ZAGREB, Oct 18 (Hina) - Social Democratic Party (SDP) president Ivica Racan said on Saturday the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) was acting as though it had already won the parliamentary election. The PM added, however, that the SDP
was running too because this ballot was as important as the 3 January 2000 elections.
ZAGREB, Oct 18 (Hina) - Social Democratic Party (SDP) president
Ivica Racan said on Saturday the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ)
was acting as though it had already won the parliamentary election.
The PM added, however, that the SDP was running too because this
ballot was as important as the 3 January 2000 elections. #L#
Speaking in Zagreb at the final rally of the SDP campaign trail
"Tell Us Everything", Racan said that "on these elections depends
whether Croatia will continue in the positive direction -- enter
the EU, build roads, continue reducing unemployment and keep the
good image".
Calling on citizens to go to the polls, Racan voiced confidence the
SDP would rate high in the November elections and would participate
in the formation of another coalition government.
He vowed that in the next government, the SDP would be more
pronounced as social democrats.
Speaking about the achievements of his cabinet, Racan said it
"secured the political and macroeconomic stability of the country
and improved Croatia's political image". This, he added, has turned
Croatia into a "nice country, which provided for a good financial
rating of the country and favourable loans for Croatia and its
citizens".
The prime minister underlined the importance of development-
oriented projects such as the gas-supply grid and road-building,
the creation of 50,000 jobs in small enterprises, and cuts in
unemployment. He recalled the government had repaid the debt to
companies, that some banks had been rehabilitated at the expense of
owners and not taxpayers, and that Croatia was a strategic step from
the doors of the European Union.
Speaking of what his SDP had not done while in power, Racan said that
VAT could not be reduced "because when we came into power we were
faced with a much graver economic situation and debts than we
assumed as we were making promises". A reduction of VAT would result
in an increase of other taxes, he explained.
"We didn't punish the thieves who robbed Croatia because the
plunder was carried out lawfully." Racan said that in the next term,
the SDP "will try to punish the thieves with the so-called tycoon
tax", something for which, he added, the SDP could not secure a
majority vote in the parliament dissolved yesterday.
SDP priorities for the next term include reforms of the judiciary
and state administration, admission to the EU, the creation of
150,000 jobs in small businesses by 2006, and cutting unemployment
by half, said Racan.
He added that in the next term pensions would grow in keeping with
salary growths, and announced a project to provide housing to
citizens unable to repay loans.
Racan also pledged that anti-fascist fighters' rights would be
equated with those of Homeland War veterans.
"For this SDP make-up it is important to show that while in power one
can be fair and that we haven't taken advantage of it."
(hina) ha sb