PLITVICE: PROJECT "LIKA IN FOCUS" PRESENTED

PLITVICE, Dec 3 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, under whose auspices the "Lika In Focus" project was presented at the "Jezero" hotel at the Plitvice Lakes national park on Tuesday, has stated that Lika, whose development came to a halt due to the war, does not lack human or economic resources. #L# "Lika In Focus" is a comprehensive project aimed at reviving the central Croatian region, conducted by the humanitarian organisation of the Christian Adventist Church, ADRA Croatia, and focuses on the reconstruction of houses, economic revival, and reconciliation. Over the past three years alone, ADRA has granted around two million euros for the reconstruction of mostly Serb family houses, infrastructure, and some public projects in Lika- Senj and Karlovac counties. ADRA's leading donors are the German government and the embassies of Canada, Switzerland and Great Britain. President Mesic said the project facilitated returns and was therefore commendable in every aspect. "We have had the opportunity here to hear what this humanitarian organisation has done, without anyone having mentioned politics, religion or nation, only people," Mesic said. "Efforts have to be made to individualise guilt and put an end to collective stigmatising on ideological, religious and ethnic bases, because the war, which has only left ruins, was instigated by people who had certain goals which they could not accomplish. We will fight for a society where no one will have to die on the battlefield," said Mesic. In the company of ADRA officials and guests Mesic toured more than 30 pavilions presenting the potential of Lika's farming, tourism and wood-processing industries, on which ADRA-Croatia bases its project "Lika In Focus". Participants in the project were also addressed by Roy Richardson, ADRA's vice-president for Europe. (hina) rml sb