ZAGREB, Dec 8 (Hina) - The envoy of Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) president Ivo Sanader at the unveiling of a monument to Franjo Tudjman in Bosnia's Siroki Brijeg on December 6, Florijan Boras, on Monday refuted criticism which
Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan made of his speech.
ZAGREB, Dec 8 (Hina) - The envoy of Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ)
president Ivo Sanader at the unveiling of a monument to Franjo
Tudjman in Bosnia's Siroki Brijeg on December 6, Florijan Boras, on
Monday refuted criticism which Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan
made of his speech. #L#
"I resolutely dismiss Racan's statement that (what I said ) was hate
speech. My speech was a justified and legitimate criticism of the
work of (Racan's) government, namely criticism of one of the most
senior state officials and his associates," Boras said in a
statement.
He stresses that in his speech he recalled some "sad events and
historical facts which took place in Siroki Brijeg before the end of
World War II". He refutes that he connected those events with Racan
or his government. "However, if anybody interpreted my words that
way, I sincerely apologise," Boras said.
He said that during an AIDS campaign on December 1, the Social
Democratic Party's Youth Forum distributed leaflets in more than 20
towns which read: "AIDS and the HDZ Do Not Happen to Someone Else".
"To label legitimate criticism hate speech while distributing
leaflets in bad taste is hypocritical," Boras said, stressing that
with his statement he wanted to contribute to tolerance and
political dialogue which was why he apologised. He said he expected
the same from the SDP. statement said.
(hina) it sb