Controversial Culture Minister has strong support among some party members.
Culture Minister Zlatko Hasanbegović said on Saturday that in five days everybody will know who will be a candidate or candidates for the president of HDZ. Asked whether he would personally run for the post, he called for patience, reports Jutarnji List on July 3, 2016.
“People need to be patient for a few more days, more precisely for five more days. Whoever is elected will have legitimacy and legality to be the party president and we will judge him according to his accomplishments”, said Minister Hasanbegović in Omiš where he came to attend the traditional Festival of Dalmatian Klapa Singing in Omiš.
Commenting on 11 September as a possible date for early parliamentary elections, Hasanbegović said that, in the circumstances, that date seems the most reasonable one. “Croats have earned a right to have their holidays, to have a break from policies and politics. The beginning of September is the best time for elections in which everyone will have the opportunity to once again judge politicians and what they were doing and saying”, said Hasanbegović.
So far, the only candidate for HDZ president is MEP Andrej Plenković, who is a moderate and is believed would move the party more towards the centre. Culture Minister Hasanbegović would be a preferred candidate of a more right-wing members of the party, who believe that he represents the values which they support. Although he became a member of the party just one year ago, at a recent party congress Hasanbegović won the most votes among all the candidates for members of the party presidency.
