Milanović: HDZ is losing the elections, I will win even if the court prevents me from participating

(Patria) - Croatian President Zoran Milanović announced today that he will not resign from the position of head of state and that he will participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections as a candidate for prime minister and win.

Milanović emphasized that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and his HDZ members are aware that they are losing the elections for the Croatian Parliament, and that is why, fearing defeat, they immediately started challenging the constitutionality of his participation in the parliamentary elections.

"But, whatever they say and whatever decision the HDZ constitutional judges make, you can rest assured. I will participate in these elections as a candidate for prime minister and win. If the constitutional judges carry out Plenković's order, as they have obediently carried out all his orders in recent years, and prevent me from being a candidate on the list in the first electoral unit where he is also competing, the list of our coalition will win anyway," Milanović stated on his official "Facebook" profile.


He stressed that he will not step down from the position of head of state before winning these elections and before the election of a new Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, because in that case, the duties of the President of the Republic would be temporarily taken over by HDZ member Gordan Jandroković.
"In that case, Plenković and Jandroković would govern the country, they would take absolute power in Croatia. That is what they actually want, to control and enslave all the institutions of the Croatian state. I am sure that the Croatian people will not allow them to do that. I will not resign from the position of President of the Republic because I will not hand over all power in Croatia to Plenković and HDZ!", Milanović announced.

He noted that there will be no unconstitutionality in taking power after winning the elections.

"As President of the Republic, I will be a candidate for prime minister, whether on the list or not, it doesn't matter at all, after our victory in the elections and after the constitution of the new convocation of the Croatian Parliament, I will step down from the position of President of the Republic, which will be taken over – as the Constitution strictly stipulates in Article 97 – by the newly elected Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, and that will not be HDZ member Jandroković. After I gather a majority of deputies, I will ask the acting President of the Republic to entrust me with the mandate to form a new Government of Croatia," Milanović explained.