ZAGREB, Vladimir Seks, president of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) parliament bench at the Croatian National Parliament , on Tuesday again warned the Opposition it would bear responsibility for stalling with the scheduling of
elections because of its ultimative approach to negotiations. "This would jeopardise the goal they set themselves," Seks told reporters, commenting on the request of the Opposition that, due to the general crisis in the country, elections should take place as soon as possible. Seks and presidents of six opposition parties have during the past several days been communicating via memos and newspaper reporters, accusing each other for not abiding with the agreement on the principles of electoral legislature which they reached in May. Now they are also accusing each other for stopping negotiations which have wound up in stalemate. "The Opposition has slammed the door to talks, and
ZAGREB, Vladimir Seks, president of the Croatian Democratic Union
(HDZ) parliament bench at the Croatian National Parliament , on
Tuesday again warned the Opposition it would bear responsibility
for stalling with the scheduling of elections because of its
ultimative approach to negotiations.
"This would jeopardise the goal they set themselves," Seks told
reporters, commenting on the request of the Opposition that, due to
the general crisis in the country, elections should take place as
soon as possible.
Seks and presidents of six opposition parties have during the past
several days been communicating via memos and newspaper reporters,
accusing each other for not abiding with the agreement on the
principles of electoral legislature which they reached in May. Now
they are also accusing each other for stopping negotiations which
have wound up in stalemate.
"The Opposition has slammed the door to talks, and the HDZ will not
invite them any more because it is humiliating," Seks said.
He reiterated the HDZ would forward its draft electoral law to
parliament procedure, the Opposition failing to show good will for
negotiations.
Seks said the HDZ had already drawn up a draft electoral law which
has been harmonised with the May agreement reached with the
Opposition.
The Opposition Six was supposed to have drafted amendments to the
Lao on Croatian Radio and Television (HTV), and it was agreed that
they would, all together, within a few hours, draft a law on
electoral units.
HDZ's negotiator reiterated the motion by the Opposition Six for
discussion was that only by form, while by content it was a "dictate
and ultimatum".
Seks said claims by the opposition parties that their new
conditions did not mean an expansion of the May 25 agreement and
that the HDZ was responsible for the stopping of talks were "cynical
and false".
Asked about what kind of reactions he expected from the
international community following the stalling on negotiations,
Seks said he would inform international factors about the entire
chronology of the talks within the next several days.
He relayed a message to the Opposition that with such conduct, they
were "playing with Croatian national interests".
He said an extraordinary parliament session could convene this
month at which the electoral law will be discussed if the Opposition
fails to show good will for talks.
Drazen Budisa, coordinator of the Opposition Six, told reporters he
expected of the HDZ to write down their official standpoint on the
negotiations, but that he saw no chance for their continuation if
the official stance is what Seks described.
The Opposition Six requested that ahead of adopting the electoral
law: a discussion should be held on intelligence and security
services, a commission of inquiry should be established to probe
into their possible misuse, that the election date be set, that
amendments to the Law on HTV and the electoral law should be adopted
by consensus, and that a code of conduct be adopted for the period
before elections for parties.
(hina) lml jn