ZAGREB, Dec 10 (Hina) - The Presidency of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) will probably decide today on the bearer of the HDZ electoral lists. "If the President of the Republic, Franjo Tudjman, is not the bearer of all the lists,
for the already known reasons, it is likely that it will be the first person on the top of the candidates' lists," said the spokesman for the ruling party, Ivica Ropus. An HDZ Vice-President, Ljerka Mintas-Hodak, stressed that it was possible that President Tudjman be the bearer of all HDZ lists, although his health condition was critical. "If such a decision is made, it will not be made for reasons of manipulating with the name of the President, but more in reverence (for him), the respect for the wish and will of the President who is personally deeply tied with the HDZ," Mintas-Hodak told Friday's news conference. In response to several questions about the latest s
ZAGREB, Dec 10 (Hina) - The Presidency of the Croatian Democratic
Union (HDZ) will probably decide today on the bearer of the HDZ
electoral lists.
"If the President of the Republic, Franjo Tudjman, is not the bearer
of all the lists, for the already known reasons, it is likely that it
will be the first person on the top of the candidates' lists," said
the spokesman for the ruling party, Ivica Ropus.
An HDZ Vice-President, Ljerka Mintas-Hodak, stressed that it was
possible that President Tudjman be the bearer of all HDZ lists,
although his health condition was critical.
"If such a decision is made, it will not be made for reasons of
manipulating with the name of the President, but more in reverence
(for him), the respect for the wish and will of the President who is
personally deeply tied with the HDZ," Mintas-Hodak told Friday's
news conference.
In response to several questions about the latest scandal about
allegations that the Sabor's President Vlatko Pavletic, who is
temporarily standing in for Tudjman, is being bugged, Mintas Hodak
said it was necessary to insist on the full compliance with the
law.
If their is any suspicion on possible tapping of the Sabor
President, all legal means should be used to dispel the doubt. Or,
if the suspicion proves to be true, all measures, stipulated by the
law, should be taken, she explained.
For Ivica Ropus it is interesting that "it is always the same weekly
which finds such 'scandals' at the exactly determined, chosen
time".
He added that all experiences and discussions led in the Sabor to
date had shown that those were "sheer imputations and insinuations
of the so-called independent weeklies."
Ropus said his party was expecting to win the coming parliamentary
election in seven out of ten electoral units as well as in the 11th
constituency (covering the Croatian Diaspora).
Ropus maintained that voters already recognised all programmes and
ideological differences among opposition parties and they were
more and more sure that "their meandering political and programme
path leads Croatia toward the complete uncertainty."
In his mind, the HDZ lists have been accepted well in the public.
The "relatively painless" adoption of these lists by the HDZ bodies
refutes claims of all who think that without Tudjman's presence and
arbitration, this party is incapable of taking any decision, Ropus
told reporters.
He dismissed all speculations about further postponement of the
election date (January 3, 2000).
The Premier-Designate of the future Government will be appointed by
the person who is standing in for the President of the Republic and
in Mintas-Hodak's mind it will be the new President of the National
Parliament.
The mandate to constitute the new government will be given to a
party or coalition that wins a majority vote. The mandate can be
given also to those who have a relative majority in relation to
other blocks, but this does not mean that they can designate members
of the Government if they do not enjoy sufficient support," Ropus
said.
(hina) mm ms