ZAGREB, May 28 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic announced on Monday, in line with his constitutional powers, the setting up of a body which would include the most responsible people in the state who would meet from time to
time to improve their communication and adopt common views on important issues. In an interview to the Croatian press, Croatian Radio and the news agency Hina, on the occasion of Statehood Day, Mesic spoke about numerous current topics. Commenting on a recent local election, Mesic said Croatia had seen the inflation of elections since 1990, which made the voters abstain and not go to the polls in large numbers in the latest vote. The election result is similar to last year's parliamentary vote, with the ruling coalition having won more seats in county assemblies, he assessed. Asked to comment on local coalitions and the message of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) leader Drazen B
ZAGREB, May 28 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic announced
on Monday, in line with his constitutional powers, the setting up of
a body which would include the most responsible people in the state
who would meet from time to time to improve their communication and
adopt common views on important issues.
In an interview to the Croatian press, Croatian Radio and the news
agency Hina, on the occasion of Statehood Day, Mesic spoke about
numerous current topics.
Commenting on a recent local election, Mesic said Croatia had seen
the inflation of elections since 1990, which made the voters
abstain and not go to the polls in large numbers in the latest vote.
The election result is similar to last year's parliamentary vote,
with the ruling coalition having won more seats in county
assemblies, he assessed.
Asked to comment on local coalitions and the message of the Croatian
Social Liberal Party (HSLS) leader Drazen Budisa to the Split HSLS
branch not to form alliances either with the Social Democratic
Party (SDP) or with the Croatian Bloc, Mesic said different views
about general state issues such as Croatia's rapprochement with the
European Union, NATO, etc. should not be an obstacle to forming
alliances. If top-level politics has no influence on the forming of
alliances, then I support alliances, Mesic said.
He assessed that post-election Croatia is not divided into the Left
and the Right, but is covered by the political centre. I do not see
any extreme-left parties and as far as the Right is concerned, it is
totally insignificant, he said.
Speaking about the time between Croatia's declaring independence
and the present, Mesic said ten years was enough to realise that
being political opponents did not being enemies.
Mesic believes all must reach a consensus on the revival of the
economy and the adoption of a development strategy.
Stressing that he could not comment in more detail on announced
government decisions on the reduction of workers' rights (lower
severance pays, shorter dismissal period...) since he had only read
about them in the papers, Mesic said those decisions were not the
right option. Something else must be done, we must clear up all
scandals burdening the Croatian state, he stressed.
He supported the initiative of the Croatian government to erect a
Homeland Monument as, he said, unlike other countries, Croatia does
not have a monument to the Unknown Soldier or a place where one could
pay tribute to those who gave their lives for the Homeland.
(hina) sb rml