HSS TO INSIST ON TOURISM MINISTER'S RESIGNATION

ZAGREB, April 10 (Hina) - If the government does not distance itself from statements by Tourism Minister Pave Zupan Ruskovic that the decision to sell the Suncani Hvar hotel company was correct, the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) bench will request the minister to tender her resignation, MP Luka Roic said at the end of Thursday's parliament debate on the privatisation of Suncani Hvar. #L# "We ask of the government to take a stand, within 15 days, on statements by the tourism minister in which she advocated views contrary to the government's," Roic said. The party is not undermining the government or the coalition, but the bench believes the minister is mostly responsible for the Suncani Hvar case, and she must answer for it, Roic explained his party bench's request to reporters. The HSS bench suggested that parliament tomorrow pass a decision committing the government to distance itself from Ruskovic's statement. "If the parliament fails to vote in favour of the motion obliging the government to distance itself from Ruskovic's statement, the HSS will find mechanisms to request the minister's replacement," Roic said. The HSS sees no reason for the government not to do so, given that it had admitted that there had been irregularities in the privatisation of the hotel company, the MP told reporters after the parliament's session. Ruskovic confirmed to reporters that she believed the decision to sell Suncani Hvar to Slovenia's Terme Catez company was correct. But she stressed that the government's decision to abort the venture was legitimate, that she voted for the annulment of the decision herself and had never questioned the decision. Asked about her possible resignation, Ruskovic said the reasons for such a request were difficult to fathom, but that "everything is possible". Josip Leko of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) said he had not expected such a request because it had not been the result of a parliamentary discussion on the privatisation of Suncani Hvar. He said he did not expect a government crisis. "Any government can topple when coalition partners separate, but I hope this will not come about," Leko said. During the debate in parliament, the HSS bench requested that the government move amendments to the Law on Privatisation within 30 days, and a concept of management in tourism within 15 days. The SDP bench asked of the Croatian Privatisation Fund's Supervisory Committee and the National Audit Bureau to probe the regularity of the process of privatisation of Suncani Hvar, and in 30 days inform MPs about their findings. The parliament will resume its session on Friday, when it should pass a decision regarding the privatisation of Suncani Hvar. (hina) lml