Commenting on Ivo Sanader's request to activate his term as a member of parliament, senior officials of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) said on Thursday that they were not afraid of Sanader's takeover of a seat in the Sabor.
"We are not afraid of anybody," Sabor Deputy Speaker and HDZ Vice-President Vladimir Seks told reporters in the parliament.
HDZ Secretary-General Branko Bacic said that Sanader's request was not a blow to the ruling party.
Sanader won a seat in the parliament (Sabor) at the 2007 elections as a candidate of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), but he put his parliamentary mandate on hold when he became premier.
Zeljana Kalas of the HDZ has been standing in for him in parliament so far.
On 1 July 2009, when he resigned as PM, Sanader reactivated his mandate again, only to suspend it immediately. In this way he created conditions for activating again his mandate as an MP any moment after the expiry of a six-month suspension. This six-month moratorium expired in January this year. Sanader sent his request in writing for the reactivation of his term on Wednesday, 13 October. This January, he was expunged from the HDZ membership.
"Nothing can surprise us. Nothing has surprised us and nothing scares us, let alone the possible and presumable comeback of Ivo Sanader to parliament," Seks said.
Asked by reporters why he used the term presumable, Seks responded "Because".
Health Minister Darko Milinovic, who is the HDZ Deputy President, said today that Sanader had the right to request for the reactivation of his parliament's term.
"We expected this and it will not undermine the ruling coalition. We will retain the majority in the parliament," Milinovic said.
