ZAGREB, Oct 24 (Hina)- The leaders of the ruling coalition's five parties met in parliament on Wednesday but there were no conditions for previously planned, serious talks on relations within the coalition, the president of the Social
Democrats (SDP), Prime Minister Ivica Racan, said. Asked to comment on a statement the head of the Peasant Party (HSS), parliamentary speaker Zlatko Tomcic, made to Novi List daily of Wednesday to the effect that the government needed a reshuffle, the PM said the matter should not be discussed via the media and would be the subject of an upcoming meeting of the ruling coalition. Racan said today's talks with Tomcic, which lasted less than an hour, had addressed "everything" but not last week's statements by Radimir Cacic, the public works, reconstruction and construction minister, which elicited a harsh reaction among MPs and parliament's presidency. Cacic told
ZAGREB, Oct 24 (Hina)- The leaders of the ruling coalition's five
parties met in parliament on Wednesday but there were no conditions
for previously planned, serious talks on relations within the
coalition, the president of the Social Democrats (SDP), Prime
Minister Ivica Racan, said.
Asked to comment on a statement the head of the Peasant Party (HSS),
parliamentary speaker Zlatko Tomcic, made to Novi List daily of
Wednesday to the effect that the government needed a reshuffle, the
PM said the matter should not be discussed via the media and would be
the subject of an upcoming meeting of the ruling coalition.
Racan said today's talks with Tomcic, which lasted less than an
hour, had addressed "everything" but not last week's statements by
Radimir Cacic, the public works, reconstruction and construction
minister, which elicited a harsh reaction among MPs and
parliament's presidency.
Cacic told reporters last week that parliament was "a natural
environment for... the profanity of" Ante Kovacevic of the
opposition's Party of Rights (HSP). The statement urged
parliament's presidency to request the PM to discipline his
cabinet. Even though MPs yesterday were rumoured to want Cacic's
apology, today rumour has it an apology is not enough.
Racan said today it was to be seen if Cacic would apologise, and
reiterated he did not wish to comment on statements Cacic made not
on behalf of the government, but as a party official. The PM said
everybody was entitled to make political statements in democratic
Croatia, and respond for them as well.
Today's talks did not tackle possible candidates for a new health
minister, Racan said, endorsing Defence Minister Jozo Rados'
statement that the important thing was to find a good candidate.
Political suitability is less important in this case, the PM added.
Health Minister Ana Stavljenic-Rukavina has resigned following the
recent death during haemodialysis of 21 kidney patients in several
Croatian hospitals.
Asked to comment on some Social Liberal (HSLS) leaders' view that a
ruling coalition agreement was incomplete and needed revising,
Racan said he did not wish to comment on individual statements, but
added he had nothing against the issue being addressed.
(hina) ha