Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) president Josip Friscic said in Marija Bistrica on Sunday its ruling coalition partner HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) had not informed it about the sale of a stake in the Janaf oil pipeline operator in order to settle the state's debt to pensioners.
"We didn't meet about that and didn't know that a stake in Janaf was going on sale. But we agree that the debt to the pensioners should be paid," Friscic told reporters ahead of the HSS' sixth pilgrimage to the Marija Bistrica Marian shrine.
He said this matter would not rock the HSS-HDZ coalition.
Asked about the HDZ's alleged slush funds, Friscic said slush funds constituted personal responsibility and not the responsibility of a whole party. "But let the judicial institutions do their job," he added.
Friscic was explicit that the HSS would not form a coalition with the HDZ after the parliamentary election in December and that his party would run in the polls independently.
About 15,000 HSS members arrived in Marija Bistrica.
