ZAGREB, Dec 8 (Hina) - Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic on Monday held consultations on the future premier-designate with leaders of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) and the Democratic Centre (DC), two parties which ran in
recent parliamentary polls as a coalition, as well as with delegations of the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), Libra, the Liberal Party (LS) and the Alliance of Primorje and Gorski Kotar (PGS).
ZAGREB, Dec 8 (Hina) - Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic on Monday
held consultations on the future premier-designate with leaders of
the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) and the Democratic Centre
(DC), two parties which ran in recent parliamentary polls as a
coalition, as well as with delegations of the Istrian Democratic
Assembly (IDS), Libra, the Liberal Party (LS) and the Alliance of
Primorje and Gorski Kotar (PGS). #L#
After the consultations with Mesic, HSLS president Drazen Budisa
said his party would support the future government led by the
Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and Ivo Sanader, while the decision
on a possible coalition between the HDZ and the HSLS will be made by
the leadership of the latter on 13 December.
DC leader Mate Granic said his party's leadership unanimously
supported the coalition between the DC and the HDZ as this was a
coalition between parties with similar programmes.
At the consultations, Budisa was accompanied by his deputy, Djurdja
Adlesic, and Granic by his deputy, Vesna Skare-Ozbolt. Adlesic,
together with Ivan Cehok, is one of the two HSLS MPs, while Skare-
Ozbolt is the only DC member who won a seat in the Sabor.
The IDS, Libra, the LS and PGS, which stood in the recent
parliamentary elections in coalitions with the Social Democrats
(SDP) and the Croatian People's Party (HNS), have a total of 10
MPs.
After the end of the consultations, IDS leader Ivan Jakovcic told
reporters his party would be in the opposition.
(hina) ms sb