CROATIAN OPPOSITION ESTABLISH BASIS FOR COOPERATION

( Editorial: --> 6689 ) ZAGREB, Aug 28 (Hina) - Six Croatian opposition parties with seats at the Parliament decided to smooth out all misunderstandings and establish bases for cooperation on Friday. Presidents of the six main opposition parties, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Liberal Party (LS), Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS), Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) and Croatian People's Party (HNS) met in Zagreb on Friday for talks behind closed doors. "We established a working group which will draft a joint opposition election bill," Ivica Racan, president of the SDP said after the meeting. The SDP and HSLS forwarded a bill on elections to the Parliament in June, followed by a bill by the so-called Porec group, HSS, LS, HNS and IDS. Dissatisfied with the speed and quality of the transformation of the Croatian Radio and Television (HRT) into a public medium, the opposition agreed that they would also forward to the Parliament a joint bill on HRT. They would also forward a bill on state officials' salaries jointly. "We expect the HDZ (ruling Croatian Democratic Union) to become sensible and, instead of an unacceptable and immoral law which justly caused discontent and revolt in citizens, to come up with a more acceptable bill," Racan said. Next talks will be held in two weeks, and will be hosted by the HSS, he added. (hina) lml 282033 MET aug 98