SARINIC ACCUSES PASALIC AND SIS OF PUBLIC VILIFYING

( Editorial: --> 3021 ) ZAGREB, Sept 25 (Hina) - The Croatian President's Chief-Of-Staff Hrvoje Sarinic has accused presidential advisor on interior affairs Ivic Pasalic and the Defence Ministry's Intelligence Service (SIS) of maligning him and other members of the "liberal wing" in the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), with the aim of eliminating them from the political scene. Sarinic presented these accusations in an interview with Friday's issue of "Jutarnji list". At today's press conference in Zagreb, Ivic Pasalic said he was "surprised at and saddened by" Sarinic making his suspicions public, instead of trying to clear them through the usual party and state procedure. In the "Jutarnji list" interview Sarinic said that the SIS, in conjunction with Pasalic, "has become the main engine of a current within the HDZ, which wants to eliminate from the political scene all those who are not sharing their views". Sarinic said he did not consult anyone in the party before giving the interview to Jutarnji list:"......I am acting on my own in order to help him (the President) make certain decisions in compromising cases". Stating that he belongs to the so-called liberal wing of the ruling party, Sarinic said his wing fought for "a civilised, civic state and not a state ruled by a view which would lead towards its isolation". Sarinic added that his actions "were not to the taste of some people from the President's Office and wider". The President's Chief-Of-Staff claims that the media attacks against him and other prominent members of the "liberal wing", especially by the boulevard weekly "Imperijal", are "guided, prepared and organised". The SIS "has overstepped its authority" and "taken one side", Sarinic said. Pasalic told reporters he had initiated a meeting with Sarinic several days ago, with the aim of clearing all problems which might arise and create a "wall between us", and in the interest of the party unity and his own interest. The meeting indeed took place and "each of us had his own truth", Pasalic said adding he had agreed with Sarinic to continue the conversation in the coming days. "I believe that the agreement has now been abruptly broken with the interview Sarinic gave today", Pasalic said. HDZ spokesman Drago Krpina told reporters in Dubrovnik today that Sarinic presented serious political accusations and that political consequences were unavoidable. The party is "surprised at such an act" since Sarinic himself had in no way addressed the problem at a recent session of the party presidency, Krpina said. (hina) jn rml 252311 MET sep 98