BUDISA WON'T ACCEPT BLACKMAILING BY HSLS MINISTERS, NOT AFRAID OF RIFTS

ZAGREB, Feb 8 (Hina) - The president of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), Drazen Budisa, has said he will not accept being blackmailed by five HSLS government ministers and that he is not afraid of rifts in the HSLS parliamentary bench. Blackmailing cannot be tolerated, Budisa said after a meeting with some 15 party officials and deputy and assistant ministers, which lasted almost two hours. If the five ministers (Rados, Fizulic, Kraljevic, Vlahusic, Granic) resign, the party will nominate five new candidates, Budisa told reporters. Asked if he was worried that a dozen parliament deputies from the HSLS might form an independent bench, Budisa said it would mean the fall of the coalition and that HSLS deputies did not want that. He dismissed claims that the stand of the HSLS ministers was supported by all party officials, deputy and assistants ministers. Asked whether the participants in the meeting had any objections to the performance of the new party leadership and media reports or just declared they did not support the ministers' stand, Budisa said there were objections that some stands had been presented to the media before the constituting of the party's highest bodies tomorrow. He expressed hope that the ministers would stop acting as an interest group. The HSLS president believes there is no reason for blocking the government's work in the current situation. The ministers are obliged to perform their duties, including travels abroad, he said. Asked if he was disappointed with the ministers' statement that they would resign and become MPs, Budisa said nothing could disappoint him any more, adding their conduct was nevertheless unusual. Budisa announced a session of the party's Governing Council for next week, after which he said he would hold talks with Prime Minister Ivica Racan. He added that today's talks would continue next week on the level of ministers. (hina) rml