The football match between Cibalia from Vinkovci and Dinamo from Zagreb (1:2) played on Sunday incited a reaction from MOST political party, an important piece of HDZ’s ruling coalition
We bring you MOST’s entire statement, as published by Index.hr on February 27, 2017:
“We, members and officials of MOST feel the need to address the public after this past weekend it became clear to everyone what has happened to Croatian football. The reaction of Dinamo fans who were present to the dubious victory of their team in Vinkovci, after a shameful penalty kick, is the best example how much Croatia needs change and how much the Croatian society deserves it. Dinamo fans showed us yesterday what it means to fight for their club, what it means to love sport and how much they value justice and integrity. The victory of their beloved club was received as a defeat and they symbolically returned jerseys to players who did not earn the win in a fair and sportsmanlike way. We’ve seen such scenarios at other Croatian stadiums, hoping the moment will come when football will be returned to fans. That moment took place yesterday, Croatian football cannot wait any longer. MOST has spoken about the problem the entire time, last autumn we held two press conferences on the topic. Now it’s really enough!
Time has come for Croatian Football Federation (HNS) leaders, together with members of the Executive Board and assembly members, to hand in their resignations and exclude themselves forever from all HNS bodies. We hereby do not exempt political structures from the state of Croatian football. They have been a part of the problem the entire time, not the solution citizens demand from us. Because politics has added to the problem, it must offer a solution.
We want to take responsibility and together with fans and sports workers build a just system in which both players and fans and sports workers will attend football games with pride. Hence, we demand the resignations of the HNS leadership and invite all to a dialog in the interest of building and sustaining a legal framework which will enable depoliticisation of sport and put an end to the interests of individuals who have privatised Croatian sport. We will inform the public of our next steps in due time.”
Signed:
Miro Bulj, MP, Sinj
Nikola Grmoja, MOST Political Secretary and MP, Metković
Robert Pauletić, independent MOST candidate for Split mayor
Ivana Ninčević Lesandrić, MP, Split
Maro Kristić, MP, Dubrovnik
Ines Strenja Linić, MP, Rijeka
Petra Mandić, MOST Supervisory Board member, Rijeka
Natko Felbar, MOST Organisational Secretary, Zagreb
Marko Sladoljev, MP, Zagreb
Antonio Pešut, MOST Commissioner for Zagreb
Robert Podolnjak, MOST Deputy President and MP, Varaždin
Marko Popović, MOST Commissioner for Vinkovci
Following the match in question, the Croatian government’s Facebook page was inundated with comments. Football fans from around the country stated they are sick of such a national league and demand urgent changes to the Law on Sports, the law the HNS seems to feel does not concern them.
They also reminded of the promise Prime Minister Andrej Plenković made in his election campaign, of the HDZ government ensuring the implementation of the Law on Sports.
Many commented on the fact that MOST President, MP and Parliament Speaker Božo Petrov did not sign the statement.
