HDZ IS STILL PREPARED TO REACH AGREEMENT WITH OPPOSITION

ZAGREB, Aug 27 (Hina) - The agenda of the Croatian National Parliament House of Representatives session which will take place on September 10, will hold bills from the electoral law packet, spokesman for the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) told a news conference Friday. He confirmed that members of a working group were working on the electoral programme and strategy which should be adopted by the HDZ Main Committee at a session at the end of September. The HDZ fully supports the stance of the Croatian Government concerning the most recent events in relations with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Ropus said. He said the HDZ would in the next ten days be prepared for talks with, as he put it, representatives of the "former" Opposition Six about issues in the sphere of electoral legislature. The bills will enter parliament procedure and their harmonising will be possible during a parliament discussion. The HDZ is ready for an agreement about a joint bill, but if an agreement cannot be reached, the HDZ will submit its own bill, Ropus said. The reason for the "rush" is that there is no more time to put off the issue, as previously agreed deadlines have already expired, he said. Electoral laws require a thorough discussion and should be adopted several months before the elections, Ropus said, stressing there must be no doubt in their fairness. He stressed HDZ's readiness for a provision to be included into the electoral law, which would enable representatives of non- government organisations to observe the elections. Speaking about the draft law on the Croatian radio and Television (HRT), Ropus said the opposition's suggestion was "unrealistic and disproportionate" and was used in an attempt to "block the already reached agreement concerning the electoral legislature and shows a lack of will for a consensus". If an agreement on the HRT law is not reached, the HDZ suggests the adoption of a rule book on the HRT's conduct during the elections. The HDZ does not wish to be responsible for contentious issues among the six opposition parties, Ropus said. He expressed hope that tensions within the Opposition would slacken in the next ten days and that an agreement would be reached. Regarding the report filed against Croatia by the president of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Gabrielle Kirk McDonald, for Croatia's alleged failure to cooperate with the Tribunal, Ropus said the HDZ expected Croatian would argue and prevent the imposing of sanctions on Croatia. He stressed Croatia could not allow its justice system to be brought into a submissive position and it had announced Mladen Naletilic Tuta would be extradited to The Hague following legal proceedings before Croatian courts. The issue is about defending the dignity of the Croatian judiciary, not whether or not Naletilic would be extradited, Ropus said. Describing as unacceptable the criminalisation of Croatian military and police operations "Flash" and "Storm", Ropus said the HDZ regarded the most recent events in relations with the Tribunal as political pressure aimed at affecting electoral results in Croatia. Asked about possible staff changes in the Croatian Government, Ropus said there would be no changes, and resignations are an unrewarding issue to discuss. The HDZ fully supports the statement issued by the Croatian Government regarding claims made by the co-chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Haris Silajdzic, to a Zagreb daily, accusing Croatian President Franjo Tudjman of being responsible for the conflict between Croats and Bosniaks (Moslems) in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ropus added the HDZ expected Silajdzic to apologise. (hina) lml