HDZ OFFICIAL REJECTS SDP ACCUSATIONS

ZAGREB, July 19 (Hina) - The president of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) parliamentary bench, Vladimir Seks, on Thursday rejected Wednesday's statement by Mato Arlovic, president of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) bench, that "the HDZ tried to use the parliamentary discussion on cooperation with the Hague Tribunal for the illegitimate overthrow of the incumbent authorities." Arlovic's statement that the HDZ manipulates Croatian Homeland War soldiers and uses illegitimate means to topple the incumbent authorities was made in a manner reminiscent of the Stalinist time and I reject them with indignation, said Seks, adding that today's HDZ news conference was a response to yesterday's conference of the SDP. Seks also rejected SDP's accusations that the HDZ orchestrates the activities of the Headquarters for the Protection of Homeland War Dignity. Seks added it was sad that the ruling five-party coalition in the parliament ignored 400,000 citizens' signatures, collected by the Headquarters, needed for a referendum seeking the equating of Croatian soldiers with the soldiers of anti-fascist armies after World War II. (hina) np rml