During an HDZ meeting in the town of Karlovac on Saturday, Sanader said that his party had not yet embarked on a pre-election campaign, adding that it would start with the campaign next year before the parliamentary elections.
At the HDZ event, which pooled about 900 party officials and members, the Croatian premier promised a crackdown on bribery, corruption and organised crime.
He reiterated efforts aimed at strengthening the rule of law in Croatia would be taken for the sake of the Croatians and not due to alleged pressure from the European Union.
The premier also pledged further measures in combating the grey economy. In this context he spoke about plans for the decentralisation of the country and assistance to local governments. Sanader mentioned possible novelties in tax payment system so that companies would pay taxes to units of local self-government where they acquire profits and not where they are registered.
Sanader said that it is beyond any doubt for the HDZ that the party founder and the first Croatian president, the late Franjo Tudjman, should have a square named after him and his monument in Zagreb.
Tudjman is a Croatian great man who deserves it (the square and monument), but we shall insist on consensus, as we want to avoid conflicts in the society on this matter, Sanader told the HDZ meeting in Karlovac, some 50 kilometres south of Zagreb.