ZAGREB, July 21 (Hina) - Prime Minister Ivica Racan and Parliament President Zlatko Tomcic said on Monday parliamentary elections could be expected in the second half of November, while President Stjepan Mesic said he was in favour of
elections taking place next spring.
ZAGREB, July 21 (Hina) - Prime Minister Ivica Racan and Parliament
President Zlatko Tomcic said on Monday parliamentary elections
could be expected in the second half of November, while President
Stjepan Mesic said he was in favour of elections taking place next
spring. #L#
The three officials addressed journalists after a joint lunch in
the government building hosted by the prime minister.
Racan said they had informal talks about what was behind them and
what was lying ahead in the immediate future. He said they agreed
that the situation in the country was good.
The prime minister said that elections would not be called during
the summer recess because the work on getting Croatia closer to the
EU should be finished first.
"Parliamentary elections can be expected in the second half of
November," Racan said without specifying a date.
He went on to say that a state budget for 2004 would be adopted after
the elections.
Tomcic agreed with the prime minister about the time for the
elections, saying that most of the EU-related work would be
finished by then. "Those who form a new government will need certain
time to prove their credibility to the EU," he added.
Mesic said he believed it would be better if elections took place in
the spring.
"Most of the positive effects of this government are expected to be
felt after the New Year," he said.
Asked about the case of General Ante Gotovina, who is wanted by the
UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, the president said that the
current delay was probably due to the summer break.
"It all depends on Gotovina himself. So far it has been his advisers
who have been making assessments for him, and now it is time he made
them by himself," Mesic said.
Racan said that the time for a positive outcome of the issue was
running out. "Unless General Gotovina makes a final move, the time
will run out both for him and for Croatia."
Racan resolutely rejected claims that he had supported an
initiative for the dismissal of Tomislav Jakic as Mesic's adviser
at a party meeting.
"That's a lie. I've never supported Jakic's dismissal," he said.
(hina) vm