He asserted that year 1998 was very eventful, full of pressures on HDZ, both from Croatia and abroad, but also marked with successes and spectacular historical events. With that in mind, Dr. Tudman reminded that since its founding HDZ has been faced with attempts to disable, discredit and overthrow it.
Since the fall of 1997, said Dr. Tudman, internal and external enemies of HDZ have tried to cause a crisis in and collapse of the party, and thus the whole Croatia. He reminded that this was especially true just before the elections in Bosnia-Hercegovina. These elections were supposed to be used to break up the local HDZ and thus HDZ in Croatia. However, said the President, we forced the International Community to realize that there can be no solution in Bosnia-Hercegovina without Croats.
Dr. Tudman reminded that HDZ is most frequently criticized because of its policy toward Bosnia-Hercegovina. However, he said, some of the critics supported the Croatian annexation of all of Bosnia-Hercegovina, while the others supported a whole Bosnia-Hercegovina, which is the same as the support for a unitary Bosnia-Hercegovina. Croatia, emphasized Dr. Tudman, had a realistic, efficient and meaningful policy, which has resulted in special relations. In is necessary to develop special relations, strengthen spiritual links between Croat Catholics and Muslims. We should establish the society of Croat-Muslim friendship and unity, said Dr. Tudman.
"Let them not preach what they cannot sell elsewhere. We will not allow Croatia to become a servile creature," he said. He warned that Croatia is exposed to synchronized, unscrupulous, and hellish vilification, that it is exposed to the writing of tabloid press financed from abroad, and unification of dissimilar opposition parties. The goal is, he said, to blame HDZ by concocting disgusting lies and slanders about the party and even myself and my family. He asserted that the goal of these attacks is the overthrow of HDZ, and therefore the destabilization of Croatia, which would then be obedient and become a part of the Balkan framework. He warned that regional plans exist and should not be underestimated. Those who have unified in politics against HDZ are not capable of understanding that. They exaggerate some things, as for example problems with secret services, said Dr. Tudman and added that these are all orchestrated pressures with the goal to discredit HDZ, cause its break-up, and provoke a crisis in secret services [Croatia has seven competing secret services]. However, he emphasized, in spite of that and the parliamentary crises caused by the opposition, HDZ has demonstrated its strength and firmness.
The President assessed that the stability of the political and economic life has been preserved. He emphasized that the introduction of VAT went without significant trouble, that the tax income has been increased, the gray economy and the current account deficit reduced. Speaking about the difficulties Croatia faces, he emphasized that others have them too. Dr. Tudman claimed that a realistic estimate of the unemployment rate is 10%, that the salaries and pensions are low but have been improved significantly.
He emphasized that we must seriously tackle the liquidity problem in the economy and problems in the judicial system. He drew attention to the signs of a crisis in the banking system, but pointed out that we should not be overtly concerned because only 15% of all banking resources have been affected. He called for a decisive showdown with bureaucracy, abuses and crime.
No one must be more social than HDZ as far as the care for every man and high ethical and moral principles are concerned, said Dr. Tudman. He emphasized that HDZ must support the policy of dialogue with all and especially similar political parties. HDZ must continue the implementation of winning Croatian policy, which unified the majority of the Croatian people, and must continue to initiate development and guarantee the future of the Croatian state, concluded Dr. Tudman.