DEMOCRATIC CENTRE URGES SETTING DATE OF NEXT ELECTIONS

ZAGREB, Feb 14 (Hina) - The president of the opposition Democratic Centre (DC) urged the Croatian government on Friday to set the date of the next election immediately after applying for full EU membership later this month, and that parliament debate election legislation at the next session. #L# What Croatia has at this moment does not resemble a serious coalition and it is obvious that it can hardly make any serious decision, Mate Granic told a news conference. Commenting on the Iraqi crisis, he said Croatia did not have much manoeuvring space in connection with the support expressed to the U.S. by the countries of the Vilnius group, which includes Croatia. Croatia cannot be among the countries rushing headlong but has to take into account the mood of its citizens and the division within the European Union, where its future lies, said Granic. He added the country could do with some caution at the moment and that if the United States made any requests, parliament was the only body authorised to make a decision. Speaking about privatisation, Granic said that all major processes undertaken recently had been murky and non-transparent, as well as a point of contention between the ruling coalition, the government, and the head of state. The DC seeks that the privatisation of the oil company INA and all major firms be put on hold pending the next parliamentary ballot and the passing of a new privatisation law, Granic said. As for the sale of Sisak's ironworks to Russia's Mechel, he said the government was trying to rescue it following the "tragicomic scandal" involving a cooperation protocol signed at the President's Office. By signing the protocol, President Stjepan Mesic did not breach the Constitution but the rules of good business relations, said Granic. (hina) ha sb