PHOTO:Parties Tell Social Democrats-Hope Dies Last

Negotiating teams of 3 Croatian parties have agreed on 26 out of 30 items. Fishery zone and NATO are still to be discussed.

Negotiating teams of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and the Croatian Peasants` Party-Croatian Social-Liberal Party (HSS-HSLS) coalition addressed reporters, saying 26 out of 30 items were agreed on, including culture, maritime, transport and communication, as well as agriculture.

Items which the teams still need to negotiate on include trade, to be precise Law on working Sundays, defenders, jurisdiction reform and public administration reform. Damir Polancec, who heads the HDZ teams, said the coalition agreement which they are working on already contains about 100 pages.

When it comes to maritime, transport and communication, strengthening of infrastructural construction was agreed: realisation of the Split-Dubrovnik highway, Zupanja-Osijek-Beli Manastir highway, ending of the so called Istrian Y road, construction of Trogir-Omis, as well as Varazdin-Koprivnica highways.

Peljesac bridge construction to be continued

In relation to railroads, lowland rails Rijeka-Zagreb-Koprivnica-Hungarian border are planned to be constructed in their entirety. Also, continuation of the restructuring process of Croatian Post was agreed on, within a deadline of up to 2 years maximum.

When asked if continuation of the Peljesac bridge is planned, negotiating teams responded that all infrastructure plans that are included in the 2005 programme will continue.

HSLS member Bozidar Pankretic explained what was agreed on in the agricultural area, saying subsidies will be paid to all family economies that include one hectare or one head of cattle.

- Agency for Agricultural Land will be introduced, as well as the Agency for Rural Development and Agricultural Chamber – Pankretic pointed out.

ZERP and NATO are challenges before the teams

When asked if the three parties agreed to peruse the plan of activating the Protected Ecological Fishery Zone (ZERP) on January 1, 2008, Polancec replied that “ZERP and NATO are challenges that are still before us”.

- I can`t see an area where we cannot find common ground – he was brief. They denied media writings on a conflict within HSS-HSLS over regional development minister post.

- Personnel part is still not open, we are discussing positions and programmes – Pankretic pointed out.

Negotiating teams announced a new address to the public for Tuesday. The HSS-HSLS coalition was asked if they had a message for Ibler Square [SDP headquarters], which still has hope for assembling the cabinet.

- Hope dies last – Pankretic said, concluding that chances for talks with SDP were very small, in relation to the course of talks with HDZ.

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