The strongest opposition party said today it published the advertisement to inform the public of what it wanted to achieve and to refute the claims from the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and part of the media to the effect that the conclusions represented politicking and not clearly devised projects.
Party leader Ivica Racan told a press conference he was not surprised by the reactions to and comments on the convention nor by the criticism of the conclusions whereby, he said, the party wanted to improve the position of workers and their rights.
Racan said the SDP wanted to leave it to the public to analyse how successful the party would be in the coming weeks and months in implementing the conclusions and in fighting for bigger workers' rights.
He said the SDP wanted to defend the position and interests of workers through economic development and a high growth rate, new jobs, the right to education, health, a job and safety for all citizens, and the creation of a socially responsible society in which man's position would depend on his work and capabilities.
Racan announced the SDP would come out in the coming weeks with an integral analysis aimed at refuting the claims about the economic and other successes of the HDZ and its government.
He said the analysis would compare the incumbent and the previous, SDP-led coalition government.
Racan said the economic growth rate in 2001 was 4.4 per cent, in 2002 it was 5.6 per cent, in 2003 5.3 per cent, only to fall to 3.8 per cent in 2004, the first year of the HDZ's rule, and rise to 4.3 per cent last year.
Racan also said that the average annual growth rate of net salaries and pensions between 2000 and 2003 was 7.2 per cent, only to fall to 5.5 per cent in 2004 and 3.7 per cent in 2005. He added inflation revolved around 1.8 per cent in 2002 and 2003, but went up to four per cent this year.