CRO FOREIGN MINISTRY ISSUES STATEMENT ON EVACUATION OF CRO CITIZEN

CITIZEN $ S FROM ALBANIA ZAGREB, Mar 14 (Hina) - The Croatian Foreign Ministry on Friday issued a statement in relation to the latest events in Albania. A number of employees at the Croatian Embassy and their families and a number of Croatian citizens were on Friday evacuated with helicopters from Tirana to the port of Drac, whence, together with 50 employees of the Croatian Oil Industry INA, CROSCO and the Zadar Hotel, they were transported with ships of the Italian Navy to the Italian port of Brindisi, the statement said. Until further notice the Croatian Embassy in Tirana would continue to work with a minimal number of employees, the statement further said, adding that the Croatian Foreign Ministry was in constant and uninterrupted contact with the Embassy in Tirana, in order to inform about the situation and provide care for the safety of the smaller number of the remaining Croatian citizens in Albania. The Croatian Foreign Ministry took this occasion to thank the Italian Government on the assistance given during the evacuation of Croatian citizens from Albania, the statement concluded. (hina) ha 141629 MET mar 97