BUDISA ACCUSES IDS OF POLITICAL MONOPOLY, TROUBLEMAKING

PULA, May 13 (Hina) - The president of the Croatian Social-Liberal Party (HSLS), Drazen Budisa, on Sunday accused the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), one of its partners in the coalition government, of "political monopoly and one-track politics," "the fomenting of conflicts with the central authorities," and "the de- Croatisation of Istria." "I call on citizens living in Istria to do the same Croatian citizens did on January 3 last year - put an end to political monopoly," Budisa said at an election rally in Pula. Budisa warned that the IDS was encroaching on the institutions of local authority and economy," and slammed "political correctness, which has become the criterion of personnel policy." "It is now obvious that the reason for such IDS policy was not the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) rule because the IDS has continued to behave the same toward the (current) democratic authorities... which have a completely different attitude toward Istria," Budisa said. The IDS policy, which was aimed at "fomenting conflicts between Istria and the central authorities poisons political relations in Croatia." It is high time for the IDS to stop such "irresponsible and thoughtless policy," Budisa said. Commenting on the rights of the Italian minority in Istria, Budisa said the Croatian Constitution and laws as well as practice guaranteed all rights to every member of national minorities living in Croatia. However, Budisa believes "the process of recognition of minority rights cannot be carried out by de-Croatising Istria and to the detriment of the majority people." (hina) rml