Talks on forming the new government are about to start.
HDZ will begin negotiations on forming the new government. HDZ held a meeting of its National Council, and afterwards HDZ president Andrej Plenković said that the negotiations will start immediately. HDZ has adopted guidelines for negotiations with possible coalition partners. They will first talk with MOST, reports tportal.hr on September 13, 2016.
However, Plenković immediately said that he would not accept any ultimatums during negotiations because it is clear who won the elections. “We are the winner of the elections, given the circumstances and given the number of individual seats in Parliament. That will be the starting point in negotiations with other parties. We have heard about seven conditions issued by MOST. Some of these issues may be acceptable, and some require more detailed discussions”, said Plenković.
HDZ will not accept any compromise with the position of Prime Minister. “The relative winner of these elections has the right to name the Prime Minister, which should be the president of the largest party in Parliament”, said Plenković.
As far as an alleged offer of HNS, SDP’s coalition partner, for possible cooperation is concerned, HDZ president said that he had not seen such offer, but he pointed out that he would wait to see how the situation would develop. He added that HDZ was open for talks, including with representatives of national minorities and MPs from Živi Zid. He resolutely rejected an option that was being discussed prior to elections. “Talks about any kind of grand coalition with SDP are out of question”, said Plenković.
HDZ’s team for coalition negotiations will be led by Plenković, and will include Ivana Maletić, Goran Jandroković, Davor Ivo Stier, Zdravko Marić, Goran Marić and Davor Božinović. “We have agreed how to approach the negotiations on the next Croatian government, based on our electoral platform. This is a programme that is oriented towards the future, the economy, competition, new jobs, demographic policies, social justice and, of course, the involvement of all vulnerable groups of the society in the best possible way”, said HDZ president Andrej Plenković.
