"EVENING OF CROATIAN EMIGRANT RETURNEES" HELD IN ZAGREB

ZAGREB, Oct 24 (Hina) - "The time when we emigrated from Croatia is behind us and now it is time for us to return to our homeland", Croatian Emigrant Returnees' Society president Vlado Glavas said at the "Evening of Croatian Emigrant Returnees", held in Zagreb on Saturday. The returnees and representatives from Croatia's public and political life, who gathered last night in the Zagreb Fair Congress Hall, were welcomed by Croatian President Franjo Tudjman's Chief- of-Staff Ivica Kostovic. The event, which attracted more than one thousand returnees and their friends, was organised by the Croatian Emigrant Returnees' Society and Croatian Homeland Foundation. One of the guests, Foreign Minister Mate Granic, spoke about the importance of help the Croatian emigrants had given their homeland in 1990 and 1991, when the country was fighting for its independence. Croatia is now on the safe road towards European associations and it is heading towards establishing a modern European society, Granic said. Throughout the past, the Croats had to leave their homeland, but the 90s were a turning point for Croat emigrants and Croats living in the homeland. Those two sides, firmly joined and united, started working together in the creation of the Croatian state, said Parliament Vice President Vladimir Seks. In the peace-time establishment of a social and democratic Croatian state, emigrant returnees have an important role in imparting their knowledge and tradition of countries with long-standing democratic systems, Seks stressed. Last night's event also included the presentation of Croatian state decorations to emigrant returnees, awarded on the occasion of this year's Statehood Day. The gathered were also greeted by US Ambassador William Montgomery. (hina) rml