TUDJMAN'S OFFICE ISSUES STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT'S PROPERTY

ZAGREB, Nov 20 (Hina) - The Croatian President's Office on Friday issued a statement with regard to media reports on a statement on the President's property. The Office statement said that following an almost two-month-long media campaign with regard to the statement on the President's property, it was clear after Thursday's "Latinica", an evening television talk show, and especially after statements made by Vesna Pusic, that the campaign was not aimed at establishing the truth, but at discrediting the President and his family with all possible means, regardless of their real role in certain events. Signed by Gordan Radin, the head of the President's cabinet, the Office statement said that the statement on the President's property submitted to the president of parliament had been compiled according to the Law on Duties and Rights of State Officials. "It is integral, complete, and truthful," the statement said. In preparing the statement on property, the Croatian President had supplied the compiling team with data on his entire property, the property of his family members, and data on savings deposits. Bearing in mind the interpretation of the Law on Duties and Rights of State Officials and a September 15, 1998 session of the parliament Presidency, the team had unanimously and clearly suggested that the President sign the statement, without stating in it data on savings accumulated from royalties and the publishing of several dozen books. Today's statement from the President's Office said that if the law had been wrongly interpreted, which the Office believed was not the case, the primary responsibility lay with the President's Office departments which prepared the statement on property. (hina) ha mm