OSIJEK, 25 March (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) on Tuesday held an election rally at Ante Starcevic square in central Osijek. Present at the rally was also the President of the Republic of Croatia, the president of the
HDZ and head of all HDZ electoral slates, Franjo Tudjman.
OSIJEK, 25 March (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) on Tuesday
held an election rally at Ante Starcevic square in central Osijek. Present
at the rally was also the President of the Republic of Croatia, the
president of the HDZ and head of all HDZ electoral slates, Franjo Tudjman.
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Addressing the gathered, President Tudjman recalled that the residents
of Osijek and eastern Slavonia were an integral part of the Croatian
liberation movement 'which brought about the independent, sovereign and free
Croatian state'.
'The forthcoming elections are not simple. They do not have special
importance in changing the state policy, but they are very important for the
establishment of competent local and county authorities', President Tudjman
said.
The most important thing was to organise and implement fair elections
in the areas under temporary U.N. administration and reinstate Croatian
authority in those areas, he said, adding that that would mark the
completion of the creation of the independent and sovereign Croatian state.
Addressing the displaced, President Tudjman said that he would fulfil
his promise and see that all displaced return to their homes without new
victims. The process of return would begin this year and it would be more or
less completed in 1997, he said.
Very important was also the establishment of the Croatian legal and
constitutional system in the Croatian Danubian area, President Tudjman said.
Aware of the problems that would arise during the return of displaced
people, President Tudjman asked the displaced to 'accept those Serbs who
accept the Croatian state as our citizens'.
'I ask of you to live up to our history and prove to the world that we
are democrats, so that we could dedicate ourselves to building our homeland
and creating the welfare Croatia deserves', Tudjman said.
He called on all citizens to be wise in their actions and not give any
reason to those who would like to extend the presence of peace forces in the
area.
Choose competent and honest people and drive away those who are prone
to crime and corruption, choose those who would know how to build Croatia as
a country of welfare and happiness for all its citizens, Tudjman said,
adding that the HDZ had people with such qualities.
Estimating that despite the war, Croatia was 'almost the most
successful of all former Socialist states in solving its economic and social
questions', President Tudjman stressed that many Croats who had left Croatia
for political or economic reasons would return.
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