Anti-government demonstrations were held in several towns throughout Croatia on Saturday, with protesters demanding the resignation of the government and immediate elections.
"We don't want a state where workers work hard without being paid for months, where workers with 20 years of service end up in the street, where young people have no work and no future, and where crime is widespread in factories and companies. We need a government that will punish the criminals, create new jobs, enable a decent retirement for workers, and make it possible for young people to find work after finishing their studies rather than wait forever at the unemployment office," Denis Mladenovic told a crowd of between 600 and 1,500 demonstrators in the northwestern town of Varazdin.
Mladenovic organised the demonstration through the online social network Facebook. He invited the protesters to join a protest rally in the nearby town of Cakovec, planned for Monday.
The demonstrators dispersed peacefully at 12.30pm, and the police said no incidents were reported.
About 150 people gathered in the eastern town of Slavonski Brod, demanding the reform of the judiciary and state administration, more work for young people, a resolute fight against corruption, and the resignation of the government. The demonstrators were addressed, among others, by Ivan Pernar, organiser of anti-government demonstrations in Zagreb.
In Virovitica, about 100 kilometres east of Zagreb, about 30 people rallied for a peaceful protest to express their discontent with the situation in the country and with the government. The protest lasted from 10am until noon.
"We are discontented with both the left and the right and are looking for a new option that will drag us out of this situation," protest organiser Sasa Horzic said, stressing that none of the demonstrators had any political ambitions.
The Mayor of Virovitica, former Interior Minister Ivica Kirin, passed by the demonstrators, greeting them, to which they booed him.
In the coastal town of Zadar, several hundred, mainly young people gathered in the main square at noon, shouting "No future for the young and educated", "Government, go away" and "Thieves, thieves". During their peaceful march through the main street, the protesters were joined by several hundred people. No incidents were reported, with only a few police officers maintaining the order.
