ZAGREB, CROATIA – Opulent Zagreb citizen Zlatko Klaric, who has announced his candidacy for Zagreb mayor on behalf of the ASH-DSU (Social Democrats` Action – Democratic Pensioners` Party) coalition, decided to win over elderly citizens with his electoral programme and an unusual idea of free funerals for pensioners. However, as he pointed out, this idea was taken out of context, although it is included in his programme, because the intention is not to raise as much votes as possible with this electoral promise.

The ASH party has been fighting for the pensioners for 15 years, Klaric said, and will continue doing so, not to buy them, but to help them.

- The idea behind free funeral expenses for pensioners is that we are going to the local elections together with pensioners, under the slogan “Zagreb is ours”, not a city of individuals, but all Zagreb citizens. The ASH has been fighting for pensioners for years. They trust us, but they have not voted because they thought we were a welfare institution. If we make a promise to them, it will happen – Klaric was energetic.

“We are credited for the return of debt to pensioners”

Boasting that he has raised 10,000 signatures in Zagreb`s main square and handed them over along with the lawsuit against he Republic of Croatia to the Constitutional Court, so that the debt is paid back to the pensioners, the president of the ASH said that the amount the city gives them, 100 kunas (approximately 14 euros) is unjust, when people are starving.

- They even banned us from rallying. We are credited for the return of debt to pensioners. We are the only ones with 10,000 signatures and the deadline expires in a few days. Since the debt has not been paid back to everyone, we will go to the court in Strasbourg. Some received the money, but  these are people with high pensions. What about those whose pensions were revoked in 1993? – The Zagreb mayor candidate was decisive.

Friends with Croatian president

Despite their good friendship, Zlatko Klaric and Croatian President Stjepan Mesic do not see eye to eye when it comes to the funerals, because as Mesic said recently, state money could be saved on funerals of war veterans. However, Klaric defends this saying that the president`s statement was taken out of context.

- There were not half a million defenders, Mesic meant that. If there were half a million soldiers, we would have come to Russia. Funerals with honours cost money, the president meant that the veterans should be revised so that we know the exact number of those credited for a funeral with honours – Klaric believes.

Looking back on the 8-year rule of current Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic, Klaric said he is not planning to hold a smearing campaign, but he could not resist not poking at the Zagreb Holding company.

- We will hold a conference in a few days to the subject `To dissolve the Holding company and employ Zagreb citizens`, because one person cannot be in the Holding company. We will point out that someone`s “cousin” from another country won`t be the connection for finding employment, but someone born in Zagreb. Our priority is finding employment for Zagreb citizens – Zlatko Klaric concluded.