Commenting on a fight on New Year's Eve involving the son of HDZ member Josip Djakic, Minister Kirin told some Croatian dailies on Monday that reporters were accusing him of cronyism without any evidence.
"After a series of inappropriate statements, wrong moves and attempts to cover up cases... Kirin simply believes that it is legitimate and legal to launch a campaign to expose unsuitable reporters in the election year," the HNS said in a statement, adding that PM Ivo Sanader's failure to respond to Kirin's statements proved that Kirin enjoyed his support.
The party urged the minister to provide evidence for his claims about reporters "with a suspicious past", demanding his replacement if he failed to do so.
The DC said that Kirin's claims were scandalous and that the Ministry of the Interior's statement that it would sue the media was nonsense.
The party also said that the police in Zagreb and throughout the country were barely maintaining security in the streets and that Kirin had no control over his ministry.
Police officials today dismissed media allegations that the police were trying to cover up the case of disturbance of the peace involving Hrvoje Djakic, the son of MP Josip Djakic.