ZAGREB, January 17, 2020 – Constitutional Court president Miroslav Šeparović said on Friday that the Constitutional Court would not meddle in the president-elect’s decision that the inauguration would take place at the Office of the President at Pantovčak, and not in St. Mark’s Square, as has been the case until now.
“The president-elect has the right to choose the location of his inauguration, and we will respect that choice. What matters to the Constitutional Court is the presidential oath,” Šeparović told Hina adding that the Constitutional Court does not choose the location of the inauguration.
“The only thing that matters to the Constitutional Court is that before stepping into office the president-elect takes an oath before the president of the Constitutional Court, as the Constitution says, that is, before the Constitutional Court as regulated by the Law on the Election of the President of the Republic of Croatia. It is also important that the text of the presidential oath is in compliance with the law,” Šeparović said.
The decision by President-elect Zoran Milanović for his inauguration to be held with only those absolutely necessary to be invited and for it to be in the Office of the President on Pantovčak Hill instead of a ceremony in St. Mark’s Square as has always been the case, led to different reactions among parliamentarians on Friday.
Social Democratic Party (SDP) MP Joško Klisović, who is Milanović’s close associate, said that the inauguration would be a moderate ceremony appropriate to the moment and act of taking on the duties of the president.
“The president wanted to send a message to Croatian citizens that he is not there for the ceremony but to do a job. Ceremony is part of his job but we will bring it to the minimum because we cannot live off it (ceremony) in Croatia,” Klisović said.
“We elected a president with attitude. The president has his attitude and he communicated that to the public in yesterday’s interview (with the Nova TV). His pre-election promise is already being brought to reality with his first moves,” Klisović said.
Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) political secretary, Ante Sanader commented briefly saying that that is the decision of the elected president. “The people elected the president and authorised him to make his decision on that,” said Sanader.
Leader of the GLAS party Anka Mrak Taritaš thinks that the inauguration in the President’s Office is an excellent idea. “Throughout his campaign, President Milanović showed that he wants to be a normal, decent president and that he does not want that role to be made into a show with all the pomp,” said Mrak Taritaš.
Nikola Grmoja of the MOST party said the president is elected directly by the people in an election and he should have more powers and the inauguration then should be a ceremonious act.
“If we want a president without powers, who is elected in parliament then this sort of inauguration would be appropriate, but if someone has given you that much confidence int a direct election then that should be a ceremonious act. Croatia needs to decide what sort of president it wants,” Grmoja said.
Croatian Peoples’ Party (HNS) whip Milorad Batinić said that modesty is a virtue however Croatia is a parliamentary country adding that he would not have anything against the inauguration being held in St. Mark’s Square as it has been until now, but that in the end it made no difference where it is held.
More news about Zoran Milanović can be found in the Politics section.
