ZAGREB, May 25, 2020 - Prime Minister and HDZ president Andrej Plenkovic said on Sunday the HDZ was going into the parliamentary election to win voters' confidence for "the second half" and that after the election he was willing to sit at the table with those that would pull Croatia forward but that Miroslav Skoro was not such a person.
"We coped with the pandemic crisis and now that we have finished the first half, we want to win voters' confidence for the second half so that we can embark on economic recovery," he said on RTL television.
He said the HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) would present its platform "in the next few days" and that it "has everything Croatian citizens need in the future. We are willing to achieve that."
Plenkovic said the HDZ would run in the July 5 election with the partners it cooperated within 2016, reiterating that it would not form a coalition with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and recalling that the HDZ never said it would form a coalition with Skoro's Homeland Movement, "let alone with Bridge, given our experience."
He reiterated that Skoro proved to be "a great partner to the SDP" and that he helped Zoran Milanovic be elected president.
"I'm willing to sit at the table with those who will pull Croatia forward. Miroslav Skoro is not that one, especially after the parliamentary election. Mr Skoro's partners have hurled so many lies, bile, and untruths at the HDZ and me. That's not my company... I want Croatian citizens to be the HDZ's main partner."
As for a possible post-election coalition with Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic, Plenkovic said he doubted that he could pass the electoral threshold. "I doubt it, especially after what he said a few days ago when he stated who did what for Zagreb after the earthquake."
He said the problems in drawing up a bill on the reconstruction of Zagreb surfaced between the Construction Ministry and the city, and that a consensus was reached only when he became involved.
Plenkovic confirmed that talks were held with Marijana Petir to be on an HDZ slate in the coming election as well as with Mladen Markac, but denied that he had discussed that also with the former head of state Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic.
"There's no need for that. I didn't notice that she wants to be an MP," he said. Asked if Grabar-Kitarovic might be in the next government if the HDZ won, he said they had not talked about it.
Plenkovic confirmed that the head of the COVID-19 crisis management team, Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic, as well as Health Minister Vili Beros would be on HDZ slates, but that there had been no talk about team members Alemka Markotic and Krunoslav Capak being listed. He added that he wanted former defense minister Damir Krsticevic to be on an HDZ slate.
Asked about his communication with President Milanovic, Plenkovic said they spoke on the phone and consult when necessary. "And when there are outstanding issues, it ends up in the media."
