RACAN: ISTRIA COUNTY STATUTE WAS A STEP TOO FAR

ZAGREB, April 23 (Hina) - The Croatian Government will soon convene to discuss contentious provisions of the Istria County Statute, Prime Minister Ivica Racan said on Monday, adding he believed the Istrian Democratic Assembly's (IDS) decision was "absolutely hasty" and that it was a pre-election move. The Croatian Ministry of Justice, Administration and Local Self- Government on Monday suspended ten provisions of a recently adopted Istria County Statute and it will propose that the Government initiate a procedure before the Constitutional Court to establish the constitutionality of the contentious provisions. Racan told Croatian Radio today he would comment on the Ministry's decision at a government session. Racan believes the Statute was "a step too far" because there can be no privileged counties in Croatia. This is why we stated that colleagues from the IDS have acted absolutely hasty, without considering consequences for Istria and the entire country, Racan said. The adoption of the Istria County Statute was also an election move because the statute was adopted a week before the new law on local and regional self-government, which envisaged the changing of all county statutes, went into force. "They acted hasty because of political reasons and not because of the need to adjust their statute to the changed Constitution and laws," Racan said, adding the Istria statute would now have to be changed again. "To make a political decision which grants Croatian and Italian languages an equal status in a region where Italians are in the minority means to open Pandora's box not only in Istria County but in the entire Croatia," Racan said. Asked whether events related to the statute would result in the resignation of European Integration Minister (and IDS president) Ivan Jakovcic and the start of a government reshuffle, Racan said he would not speculate on what Jakovcic might do. The prime minister said he had not discussed this with Jakovcic and described lack of communication as the key problem. "It is nonsensical to be in the same coalition and colleagues from the IDS do not find it necessary to inform you what they are going to do," he said. The government reshuffle will be discussed after local elections take place because "it is difficult to imagine a cool-headed discussion during the election campaign," he said. (hina) rml .