Is a coalition between MOST and HDZ the most likely result of the marathon talks on forming a new government in Croatia?
MOST decided yesterday that they will continue negotiations to form a government with HDZ-led Patriotic Coalition, but added that SDP could still possibly join them. “The National Council of MOST made a decision to continue the talks with the Patriotic Coalition about a non-partisan prime minister, leaving the doors open to possible cooperation with SDP-led Croatia is Growing coalition”, MOST said in a statement. MOST spokesperson Nikola Grmoja added that MOST will continue to insist on a non-partisan prime minister, and if HDZ does not accept that demand, they will not form a government. All 15 MPs and all members of the MOST National Council accepted the decision to continue talks with the Patriotic Coalition, reports Vecernji List and Jutarnji List on December 16, 2015.
Croatian President Kolinda Grabar Kitarović completed the third round of consultations with party leaders and elected members of parliament. The President announced that still no one has the necessary majority to form a government and that the fourth round of consultations will take place on Tuesday, 22 December.
After his meeting with the President, MOST leader Božo Petrov said that MOST reported to the president that they will continue the talks with the Patriotic Coalition. He did not exclude the possibility that he might assume the role of prime minister himself, but he still believes that it would best for the prime minister to be a non-partisan, expert person. The name of the prime minister-designate will be known “in one or two weeks”, Petrov said.
SDP president Zoran Milanović held a press conference during the afternoon, together with leaders of other parties which are members of Croatia Is Growing coalition. “This is looking more and more like an attempt to return a criminal organization to government. On Saturday, I said that this looks to me like a rescue operation for HDZ”, Milanović said. “Their coalition includes racists, people who express unacceptable views about other religions, races, there are people who are accused of serious crimes. We cannot go into a coalition with such people”, Milanović added.
Tomislav Panenić, one of MOST members of parliament, called SDP to join them in government. “Why would they not join us now as a guarantee that there will be no crimes committed? If Milanović believes that MOST is not united, we invite him to conduct individual interviews with each of us. We would have no problem with him talking to each of us personally.” Asked about Milanović’s statement that HDZ’s coalition includes racists and fascists, Panenić commented that “all those who hold such views are unacceptable to us. When we start talking about names for positions in government, we will consider them and make a decision.”
HDZ president Tomislav Karamarko said that his party would “enter into a dual relationship with MOST. We are optimistic because MOST has accepted our conclusions, and we have accepted theirs, and now we are going to talk about each point”. He would not comment on statements by Milanović, saying he does not want to talk about the “former prime minister”. He added that the agreement with MOST will be completed in the coming days. Karamarko declined to explicitly answer whether he will be a candidate for the post of prime minister, saying that all options are on the table. “We are open to everything. At this moment, Croatia is the most important. It may be that I will not be the prime minister, and it can also happen that I will be the prime minister”, Karamarko concluded.
