Croatian President Ivo Josipovic said on Saturday that protests are part of democracy, but that people who have the need to protest should do it peacefully and in line with the law, taking care of themselves, their fellow citizens and their property.
"Peaceful protests will not affect our EU entry, but protests which are not peaceful or in accordance with the law might obstruct our EU entry," Josipovic told reporters asked to comment on frequent protests.
He said that protests most like will not resolve all problems protesters wish to resolve, but that they are part of democracy and Croatia is a democratic country. "The Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful protests," Josipovic told reporters at the opening of the traditional 7th fair of olive growers and oil makers
Asked to comment on the fact that a veteran protest is being held in Zagreb today when both the president of the republic and the prime minister are in Split, Josipovic said that his programme is scheduled months in advance. "I will be in Zagreb this evening, so will the prime minister I assume," Josipovic said.
Asked if the politics was behind today's protest, Josipovic said that the protest itself is "some form of politics which is normal and should not be condemned". He however stressed that it is not good to politicise and take advantage of veteran protests. "And that was done in the past. We know that one or two political parties were behind that, but this too is democracy," Josipovic said.
Commenting on the possibility of early elections, Josipovic said this was up to the parliamentary majority. "It is not up to the president of the republic to either call or prevent elections. Therefore the elections will depend on the situation in parliament," Josipovic said.
