Sanader was speaking at a convention of his Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party in the central Adriatic city of Sibenik on Friday evening, where it was said that the party had delivered most of its promises in all counties since its victory at the parliamentary election in November 2003.
The gathering was attended by the party's vice-president and deputy prime minister Jadranka Kosor, member of the party presidency and parliament speaker Vladimir Seks, members of parliament, leaders of the party's county branch, and the heads of counties and mayors of towns covered by constituency no. 9.
"We have nothing to be ashamed of. Quite the opposite, we are proud of the results achieved during the past year. We have stopped foreign debt growth. In September we managed to cut it by 100 million dollars in comparison to the same period last year. For the first time in the last few years the number of the unemployed is below 300,000, industrial output in the first nine months increased by 3.7 per cent and exports by as much as 16.5 per cent. For the first time since Croatia became an independent state we export more than we import. We have also had the best tourist season to date. Where are those negative trends our opponents are talking about?" Sanader said.
The HDZ leader went on to say that the present government supported development of entrepreneurial zones and promotion of small and medium-sized businesses in all counties, and called for a fight against the anti-entrepreneurial environment created by the former government. He added that his party wanted to create a society where every person would have an equal chance.
Speaking of Foreign Minister Miomir Zuzul's alleged involvement in a corruption scandal, Sanader reiterated that the HDZ and the government wanted full truth about this and all other present and past cases of conflict of interest.
Sanader further said that according to opinion polls HDZ presidential candidate Jadranka Kosor could count on votes not only from members of her party but also from those of other parties and particularly from undecided voters.
"I think it's time for a change. It's time we chose a woman as president of Croatia," Kosor said, adding that if she were elected president she would always defend the dignity of the Homeland War and "know who attacked Croatia".
Constituency no. 9 covers the counties of Sibenik-Knin, Zadar, Lika-Senj and a portion of Split-Dalmatia County.