ZAGREB, Dec 4 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) President Ivo Sanader has confirmed that he has ensured the support of a majority of MPs in the next parliament for his government, and that on Monday he will begin
consultations with Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on the new cabinet.
ZAGREB, Dec 4 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ)
President Ivo Sanader has confirmed that he has ensured the support
of a majority of MPs in the next parliament for his government, and
that on Monday he will begin consultations with Croatian President
Stjepan Mesic on the new cabinet. #L#
Sanader, who was a guest on a Croatian Radio show on Thursday, said
the fact that he had collected the signatures of 76 MPs instead of 77
MPs who supported him as the new Premier Designate did not represent
any constitutional obstacle to the start of consultations with
President Mesic, adding that he was not bound to have the support
expressed in writing.
"It is important that there are agreements and that I have the
support of the required majority in the Sabor," Sanader said.
He stressed that his cabinet would be, in any case, a coalition
government, as it would include representatives of the Croatian
Social Liberal Party (HSLS) and the Democratic Centre (DC).
The HDZ leader reiterated he would like to cooperate with the
Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) in parliament, but he did not want
the HSP to be a part of his cabinet.
"Although the HSP has taken steps to modernise itself, and I support
those intra-party reforms which are good, I still maintain that
this party is not for a coalition government," Sanader said.
He went on to say that this position did not rule out further talks
with the HSP to secure its backing for the new government, and
Sanader announced a meeting with HSP leader Anto Djapic for next
week.
The HDZ chief ascribed the failure of negotiations with the
Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) to the current situation in the HSS,
and announced further talks with this party, too.
The HDZ president said his party would continue talks with the
Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS), and reiterated that he
would like to see one of three MPs from the Serb minority as a member
of the new government. Despite the SDSS representatives' refusal of
this possibility, Sanader believes that there is a chance for this
kind of cooperation.
Of the 76 deputies who have expressed support for Sanader's
government in writing, 66 are HDZ deputies (62 elected in ten
constituencies in Croatia and four in the constituency designed for
the Diaspora). The support in writing was given by three MPs of the
HSLS-DC coalition, three MPs from the Croatian Party of Pensioners
(HSU) and a deputy of the Hungarian minority, Jene Adam, as well as a
representative of ethnic Germans, Nikola Mak, who will represent 12
ethnic minorities in the Sabor, and a representative of ethnic
Bosniaks, Semso Tankovic, who will represent also ethnic Slovenes,
Montenegrins and Macedonians.
Ivo Loncar expressed support on behalf of the Croatian Democratic
Peasant Party (HDSS).
On Thursday, Italian minority representative Furio Radin announced
he would vote for confidence in Sanader's government, as he was
suggested to do so by local authorities, namely the Istrian
Democratic Alliance (IDS) and the Italian Union.
Radin added that he would give his vote after signing an agreement
on the rights of the Italian community in areas where it lives, and
on transparent pro-European policy.
Radin said he hoped the agreement would be signed on Monday or by the
founding session of the Sabor at the latest. In that case, Radin's
signature would be 77th signature of support for the Sanader
government.
(hina) ms sb