ZAGREB, 6 Nov 2021 - The mayor of Split, Ivica Puljak, was elected president of the parliamentary Centre party by a vast majority of delegates at an online election convention on Saturday, saying that the party was ready to take responsibility for changing Croatia into a modern, open and tolerant society.
"The confidence that was placed in us by the people of the second-largest city in Croatia shows that they want true change. Everything we are doing in Split is proof that such change is really possible, and the time is slowly becoming ripe for Croatia to discard the deep-rooted political models. Centre will show that it has the strength to spearhead such change," Puljak said.
"My goal is to upgrade Centre into an organization that is fully ready to take responsibility for changing Croatia into an open, modern, and tolerant society which we are striving for," he added.
Puljak said he would continue to be fully devoted to his role as mayor of Split, which he sees as the leader of change in the country, but that as the party leader he would help "others to spread this change across Croatia, at all levels."
Member of Parliament Dalija Orešković was elected political secretary, while Marin Račić, a member of the Rijeka City Council, and Lana Pavić, a political scientist, were elected vice-presidents of the party.
Orešković said that the Centre party wanted to build Croatia as a country based on the rule of law and the principle of equity in which institutions people can trust.
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