ZAGREB, July 4 (Hina) - If he is given the mandate to form a new government, the incumbent Prime Minister Ivica Racan will strive to form a stable government that will serve its mandate to the end (another year and a half) and will
not be a minority government, Racan's closest associates said.
ZAGREB, July 4 (Hina) - If he is given the mandate to form a new
government, the incumbent Prime Minister Ivica Racan will strive to
form a stable government that will serve its mandate to the end
(another year and a half) and will not be a minority government,
Racan's closest associates said. #L#
Along with stability, Racan wants greater efficiency from the new
government, which will have to continue with commenced reforms,
including the judicial reform, the associates said.
If he is once again to be the prime minister, Racan intends to halve
the government's priorities for the period 2002-2003 in order to
ensure greater efficiency.
Racan wants stable support in parliament and a parliamentary
majority that will guarantee smooth votes on any issue, his
associates said.
Racan will not consider a minority government, i.e. one that does
not hold the majority of parliamentary seats.
Racan also intends to decrease the current number of ministries
(19) and form a government similar to those in Scandinavian
countries. A decision like that would mean that the prime minister
would not have any deputies, that there would be less personnel in
each ministry, but that agencies and institutions implementing the
government's policy would be established.
This model would require a strong prime minister's cabinet, like
the one in Hungary.
If given a position like that, the prime minister would be more
responsible for the efficiency of the executive authority, but he
would also have stronger mechanisms at his disposal to fulfil set
objectives, Racan's associates said.
Such a radical change in the government model would require
interventions in a series of laws, starting with the Law on the
Government, on to the laws regulating the activities of ministries.
Intervention in legislature would be so radical that it could
almost be referred to as a mini reform of the state administration,
Racan's associates added.
Government officials did not want to comment officially on the
reforms until the President of the State decides on the new premier
designate and the premier designate receives support from his new
partners.
Keeping in mind that Racan is at the head of the strongest
parliamentary party, the Social Democrats, it is possible that the
new mandate may be offered to him.
In that case, Racan can count on support from the Croatian Peasants'
Party (HSS) and Zlatko Tomcic, the Croatian People's Party (HNS)
and Vesna Pusic, the Liberal Party (LS) and Zlatko Kramaric, and
even the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) and Ivan Jakovcic. He
would most likely have the support of regional parliamentary
parties and some independent and minority MPs.
Government officials believe that the episode with the new
government could be over in less than a month, which is the period
defined by the Constitution, and that the new government will
successfully carry out its duties and do away with the need for an
early election.
One of the arguments against an early election is the fact that the
last parliamentary election, held in January 2000, cost almost 92
million kuna (approx. EUR12.51 million).
(hina) sp sb