European Forum

Croatia: Opposition coalition presents election platform and EU accession agreement signed after elections

On 15 September the leaders of the SDP-HNS-HSU-IDS coalition presented their programme for the parliamentary election to be held on 4 December this year, called "Platform for a Better Croatia". The platform comprises of 21 items, but however does not go into great detail yet. The coalition will be more specific on items in open dialogue with voters, as they say. The platform focuses on the economy, as without strong and sustainable economic growth there is no sensible spending or a balanced national budget or a successful Croatia in the European Union, said Zoran Milanovic, president of the SDP (Social Democratic Party). The four main centre-left parties united in 2010 in what was first called the Alliance for Change and later Kukuriku coalition.

The "Platform for a Better Croatia" rests on three pillars - strong economic growth with an emphasis on the manufacturing sector, a smaller and efficient state, and a different distribution of what Croatia produces and creates. The platform also envisages stronger employment; a new, export-oriented industrialisation; an investment growth with a radical elimination of barriers; dealing with illiquidity; and steering state incentives towards national and not particular interests. One of the goals is a public administration reform that would introduce a mandatory assessment of the performance curve in the public sector and a balanced tax system so that the income and profit tax burden can be separated from the capital. The Kukuriku coalition does not intend to privatise strategic state companies and resources but does plan to optimise the ownership portfolio, so that the private sector could participate as well.

EU accession
A possibility for Croatia to sign the access agreement with the European Union before the election date on 4 December has been removed. The source from the EU Council reported that the last step in the procedure of agreement approval will be accomplished on the 5th of December. Therefore despite the wishes the PM Jadranka Kosor and her Polish colleagues it is unlikely that the signing will be organized before that date. It most probably will be during the summit in Brussels on the 9th of December.

The access agreement plan has already been approved at the Board of permanent representatives of the EU council. ‘’The agreement has 356 pages’’ as the source reported for the press-conference. The first few pages are still blank. There should be a future list of warrantees who will be approved by the highest state officials. It is about to be decided who signs the agreement in the name of Croatia.

Sources: Dalje, EMG, Photo: IndiaWest