CROATIAN PM COMMENTS ON MACSHANE'S STATEMENT, NEW IMF DEAL

ZAGREB, April 13 (Hina) - The Croatian government has an alternative programme in case the European Commission adopts a negative opinion on Croatia's EU membership application, Prime Minister Ivo Sanader told Croatian Television on Tuesday evening.#L# "We have an alternative policy in case Europe decides to show immaturity and says Croatia needs to wait for the others to join the EU," Sanader said. Asked to comment on a statement by British Europe Minister Dennis MacShane that Croatia would not receive a positive 'avis' from the European Commission until it solves the issue of fugitive general Ante Gotovina, as well as the request of Croatian Party of Rights' leader Anto Djapic who asked of the government to "react to the blackmail", Sanader said he personally never heard of any blackmail or negative assessments of the Croatian government. He said MacShane's statement would not have a crucial impact on the European Commission's opinion. The PM reiterated he expected the Commission to adopt a positive 'avis' regarding Croatia's membership application. He said he expected of the European Council to support the European Commission's opinion in June and expressed hope Croatia would enter negotiations on full membership within the next four to five months. " We would be an immature country and an immature government if we didn't have a prepared answer in case the European Commission adopts a negative 'avis'," Sanader said. Ahead of tomorrow's meeting with representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Sanader said his government would not abandon its social policy, saying that even with this policy a new deal with the IMF was possible. Commenting on the statement of union leaders that during the first 100 days the government failed to do anything on the revival of the economy and stepping up living standards, Sanader said he advocated social partnership, but stressed he did not accept the fact that unionists decided to "teach the government a lesson". Asked whether he was still backing up Health Minister Andrija Hebrang, even though a public poll showed the people did not support Hebrang's moves, Sanader said he hoped that a campaign against Hebrang would end soon. (Hina) it