BUDISA: THERE IS ROOM IN HSLS FOR ALL PARTY MEMBERS

ZAGREB, Feb 2 (Hina) - Thanking party members who elected him president of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) on Saturday, Drazen Budisa said that "there has always been room (in the HLSL) for all members" during his presidency. "Despite claims that today's party convention will see fierce political clashes, with consequences similar to those at the 1997 party assembly, when a rift occurred, the HSLS members today demonstrated a high level of organisation, political culture and commitment to the liberal values," Budisa said. The new party president thanked his rival Jozo Rados for having led the party since last July, adding those who voted for Rados voted well too. I believe that those who lost in this vote will remain loyal members of the HSLS and contribute to the party's development, Budisa said. He announced the constituting of party bodies and talks with coalition partners on the basis of his electoral programme. These talks will also tackle the functioning of the coalition, so that faults could be removed, a joint policy defined and the programme promised the voters before the January 3 election implemented, he said. The HSLS will not allow other parties define its personnel policy, which is what some unions, the employers' association and some other institutions have been doing recently. We have never behaved that way towards others and won't let it be done to the HSLS either, he added. (hina) rml