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Croatia's HDZ Denies Blacklisting Opponents
The names included those of opposition leaders Vlado Gotovac
of the Liberals and Ivica Racan, of the Social Democrats.
Croatia's leading human rights activist, Ivan Zvonimir
Cicak, was recently branded by the country's main top state-run
daily as an agent of the old Yugoslav secret police.
Diplomats said the HDZ was increasingly nervous about the
next round of coming regional elections. Unofficial polls give
them a meagre 20 per cent of votes and the threat of defeat in
many cities later this year.
Many Croats no longer accept the HDZ's exclusive claim on
power now that Croatia's independence war has been won, and want
to see real transition from one-party rule to democracy.
They are also said to be increasingly irritated by President
Franjo Tudjman's authoritarian rule and intolerance of the
opposition.
The HDZ denounced the Globus report as an attack on more
constructive political relations with the opposition, which were
allegedly patched up at a joint session on the goals of
Croatia's foreign policy.
"The fictitious blacklist of enemies of the state is a
shameless lie which is nothing else but a form of the
psychological war against Croatia and an attempt to weaken (the
country)," the party statement published by Hina said.
The HDZ said it intended to sue Globus. |
ZAGREB, May 28 (Reuters) - Croatia's ruling party on Tuesday
denied it had drawn up a blacklist of political opponents and
planned to smear their reputations, the state news agency HINA
reported. The independent political weekly Globus alleged the Croatian
Democratic Union (HDZ) had drafted the list of some 50
opposition leaders and described them as enemies of the state to
be smeared in the government media.
Berserkistan, May 17 · Journalists to be Tried in June for Libeling Croatia's Tudjman
Berserkistan, May 16 · Europe's Rejection of Croatia Dismays Croats Seeking Democracy
Berserkistan, May 14 · Civil Liberties Crackdown Delays Croatia's European Plans
Berserkistan, May 10 · Croatia Accuses Its Human Rights Chief
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