HSS, LS, HNS HOLD ELECTORAL RALLY IN OSIJEK

OSIJEK, Dec 28 (Hina) - "The current executors of authority in Croatia do not see the needs of the Croatian people who are asking for democracy and justice, president of the Croatian peasants' Party (HSS) Zlatko Tomcic said Tuesday. Speaking at a central electoral rally of the HSS, Liberal Party (LS) and Croatian People's Party (HNS) coalition for the fourth electoral unit in Osijek, Tomcic announced the parties would, should they gain voters' confidence, initiate the passing of a law on reviewing the privatisation and ownership transformation, the law on intelligence services and its control by the Croatian National Parliament, rescind the semi-presidential system and transfer presidential authorities to the Parliament and the Government, and directly to the people through referendums on important issues. "The salaries of MPs, ministers and other state officials will be halved and military and police expenditure will also be decreased," Tomcic said, announcing that they would harmonise the government budget with economic possibilities. LS vice-president and first on the electoral list, Zlatko Kramaric, called on citizens to vote in as many numbers as possible, stressing that "the failure to vote is a confirmation to the situation hitherto". "Parties of the 'Opposition Four' offer a much needed balance on the Croatian political scene as it was shown that neither left nor right turns brought any good to Croatia," Kramaric said, stressing that without political changes there could be no changes in the social and economic spheres. "HDZ's reign ended with wild capitalism and robbing of the Croatian national treasure. There will surely be no way out of this if the HDZ gets another mandate, and we shall process every case of abuse of authority," HNS vice-president Stjepan Mesic said. (hina) lml