MOSTAR, April 14 (Hina) - The president of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Ivo Sanader, visited Mostar on Monday, where he expressed wish for Bosnia to apply for membership of the EU, as Croatia had done, because, as he said, the
joint future of Bosnia and Croatia was in Europe and Euro-Atlantic associations.
MOSTAR, April 14 (Hina) - The president of the Croatian Democratic
Union (HDZ), Ivo Sanader, visited Mostar on Monday, where he
expressed wish for Bosnia to apply for membership of the EU, as
Croatia had done, because, as he said, the joint future of Bosnia
and Croatia was in Europe and Euro-Atlantic associations. #L#
Sanader said this after talks with the leadership of the Bosnian
HDZ, headed by acting president Berisa Colak and a member of the
Bosnian Presidency, Dragan Covic.
"Our two countries are bonded by many things, and we feel
responsibility for the fate of Croats in Bosnia," said Sanader.
Sanader's visit to Mostar and his meeting with the Bosnian HDZ
leadership came about ahead of a Bosnian HDZ assembly scheduled for
April 26.
At a news conference, Sanader commented on the agreement between
Croatia and Bosnia on transit through Croatia's Ploce Harbour and
the agreement on dual citizenship.
The Ploce Harbour agreement, according to Sanader, is in the best
case, subject for review because Dubrovnik-Neretva County had
recently slammed its content.
Sanader added that Croatia had begun the process of
decentralisation, so the central authorities in Zagreb, he said,
cannot impose on counties what they do believe is harmful to their
interests.
Regarding dual citizenship, Sanader said he had read a statement by
Foreign Minister Tonino Picula in the newspapers, that the
agreement would be concluded by the end of the year. This is not a
realistic estimate, said Sanader.
"As president of the strongest party in Croatia and as vice-
president of the parliament's Foreign Policy Committee, I do not
have sufficient information about dual citizenship nor a number of
other issues of vital interest for Croatia. This is another reason
because of which the incumbent government will lose in coming
elections," said Sanader.
He added he was certain his party would win in the elections.
"The only question is with which percentage we will achieve this
victory. Our goal is 35 percent, after which we should form a new
government with one or two other parties. We will certainly not
enter a coalition with the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the
Croatian People's Party (HNS) and the Liberal Party (LS), Sanader
said.
(hina) lml