HDZ BELIEVES ADDITIONAL DEMANDS BY OPPOSITION ARE AN ULTIMATUM

ZAGREB, June 25 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) believes additional demands by the Opposition to the basic agreement between the HDZ and the "Opposition Six", signed in May, are an ultimatum and an attempt to degrade the agreement. This is the stance of the whole HDZ leadership, party spokesman Ivica Ropus told a news conference on Friday. The additional demands are aimed at camouflaging the parties' differing opinions about the election law, and the confronted ambitions of their leaders can jeopardise what has already been agreed on, said Ropus. The HDZ is ready to discuss all topics but if the Opposition Six does not accept the invitation to renew talks, the HDZ will present an election draft to other parliamentary parties, Ropus announced. Ropus described as encouraging a statement by the Opposition Six coordinator Radimir Cacic saying the seven additional items have been formulated as a proposal which can be further harmonised, and not as a demand. Therefore, the HDZ expects the talks to continue and result in the consensual adoption of the election law. Ropus dismissed claims by Social Democratic Party (SDP) president Ivica Racan that 'the HDZ has agreed to talks on the election law because of pressure from democratic Europe' as well as a claim by Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) president Zlatko Tomcic, who said that 'the HDZ wants to postpone the elections'. One should calm down the tensions on the Croatian political scene ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections, instead of making the situation more radical, Ropus said. Ropus believes an act of further radicalisation is today's announcement of road blocks by Croatian farmers, to take place tomorrow, when the HDZ Main Committee is also to meet for a session. (hina) jn rml