Decisive "Perhaps"

Liberal Party (LS) is the first member of Croatian governing coalition to formally come out against the war in Iraq and thus undermine Račan's (Racan's) policy. That party's Central Committee has issued a statement in which it expressed its opposition to war, as well as its deep displeasure with the lack of progress in government's judiciary and administration reforms.

Of course, this doesn't mean that LS would leave the coalition, at least not on Iraq issue. Račan (Racan) has too much of a majority in Sabor, and he could afford to lose couple of troublesome radical lefties (or to be precise, centrist people who look like radical lefties compared to Račan and his right-wing policies).

Another reason why Iraq issue isn't going to affect Croatian politics much is the fact that Račan recently began to promote fence-sitting position and refused any indication about Croatia's official answer to US request for the use of Croatian airspace and territory in upcoming war with Iraq. Under increasing pressure from the public and many of his allies, Račan has returned to his old "Decisive 'Perhaps'" ways that had brought him power in Communist days and ensured his political survival in Tudjman era.