ZAGREB, January 19, 2019 – The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) is not thinking about early parliamentary elections, as it believes that there is no need to waste money and time, however, the party is prepared for elections, the HDZ official and Parliament Deputy Speaker Željko Reiner said in Zagreb on Saturday.
“The HDZ is ready for elections anytime, particularly now when the HDZ approval ratings are two times higher than the first opposition party’s ratings. However, we in the HDZ have not discussed an option of snap elections to date,” said Reiner.
Commenting on the relationships among political parties making up a majority in the parliament, in the context of the announcement by Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić that he will send a letter of intent to Prime Minister Andrej Plenković which would outline “joint priorities”, Reiner said that that it was normal that coalition partners talked with each other.
Reiner ruled out the media interpretations that Bandić was trying to make his support to the government conditional to the government’s acceptance of his demands. “I can’t see any form of blackmailing. It is normal that coalition partners talk with each other. We hold meetings on a regular basis almost each week and discuss all important matters,” Reiner said.
Announcing the letter of intent, Bandić recently cited the Immunology Institute, a children’s hospital, 60 low-floor trams, tram connection to Zagreb Airport and the Zagreb on the Sava River project as the future joint priorities.
We have many proposals for the government, and the City of Zagreb is going in the coming days to forward a letter of intent to Prime Minister Plenković, Bandić said adding that five priorities would be defined for the purpose of the improvement of the city’s economy and transport.
As for the five demands which the Zagreb mayor forwarded to the government, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković of the HDZ on Friday said he had not seen them. “We won’t agree to any blackmail. Those who blackmail can’t be part of the ruling coalition. If there is any blackmail, we will go to an early election,” Jandroković said when asked by the press about Bandić’s demands.
More news on the HDZ can be found in the Politics section.
