ZAGREB, Dec 13, 2020 - A new regional party, called LiPO, was established in Lika-Senj County on Saturday, and its leader, county head Darko Milinovic, said that with 1,500 members it was the strongest regional centre-right party in Croatia.

Milinovic said the party's statute, adopted today, allowed for the formation of factions.

The party's name, LiPO, is an acronym formed from the initial letters of the names of the regions that constitute Lika-Senj County - Lika, the Croatian Littoral and islands.

Milinovic said that the founding assembly was held at six locations in Gospic, Otocac, Novalja and Senj due to epidemiological restrictions.

With some 1,500 members, LiPO is the strongest regional centre-right party in Croatia, and the second strongest regional party after the IDS, with more registered members than Bridge, GLAS, We Can! and the HDSSB, which have deputies in the parliament, said Milinovic.

Deputy party leader Ante Dabo, the mayor of Novalja on the island of Pag, said that LiPO would be an inclusive regional party and a partner to the government.