HSLS GOVERNING COUNCIL EXPELS 12 PARTY MEMBERS

ZAGREB, July 13 (Hina) - The Croatian Social Liberal Party's (HSLS) Governing Council on Saturday supported the proposal of party president Drazen Budisa to oust six HSLS MPs from the party and requested that another six HSLS government members also be expelled. #L# The Governing Council also adopted a decision which bids all HSLS members to give a vote of no confidence in the new government of premier designate Ivica Racan. At a news conference, held after today's session, Budisa said that the behaviour of HSLS MPs who founded a new bench, demanded the resignations of the president and party leadership. He called on the six MPs who founded the new Bench of Independent Liberals to return their MP mandates to the HSLS, and added this was their moral obligation. Explaining the request that HSLS MPs give a vote of no confidence in the new government, Budisa reiterated that Racan's government had no political legitimacy which would be based on electoral results. The HSLS Governing Council passed a decision under which the five party coalition, comprising the HSLS, the Social Democrats, the Croatian Peasants' Party, the Croatian People's Party and the Liberal Party, no longer existed. Also present at today's session was a member of the newly- established Bench of Independent Liberals, formed by some HSLS members, Zrinjka Glovacki Bernardi, who read a report of the newly formed bench. According to the report, there are no conditions for equal dialogue during which the HSLS members, who are being threatened with being ousted, could explain their actions. (hina) it