DC WILL TO INDEPENDENTLY RUN AT PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION

ZAGREB, April 5 (Hina) - The Democratic Centre (DC) will run in the forthcoming parliamentary elections independently and expects to win ten percent of the vote, party president Mate Granic said at the DC second electoral convention on Saturday. #L# He said that the ruling coalition had exhausted its sources and that it should be replaced with a new, more determined and more competent government which the DC would be part of, based on its economic programme and European orientation which would resolutely defend state and national interests. Speaking about current issues in Croatia, Granic warned about Croatia's high indebtedness (US$15.2 billion), high foreign trade deficit and unemployment. He stressed it was necessary to urgently stop the privatisation process until the parliamentary election, adopt a new privatisation law, cancel the second stand-by agreement with the International Monetary Fund and pass a new development and export-oriented economic programme and create an entrepreneur atmosphere. Commenting on relations with neighbouring countries, Granic said the government's policy towards Slovenia was inconsistent, lacked determination and was partially incompetent. He proposed that open issues be solved based on the international law and in line with the Helsinki declaration, namely by international arbitration. He also believes that the government is not determined and active enough in its policy towards Serbia and Montenegro. (hina) it