ZAGREB, March 2 (Hina) - The Democratic Centre (DC) deputy president, Vesna Skare Ozbolt, on Saturday assessed the current situation in the ruling coalition was a sign of the most serious crisis of the five-party coalition government
so far. "This is a serious trend of breaking up of the coalition which did not accomplish what secured its mandate, and that is to secure better living for Croatian citizens", said Skare Ozbolt at a press conference. The DC urged the ruling coalition to decide, at a meeting on Tuesday, whether it would continue together or announce early parliamentary elections, which would "end this agony". Skare Ozbolt said the majority of heads of the ruling coalition stood by Drazen Budisa at yesterday's meeting as regards the way of changing ministers and parties' deciding on it, believing this was a warning to Premier Ivica Racan that he could not head the coalition government in a way he had do
ZAGREB, March 2 (Hina) - The Democratic Centre (DC) deputy
president, Vesna Skare Ozbolt, on Saturday assessed the current
situation in the ruling coalition was a sign of the most serious
crisis of the five-party coalition government so far.
"This is a serious trend of breaking up of the coalition which did
not accomplish what secured its mandate, and that is to secure
better living for Croatian citizens", said Skare Ozbolt at a press
conference.
The DC urged the ruling coalition to decide, at a meeting on
Tuesday, whether it would continue together or announce early
parliamentary elections, which would "end this agony".
Skare Ozbolt said the majority of heads of the ruling coalition
stood by Drazen Budisa at yesterday's meeting as regards the way of
changing ministers and parties' deciding on it, believing this was
a warning to Premier Ivica Racan that he could not head the
coalition government in a way he had done so far.
If the coalition fails to reach an agreement on Tuesday, the DC sees
possible future scenarios in three ways: asking for a government's
vote of confidence in parliament, a minority government or early
elections.
The DC party bench will not give a vote of confidence to the
government in parliament if asked, said Skare Ozbolt. She asked
with what could the government come before parliament and win
confidence: would it ask for confidence for over 400,000
unemployed, a decreased number of investments, numerous negative
economic trends and sale of a bit of the remaining "Croatian silver"
and sold banking system.
The possibility of a minority government is only buying of time and
stalling the crisis which not only is political but also economic,
according to the DC.
In case of early elections, the DC will appear with a new economic
programme which would represent a serious turnaround in everything
what the coalition parties did so far, and based on the programme
would ask citizens for a vote of confidence, said Skare Ozbolt.
She added yesterday was the best indicator of the situation Croatia
was in. While the government was disputing over positions, the
parliament discussed what remained of the national wealth - the
Croatian oil company INA and the power supply industry HEP. "This
only points out the tragedy of the way of rule and economic
programme which the government represented", said Skare Ozbolt.
(hina) np