ZAGREB, July 16 (Hina) - Prime Minister Ivica Racan said on Monday he hoped the government had come out strengthened after last night's vote of confidence by parliament and would show more determination in implementing its reform
policy. He also announced a government reshuffle for the autumn. In an interview with Croatian Radio Racan emphasised the government reshuffle would have taken place earlier had not the situation with the Hague war crimes tribunal occurred. He said the reshuffle would take place in September because the parliament could confirm the nominations of new ministers only on September 15, when it starts its regular sessions. He repeated that he had already refused the resignation of his first deputy Goran Granic while the resignations of other ministers from the Croatian Social Liberal Party, HSLS, (Jozo Rados, Goranko Fizulic and Hrvoje Kraljevic) were available. "All this is part of changes which will
ZAGREB, July 16 (Hina) - Prime Minister Ivica Racan said on Monday
he hoped the government had come out strengthened after last
night's vote of confidence by parliament and would show more
determination in implementing its reform policy.
He also announced a government reshuffle for the autumn.
In an interview with Croatian Radio Racan emphasised the government
reshuffle would have taken place earlier had not the situation with
the Hague war crimes tribunal occurred. He said the reshuffle would
take place in September because the parliament could confirm the
nominations of new ministers only on September 15, when it starts
its regular sessions.
He repeated that he had already refused the resignation of his first
deputy Goran Granic while the resignations of other ministers from
the Croatian Social Liberal Party, HSLS, (Jozo Rados, Goranko
Fizulic and Hrvoje Kraljevic) were available. "All this is part of
changes which will be made," Racan said, adding the said ministers
were resigned until he decided about their resignations.
Racan confirmed the possibility that Defence Minister Jozo Rados
could take up another ministerial office.
The prime minister said that Justice Minister Stjepan Ivanisevic,
who tendered his resignation due to health problems effective on
July 15, would remain at his post.
Asked about the situation in the coalition, particularly relations
with the HSLS, Racan said he "will not tolerate some coalition
members sitting on two chairs." He stressed that the majority of
HSLS deputies supported the government.
The prime minister also answered questions regarding cooperation
with the Hague tribunal and assessed that the possibility for the
parliament to reach a consensus was good.
Answering to a listener's question, Racan said he, too, believed
that the plunder, arson and killing which took place after
Operation Storm had nothing to do with the Croatian Army and
generals. Namely, the listener asserted that two, three days after
the end of the operation he had travelled through the area between
Benkovac and Knin and saw not more than five burnt houses. However,
about two weeks later, while travelling through the same area, he
saw civilian vehicles taking away construction material and heard
stories about murders.
Asked by another listener why he was afraid to hold a referendum if
he believed that the quiet majority supported the government, Racan
said the referendum was possible but it was not clear what the
referendum question would be. The proposed referendum question is
incoherent and many citizens would not understand it, he said.
The proposed referendum question is if citizens support the same
legal treatment for Croatian soldiers as that granted to the
members of all victorious armies after World War II.
(hina) sb rml