SPLIT, Jan 22 (Hina) - The presidential candidate of the Croatian Democratic Union party, Mate Granic, on Saturday held in the southern port of Split his final pre-electoral rally for the January 24 presidential elections. "For
Croatia, any sort of Balkan association is part of the past, its future is the European Union and NATO, and it is I as the president of state who can take Croatia into them in the quickest manner, because international political leaders know me well and know my opinions and worldview," Granic told the rally. He said he was running for Croatia's new president "because I have a clear vision of Croatia. I will strongly advocate the revision of everything that went wrong, privatisation in the first place." Granic said he had not entered politics "from the street" and that in the government he had done the "hardest tasks." "I was the chief negotiator with the (form
SPLIT, Jan 22 (Hina) - The presidential candidate of the Croatian
Democratic Union party, Mate Granic, on Saturday held in the
southern port of Split his final pre-electoral rally for the
January 24 presidential elections.
"For Croatia, any sort of Balkan association is part of the past,
its future is the European Union and NATO, and it is I as the
president of state who can take Croatia into them in the quickest
manner, because international political leaders know me well and
know my opinions and worldview," Granic told the rally.
He said he was running for Croatia's new president "because I have a
clear vision of Croatia. I will strongly advocate the revision of
everything that went wrong, privatisation in the first place."
Granic said he had not entered politics "from the street" and that
in the government he had done the "hardest tasks."
"I was the chief negotiator with the (former Yugoslav federal army)
JNA, I negotiated with Serbs, stopped with the Washington agreement
the unfortunate war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, participated in
drafting (the) Dayton (peace agreement), made diplomatic
preparations for (Croatia's) liberation operations 'Flash' and
'Storm', all this under very difficult circumstances," Granic,
Croatia's foreign minister, said.
He reminded he never abandoned ship, and won all battles.
As Croatia's new president, Granic said he would in particular
advocate the complete separation of the judicial and executive
authority, and the establishment of a law-based, stable state.
"Every suspect case must be fully investigated and the culprit
punished, independently of who he is. We must especially take care
of the young, invest in production, and not in tycoons and their
crashed empires."
"Naturally, we will need foreign assistance, and it is I who can
obtain it. Croatia needs a stable, experienced politician, because
politics is not a joke. As president of state, I will primarily
listen to the people, because this is where the mistake was made,
and every irregularity must meet with immediate reaction and be
investigated," said Granic.
He added that as head of state he would reduce the number of his
associates, establish balanced authorities, and urge the
government to implement reforms.
"I assure you I will never let you down," Granic told his final pre-
electoral rally.
(hina) ha