HDZ'S GRANIC PRESENTS PRESIDENTIAL PROGRAMME

ZAGREB, Jan 12 (Hina) - Presenting his presidential programme in Zagreb on Wednesday, Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) candidate Mate Granic said the conflicts in the top ranks of his party were doing great damage to his campaign. If elected Croatian president, Granic said he would remain in the HDZ, but would have no functions. He asserted that as Croatia's foreign minister, he had won in all issues he had been assigned. "All the international agreements I have achieved, have morally and politically fortified the country," Granic said. Granic said that if elected president, nobody will be able to exert any influence on him but the Constitution and the law. He said he would be the president of all people. Granic said that in advocating the acceleration of all European processes, he would be more persistent than the SDP/HSLS coalition, which won recent parliamentary elections. He will demand changes and urge the government to step up democratic processes more strongly than the coalition. Granic will also advocate parliamentary democracy in which the government has a strong role and the president certain powers. Granic said he would advocate the establishment of a law-based. So far this has been the biggest obstacle to European integration due to the fact that not one scandal was cleared, he explained, adding he would urge that the scandals be cleared, and advocate full freedom of the press. Granic will also advocate compliance with signed international agreements, and a revision of underhand privatisation. (hina) ha mm