SDP OFFICIALS HOLD TALKS WITH CZECH PRIME MINISTER

ZAGREB, Nov 21 (Hina) - Officials of the Croatian Social Democratic Party (SDP) on Saturday held talks with Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman, president of the social democratic party which won the last elections in the Czech Republic. "It is not my intention to meddle with Croatia's internal issues, because only its voters can decide on the fate of Croatia, but as president of a former opposition party, I must stress that it is necessary for the functioning of a democratic state. It must function as a certain form of authority control," Zeman said after the meeting, held at the initiative of the Czech Prime Minister. A Czech delegation participated at the Central European Initiative's Summit in Zagreb. Zeman said that with the change of authority in the Czech Republic, the Czech political exercise has been respected, and the former party in authority got the position of chairing the Parliament. Before the elections, Zeman, as the leader of an opposition party, was chairman of Parliament. "That is the true picture of democracy". Zeman added that it is his country's wish that the next elections in Croatia be fully democratic. President of the SDP, Ivica Racan, said it was his party's wish that Croatia use the Czech model in removing obstacles on the path towards the European Union. "We see Croatia as a Central European country, not only declaratively, but truly. We are fighting on Croatia's internal plan, to create such a political system, political institutions, by which Croatia will be more a part of Central Europe than it is now," Zeman said. He extended an invitation to the Croatian social democrats to visit Prague. (hina) lml jn