CRO PRESIDENT'S WIFE GRANTS INTERVIEW TO HIGHEST CIRCULATION DAILY

ZAGREB, Oct 24 (Hina) - The Croatian President's wife Ankica Tudjman granted an exclusive interview to the Saturday issue of "Vecernji List", the highest circulation daily paper in Croatia, in reaction to reports in certain media with regard to disclosed information about her savings deposits in Zagrebacka Banka (ZB). Mrs. Tudjman also explained the origin of time money in ZB, and the reason why savings deposits had not been included in the Tudjman family property statement. Mrs. Tudjman heard the news that ZB had decided to offer a reward for information on the source who publicly disclosed information on her foreign currency account on Croatian Television's central evening news on Saturday, October 17, and read about it in "Vecernji List" the next day. The same day she stated in a letter to ZB head of management Franjo Lukovic that the one million kuna (US$170,000) reward was "legitimate only for ZB", and that by this act no favour at all had been done to her as a ZB depositor. In the letter she also reminded Lukovic that there had already been instances when confidential information had been disclosed within ZB, and that in those cases the bank had conducted internal investigations. Why had a one million kuna reward not been offered when this happened for the first time, Mrs Tudjman had said in her letter. Commenting on Ankica Lepej, the ZB employee who came forward as the source who had disclosed information on the Tudjman account, Mrs. Tudjman pointed out to "Vecernji List" she had assumed that "with Mrs. Lepej's admission the case would be conducted in regular legal course, and not with the hue and cry that followed." Mrs. Tudjman also stated that insinuations "not only in part of the press, but by some MPs as well" were an unjustified and totally unfounded attempt at falsely depicting the origin of her time money in ZB, with the aim to "morally discredit her in public." Mrs. Tudjman stated in the interview that she and her husband Franjo Tudjman had open accounts with ZB since 1961. "All royalties for my husband's published works have been paid by the publishers on his drawing account, to which there is evidence in ZB, and they have been reported on (his) income tax statement every year, on the basis of ZB reports and the publisher's receipt on paid royalties." "The amount tied in deposit on March 24 was not deposited on that day, but reached my husband's account from book publishing. It was however tied in deposit that day, on my name, as I had my husband's authorisation to his drawing account," Mrs. Tudjman explained. She said her husband's royalties "refer to 29 editions of books published to August 1992, and 19 editions of books published since August 1992 to date, both (in Croatia) and abroad." Mrs. Tudjman also commented on accusations of alleged deception of the public with regard to the President's recent statement on property owned by the Tudjman family. The statement was made in line with the Law on Duties and Rights of State Officials. She recalled that while drafting the statement, the President's Office had at its disposal all data on the entire property of the Tudjman family, including savings data. The statement was drafted following a parliamentary agreement, Mrs. Tudjman said, adding that from what she read in the press, a certain number of officials had not recorded savings amounts in their statements, in keeping with the parliamentary agreement. She concluded that the "harsh" and totally unsubstantiated attacks in relation to her husband's statement on owned property were "ill- intentioned to say the least." Mrs. Tudjman also commented on reports in certain media alleging abuse in the "Save the Children of Croatia" humanitarian fund, which provides care for some 5,000 children. The fund's business is open at all times to all services authorised to check it, she said, adding the fund submitted annual financial statements to the ministries of administration and finance and to the State Auditing Office. "In what other way but by requesting a financial check up may I prove that the fund operates fairly and in the interest of the children it cares for," said Mrs. Tudjman. She reiterated that the money on her foreign currency account was solely that of her husband's royalties. "On the current account is my retirement money. I receive no compensation from the (children's) fund, because I have been doing voluntary work for seven years now. I do not wish to justify myself anymore, because I have no reason to. All sponsors pay money for the children directly on the (fund's) drawing account," Mrs. Tudjman told "Vecernji List". She declined to comment on Ankica Lepej's act. (hina) ha