ZAGREB, May 21 (Hina) - The president of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Ivo Sanader, on Thursday forwarded a letter of protest to Croatian President Stjepan Mesic because, when visiting Bavaria, said Sanader, he had accused the
HDZ of voting against the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union.
ZAGREB, May 21 (Hina) - The president of the Croatian Democratic
Union (HDZ), Ivo Sanader, on Thursday forwarded a letter of protest
to Croatian President Stjepan Mesic because, when visiting
Bavaria, said Sanader, he had accused the HDZ of voting against the
Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European
Union. #L#
A head of state attacking his country's opposition during an
official visit abroad is not in line with democratic standards,
said Sanader.
"President Mesic is attacking and lying since the HDZ did not vote
against the SAA because its deputies were not even in the parliament
hall (at the time)," Sanader said, explaining that the ruling
coalition had plugged the discussion on the issue because it wanted
to initial the agreement as soon as possible, ahead of local
elections in May 2001, with the aim of scoring political points.
The HDZ was not against the proposed agreement, but wished that as
good as possible an agreement be reached through a discussion and
negotiations, he said, stressing that his party was absolutely for
the EU, which could not be complete without Croatia.
While in Munich, Mesic said that "the HDZ is giving off mixed
signals -- on the one hand its leaders claim that their loyalty to a
united Europe is not in question, but when it came to deciding on the
ratification of the SAA in parliament, the party voted against".
Sanader also slammed PM Ivica Racan's decision on establishing an
agency which "should show that Racan is doing the job which he was
elected and paid for". Sanader asked who allowed such spending of
tax payers' money.
Sanader again warned about the situation in the Osijek-Baranja
County Assembly after 26 of the total of 51 councillors resigned.
Despite this, the assembly was not dissolved.
This is the ignoring of facts which represents an act of violence
against the democratic and constitutional order, Sanader said. He
recalled that the HDZ, the Social Liberals and the Croatian Party of
Rights had filed complaints and would discuss the problem at a
meeting next week.
(hina) lml sb