2007-06-13 13:31:58 -

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) - Croatia's top opposition party on Wednesday called on Interior Minister Ivica Kirin to resign, accusing him of bypassing laws to discover who has posted clips of his speeches _ often marred by gaffes _ on a popular video sharing site YouTube.
Some local media recently reported that Kirin accused the opposition

Social Democrats of putting the clips on YouTube, and that he said he found it out by searching the server. Kirin later said reporters «misinterpreted» his words.
Social Democrat Nenad Stazic asked Kirin in parliament if his investigation of YouTube's server was authorized by the relevant authorities and Google Inc., the site's owner, as stipulated by law.
If not, «you admitted to having committed a crime, violating the laws on confidentiality and security» of Internet traffic, Stazic said. «So, my question is: When are you going to resign
Kirin denied he told reporters that police were carrying out surveillance of the YouTube server and claimed the Social Democrats' insistence on the affair «confirms rumors» that they indeed stand behind the clips.
He refused to resign and Prime Minister Ivo Sanader has so far supported him.
Excerpts of Kirin's statements _ aired on YouTube under the title «Kiro Went Nuts» _ have amused _ and worried _ Croatian public for weeks. Opponents say they showed his incompetence; supporters insist it is part of the opposition's campaign for the upcoming parliamentary elections, set for November.

The Social Democrats have recently emerged as the strongest party in Croatia in surveys, surpassing the ruling Croatian Democratic Union for the first time since they came to power in 2003.
Political analysts say the affair has a good side: Croatian politics finally went online as well.
On the Net: www.youtube.com