HDZ BENCH TAXES MESIC WITH CALLING ON US TO DEPOSE CRO LEADERSHIP

ZAGREB, May 16 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) Bench in Parliament on Monday condemned a letter forwarded by the upper and lower house speakers, Josip Manolic and Stipe Mesic respectively, to the US Congress on May 4. In a statement directed "to the Croatian public," the HDZ Bench taxed Mesic and Manolic with "abusing and overstepping their authority" and "monstrously vilifying the institutions of their own country," without the consent of the Parliament. "Messrs. Manolic and Mesic deny the Croatian people the right to self-defence," said the statement. The HDZ Bench stressed that Manolic and Mesic "wanted to spread the idea that the Croatian state policy, being hypocritical, aggressive and war-mongering, should not enjoy the support of the United States. They call on the US to depose the legitimate leadership of the Republic of Croatia and instal another leadership, which would not correspond to the political will of the Croatian people." 162141 MET may 94