`Sanader Led Croatia To The Edge`

The Slovene cabinet is refraining from comment, after PM`s instructions, while analyst Suklje believes this is a calculated move.

Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader has resigned on Wednesday and Slovene diplomacy is now left without one of its most powerful rivals. Still, Slovenian top is not gloating. What is more, in attempts to get a statement from the Slovene foreign minister, we were informed that the Slovene PM`s office, the ministry and the agency were asked not to comment on Sanader`s resignation.

In a way, Sanader thus freed himself the burden of operational difficulties and has not laid the field for a presidential race. His resignation has nothing to do with emotions or illness, the thing was highly rational and Sanader showed he knew exactly what he was doing.

Borut Suklje

Croatian Premier Resigns Position Contently

Slovene Premier Borut Pahor was humble from Budapest:

- The resignation is Croatia`s home issue, but I hope Croatia will continue its EU accession talks and that the resignation will not influence the resolution of the border dispute – Pahor said during his visit to Hungary.

Successor will not introduce change

Of course, not everyone is so refrained. Slovene MP Zmago Jelincic points out that Sanader has led Croatia to a highly unenviable situation.

- I believe Sanader has led Croatia to a highly unenviable situation in economy, the legal system (…) and foreign affairs. He took it to the point where EU institutions do not trust Croatia – Jelincic criticised and was sceptical about Sanader`s successor.

- I don`t expect any changes and Croatia`s progress in the talks will not be possible because of the position of Croatian politics or to be precise: Zagreb`s politics – Jelincic continues. When asked about his ideal new premier of Croatia he replied:

- I have no preferences and even if I did, I would not tell you.

Kosor will have bigger problems than dispute with Slovenia

Marjan Podobnik, former deputy Slovene PM and president of the June 25 Institute, is not surprised that “the man who upheld such a burden on his back handed it over to someone else”.

 Political analyst and former diplomat Borut Suklje claims the desire for the presidential seat is behind Sanader`s resignation.

I believe Sanader has led Croatia to a highly unenviable situation in economy, the legal system (…) and foreign affairs. He took it to the point where EU institutions do not trust Croatia.

Zmago Jelincic

- This is a burden with which one cannot run at the elections. In a way, Sanader thus freed himself the burden of operational difficulties and has not laid the field for a presidential race. His resignation has nothing to do with emotions or illness, the thing was highly rational and Sanader showed he knew exactly what he was doing – Suklje said.

Still, the analyst claims the conflict between Slovenia and Croatia regarding the border dispute, would fall in the background and that Sanader`s potential successor Jadranka Kosor would have “absolutely different issues that the relationship with Slovenia”.

`Sanader Will Remain Master Of Puppets`