CROATIAN OPPOSITION ATTENDS NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE MEETING

( Editorial: --> 6270 ) WASHINGTON, July 7 (Hina) - Croatian opposition leaders attended a Washington meeting of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) on Tuesday, speaking about the key steps needed for improving the overall situation in the country. They highlighted the need for establishing public controls on key institutions in the country, higher quality economic and social policy, strengthening the role of parliament, reforming electoral legislation and freedom of the media, especially in the electronic area. The NDI was established following a Congress decision in 1984 to encourage the development of democracy across the world. Liberal Party (LS) president Vlado Gotovac assessed that Croatia needed comprehensive reforms which would take away control of key segments of the state - the army, police and entire economy - from the governing Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and put it under public control. "We challenge the governing economic and social policy", because it does not lead to the strengthening of economic development nor to the resolution of key problems such as high unemployment, said Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP) president Ivica Racan. Racan also pledged for the strengthening of the role of parliament which, he said, was limited not only by its constitutional position and the semi-presidential system, but also by the autocratic character of the authorities. Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) president Zlatko Tomcic said that five parties were critical of the current electoral laws and wanted the introduction of a multi-party election commission, an equality in media and financial coverage of all candidates and the introduction of "equal rights and obligations" for all MPs. He explained that MPs from the diaspora had the same rights as other MPs, but not obligations, such as the payment of taxes. "We do not dispute that Croatia has free elections, but we insist on a higher respect (for them) at the next elections," Tomcic said. Croatian People's Party (HNS) president Radimir Cacic said that the HDZ's near total control over the Croatian economy had closed the door to the development of a free market. "A free market in Croatia definitely does not exist, and in the process of nationalising banks in the past two years we are in effect in an opposite situation from countries in transition... because instead of privatisation, we have put banking under state control," Cacic said. "Vital is changes to monetary policy and the transparency of the (state) budget." The Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) "believes that the current government, together with the president, is not in a situation to extract Croatia from its current state, but only a change of government (can do this)", said party president Ivan Jakovcic. The opposition leaders passed on to the American audience their belief that they would gain a majority at the next elections. (Hina) mbr jn 072346 MET jul 98