SYMPOSIUM ON LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT HELD IN VUKOVAR

( Editorial: --> 3401 ) VUKOVAR, June 24 (Hina) - A symposium titled "Local Self-Government as an Expression of Direct Democracy" was held in Vukovar on Wednesday. The event was organised by the Institute for Public Administration and the Embassy of Local Democracy in Osijek, under the patronage of the Council of Europe and Croatian Government. The participants were presidents of town and municipal councils as well as mayors and leaders of towns and municipalities in the Danube region. "Our primary aim is to develop trust between people who live on that territory. At the same time our wish is to help people in their education and specialisation because only in that way will we reach quality self-government," said Damir Juric on behalf of the Embassy of Local Democracy. Assistant Administration Minister and member of the National Trust Establishment Committee, Mirko Tankosic, warned of problems on the ground. According to Tankosic, those problems have partly arisen from the low quality work of local trust establishment committees "which have not reached the level expected of them". Tankosic also referred to the Government's return programme. "The return programme has not been adopted because of the international community but because of us. Its implementation is unavoidable. As incumbents of local authorities you have to understand its significance and persevere in its implementation," said Tankosic. (hina) as bag/rml 241640 MET jun 98