ZAGREB, July 4 (Hina) - A vice-president of the Croatian Social Liberal Party's (HSLS) parliamentary bench, Vilim Herman, said on Thursday that factions within the party should be legalised.
ZAGREB, July 4 (Hina) - A vice-president of the Croatian Social
Liberal Party's (HSLS) parliamentary bench, Vilim Herman, said on
Thursday that factions within the party should be legalised. #L#
Speaking at a joint press conference with party vice-presidents
Djurdja Adlesic and Josko Kontic, Herman said it was necessary to
find space for informal association and different opinions in the
party.
He said that he had been informed during talks with party president
Drazen Budisa that the party's statutory commission would
instigate disciplinary measures against HSLS deputies who, in
contradiction to a party decision, voted in favour of the agreement
on the Krsko nuclear power plant. Herman said that he was strongly
opposed to this manner of establishing order in the party. Any party
with any sense of self-confidence and self-respect would not stoop
to these solutions, Herman said, adding that he did not rule out the
possibility of the party splitting up.
According to news circulating since this morning among HSLS
deputies, some MPs who voted in opposition to the party decision
would leave the party and with a majority of HSLS government members
form a new party - the Croatian Liberals, should their request to
legalise party factions not be approved.
Djurdja Adlesic announced that the HSLS would respect decisions by
coalition partners on a coalition without the HSLS. We wish the
coalition success, although I am rather sceptical in that regard,
Adlesic said.
Asked whether she agreed with the idea of party factions, she
replied it was a worthwhile idea that could be discussed.
Asked whether she expected that the MPs in question would be
excluded from the party, she said, "It is not up to us to make
suggestions to the Statutory Commission regarding the outcome of
disciplinary proceedings".
Adlesic dismissed claims that she and another party vice-
president, Ivan Cehok, intended to ask for the convening of an
extraordinary assembly at which they would replace Budisa as the
party president.
Josko Kontic said he was open to discussions on the possible
legalisation of party factions even though he personally did not
agree with the idea. Those factions should nevertheless work in the
interest of the HSLS and not other parties, he added.
(hina) sp sb