SOCIAL LIBERALS TO BE MORE CAREFUL WHEN FORMING FUTURE COALITIONS

SISAK, Dec 7 (Hina) - The president of the Social Liberals (HSLS), Drazen Budisa, said on Saturday the HSLS, when forming coalitions in the future, would be much more careful than it was when the currently ruling coalition was formed in 2000. #L# In the future the HSLS, which left the ruling coalition earlier this year, will focus on establishing rules of conduct, relations, and decision-making, as well as chief programme goals, as is the case in developed democracies, Budisa said in Sisak at an electoral assembly of the party's local county branch. Commenting on the state budget for 2003 and changes to tax legislation, Budisa said they were aimed at the next elections more than at economic development. He called on other political parties and economic and social factors to reach a national social consensus which he said was imperative for economic development. Budisa also commented on the case of Sisak's Ironworks. He voiced concern not about its workers' recent protests and clashes with the police but because of the political rhetoric which he said accompanied the protests. "It's the old communist rhetoric, that workers are being manipulated and are overthrowing the government and the state," he said. On behalf of his party, Budisa dismissed claims from the Prime Minister's Cabinet that the HSLS was now more right-wing than the Croatian Democratic Union party. The HSLS is the strongest and most constant centre party, he said, adding such speculation was aimed at placing the HDZ among centre parties to make it more favourable to form coalitions with. (hina) ha