"The worst policy is the one pandering to and manipulating fears," he said at a convention of the SDP's Primorje-Gorski Kotar County branch in Rijeka, adding that if one divided people and manipulated their prejudices and fears, Croatia would not become a successful society.

He said the SDP's platform for the parliamentary election later this year would be talks with citizens, adding that an election platform was not a magic wand or an elixir of eternal youth and eternal life, and that those offering such platforms were swindlers.

"Croatia has had enough of swindlers. People should be told the truth, although it is often unpleasant and hurtful."

Milanovic said the campaigning so far had been an anti-EU propaganda in terms of values and procedure as well as a propaganda against the referendum on accession to the European Union.

He said that many had worked for the EU accession project because they believed in it, adding that the incumbent government was doing everything to compromise the accession referendum. "Holding the referendum will be up to us. We will hold it in cooperation with citizens and explain to them what the EU is, because most people haven't heard that yet."

Milanovic said Croatia had entered a new stage of development in which there were no alibies, excuses or foreign usurpers, one in which "we decide about our development."

"The first such key decision will be in the coming election. Do we vote for a modern, capable and responsible government or something else? Those who want something else should vote for four more years of what we have been watching for eight years."

Milanovic said the Church had never been an enemy to the SDP, although this was constantly being insisted on.

Speaking of war veterans, he said, "We want direct dialogue with them, without go-betweens, so that we can define what is necessary to restore full dignity."

He said the strength of the opposition coalition Alliance for Change lay in a similar world view.

We want a modern, open society, strong and competitive, he said, adding that he wanted a campaign of contents and trust in which the SDP would not be provoked into conflicts for which "some apparently live, because they don't have anything else."

Croatian Pensioners' Party (HSU) president Silvano Hrelja said Croatia "has had it with crime movies. It needs a good and substantial documentary."

The chief of the Croatian People's Party's (HNS) parliamentary group, Vesna Pusic, said EU accession was for the ruling HDZ party a kind of hunt for a trophy to put on a wall.

"We think that's our project. The reforms are ours. Here Europe will mean what we can do for ourselves," she said, adding that the HDZ did not need a programme, as it had clearly shown over the past eight years what it offered.

Those who think that Croatia should be ruled by them should choose that option, she said.

Speaking to the press before the convention, Milanovic said the opposition coalition's election platform had not been published yet and that what had been published in the media was made up.

Asked about international relations in the light of the Holy See's lawsuit against a Croatian Justice Ministry decision and insufficiently good relations with Serbia and Slovenia, Milanovic called on politicians to behave responsibly ahead of the election, saying that every word or gesture could affect Croatia's interests.

Those countries are partners with which we will cooperate tomorrow as well, he said, adding that there was no conflict with the Vatican and that the current state of affairs was a consequence of Croatia's irresponsible behaviour 12-13 years ago.