The ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) wants Croatia to be a competitive, socially responsible, just, European and evenly developed country, HDZ leader Jadranka Kosor said at the presentation of the HDZ's election platform in Zagreb on Tuesday.
Kosor said that the economy was the heart of the party's platform, announcing that in the event of its victory at the next election, the HDZ would immediately propose constitutional changes to limit the budget deficit and the public debt.
The HDZ will insist on strengthening the tax discipline and cutting the state deficit by half by the end of 2013, she added.
The HDZ will not impose any new taxes but will introduce investment facilities for profit tax and will continue alleviating the burden on the economy by reducing para-fiscal taxes.
The programme also envisages an increase in nontaxable part of the income.
The 2011-2015 platform also focuses on job creation with relief for the employment of young people and re-employment of people who have been without work for more than two years. Some examples of the relief are exemption from the payment of contributions to the first pension pillar during the first 18 months of employment and exemption from health insurance contribution payment in the same period.
Kosor announced the strengthening of the public administration with no lay-offs.
If it wins the election, the HDZ will not reduce pensions and will complete the compensation for the failure to index pensions in the past.
As for the population policy, Kosor said that it was a strategic and national matter of vital importance, adding that the Christian values and the family were at the centre of the interest of her party.
As far as the HDZ is concerned, there will be no revision of the accords with the Holy See, she added.
The HDZ leader went on to say that the rights and entitlements of the Croatian Homeland Defence War veterans would not be reduced and that the party would insist on the adoption of a constitutional law to that effect.
The reform of the judiciary will continue and the HDZ will abide by zero tolerance policy for corruption.
As for Croatia's forthcoming membership of the European Union, Kosor recalled that during the first two years of membership, Zagreb could count on access to EUR 3 billion from EU development programmes. She ruled out any possibility of privatisation of natural resources such as forests, water supplies or energy sources.
The HDZ wants Croatia to be evenly developed, with diversified counties and protected environment and cultural heritage, she said.
