Istria County Prefect Ivan Jakovcic said on Thursday the decision of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidency to dissolve the SDP branch in the City of Pula and Istria County was not only the internal matter of the SDP in light of the fact that "the dismissed (SDP) officials hold senior positions in Istria County and the city" but that it was also becoming a "top political issue involving attempts to politically destabilise Istria".
The latest move by the SDP leadership was interpreted by the Istria County Prefect and Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) leader as the announcement of a new policy of the SDP towards Istria, and Jakovcic accused SDP leaders in Zagreb of showing that a stable and steady Istria did not suit the ruling party in Croatia any more.
Jakovcic said that this latest attempt to politically destabilise Istria once again proved "how much it is important for Istria that there exists a strong, authentic Istrian political option", alluding to his IDS party.
"Istria and its residents have for more than 20 years supported our policy with a very clear reason, as they are aware that without the IDS, Istria would be a toy in the hands of the political elites in Zagreb, regardless of the colours of those elites," Jakovcic said, adding that his party "is exposed to pressure every day", primarily over the issue of the construction of a new block within the Plomin thermal power plant.
Jakovcic believes that "obviously the last session of the Istria County Council at which all councillors unanimously accepted a conclusion on calling a referendum (on the future Plomin facility) has angered the SDP leadership. I am sorry about that, but every party should respect the interests of citizens," he said adding that a majority of Istrians are willing to accept the new facility in the Plomin power plant provided that it is a gas-based facility rather than a coal-based one.
In late October, the IDS party leader in Pula, Valter Boljuncic, and the head of the SDP branch in the city, Denis Martincic, signed a cooperation agreement which provides for an IDS-SDP coalition in local elections, set for May 2013.
Martincic, who was dismissed as the head of the SDP branch in Pula according to the SDP leadership decision on Wednesday, said in his statement to reporters that he was surprised by the SDP presidency's decision to dissolve the Pula branch.
"It is a precedent in the region, and I am particularly surprised by the explanation of the decision that the reasons for the dissolution was our political passivity," Martincic said in Pula on Thursday.
"The SDP branch in Pula is in power in Pula together with the IDS for the second term. The SDP has a deputy mayor, the city council chairman, five councillors .... If this qualifies as a term of political passivity, then few SDP branches throughout Croatia would be left operating," Martincic said.
He said that the latest decision by the SDP leadership in Zagreb would only damage the SDP.
