SDP responds to MOST in 192 page document, HDZ to reply today.
The SDP-led Croatia Is Growing coalition sent yesterday afternoon answers to MOST to every question they asked during the last week’s negotiations. The answers came in a 192 page document which has been published on its website. SDP president Zoran Milanović also sent an accompanying letter. “We want to continue to serve our citizens and to lead Croatia into the positive direction of growth. Like hundreds of thousands of citizens who have given us their confidence with their votes, we do not want to allow a return to chaos. That is our common duty and commitment”, Milanović said and added that he is ready to work in partnership with MOST, reports Index.hr and Vecernji List on November 30, 2015.
The coalition has mostly agreed with MOST’s proposals. There are only occasional disagreements, accompanied by elaborated and detailed explanations. The answers show that Croatia Is Growing coalition accepts the introduction of an exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic Sea and reduced rates of VAT. SDP also agrees with the idea of reducing the number of cities and municipalities. About the demand to introduce administrative regions in Croatia, they say that the reform can be implemented within the existing constitutional framework, which would mean a significant reduction in the number of counties.
Although HDZ announced that they would also send their replies yesterday, they have postponed it for Monday. The answers are being written by a team led by Ivana Maletić, a member of the European Parliament. HDZ say that they have put the emphasis on those reforms which SDP ignored during its term in office, such as the rationalization of the state administration, the reduction of VAT rates and the introduction of the exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic.
As the negotiations between two large parties – SDP and HDZ – and MOST enter their final phase, tensions are growing within the ranks of all the parties involved, especially MOST, which will decide who will form the new government. Stipe Petrina, one of the newly-elected members of parliament from MOST, criticized President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović because she asked for a private one-on-one meeting with MOST leader Božo Petrov after the consultations with the party delegation on Thursday. Petrina publicly asked her to explain what she talked about with Petrov. Petrov claims that the private conversation with the President was not an attempt to put pressure on MOST. Luka Đurić, a spokesman for the President, said that it was her right to speak with all those who are elected to the parliament.
Members of parliament from MOST are allegedly under pressure from both main parties to support their side. Ines Strenja Linić said that she had received a message from SDP that she can choose whichever position in government she wants. MOST met for a meeting yesterday in Zagreb, but Stipe Petrina was noticeably absent, just like two other MPs, Gordana Rusak and Irena Petrijevčanin Vuksanović, who have earlier joined HRID party founded by former MOST member Drago Prgomet.
