ZAGREB, May 18 (Hina) - Representatives of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS), Liberal Party (LS), Croatian People's Party (HNS) and the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) have received with considerable reservations the news that the
Croatian Social-Liberal Party (HSLS) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) would together draw up an agreement on cooperation during the elections, and in constituting the parliament and the coalition government after the elections. The HSS, LS, HNS, and the IDS, which make up the "Opposition Six" together with the HSLS and the SDP, stressed they did not deny any member of the "Opposition Six" the right to develop mutual relations and establish closer ties. Coordinator for the Opposition Six and HSS member Luka Trconic said he believed everybody wanted the Opposition Six to stay together because, he said, it had taken roots in the Croatian public. However, he
ZAGREB, May 18 (Hina) - Representatives of the Croatian Peasants'
Party (HSS), Liberal Party (LS), Croatian People's Party (HNS) and
the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) have received with
considerable reservations the news that the Croatian Social-
Liberal Party (HSLS) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) would
together draw up an agreement on cooperation during the elections,
and in constituting the parliament and the coalition government
after the elections.
The HSS, LS, HNS, and the IDS, which make up the "Opposition Six"
together with the HSLS and the SDP, stressed they did not deny any
member of the "Opposition Six" the right to develop mutual
relations and establish closer ties.
Coordinator for the Opposition Six and HSS member Luka Trconic said
he believed everybody wanted the Opposition Six to stay together
because, he said, it had taken roots in the Croatian public.
However, he is surprised that the two parties should announce the
signing of an agreement two days before the previously announced
meeting of the Opposition Six and assesses that it will not
contribute to creating a productive atmosphere in the
negotiations.
Trconic does not see the need for the two parties to issue a separate
statement on negotiations between the Opposition Six and the
Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) on a new election law, considering
that he had already given a statement on behalf of the six parties.
Radimir Cacic (HNS) said the Budisa-Racan meeting was a clear
message that the two parties were dissociating themselves from the
Opposition Six.
Bozo Kovacevic (LS) is satisfied that the HSLS and the SDP had
agreed to continue their cooperation within the Opposition Six.
He also supported their decision to draw up an agreement on
cooperation during and after the elections, but he also believed
that the two parties would not be able to win a sufficient number of
mandates to form a coalition government by themselves, and hoped
that they would not look for a coalition partner in the HDZ.
This is not the first time a party or parties are dissociating
themselves from the Opposition Six, said Emil Soldatic (IDS).
Despite the fact that a large number of citizens see the Opposition
Six as a coalition, it need not necessarily be so, but it would be
fair to state that it is not a coalition, Soldatic said.
One of the reasons for making the relations between the HSLS and the
SDP official was the assessment that the two parties would win more
votes in the elections if they formed a coalition, rather than take
part in the elections independently, HSLS president Drazen Budisa
said.
The agreement between the two parties would also contain an
arrangement on cooperation during and after the elections. The
arrangement will be determined once the new election law is known,
Budisa said.
So far, there have been no plans to include the third parties in the
agreement, Budisa added.
He also stressed that the HNS, IDS and the LS had for some time had
formalised relations through the so-called Porec group, and that it
had been stated as early as at the first meeting of the Opposition
Six that special relations between the parties would be respected.
(hina) jn rml