ZAGREB, April 25 (Hina) - The presidents of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), Democratic Centre (DC) and Croatian Party of Rights (HSP), who met on Friday, called on the ruling coalition to
announce the date of the parliamentary elections.
ZAGREB, April 25 (Hina) - The presidents of the Croatian Democratic
Union (HDZ), Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), Democratic
Centre (DC) and Croatian Party of Rights (HSP), who met on Friday,
called on the ruling coalition to announce the date of the
parliamentary elections. #L#
Speaking to journalists on behalf of his colleagues, HDZ chief Ivo
Sanader said after the meeting in the HDZ party's bench room in the
Croatian Sabor, that they were adamant to remove the "incapable
ruling coalition government".
He pointed out that the date of the election should have already
been known because that was common practise in democracies allowing
political parties sufficient time to prepare their campaigns.
Sanader does not believe that anyone has any benefit from the
situation when one should guess whether the elections will be in the
autumn or next spring.
He confirmed that close co-operation between the four opposition
parties had been agreed to in regard to significant political
issues.
Asked whether there was any talk of a firm pre-election or post-
election coalition, Sanader answered that the attitudes of all the
four parties were well known and made public and these remained as
they were. However, the above-mentioned parties discussed all
forms of co-operation and how they can win the election, he said.
The DC leader, Mate Granic, added that not one of the four parties
doubted in their success if they were to face the election on their
own. "We will continue our talks how to beat the ruling coalition
and we firmly believe in our victory," Granic stressed.
Sanader also mentioned that there was no doubt that all of the
remaining three parties were absolutely prepared to pass the
electoral threshold of five per cent and that there was no reason to
comment on certain media speculation about their success at the
elections.
The HSP chief Anto Djapic denied that he conditioned the
continuation of talks between the "four" with a clearly defined
pre-election coalition.
(hina) sp ms sb