HDZ president Plenković and eight representatives of national minorities are close to an agreement.
HDZ held the second round of talks with representatives of national minorities MPs. The eight MPs arrived to the HDZ headquarters in Zagreb and met with HDZ president Andrej Plenković and his close associates Zdravko Marić, Ivana Maletić, Gordan Jandroković, and Davor Ivo Stier, reports Večernji List on September 23, 2016.
“Based on a proposal by minority representatives, we have agreed elements that will be included in the programme of the future government. This is based on the Constitution, the constitutional law on rights of national minorities and a number of other laws dealing with the rights of minorities, and it is our desire that all eight MPs will support the future government”, said Plenković after the meeting. He added that Croatia would get a stable parliamentary majority and government that will respect the rights of minorities.
Plenković commented on media speculation about who will be in the government saying that it was all just rumours. “We have not discussed the issue, neither with MOST nor with national minorities”, said Plenković, adding that they would talk about specific names when the right time comes.
Serbian national minority MP Milorad Pupovac did not respond to a direct question whether he would condition his support for the government with not having current Culture Minister Zlatko Hasanbegović stay in the future cabinet. “It is up to Plenković to make the best personnel decisions”, Pupovac said. “With the full participation of all eight MPs, we have agreed points that will be proposed in the agreement”, added Pupovac and said they still needed to agree on certain issues which are important to individual minorities. “These points are particularly important and significant for the realization of specific rights of national minorities We want to complete the negotiations as soon as possible, and it can be done in a few days”, said Pupovac.
Culture Minister Zlatko Hasanbegović did not participate in the negotiations. While the meeting was taking place, he left the party headquarters. He said that he did talk with party president Plenković about negotiations between HDZ and national minorities. “We have discussed the HDZ platform for the talks with minorities, both in general and individually”, he said. Hasanbegović refused to say whether they discussed the position of culture minister.
