ZAGREB, Feb 16 (Hina) - The ruling six-party coalition cannot accept amnesty for war criminals because if such a decision were made, there would certainly be no room for Croatia in the international community, the head of the Social
Democratic Party (SDP) parliamentary bench, Mato Arlovic, said on Friday. Speaking to reporters, Arlovic said the SDP regretted that parliamentary parties had failed to reach a consensus and adopt joint conclusions on the current political situation. However, the coalition cannot accept amnesty for war crimes and the adoption of such a law is out of the question, Arlovic said. Some of the forces which organised the rallies would not be satisfied with these or any other conclusions because they support demands for an early election, he said. The SDP believes everybody has the right to express his opinion in public gatherings but that must not turn into violence, he added. We are not
ZAGREB, Feb 16 (Hina) - The ruling six-party coalition cannot
accept amnesty for war criminals because if such a decision were
made, there would certainly be no room for Croatia in the
international community, the head of the Social Democratic Party
(SDP) parliamentary bench, Mato Arlovic, said on Friday.
Speaking to reporters, Arlovic said the SDP regretted that
parliamentary parties had failed to reach a consensus and adopt
joint conclusions on the current political situation.
However, the coalition cannot accept amnesty for war crimes and the
adoption of such a law is out of the question, Arlovic said.
Some of the forces which organised the rallies would not be
satisfied with these or any other conclusions because they support
demands for an early election, he said. The SDP believes everybody
has the right to express his opinion in public gatherings but that
must not turn into violence, he added.
We are not afraid of new protests because the coalition's policy is
supported by citizens, the bench's vice-president Zdravko Tomac
said.
Tomac also believes that rifts which are based on ideological
differences from the past and which are being played up by some
politicians jeopardise Croatia's present and future.
The SDP is worried about the statement by Liberal Party's (LS)
Zlatko Kramaric that "a pointless war between two used-up
ideologies - fascist and communist" was waged in the parliament,
Arlovic said. There is no fascism or communism or any other form of
totalitarianism in Croatia, he added.
The SDP does not support the stand of Croatian People Party's (HNS)
Vesna Pusic that Croatia had been an aggressor in Bosnia-
Herzegovina but it will defend everybody's right to express their
opinion freely. Had we accepted the request of the Croatian
Democratic Union (HDZ) to make Pusic apologise to them, we would
have made a precedent which would cause fear among deputies of
expressing their opinions freely, Arlovic said.
(hina) rml