Croatian president challenges premier to back him or sack him

Apr 17, 2010, 18:25 GMT

Zagreb - Croatian President Ivo Josipovic called Saturday opn Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor to either sack him or resign herself, after she publicly accused him of breaching the constitution by apologizing for Croatian crimes during the Bosnian war.

'I am calling Kosor to begin the procedure for the recall of president in the parliament, Josipovic told Nova TV. 'If that fails I expect her resignation,' he added.

Josipovic also denied accusations that he breached the constitution with his speech in the Bosnian parliament earlier this week when he expressed his regrets at the deaths of thousands of Bosnians during the 1992-95 conflict.

His remarks caused an uproar among Kosor's conservative government. Kosor and her HDZ party, founded by Franjo Tudjman whom Josipovic also criticized during his speech, accused him of breaching the constitution, betraying the national interest and meddling in foreign policy.

Kosor however said she has no intention do ask for Josipovic's resignation.

'I was never thinking about his resignation and I do not know where he got that idea,' Kosor responded in a statement.

'I never mentioned a recall procedure,' she said and called Josipovic to 'stop sending messages through the media' and directly talk with her. 'I have no intention of resigning and the president cannot make me, as he has no constitutional authority,' she added.

Croatia's parliament is the only institution with the authority to recall the president and for that a two-thirds majority is necessary.

Kosor and her HDZ have no chance of getting that majority as they would need the votes of Social Democratic Party whose presidential candidate was Josipovic.