ZAGREB, May 6 (Hina) - The Social Democrats (SDP) have not started the election campaign because of the tasks awaiting the Croatian government with regard to joining the EU, SDP president and Prime Minister Ivica Racan said on Monday
after a session of this ruling party's presidency.
ZAGREB, May 6 (Hina) - The Social Democrats (SDP) have not started
the election campaign because of the tasks awaiting the Croatian
government with regard to joining the EU, SDP president and Prime
Minister Ivica Racan said on Monday after a session of this ruling
party's presidency. #L#
Racan said that "unlike some," the SDP had not started the campaign
and claims that it favoured holding the parliamentary election next
year were incorrect.
He announced the ballot might be held either early in December or
after 25 January 2004. He said he preferred the earlier date but
that everything would depend on how much strength he would have "to
deal with the setbacks in the coalition".
The PM said the coalition would discuss the election date at its
next meeting but could not say when it would occur.
Stating the election date was not important, Racan said: "It's more
important whether we in the coalition agree about the tasks before
us. These are strategic tasks, related to EU entry".
As PM, Racan said he wished for people in the coalition to act
responsibly and finish this crucial task by year's end.
He recalled the government would have to answer 4,000 questions by
October and that it would take the European Union five to six months
to analyse the answers and make a decision on Croatia's candidacy.
He stated that nobody had the right to play around with this issue.
Asked if the coalition was up to this job, Racan said: "If I thought
it wasn't, I would resign at once".
He said he wished this challenge had not occurred at the end of his
term but added he was confident the government would be capable of
dealing with the most difficult task in its four-year term.
Racan evaluated Croatia's road to the EU was much quicker than the
government had expected and that it had surprised him as well.
"But now we are aboard a train arriving in Brussels in 2007 and this
is a historic task for this government."
Racan said that because of the need for the government to answer
EU's demands by October, it would be detrimental if at that time
Croatia were in the middle of an election campaign.
(hina) ha