In some towns, current mayors are running unopposed.
The decision on granting scholarships to two postgraduate students, who will receive one thousand kuna per month for the next nine months, is one of the last decisions made by the Mayor of Krk Darijo Vasilić (PGS) in this term. However, unlike most of his colleagues in 128 Croatian towns, the 51-year-old Vasilić already knows that he will make a lot of executive decisions in the next term of office from 2017 to 2021 as well, since he is the only mayoral candidate for the elections on 21 May, reports Večernji List on May 15, 2017.
“I am, as far as I know, the longest-serving mayor in Croatia as for the number of terms. I have six completed terms and I am now running for the seventh. However, I have never been in a situation before where I did not have at least one opponent. There have always been opponents from various political parties, so now I consider this as recognition from my partners with whom I have been cooperating for years, and these are SDP and HNS. Also, rival political options have not nominated their candidates this time and they have, in a certain way, accepted the fact that I am also their candidate,” said Vasilić.
As for the Town Council, in addition to the PGS-SDP-HNS coalition, the HDZ-HSLS-HSP coalition and one independent list are also in the running. It is interesting that strategic decisions, such as annual budgets and development plans, are always adopted unanimously. “We have a stable representative body in which there are no tensions. As a mayor, I try to accept the proposals of the opposition when it comes to important documents,” noted Vasilić.
Another mayor who is certain in his victory is Ivan Šipić (HDZ), the mayor of Trilj. “I was surprised that I did not get an opponent. Trilj is a town with 10,000 inhabitants where different political parties are active and I am surprised that they have not nominated anyone. I wish there was an opponent, because the elections are a festival of democracy. But, this is quite legitimate,” said Šipić, who has been the mayor since 2008. Four years ago, he had several opponents and he won the elections in the second round.
“Still, this is just one half of the elections. I want to have a stable majority in the Town Council in order to continue with successfully started projects, among which is an economic zone with 300 employees. We are very successful in attracting money from European funds. While others were abolishing and reducing scholarships and other benefits, we have increased their amounts. If that is the reason why I am the only candidate, then I am glad,” said Šipić, who has big plans for Trilj, which could become a centre for agro-entrepreneurship. “We also have problems with youth people moving abroad, but we try to give them an opportunity to stay and work here. As part of our tourism development project, we also plan to give incentives in the amount of 20,000 kuna for the construction of rental houses with swimming pools.”
Only one candidacy for the mayor has been received in Novigrad as well. The current mayor, Anteo Milos (IDS) can sleep peacefully. He has been running the town since 2003. In 2013, he received 80 percent of the vote, and his HDZ opponent won just 16 percent, which is perhaps the reason why there is no opponent this time.
