NO PRESSURE ON HDZ AFTER ELECTORAL VICTORY - PARTY LEADER

ZAGREB, Nov 29 (Hina) - Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) leader Ivo Sanader has told Vecernji list daily there is no pressure on his party after the victory at last weekend's parliamentary election, either in Croatia or abroad, "because the HDZ's credibility has been recognised by both the domestic and the international public". #L# In an interview ran on Saturday, Sanader denied that the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) was blackmailing the HDZ. "The HSS is not blackmailing us. We said before the election that we would form coalitions with centrist and centre-right parties. (HSS president Zlatko) Tomcic and I are sensibly discussing every issue that will crop up in negotiations. Our economy experts will consider the economic situation and give realistic estimates of the well-being that both the HDZ and the HSS want". "Claims about pressure from outside not to enter a coalition with the HSP (Croatian Party of Rights) were not launched by the HDZ," Sanader said in response to a question from the daily. "I held talks with HSP president Anto Djapic in an open atmosphere and we are both aware there are problems. The worst we could do would be to ignore them". Asked to comment on allegations that failure to agree on a ruling coalition would push Croatia into a crisis and that new elections might be held in a year's time, Sanader said, "That won't happen". "Croatia's constituents have very clearly entrusted the HDZ at the election with taking over responsibility for Croatia and implementing its platform. We won't and can't let them down," said Sanader. "We need a stable government, a stable state policy, because it ensures the stability of our country. We are mature politicians who wish to serve citizens in the best possible way," Sanader said in the interview. (hina) ha