COALITION PARTNERS' VIEWS AHEAD OF RULING PARTIES' MEETING

ZAGREB, March (Hina) - A meeting of the ruling five-party coalition leaders scheduled for Tuesday is expected to end with a solution to the current government crisis and improve relations among coalition partners. The Social Democratic Party (SDP), the largest in the coalition, has contributed to further disintegration of relations among coalition partners with its recent statements. The SDP accepted every issue on which leaders of the five parties agreed at a meeting on March 5, but is not prepared to ignore electoral results when assembling the government, party president Mato Arlovic said on Monday, when he presented Sunday's decisions of the SDP Presidency to reporters. Considering the electoral results, the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) is already dominant in the executive authority, and the SDP is not prepared to further tolerate this, Arlovic said. Instead, he added, the party demands that the division of duties among parties respect electoral results. The SDP excludes neither the possibility of new elections, nor a coalition agreement. "If an agreement on priorities has been reached and is carried out, this government may survive the rest of its mandate," said Arlovic. He added that party crises should not be made a government, or even a state crisis. "We were overly optimistic last night," SDP vice-president Davorko Vidovic said. He warned that his party cannot accept the transformation of a parliamentary democracy into a party system, in which party leaders make the decisions, instead of the parliament or government. Asked if the SDP considers a vote of confidence against the government in parliament as a last resort, Arlovic said he will request a parliament discussion if ruling party leaders, instead of the government, continue to decide on key issues. "In that case, we will ask for a parliament discussion which may or may not result in a discussion and vote of non-confidence in the government," said Arlovic. He added that the government has the trust of the majority in parliament, but will not avoid possible early elections. Asked if the SDP will accept the HSLS's recent ultimatum that resigning minister Goranko Fizulic leave by Sunday, the SDP president said this specific issue is not crucial to an agreement. HSLS president Drazen Budisa refused to comment on the SDP Presidency's positions until the tomorrow's meeting, but he did say that they impose new issues for discussion by the Social Liberals. Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) president Zlatko Tomcic had no comment on SDP's stances either. He only expressed confidence that the five parties will fulfil the public's expectations and continue working together. The Liberal Party and Croatian People's Party agree with the SDP that the partners in the ruling coalition must reach an agreement on the government's programme, but are not completely content with the rest of the SDP's stances. Liberal Party president Zlatko Kramaric pointed out that coalition partners should reach an agreement on a government programme and reforms, and need to find people who can execute the government's programme. He does not agree that electoral results should be upheld blindly, since, he said, this is not the coalition's purpose. He cited examples in the world where candidates from small parties are elected as ministers. HNS spokesman Boris Blazekovic said his party fully agrees with the Social Democrats that the coalition should reach a consensus on the government's programme. Personnel changes, therefore, are not as important as this, he said. (hina) lml sb