ZAGREB, June 23 (Hina) - The Opposition Six, by setting conditions to the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) for the continuation of talks on electoral legislature, violated an agreement reached with the ruling party on May 25, HDZ
leading negotiator, Vladimir Seks, said in Zagreb on Wednesday. Should the six parties fail to give up on their demands, the discussion on the electoral law will be postponed until autumn, he said. The Opposition Six last Friday requested of the HDZ to join parliamentary discussions on the work of intelligence and security services and on the opposition's suggestion that a commission of inquiry should be established to probe the services' possible misuse, ahead of reaching a consensus pertaining to the electoral law. The six parties also requested a consensus be reached on amendments to the Law on Croatian Radio and Television and the Law on electoral units, and that the date of elections
ZAGREB, June 23 (Hina) - The Opposition Six, by setting conditions
to the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) for the continuation of
talks on electoral legislature, violated an agreement reached with
the ruling party on May 25, HDZ leading negotiator, Vladimir Seks,
said in Zagreb on Wednesday.
Should the six parties fail to give up on their demands, the
discussion on the electoral law will be postponed until autumn, he
said.
The Opposition Six last Friday requested of the HDZ to join
parliamentary discussions on the work of intelligence and security
services and on the opposition's suggestion that a commission of
inquiry should be established to probe the services' possible
misuse, ahead of reaching a consensus pertaining to the electoral
law.
The six parties also requested a consensus be reached on amendments
to the Law on Croatian Radio and Television and the Law on electoral
units, and that the date of elections and code of conduct for
political parties be set ahead of the elections, before a new
electoral law is passed.
"It is completely unacceptable for the HDZ for the electoral law to
be connected with events which have nothing to do with its
harmonisation," Seks said.
He called on the Opposition Six to continue negotiations without
ultimatums and based on the reached agreement.
Seks said it was possible that the Opposition Six to, by setting
unacceptable conditions for the HDZ, "wish to avoid a consensus and
place full responsibility for the failure of not adopting the
electoral law on the HDZ".
He dismissed requests by the Opposition that the resolution on the
work of intelligence services and the decision on the formation of a
commission of inquiry be reached by consensus.
Seks said a decision on whether a commission of inquiry should be
established would depend on "the tone and content of the
discussion" on the work of intelligence services, scheduled at the
Parliament for next week.
He reiterated the HDZ was prepared to reach a consensus on the
electoral law at an extraordinary Parliament session in July.
Seks said if the six parties did not consent to an agreement, the
deadline for the holding of the elections must be postponed.
He warned the Opposition Six ultimatums could have negative
consequences for Croatia's integration into European institutions
to which, he said, Croatia has drawn closer after the international
community positively described the May agreement on the principles
of the electoral law reached between the HDZ and the Opposition.
Seks announced the HDZ could in September submit to the Parliament
its draft electoral law which would envisage Croatia as one
electoral unit, while the electoral threshold would be seven to
eight per cent.
The agreement between the HDZ and the Opposition Six envisages ten
electoral units plus a special unit for the diaspora and a unified
electoral threshold of five per cent.
The Opposition Six is composed of the Croatian Social Liberal party
(HSLS), Liberal party (LS), Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS),
Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) and the Croatian People's Party
(HNS), and the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
(hina) lml jn