ZAGREB, Oct 29 (Hina) - Croatian President's visit to the Holy See is viewed by the HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) as the confirmation of excellent ties between Croatia and the Vatican, the ruling party's spokesman Ivica Ropus told
Friday's news conference. All those, even some in Brussels, who expected the Holy See's intervention in the electoral legislation or the date of the election in Croatia, have remained unhappy, Ropus said. A Vice President of the party and a Vice Premier, Ljerka Mintas Hodak, commented on interpretations and importance of the speaking note in which the European Union expresses concern over the electoral process in Croatia. Regardless of a form in which the EU demarche was given by EU Troika to the Croatian Government, we in the HDZ do not view it as a demarche for the Government but as a protest for the Croatian public, Mrs. Hodak said. The whole text of the speak
ZAGREB, Oct 29 (Hina) - Croatian President's visit to the Holy See
is viewed by the HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) as the
confirmation of excellent ties between Croatia and the Vatican, the
ruling party's spokesman Ivica Ropus told Friday's news
conference.
All those, even some in Brussels, who expected the Holy See's
intervention in the electoral legislation or the date of the
election in Croatia, have remained unhappy, Ropus said.
A Vice President of the party and a Vice Premier, Ljerka Mintas
Hodak, commented on interpretations and importance of the speaking
note in which the European Union expresses concern over the
electoral process in Croatia.
Regardless of a form in which the EU demarche was given by EU Troika
to the Croatian Government, we in the HDZ do not view it as a
demarche for the Government but as a protest for the Croatian
public, Mrs. Hodak said.
The whole text of the speaking note shows that the EU favours the
opposition, demanding that the ruling party should reach agreement
with opposition, at any price, on the electoral legislation, Hodak
said recalling that the HDZ had been trying to do so unsuccessfully
for eight months.
"In return for the support which the Croatian public should give to
the opposition, the (EU) does not offer anything but only vague
promises on speedier integration, what we could hear from
opposition leaders after talks with EU Troika representatives,"
she told reporters.
The HDZ expects from the public, in this election, to interpret
correctly all attempts of the international community to include
into the pre-election campaign in Croatia, such as attempts of
various institutes that are elaborating, along with the opposition
the strategy, preparations for public appearances and the campaign
against the HDZ, Ljerka Mintas Hodak added.
The counting of votes will show that the opposition will not have
sufficient majority either for the composition of the government or
in the parliament, Ropus predicted.
He said the HDZ condemned the conduct of its two MPs (Jozo Maric and
Zdravko Sancevic) who resigned a week before the dissolution of the
National Sabor. If the claim is correct that they (Maric and
Sancevic) have done so in order to enable their two deputies to
receive pensions granted to members of parliament, this act
deserves moral and political condemnation, Ropus said adding the
two mentioned MPs did so without the knowledge of their party.
Speaking of the electoral legislature, Ropus said that Serbs who
fled Croatia and did not apply for or are not granted Croatia's
citizenship will not be able to cast ballots at the coming election.
It will be contrary to the Croatian Constitution otherwise, as we
believe that four years have been sufficient for (a procedure of)
receiving the Croatian citizenship, the HDZ spokesman said.
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