SOCIAL DEMOCRATS SUPPORT ZAGREB MAYOR

ZAGREB, Jan 9 (Hina) - The Social Democrats (SDP) support Zagreb mayor Milan Bandic and will not initiate taking a vote of no confidence in him in the wake of a recent controversial car accident, the vice president of the party's Zagreb branch, Zdravko Tomac, said on Wednesday. Bandic has already made a public apology and made his mandate available after causing a minor car accident under the influence of alcohol and attempting to dodge a police investigation last Saturday. "We support Bandic. He made a mistake which, however, isn't so big that it would prevent him from doing his job well," Tomac told Hina, adding the SDP, the ruling coalition's strongest party, would not initiate a vote of no confidence in Bandic at the next session of the Zagreb City Assembly. The Croatian People's Party (HNS) maintains the Assembly should not debate Bandic's mandate as he broke the law as a private person. The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), the strongest opposition party in the Assembly, at first demanded that Bandic resign but later said it considered the case was over after Bandic apologised and made his mandate available. (hina) ha