The new president of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Tomislav Karamarko, in his first address to the delegates of the HDZ general assembly said that with this election the party had shown a wishfor changes and unity, for returning to the path of victory and for dealing with a number of scandals.
"We are finally becoming a true opposition which will point out all the mistakes but also support the ruling coalition if it is in the interest of the Croatian people," Karamarko said, adding that he was confident the HDZ would win the next local and parliamentary elections.
Karamarko said the HDZ now had to go through democratisation and revival, adding that the party would attach special attention to the youth and veterans. "Veterans will always be in the centre of attention," he stressed.
He thanked all those who contributed to the democratisation of the elections the party, including former president Jadranka Kosor.
Addressing reporters Karamarko said the HDZ lost at the recent election because of a number of scandals and because the party had lost its recognisable identity. "We have to change that because we have incredible potential," he added.
Asked by reporters why former party president Jadranka Kosor had not stayed until the end of the election convention and congratulated him on his victory, Karamarko said he did not know. "I thanked her for her work but you have to ask her why she hadn't stayed," Karamarko said.
Karamarko is the fourth HDZ president. Franjo Tudjman led the party since its establishment in 1989 until he died in December 1999. Ivo Sanader was second president (April 200 to July 2009) and Jadranka Kosor was the third president.
Karamarko won in a runoff in which he went head to head with Milan Kujundzic. Karamarko won 971 votes and Kujundzic 860 votes.
After the election, Kujundzic congratulated Karamarko and wished him all the best.
