ZAGREB, July 28 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic believes it is not a good idea to expand the government to include Croatian Social Liberal Party president Drazen Budisa as a third deputy prime minister, the daily Vjesnik said
on Friday featuring excerpts from an interview with Mesic to be run on Saturday. Budisa's becoming a third deputy prime minister would be a departure from agreements reached ahead of January's parliamentary elections, the President believes, adding there is no point in expanding the number of government members. "All speculation on the matter come from others, not from Budisa, and I think he has been framed," the President is quoted as saying. President Mesic confirms in the interview he has received a list of ambassadors Foreign Minister Tonino Picula wants to replace, announcing he will decide towards the end of next week whether to sign the list or not. Mesic is
ZAGREB, July 28 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic believes it
is not a good idea to expand the government to include Croatian
Social Liberal Party president Drazen Budisa as a third deputy
prime minister, the daily Vjesnik said on Friday featuring excerpts
from an interview with Mesic to be run on Saturday.
Budisa's becoming a third deputy prime minister would be a
departure from agreements reached ahead of January's parliamentary
elections, the President believes, adding there is no point in
expanding the number of government members. "All speculation on the
matter come from others, not from Budisa, and I think he has been
framed," the President is quoted as saying.
President Mesic confirms in the interview he has received a list of
ambassadors Foreign Minister Tonino Picula wants to replace,
announcing he will decide towards the end of next week whether to
sign the list or not.
Mesic is quoted as saying he has not been bothered by the fact that
Picula did not consult him, but the six parties making the ruling
coalition, in connection with the list. He does, however, reiterate
his dissatisfaction with the six parties' leaders' engagement in
appointments and decision-making on management in public
enterprise.
Commenting on the appointment of a Social Democratic Party member
to the helm of the Croatian Lottery, the President says such conduct
on the ruling coalition's part will lead Croatia into another
catastrophe "because it is the same thing the (formerly ruling) HDZ
was doing."
In the interview, Mesic warns the coalition that its parties'
coordinating bodies are outside legal frameworks on the level of
counties, towns and municipalities, calling for it to stop.
(hina) ha mm