The Croatian People's Party (HNS) on Saturday supported its president and Deputy Prime Minister Radimir Cacic to continue performing his duties in the government and the party, and he dismissed the calls that he resign, saying he had never made decisions under anyone's pressure, least of all those of the moral authorities on the political scene.
"One should first see who is talking and then listen to what they are saying," Cacic told reporters after an HNS Presidency meeting.
The Kaposvar County Court in Hungary on Friday found Cacic guilty of causing a traffic accident with two fatalities in 2010, and gave him a 22-month suspended sentence with a probation of three years.
Cacic said the court had confirmed in the legal component everything he had said after the accident.
Citizens and, what is much more important to me, my party, have said what they think of the political component and as for the ethical component, nobody needs to assume responsibility instead of me, I'll do it myself, said Cacic.
Commenting on President Ivo Josipovic's statement that Cacic should give serious consideration to the extent to which he should continue to perform the office of deputy PM, Cacic mentioned the results of the last parliamentary election.
"The citizens knew about the accident, they knew the party's position and I think there's no need to ask them again to think about how they voted. I suppose President Josipovic was thinking when he voted."
HNS vice president Ivan Vrdoljak said the party had refrained from commenting on the verdict because "it's neither wise nor necessary to comment on a first-instance sentence in the first few minutes or days, but because of the huge public interest, it was concluded that the party's positions should be reiterated after the Presidency meeting."
After the accident, Cacic made it clear that he would resign from all public functions in case of an unconditional conviction. In the meantime, parliamentary and party elections happened and the position has stayed the same - in case of an acquittal or a conditional sentence, Cacic stays at the helm of the HNS. The court sentence confirmed that it was the right position, said Vrdoljak.
He added that the HNS, with one burden less, would work even better for the wellbeing of Croatia's citizens.
Cacic said the Presidency also discussed preparations for local elections at which he said the party would confirm its status as the third strongest in the country.
Vice president Vesna Pusic did not attend the session because of previous commitments, it was said.
