ZAGREB, Nov 24 (Hina) - The Social Democratic Party (SDP) is joining the opposition, its leader Ivica Racan said on Monday.
ZAGREB, Nov 24 (Hina) - The Social Democratic Party (SDP) is joining
the opposition, its leader Ivica Racan said on Monday. #L#
Speaking to reporters after an SDP Presidency session, he said the
Presidency made the decision unanimously.
Racan added that he notified the SDP's coalition partners and that
they accepted the decision "as logical, good and the only possible
one".
He congratulated the Croatian Democratic Union on the good result
achieved at yesterday's parliamentary election, calling on the
party to attempt to form the new government with potential
coalition partners as soon as possible.
Racan evaluated that the SDP and its coalition partners had ruled
the country responsibly, launching reforms, making Croatia
politically stable, developing it and bringing it closer to the
European Union.
The SDP will continue to strongly oppose attempts to "put Croatia
back, i.e. ( will be) against the undermining of the level of
democracy and tolerance achieved in the country," Racan said.
In the opposition, the SDP will know how to fight for social
democratic values more strongly, he said.
Racan added one should count on a strong SDP because together with
Libra, the Liberal Party, and the Istrian Democratic Assembly, it
won 43-44 seats in parliament, thus nearly repeating the success of
the 2000 parliamentary polls.
(hina) ha sb