HDZ NATIONAL COUNCIL HOLDS SESSION

( Editorial: --> 8367 ) ZAGREB, Oct 14 (Hina) - Croatian Democratic Union's (HDZ) National Council on Wednesday held a session under the chairmanship of the party president Franjo Tudjman. Today's meeting is the continuation of a session which started on October 10 this year. The HDZ National Council today discussed the recent public debate of senior HDZ officials, said a statement released after the session. Most of the Council's members attended the session with the said senior party officials attending its initial part. On the basis of the investigation conducted and the report submitted by a party commission, and taking into account the conclusions of the Lower House's Committee for Internal Affairs and National Security, the National Council has adopted the following conclusions: Public claims made by Franjo Greguric and Hrvoje Sarinic concerning the alleged misuse of security services aimed at political confrontation and their discrediting, have proved unfounded. These unfounded claims of the said party officials have brought about certain repercussions for the party's reputation and interests, thus violating the HDZ Statute. The Council has taken note of Hrvoje Sarinic's irrevocable resignation to all party duties as well as the irrevocable resignation of Andrija Hebrang to the post of HDZ vice-president. The Council also stressed that the public presentation of the said, completely unsubstantiated claims, at this very moment was not accidental. It was concluded that the said actions of the party officials have not weakened HDZ's internal strength and unity. Exactly the opposite - they will only contribute to strengthening the HDZ as the pillar party, and a widely popular party. The Council also supported motions for personnel changes, presented by the party president Franjo Tudjman and Council members. Analysing the election results for the Dubrovnik-Neretva County Assembly, the Council expressed satisfaction with the fact that the HDZ had remained by far the strongest party in the county. In accordance with the HDZ's consistent policy on the need for cooperation among parties whose programmes are similar at all levels, Council members have concluded that the Croatian Democratic Union, as the strongest Croatian party, should offer cooperation in the constitution of new executive authorities in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County, to the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) and Croatian Social-Liberal Party (HSLS), being parties with programmes closest to the HDZ's. (hina) jn rml/lml 141853 MET oct 98