"My situation in the SDP is difficult. My impression is that the party is not counting on me and that I have become a problem to it. I have to see if there is any point in continuing like this," Holy told the press on Saturday when asked for a comment on media speculations about her possible departure from the SDP.

She confirmed that she had talked with the Labour Party, but dismissed speculations that she would be their candidate for Mayor of Zagreb in forthcoming local elections.

"If one day I am no longer part of the SDP, I will think about my future political engagement, and what sort of engagement it will be is pure fiction right now," Holy said.

Holy said that the question of her "very complicated" status in the SDP would be resolved soon because things "have already gone too far." She said that even after four months in the new Parliament she had not been given a seat on any of the parliamentary committees, all three environment-related bills she had put forward had been stopped and the SDP's parliamentary group were treating her with distrust.

"I was minister of the environment and now they do not want me even on the committee (on environmental protection)," Holy said, adding that when starting her term in parliament four months ago she had expressed her interest in filling a vacancy on the environmental protection committee. "As former minister, I could make a considerable contribution to the work of that committee, but that has not been decided yet. It is a signal to me that I am not being counted on and a silent message that I am not wanted in the party anymore."

She said she was unhappy with the fact that all three environment-related bills, which had been drafted while she was minister, were still not in Parliament. The three bills concern waste management, nature protection and environment protection; all have gone through a public debate and received a positive opinion from Brussels, and according to her information, now they want to change them considerably.

"Key reforms relating to environmental protection, which are set out in (the ruling coalition's election platform) Agenda 21, are incorporated into these bills," the former minister recalled.

Holy said she had a feeling all members of the SDP's parliamentary group were avoiding her. "There is a feeling of distrust towards me. It is unpleasant for me to be a part of the problem. Now that it has come to this, it would be better for me to leave," she said, declining to speculate about her future career.

Holy entered Parliament after she resigned as Minister of Environment and Nature Protection in June. Her resignation followed the disclosure of a letter in which she had asked the CEO of the HZ rail company, Rene Valcic, to use his influence to save a secretary from being dismissed from work. Holy's offer of resignation won her great public support, and she also enjoys a great reputation among environmental associations.