ZAGREB, Sept 22 (Hina) - Prime Minister Ivica Racan on Monday dismissed as nonsense accusations by the leader of the strongest opposition party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), that the government is tapping the phones of
opposition leaders and journalists.
ZAGREB, Sept 22 (Hina) - Prime Minister Ivica Racan on Monday
dismissed as nonsense accusations by the leader of the strongest
opposition party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), that the
government is tapping the phones of opposition leaders and
journalists. #L#
"Mr (Ivo) Sanader is talking nonsense. He has no evidence or
arguments to corroborate what he is saying. This is a dirty campaign
that has been started by the HDZ and Sanader," Racan said at a news
conference.
Sanader said earlier on Monday that the government had failed to
establish a body to ensure civil control of secret services, and
that it was monitoring his phone calls and those of journalists and
even some members of the ruling coalition.
"He can't say that such things are being done today ... What was
possible four years ago isn't possible today," Racan said.
Responding to a journalist's comment that Sanader's accusations
could be legally described as disturbance of the peace, Racan said
that he had never brought a lawsuit against anyone and that he was
not planning to do it now. "I believe in people's common sense. What
someone else will do isn't for me to interpret," he said.
Assessing that the election campaign could get even worse, Racan
said his Social Democratic Party (SDP) did not want to take part in
such a campaign.
(hina) vm