ZAGREB SDP APPEALS TO CITY'S HNS

ZAGREB, Feb 24 (Hina) - Leaders of the Zagreb city branch of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on Sunday forwarded an open letter to Zagreb's Croatian People's Party (HNS), expressing regret that they did not stop the lies and accusations against former mayor Milan Bandic and SDP as HNS's coalition partner in Zagreb. "After the escalation of insults by Radimir Cacic, we believe that our future talks make no sense and are a waste of time if the HNS does not settle what they should so the coalition could function," SDP leaders Milan Bandic, Zdravko Tomac and Ivo Jelusic said at a news conference on Sunday. The SDP requested a public apology from Cacic and demanded that he refrain from meddling in the affairs of the Zagreb City government. Tomac accused Cacic of attempting to govern Zagreb for his own personal interests. The SDP stressed there was no conflict with the city's HNS, but only with individuals and leaders of the party. The letter is the last appeal for the coalition partner to start working responsibly, the SDP city branch said. (hina) lml