"The party still hasn't taken the final stance on the matter but Jadranka Kosor as a presidential candidate is entitled to her own assessment. She is the HDZ's candidate but she will certainly attract a very broad circle of non-HDZ voters. In case she wins the election she will have to leave the party, but she is entitled to her own opinion on all important political issues. I have to respect that, but we'll make the final decision after considering the study on (the project's) impact on the environment. I absolutely support Jadranka Kosor's full independence and I respect her position on Druzba Adria."
Thursday's Vjesnik quoted Sanader from an interview the daily will run on Friday.
Kosor said on Tuesday that if elected head of state she would firmly advocate that Croatia walk out of the project, which she assessed as harmful and very risky for Croatia.
Vjesnik says in tomorrow's issue that Sanader granted the interview ahead of the European Union's decision on the start of Croatia's membership talks. The PM spoke of Croatia's relations with Slovenia and other neighbours, the appointment of Tomislav Karamarko as chief of the Counterintelligence Agency, and the case of fugitive General Ante Gotovina, who is wanted by the Hague war crimes tribunal.