04/01/2000 (Agence Europe) - Croat Foreign Minister Mate Granic, member of the Croat Democratic Community (HDZ) that has governed the country since 1991, has acknowledged that his party lost in the general elections of 3 January. The alliance made up of the main opposition parties won a crushing victory, and Drazen Budisa, leader of the HSLS (Croat Socio-Liberal Party), said that this coalition had been recognised by a majority of Croats "as force for change to replace the HDZ". Mr. Budisa is the SDP-HSLS coalition candidate in the 24 January presidential elections, whereas Ivica Raca, of the SDP, is the opposition candidate for the post of Prime Minister.