ZAGREB, October 28, 2019 – Mislav Kolakušić, a Croatian member of the European Parliament who plans to stand in Croatia’s presidential election in December, has said that his presidential campaign “will cost nothing”.
Kolakušić, who was a guest in a talk show of the national television (HTV) on Sunday afternoon, said that the providing political parties and political options with funds from the state budget “creates an army of incompetent sinecurists”.
He said that parties that could not fund themselves on their own or by membership are “incapable of anything”.
Kolakušić, a judge-turned-politician who was perceived by media as the biggest surprise of the 26 May European elections in Croatia by winning a seat in the European Parliament, told the HTV that the team for his presidential campaign was the same as in the campaign for the Euro elections, and some of those activists used to be members of the anti-establishment party “Human Shield”.
Kolakušić recalled that as soon as he had won a seat in the EP, he announced that he would run also for the president of Croatia.
Commenting on strikes, he said that industrial actions and protests were always welcome, however he did not think that the ongoing strike of teachers had any strength.
“If I were the prime minister now, I would immediately downsize the state administration and local authorities by 30%, which means the cutting of 100,000 jobs,” he said in response to the question how he would ensure enough money for salaries and pensions.
He said that the state must be first put in order and that trade unions must be now patient.
Kolakušić added that he was for the reintroduction of a presidential system in Croatia, which used to be in place during the term of the first Croatian President Franjo Tuđman.
More news about presidential elections can be found in the Politics section.
