PENIC:OPPOSITION EASILY MAKES ACCUSATIONS AND PROMISES

KARLOVAC, Dec 29 (Hina) - The central pre-election rally of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union for the seventh constituency was held in Karlovac on Tuesday evening. All 14 candidates of the HDZ for the 7th electoral unit were presented during the event. Ivan Penic, the third candidate on the HDZ list, claimed that the HDZ could not be held responsible for too big Socialist companies like "Belje", "Koncar", "Djakovic", "Vupik" or former "Jugoturbine". Penic added that "the opposition is easily accusing and easily promising to create 200,000 jobs." Speaking of the new organisation of the Croatian Army, Pavao Miljavac, the second candidate on the list, viewed the opposition's demand for the reduction of the duration of the military service as groundless. "I wish it was an election ploy," Miljavac said adding that such a move would destabilise the defending power of Croatia. Miljavac read out a letter of apology forwarded by the first candidate and bearer of the HDZ list for this constituency, Vlatko Pavletic, who could not appear at the rally because he had a cold. Pavletic wrote in the letter that "Karlovac citizens should believe in the HDZ and achieved results," and that "the HDZ has the right to seek confidence of voters." (hina) ms