ZAGREB, Dec 30 (Hina) - President Stjepan Mesic, in an interview for Croatian dailies' New Year's double issues, has pointed out the new prime minister's statement that he will abide by the country's international obligations and
advocate the enforcement of laws and the respect for the rule of law, describing this as the key determinant of Ivo Sanader's future moves.
ZAGREB, Dec 30 (Hina) - President Stjepan Mesic, in an interview for
Croatian dailies' New Year's double issues, has pointed out the new
prime minister's statement that he will abide by the country's
international obligations and advocate the enforcement of laws and the
respect for the rule of law, describing this as the key determinant of
Ivo Sanader's future moves.#L#
According to the interview which the press will publish on Wednesday,
the head of state has said that by saying something like that Sanader
defined himself as a law-abiding person even before forming his
cabinet.
"I believe that is the most important thing for his future moves,"
Mesic says.
The president believes that it will be easier for Sanader than it was
for his predecessor Ivica Racan to solve problems as the new PM will
not have to discuss the government's agenda at parties' co-ordinating
meetings, as was the case with the five-party ruling coalition while
Racan was PM. "Those co-ordinating bodies were detrimental to the
government as they discussed problems outside institutions and without
responsibility, which was an unnecessary waste of time," Mesic says.
"Problems are concrete, they must be solved and they cannot wait for
time to resolve them. That's why it will be easier for Sanader as he
will not have co-ordinating bodies. He will have the government," the
head of state says.
Mesic welcomed Sanader's statement that he could expect better
cooperation with the new government than with the previous one.
"In the current Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) there aren't many of
those who clashed with me" primarily on the issue of the division of
Bosnia-Herzegovina and ownership transformation and privatisation,
Mesic says.
He went on to say that "those who wished to see a divided
Bosnia-Herzegovina can see now that time has proven them wrong and
they have no reason to insist on a failed policy. Therefore
cooperation (with me) will be possible," he adds.
Mesic reiterates that the retired general Ante Gotovina, wanted by the
UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, is out of the reach of Croatia's
authorities and they do not know his whereabouts. "That's why Gen.
Gotovina shouldn't be an issue which can cause any kind of damage to
Croatia."
Commenting on the success of Serbia's ultra-nationalist radicals at
recent parliamentary elections, Mesic says he does not believe that
the Serb Radical Party will be capable of forming a new government in
Belgrade. However, the Croatian president feels the Radicals'
statements on alterations of sovereign states' borders are reason for
concern.
"This might be worrisome for the entire region."
According to Mesic, after Serbia's election Croatia will win greater
credibility and speed up its accession to the European Union as
Croatia will be the leader of the region in the development of
democracy.
"Croatia can set a model for others in the region to make democratic
headway," Mesic says.
He believes the time is ripe for seeking arbitration in the settlement
of the issue of Piran Bay with Slovenia. If the two sides, Croatia and
Slovenia, have entrenched themselves concerning the matter, the
problem can be settled only by arbitration, he says.
(Hina)