Turmoil in HSS continues.
Member of European Parliament Marijana Petir and her supporters have accused HSS president Krešo Beljak of destroying HSS, a party that has existed for a hundred years and of introducing dictatorship within the party. Petir argued that Beljak had suspended all members who are against him in order to prevent them from taking part in a party conference, reports N1 on September 20, 2016.
“This is all a big farce by Beljak, who wants to remove all delegates who do not support him. He is systematically destroying HSS”, she said, refusing to reveal on what grounds they would try to expel Beljak. She reacted angrily to a question about why she called on HSS members to join HDZ, stressing that she had only invited them to “choose HSS, and not Beljak”.
“I organized this press conference as a Member of European Parliament from HSS, together with my colleagues from the party, county prefects, deputy prefects, mayors... Party Presidency is scheduled to meet later today, but we were not invited to the meeting, which is a violation of the party statues. He is carrying out purges and removing from the party all senior officials who have expressed dissatisfaction with his work”, said Petir.
Beljak was also criticized by Darko Koren, the Prefect of Koprivnica-Križevci County. “This is an agonizing situation that no one wanted. This press conference is a protest against the fact that today the party Presidency will meet and we were not invited, even though we are members. This is a suspension of democracy and I am confident that the public can see that Beljak is trying to eliminate all of his opponents”, said Koren.
Petir explained how HSS made a decision to leave HDZ’s coalition and cross over to SDP several months ago. “When during the meeting of the Main Committee it was revealed that Beljak refused to admit that he had a coalition offer from HDZ and not only from SDP, Beljak then concluded the debate and made a decision to go into a coalition with SDP, with the support of those people who were promised posts in the future government”, she said.
“I do not know what I should apologize for. It is Beljak who should apologize to the entire HSS membership”, said Petir talking about an apology that Beljak is demanding in order for her suspension from party membership to be withdrawn. Asked about her potential bid for HSS president, Petir said: “I have already announced that I will be a candidate, and Beljak is doing this in order to try to prevent it.”
Asked later if HSS would organize intraparty elections, Beljak said that the elections would take place very soon. “We have a statutory obligation to organize elections. We have to see what HSS is about”, said Beljak.
HSS used to be a part of HDZ-led coalitions, but changed course after Beljak was elected party president earlier this year and in July made a decision to enter SDP-led coalition. However, HDZ won the parliamentary elections and now HSS is expected to spend the next four years in opposition.
