BRIJUNI, Sept 9 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said on Tuesday he would take part in the campaign for upcoming parliamentary elections strictly as a voter, and that in his capacity as head of state he would hear out every
political party which deemed it necessary to acquaint him with its electoral messages, platforms, and teams.
BRIJUNI, Sept 9 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said on
Tuesday he would take part in the campaign for upcoming
parliamentary elections strictly as a voter, and that in his
capacity as head of state he would hear out every political party
which deemed it necessary to acquaint him with its electoral
messages, platforms, and teams. #L#
Reporters asked about the start of the campaign and the fact that
yesterday he received the leaders of the Croatian People's Party
(HNS), in which he froze his membership upon being elected
president of the republic.
Mesic said the HNS leaders had requested a meeting and he granted
it, but that he did not think this constituted pre-election
campaigning, but preparations for it.
Reporters also asked for a comment on claims in some media that in
the case of Ante Gotovina, the fugitive general wanted by the Hague
war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Prime Minister Ivica
Racan "is playing a double game".
Mesic said the PM was advocating the functioning of institutions,
regardless of what certain media were imputing.
Gotovina should be enabled to appear before the Hague tribunal's
investigators in Zagreb and, if necessary, in The Hague, Mesic
said, adding that it was up to the general to evaluate if he was
going to take this opportunity or wait for the outcome of the
situation.
The president concluded by saying that Croatian authorities did not
know Gotovina's whereabouts.
(hina) ha