CROATIAN OPPOSITION REPRESENTATIVE SPEAKS OF VISIT TO SLOVAKIA

OSIJEK, Nov 13 (Hina) - Representatives of six Croatian opposition parties visited Slovakia last week, where they held talks with Slovak officials. The talks were held with former opposition government representatives, representatives of non-government organisations, and the heads of the most important unions, Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) vice president Vilim Herman told the press in Osijek on Friday. The purpose of the visit was to "gain experience and exchange opinions with our Slovak colleagues who as a joined opposition at elections held two months ago won majority in parliament and the right to form a new government, said Henman. He asserted similarities between the two countries' political conditions existed. Before the elections Slovak society was characterised by an extremely problematic privatisation, high crime rate, corruption, attempts of media and unions control, and a great scandal of intelligence services interference in the political and private lives of individuals, particularly the lives of leading politicians. The Slovak joint opposition could be a source of experience, particularly concerning the need for genuine cooperation within the opposition, which should have a clearly determined programme, Henman concluded. (hina) it jn/ha