Croatian Experts Dismiss National Unity Govt

After becoming a pivotal party for forming the next Croatian government, the Bridge of Independent Lists, MOST, on Wednesday called for a government of national unity, including MOST, the governing centre-left and the opposition centre-right coalitions.

A political newcomer, MOST won 19 of the 151 seats in parliament in Sunday's parliamentary elections.

The centre-left governing coalition, led by the Social Democratic Party, SDP, won 56 seats and the centre-right opposition coalition, led by the Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, won 59.

Along with eight places reserved for national minorities, parliament has 151 seats, so that each side needs 76 seats to form a government.

MOST has been approached by both coalitions seeking its support to form an administration.

However, most political analysts say a government of national unity, including such traditional rivals as the SDP and HDZ, will not work.

Retired university professor and political analyst Zarko Puhovski told BIRN that the proposition was "complete nonsense" and does not accord with a democratic system.

"That would mean that 88 per cent of the MPs belonging to the government majority, which could sabotage parliament's work and mean a complete breakdown of its work," he said.

He said that national unity governments make sense only in times of war and in other emergencies.

Puhovski added that the HDZ and SDP were unlikely to be won over by MOST's proposal, especially the HDZ, because if new elections are held soon, the HDZ might profit from disappointment among right-wing MOST voters with MOST's moves.

Before MOST's leader, Bozo Petrov, announced the proposition on Wednesday afternoon, MOST's leadership held separate meetings with...