Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor said on Tuesday that results of opinion polls were currently unfavourable for her Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), the reason being the party's commitment to the fight against crime and corruption, but that election results could surprise many "who are now gloating".
Commenting on her party's unfavourable ratings, Kosor said the HDZ "has found itself in this difficult situation because it has opened the door to the fight against corruption," adding that in the previous two decades the party had proven to be the strongest in the most difficult situations.
Speaking to reporters after laying wreaths at Zagreb's central Mirogoj cemetery on the occasion of All Saints' Day, Kosor reiterated that the HDZ had had the courage and strength to fight corruption and crime, adding that the fight had to continue, "so it could be investigated what went on in all other political camps."
She said the HDZ would persist and be even bolder and more determined in the anti-corruption drive.
Kosor said that she was confident the people would recognise her party's determination in forthcoming elections and that those "who gloat today could find themselves lost in thought on December 5."
Asked by the press about her statement of Monday about the dangers of the centre-left opposition coalition led by Social Democrats having absolute majority in parliament after the December 4 elections, Kosor said that any of her statements "that is taken out of context can be re-interpreted." She noted that many were doing this, primarily to the benefit of the Social Democrats (SDP).
During a visit to the coastal city of Omis on Monday, Kosor commented on her party's ratings, saying that one of the HDZ's tasks was to prevent the realisation of the centre-left opposition coalition's goal of achieving such election advantage that would enable it to change the Constitution, request the assistance of the IMF, reduce pensions and salaries and restrict war veterans' rights without any control by other political parties.
Asked to comment on the statement by the Serbian war crimes prosecutor that the prosecution of war crimes committed in the area of the former Yugoslavia would continue, Kosor said that Croatia had already taken a position on the matter by adopting a law invalidating war crimes indictments issued by Serbia against Croatian veterans.
She added that her party would insist on the implementation of that law.
