PARTY PRESIDENT FOR ACCUSATIONS AGAINST HDZ TO BE INVESTIGATED

ZAGREB, Aug 28 (Hina) - The president of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Ivo Sanader, said Thursday he absolutely supported the work of the State Prosecution and other competent bodies in establishing the whole truth about the HDZ's alleged political racketeering. #L# The party's National Council at today's session expelled Stipe Gabric Jambo and ten councillors of the Metkovic City Council from the party. "The HDZ will not even consider dealing with the past. We paid the price at the 2000 elections for everything we had done wrong, but now we are interested in the future," Sanader told a news conference held during a break of the session of the National Council of the strongest opposition party. Asked about an article in the "Jutarnji list" daily about a secret account at the Zupanjska Bank into which certain businessmen and companies allegedly paid more than eight million kuna (more than EUR1 million) for financing the party, Sanader said he knew nothing about that. He stressed that he supported an investigation into all media reports and accusations against the HDZ, adding that it was in the party's interest to have the whole case investigated to the end. The HDZ will not conduct an internal investigation into allegations that Gabric Jambo had accused HDZ's MP Luka Bebic of blackmail and forging official documents. "If state bodies establish Bebic's guilt, we will do what we think is appropriate at that time," Sanader said. (hina) lml