BUDISA: OPPOSITION-HDZ TALKS WILL RESUME MOST LIKELY NEXT WEEK

ZAGREB, July 1 (Hina) - Croatian Social-Liberal Party (HSLS) president Drazen Budisa told reporters on Thursday the talks between the Opposition Six and the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) on a new election law would most probably continue next week. Speaking at a party news conference, Budisa dismissed the accusation by HDZ's main negotiator Vladimir Seks who said the Opposition was responsible for discontinuing the talks on election legislation. Budisa said the Opposition Six had only rejected a concrete date suggested for the resumption of talks but not the talks altogether. He announced that the talks would most probably resume next week and mentioned the possibility of an extraordinary parliamentary session in July. The HSLS leader said the Opposition's requests on a single parliamentary debate on election legislation, secret services and a law on Croatian Radio Television (HRT) were not an ultimatum, as they had been described by Seks. He said the failure to establish a commission of inquiry to probe into the possible abuse of secret services would not prevent the Opposition to continue talks with the HDZ. The HSLS is satisfied with the parliamentary discussion on secret services, but we believe the presidents of all Opposition parties should have taken part in it, Budisa added. (hina) rml