ZAGREB, April 4 (Hina) - After Tuesday's two-hour meeting, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, the national parliament's President Zlatko Tomcic and Premier Ivica Racan told reporters that media articles about their conflict were
groundless. Mesic, Tomcic and Racan assessed that they had different views on some issues but they agreed that they would find adequate solutions through democratic debates and that Croatia would get a Constitution suitable for a parliamentary democracy. "At the previous meeting we agreed on principles, but in the meantime several reports appeared in the media which are not consistent with my wish or my messages," Mesic said adding that the same could be applied for the heads of the government and the Sabor. We have agreed that in the future standards and co-ordinates should be harmonised prior to the drafting of legal texts relating to the President or
ZAGREB, April 4 (Hina) - After Tuesday's two-hour meeting, Croatian
President Stjepan Mesic, the national parliament's President
Zlatko Tomcic and Premier Ivica Racan told reporters that media
articles about their conflict were groundless.
Mesic, Tomcic and Racan assessed that they had different views on
some issues but they agreed that they would find adequate solutions
through democratic debates and that Croatia would get a
Constitution suitable for a parliamentary democracy.
"At the previous meeting we agreed on principles, but in the
meantime several reports appeared in the media which are not
consistent with my wish or my messages," Mesic said adding that the
same could be applied for the heads of the government and the
Sabor.
We have agreed that in the future standards and co-ordinates should
be harmonised prior to the drafting of legal texts relating to the
President or the Government, Mesic said.
There is no need to comment on the article in the "Nacional" weekly
(about Racan's dismissal) as I did not intend to dismiss anybody,
the Croatian President told reporters adding that he would like to
cooperate on alterations of the Croatian Constitution and
transformation of Croatia into a parliamentary democracy.
Mesic said one of topic of their talks at today's working lunch had
been the announced arrival of the Hague Tribunal's chief
prosecutor, Carla del Ponte, in Zagreb and modifications of
Croatia's cooperation with that Tribunal (ICTY).
Premier Racan pointed to the importance of resolutions of big
problems adding that they (authorities) should not let minor
difficulties and speculations about internal relations hinder the
settlement.
"Attempts to produce some personal quarrels inside executive
bodies in this country is just the war with legal and other facts,"
Racan said adding that he personally and the Government did not want
to take part in it.
Interpretation of the entire story as personal conflicts does not
stand, but there are some differences concerning amendments to the
Constitution and they should be discussed, Racan told reporters.
"We can no longer have a situation when a government exists and
answers before the parliament but has no competence over three key
fields - foreign affairs, internal affairs and defence," he said.
Sabor President Tomcic said that positions and the division among
legislative, executive and presidential authorities in Croatia
were based primarily on the orientation towards the development of
parliamentary democracy in the country. On this path there are
concrete tasks and changes of a series of laws and the Constitution,
and during those alterations the state must function in compliance
with the Constitution and laws, Tomcic added.
Tomcic is absolutely confident that the President of the Republic
will not use all powers which the Constitution and laws grant him
now and that the Government will adjust itself to such situation.
Tomcic confirmed that there were different opinions on certain
issues but soon Croatia would definitely have a Constitution
adequate to a parliamentary democracy, making impossible for
anybody to make manipulation.
(hina) mm ms