associations and societies of Homeland War veterans and casualties. Welcoming the present, Pavletic said the stability and security which the current authorities had achieved in the country so far should be maintained in the coming year. Stressing that it was ability, work, diligence, knowledge and experience that could help Croatia to enter the European Union, Pavletic added that they would show that they know how to defend the interests and identity of the country just as veterans used to defend Croatia during the war. Kosor said that during today's meeting they also remembered all those who gave their lives or went missing during the Homeland War. Croatia is still searching for 1,650 missing persons, and over 600 found corpses have been unidentified to date. Over 47,000 people are still having the status of displaced persons, and 26,000 are refugees. On behalf of Homeland War veterans and casualties, Josip Jugec, a member of the association of families of detained and missing Croatian soldiers, thanked the hosts and pointed to the very good cooperation with the Croatian parliament. (hina) ms