CRO CULTURAL, POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS HAIL CROATIA'S ADMISSION TO C

C $ .E. ZAGREB, Nov 6 (Hina) - On occasion of Croatia's accession into the Council of Europe, Croatian Parliament chairman Vlatko Pavletic said that today was a special day recorded in the newest Croatian history. "If this first step was the most difficult, the next will be more complex. We are ready for that," Pavletic said. The Croatian Science and Art Academy issued a statement expressing conviction that Croatia's admission into the Council of Europe would "promote democracy in Croatia, as well as its economic development, which is much based on the links of science and technology". The Croatian Cultural Society, the oldest cultural institution of the Croatian people, described Croatia's accession as a "historic act (which) confirms the intellectual and moral contribution of the Croatian people to the European union of free peoples". The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) in its statement stressed that "Croatia's admission into the Council of Europe ended another successful process of the Croatian state policy lead by the HDZ and President Tudjman". The Croatian Party Social Democrats issued a statement stressing that it could not be doubted that "Croatia geographically and historically belongs to Europe, and we hope that it will more and more belong to the modern Europe politically." (hina) lm mm 062101 MET nov 96