Karamarko would take the prime minister’s chair, and Rainera the one in the Parliament? That is (un)acceptable

Two days before the first session of the new convocation of the Croatian Parliament, it is unclear who will control the parliament, nor who will be the mandate for forming the government.

Neither coalition, Croatia is Growing led by the SDP nor the Patriotic Coalition headed by the HDZ, wants to be part of the reform government that MOST is calling for. Nevertheless, this does not prevent Zoran Milanović from openly offering Božo Petrov the position of President of the Parliament, nor Tomislav Karamarko from placing himself at the head of the government and pushing Željko Rainera into the chair of the President of the Parliament. In doing so, both Milanović and Karamarko forget that everything must be “amen” by MOST. 

– If it is unacceptable to the SDP, then it is unacceptable to us as well because we demand a reform government that will include all three parties. We have stated our position, so this is not an option for us. If the SDP accepts Reinera, then that is fine. We are for consensus, said MOST spokesperson Nikola Grmoja.

Grmoja referred to today’s (Tuesday) statement by HDZ leader Tomislav Karamarko that he will be the mandate, and Željko Reiner the HDZ candidate for President of the Parliament. When asked on what basis the HDZ leader made this statement today, Grmoja replied that he does not know, adding that “he probably got the SDP representatives and that he cannot comment because he does not know on what number of representatives he is basing this since he cannot refer to MOST representatives.”

– It is clear that the SDP needs fewer and naturally aims to break MOST, while the HDZ needs the whole ‘package’ and then goes for individual talks and convincing people that they must align, but not just themselves but that they must convince the whole MOST to align with the HDZ. If the HDZ were in a different situation, they would probably go for breaking. The situation dictates such a strategy. It is not that ‘those from the SDP are bad’, and ‘those in the HDZ are really good and nice,’ commented Grmoja.

When asked if MOST is calling for new elections if they do not reach an agreement with the SDP and HDZ, Grmoja said that MOST is not afraid of elections, but they do not want them.

– New elections do not suit either the HDZ or the SDP, and now it is up to them to overcome animosities and egos and sit at the table to form a reform government, Grmoja conveyed.