ZAGREB, Jan 9 (Hina) - President of the Democratic Centre party on Wednesday criticised the government on its foreign policy and made suggestions regarding the issue. Granic, formerly Croatia's foreign minister, suggested that the
parliament begin a discussion on relations with the International Monetary Fund. Croatia's cooperation with the IMF is essential because of the country's monetary credibility, meaning security for foreign investments and credit rating, Granic told a news conference. After announcements on a new stand-by arrangement with the IMF, considering the current one lasts until March 31, Granic said that Croatia had, by signing a Letter of Intent with the IMF steering board, accepted a very stern arrangement which had economic and social repercussions. "It is irresponsible and frivolous to call on a national consensus on economic and social development, without issuing any kind
ZAGREB, Jan 9 (Hina) - President of the Democratic Centre party on
Wednesday criticised the government on its foreign policy and made
suggestions regarding the issue. Granic, formerly Croatia's
foreign minister, suggested that the parliament begin a discussion
on relations with the International Monetary Fund.
Croatia's cooperation with the IMF is essential because of the
country's monetary credibility, meaning security for foreign
investments and credit rating, Granic told a news conference.
After announcements on a new stand-by arrangement with the IMF,
considering the current one lasts until March 31, Granic said that
Croatia had, by signing a Letter of Intent with the IMF steering
board, accepted a very stern arrangement which had economic and
social repercussions.
"It is irresponsible and frivolous to call on a national consensus
on economic and social development, without issuing any kind of
information to the public about negotiations with the IMF. We
request that the information be made public, and before signing any
kind of letter of intent with the IMF, the parliament should discuss
the issue," he stressed.
Asked what stance DC MPs would take on during the ratification of an
agreement with Slovenia on the Krsko nuclear power plant, Granic
said the DC had in principle supported the signing of the agreement,
but he had not yet received the text, and thus could not assess its
quality.
As regards Croatia's southernmost peninsula of Prevlaka, the
extension of UNMOK's mandate was to be expected and Croatia could do
nothing about it, he said. It is quite understandable that Croatia
could not do a lot during Milosevic's regime in Yugoslavia, but
later, Croatia was late in diplomatic initiatives in negotiations
regardless the aggravating circumstances, meaning unresolved
relations between Montenegro and Serbia. Croatia should have
forced the negotiations with the help of the EU and USA, because
that was the only way in which the issue could be solved, Granic
asserted.
He also commented on the draft amendment to the Republika Srpska
Constitution, as drawn up by Bosnia's high representative, which
stipulated the formation of a commission for the protection of
vital interests, instead of the current House of Peoples.
"This is a very big step back," he stressed. "This means that the
decision of Bosnia's Constitutional Court about the constitutive
quality of all three peoples on Bosnian territory is not being
implemented".
Croatia does not have a sufficiently active policy, it does not have
a decisive policy towards Bosnia-Herzegovina and this certainly
harms overall relations in Croatia, Granic stated.
(hina) lml sb