HSLS, HDZ IN KARLOVAC COUNTY ASSEMBLY SIGN COOPERATION AGREEMENT

KARLOVAC, July 10 (Hina) - The Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) and Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) branches in the Karlovac County Assembly on Wednesday signed a cooperation agreement for the duration of the assembly's current mandate. #L# The Croatian Bloc holds the most seats in the county assembly, including the HDZ with 17 seats. The HSLS holds three seats. In last year's elections, the Croatian Bloc (which includes the HDZ, the Democratic Centre - DC, and the Croatian Party of Rights - HSP) won a majority of 23 votes in a 41-member assembly. After a split with the HSP, two of the three HSP deputies joined the HDZ bench, making up a majority of 22. After today's agreement with the HSLS, the Bloc holds 25 seats. County assembly president Ljudevit Mejaski of the HSLS, who kept the post after the HDZ-HSP rift, expects that the agenda of tomorrow's assembly session would be amended to include a discussion on the inclusion of at least two HSLS deputies in the county executive authorities. The head of the Croatian People's Party (HNS) bench, Nikola Vuljanic, said on behalf of the ruling five-party coalition in the Karlovac City Council that the events in the county assembly would not cause any major disturbances because the HSLS held one seat in the City Council. "I believe that it will become obvious that Drazen Budisa and his supporters and members in Karlovac County are members of a rightist and not a liberal party," Vuljanic said. (hina) rml