ZAGREB, Dec 15 (Hina) - Drazen Budisa has told the daily Vecernji List he considers Prime Minister Ivica Racan and his Social Democrats (SDP) the most accountable for the situation within the five-party ruling coalition, and that Jozo
Rados cannot guarantee the independence of the Social Liberals (HSLS). "The relations among the (coalition's) partners are worse than when I was at the helm of the HSLS," Budisa was quoted in an exclusive interview on Friday, the first in five months since he resigned as president of the HSLS, a party of the ruling coalition. All of the government's successes were ascribed to the SDP and the failures to the HSLS, he said before adding: "That's why I consider Ivica Racan and the SDP the most accountable for the situation in the coalition and the fact that today the HDZ (the opposition's Croatian Democratic Union) doesn't have eight but between 25 and 30 percent o
ZAGREB, Dec 15 (Hina) - Drazen Budisa has told the daily Vecernji
List he considers Prime Minister Ivica Racan and his Social
Democrats (SDP) the most accountable for the situation within the
five-party ruling coalition, and that Jozo Rados cannot guarantee
the independence of the Social Liberals (HSLS).
"The relations among the (coalition's) partners are worse than when
I was at the helm of the HSLS," Budisa was quoted in an exclusive
interview on Friday, the first in five months since he resigned as
president of the HSLS, a party of the ruling coalition.
All of the government's successes were ascribed to the SDP and the
failures to the HSLS, he said before adding: "That's why I consider
Ivica Racan and the SDP the most accountable for the situation in
the coalition and the fact that today the HDZ (the opposition's
Croatian Democratic Union) doesn't have eight but between 25 and 30
percent of votes."
Budisa said the trust between himself and PM Racan "was shattered in
the Slobodna Dalmacija (newspaper) case, when the agreement we had
was drastically thwarted."
Citing three "drastic examples" of decision-making without the
knowledge of the coalition partners, Budisa mentioned a border deal
with Slovenia, the Zagreb-Split motorway, and an Interior Ministry
decision on the annihilation of secret services' files. "The centre
of political decision-making was being transferred from the
parties of (the then six-member ruling coalition) and their
presidents to the government's cabinet," said Budisa.
He accused the SDP of fomenting rifts within the HSLS, and slammed
Deputy PM Goran Granic (HSLS) for allegedly agreeing to such a
political strategy on the SDP's part.
"I consider Granic the most responsible for the realisation of this
SDP political scenario, which culminated on July 7," said Budisa,
referring to HSLS' decision to vote against the extradition of
Rahim Ademi and Ante Gotovina, two Hague war crimes tribunal
suspects.
Speaking about those events, Budisa said Deputy PM Granic had
visited The Hague several weeks earlier and was allegedly told by
chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte she hoped those two names would
suit the Croatian government for political reasons. "The public
should know that at that time I knew the accused generals were the
political selection of the Hague tribunal," Budisa said.
Asked why he was running for HSLS president once again, Budisa said
he had been "brought to the point where I have to give the HSLS its
political independence back." "Today the HSLS is not governed by
the HSLS. Jozo Rados has not proved himself as a man who can
guarantee the political independence of the HSLS," he said.
Asked if he would replace the ministers who publicly declared
themselves as his opponents if elected HSLS president, Budisa said:
"Goran Granic will have to resign to the post of deputy prime
minister."
Budisa said he was not considering forming a right centre coalition
with the Peasants' Party (HSS) and the Democratic Centre (DC) at the
next elections. "The HSLS will run independently," he said.
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