OTOCAC, Nov 12 (Hina) - Croatian People's Party (HNS) president Vesna Pusic has said the government should not issue statements on important topics such as its response to a message forwarded by Croatian bishops without having
discussed and agreed on it on the level of the coalition. In an interview with Croatian Radio in Otocac, Pusic commented on a statement by Parliament Speaker and Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) president Zlatko Tomcic, who said that "the HSS disagrees with the government's response to the message of Croatian bishops, who spoke critically about the serious social situation in Croatia." Pusic said she had learned of the bishops' message and their subsequent statement from the press, describing it as inadmissible. The state can take into account criticisms coming from the church and respond to them in various ways but that is not its main task, she says. Prompted by Tomcic's statement saying he disa
OTOCAC, Nov 12 (Hina) - Croatian People's Party (HNS) president
Vesna Pusic has said the government should not issue statements on
important topics such as its response to a message forwarded by
Croatian bishops without having discussed and agreed on it on the
level of the coalition.
In an interview with Croatian Radio in Otocac, Pusic commented on a
statement by Parliament Speaker and Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS)
president Zlatko Tomcic, who said that "the HSS disagrees with the
government's response to the message of Croatian bishops, who spoke
critically about the serious social situation in Croatia."
Pusic said she had learned of the bishops' message and their
subsequent statement from the press, describing it as
inadmissible.
The state can take into account criticisms coming from the church
and respond to them in various ways but that is not its main task,
she says.
Prompted by Tomcic's statement saying he disagreed with the
government's response to the bishops' message on the situation in
the country, HNS vice-president Miroslav Granic told reporters in
Split today Tomcic was "the main disruptive element in the ruling
coalition."
Asked whether the HNS had been informed about the government's
response, Granic said it had not, but all coalition partners were
expected to trust Prime Minister Racan.
The Croatian Christian Democratic Union (HKDU) said in a statement
today it supported the Church in its efforts to warn about problems
and the inadmissibility of the position of man and family in
Croatia. The Church, as the supreme moral authority in the Croatian
society, is the most competent institution for addressing the
problems Croatian citizens are facing, reads the party statement.
The government's response and the statement by parliament speaker
Tomcic clearly indicate that relations within the ruling coalition
are not good and that the authority is unstable, reads the
statement, signed by party president Anto Kovacevic.
(hina) sb rml