IDS OFFICIAL COMMENTS ON EFFORTS TO FORM NEW GOVERNMENT

RIJEKA, Dec 3 (Hina) - The Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) member of parliament, Damir Kajin, said at a press conference in Rijeka on Wednesday that the behaviour of the Pensioners Party (HSU), minority representatives and the Peasant Party (HSS) showed that there was a political crisis in the country, but that there was no crisis in the functioning of state institutions. #L# Commenting on current negotiations between the parties and the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) to form a government, Kajin said that "(HDZ leader Ivo) Sanader will sign anything, but will deliver little and will cheat them". Kajin said that voters who supported the HSU in Istria did not vote for this political party to back the HDZ, and added that he believed the HSS would support an HDZ-led minority government "to keep several hundred of its members who entered the government after the January 2000 elections". Kajin said he could not understand the readiness of minority representatives to support the HDZ in forming a government unless they are given double voting rights in return. "This shows that they do not care about a civil state, but about a nation and national minorities state." Commenting on an announcement by Istria County prefect Ivan Jakovcic of a referendum on the autonomy of Istria, Kajin said that the matter would be decided by the people of Istria. "The present territorial structure is untenable and will lead to new divisions," Kajin said, adding that the future structure should respect diversity and the past and make it possible for the region to have an insight into how much money it provides for the national budget and how much it receives from it. Jakovcic said on Tuesday that Istria County was ready to call a referendum on regional autonomy if the "arrogant" treatment of the county continued or if cooperation with the future government proved impossible. (hina) vm sb