TOMCIC: BUDISA'S STATEMENT IS TOO SHARP

ZAGREB, Oct 27 (Hina) - "As Sabor speaker I don not feel threatened at all nor do I feel the need to be protected by anyone, and I also believe this is the opinion of a majority of Croatian parliamentary deputies," Sabor speaker Zlatko Tomcic said in an interview with Friday's issue of 'Vecernji list' daily. Tomcic made the statement when asked whether he believed the Sabor should be protected from (President Stipe) Mesic and his forces, a claim made recently by the president of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), Drazen Budisa. Commenting on Budisa's claim that "attempts are being made to marginalise the Sabor with the aim to strengthen the semi- presidential system," Tomcic said the statement was "too sharp". Budisa's claim "at this stage of the debate on constitutional changes creates unwanted tensions," he added. Regardless of the fact that there is a number of unresolved details between the President, Government and the Sabor, I believe the first part of the session of the Committee on the Constitution and the Rule Book has removed some misunderstandings and will remove them all by its end, Tomcic said. HSLS president Budisa on Tuesday gave an interview to "Vecernji list", in which he claimed President Mesic had given up his election promise that he would abolish the semi-presidential system so that it could be replaced by a parliamentary one. A situation has been created in which one has to "defend the parliamentary system and the Croatian National Sabor," Budisa said. (hina) rml