SEKS DISMISSES CLAIMS THAT HDZ HAS BECOME RIGID RIGHT PARTY

ZAGREB, March 29 (Hina) - The acting president of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Vladimir Seks, on Tuesday announced legal projects which would be based on HDZ's programme principles and which would help the party leave the period in which it was only a critical Opposition. The HDZ yesterday initiated a bill on Croatian Television (HTV) and will soon initiate a series of laws from the area of economy and social policy. "It's going to be those laws which in the electoral and pre-electoral programme of the current government were determined as strategic guidelines," Seks said during a break at yesterday's joint session of HDZ benches in both parliamentary houses. Seks also said HDZ representatives estimated that the party was under media blockade. The HDZ will therefore try to form an adequate group which will permanently inform the public about the party's views regarding events on the Croatian political scene. Commenting on statements that the HDZ has become a die-hard right party after some of its members went over to the Croatian Democratic Centre (DC), Seks said the party's draft statute and programme declaration determined the HDZ as a party of democratic centre, which, he said, "dismisses claims that the HDZ ship is leaning to the right." (hina) mm rml