HNS-PGS-SBHS PARTY BENCH SUPPORTS RACAN AS PREMIER DESIGNATE

ZAGREB, July 9 (Hina) - The party bench of the Croatian People's Party, the Primorje-Gorski Kotar Alliance, and the Slavonija- Baranja Party of Croatia (HNS-PGS-SBHS) supports the resigned Prime Minister Ivica Racan as the premier designate and believes he should compose the new government as soon as possible, as this is in the interest of all and would show that the government is still functioning, HNS president Vesna Pusic said after consultations with President Stjepan Mesic on Tuesday. #L# The proposal on reducing the number of ministries is a good one, but only for some future government and not the one to be appointed because it would mean once again having to deal with internal coalition problems, Pusic said. Pusic stressed that the future representation of the HNS in the government would be discussed with the premier designate. She added that her appointment as a deputy premier was only media speculation. "I believe it is realistic to expect the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) ministers who have supported the government to remain in office," Pusic said, adding, however, that this depended on the re-organisation of the HSLS as well as on the actual strength of the Independent HSLS Liberals bench. Nikola Ivanis (PGS) claimed that he did not make his support for the government conditional on his appointment as a government member, adding his party supported the parliamentary majority where he believed the SBHS belonged as well. With regard to President Mesic's statement that the government fell not because of Drazen Budisa but because it had not resolved the vital problems of Croatian society, Pusic said the President observed the matter from a global point of view and from that point of view was right. Nevertheless, some problems could not be solved because the coalition was too much preoccupied with itself, she concluded. (hina) sp sb