HDZ AGAINST RATIFICATION OF STABILISATION AND ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT

ZAGREB, Dec 4 (Hina) - Opposition party benches of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), and Croatian Party of Rights/Croatian Christian Democratic Union (HSP/HKDU), in parliament on Tuesday opposed ratifying the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union, stressing that it did not offer guarantees to Croatia's entrance into the EU, and warned about the possibility of creating new Balkan associations. On behalf of the HDZ, Vladimir Seks stressed that the SAA envisages the signing of a series of bilateral agreements with countries from the western Balkans, and creating unnecessary institutional mechanisms through these agreements when needed. Seks warned that such provisions could be a foundation for a new Balkan association. The Agreement gives excessive powers to the Stability and Association Council, which has a role of arbiter, and which will decide on protective measures of increasing customs duties, on subsidies and supports, instead of the parliament and government, Tonci Tadic said on behalf of the HSP/HKDU bench. He warned that European countries were decreasing or cancelling customs duties for 90 percent of products with which Croatia cannot compete on the European market. The remaining 10 percent of products, such as fish and some agricultural products, have been restricted by quota. The SAA does not guarantee Croatia's entrance to the EU, Tadic said. He added that only the growth of the Gross Domestic Product could guarantee Croatia's entry into European associations, and that it was questionable whether the growth was possible with the SAA's implementation. Vesna Pusic of the Croatian People's Party (HNS) agreed with Tadic's claim. She did, however, stress, that the ratification of the SAA was not a guarantee, but, nevertheless, a necessary condition for Croatia's entering the EU. (hina) np sb