CRO PARLIAMENT HOLDS FORMAL SESSION TO MARK STATEHOOD DAY

ZAGREB, May 29 (Hina) - Croatian Parliament today held a formal session to mark the Statehood Day and the Fifth Anniversary of the Independent Croatian State. Croatia's President Franjo Tudjman addressed the Parliament and the public. The session, attended by representatives of both parliamentary chambers, was opened by the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Nedjeljko Mihanovic. The national anthem was sounded at the beginning of the session as representatives paid respect to the homeland. With a minute of silence parliamentary representatives paid respect to all people killed in war, especially those who gave their lives during the Homeland War. The session was attended by the Archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Franjo Kuharic, all members of the Croatian Government, diplomatic corps and UN officials headed by the Secretary General's special envoy Yasushi Akashi. "Over the past five years we have achieved more than the Croatian people could hope for. And nobody and nothing will ever be able to underrate, let alone invalidate the magnitude of our achievement over these years of the Croatian revival. These years have been uncertain and difficult, but they have also been glorious years of achievement of our century-long dreams", President Tudjman said in his address. On May 30, 1990, a constituent assembly of the multi-party Croatian Parliament was held following the first democratic elections which had been won by the Croatian Democratic Union party. The Croatian Parliament elected members to the Presidency and its President Franjo Tudjman. (hina) mm rm 291249 MET may 95