The party said in a statement it decided that Kosor would head the slates in all constituencies "out of a feeling of responsibility to the 220,000 loyal members of the HDZ and to the entire Croatian public, and with a view to preventing and stopping speculations aimed at causing a rift within the HDZ."

The Presidency discussed the upcoming elections and the challenges to which the party was exposed, saying in the statement that the HDZ was faced with one of the most difficult challenges in its history and that the Presidency regretted the suspicion that individuals from the HDZ ranks had broken Croatian laws.

The statement said that Kosor, the HDZ Presidency and the whole party remained determined in the fight against corruption and in implementing the "clean hands" policy, adding that this was why the Presidency dismissed attempts to impose collective responsibility and "the systematic spreading of misinformation about a rift in the party's leadership and a scenario to replace the HDZ president."

The Presidency said that under Kosor's leadership, the HDZ would ensure the required national consensus for economic development, for the continuation of the zero tolerance policy regarding corruption, and for Croatia's accession to the European Union on 1 July 2013.

The statement said the HDZ had achieved its key objectives as well as the Croatian people's national goals - a free, sovereign, independent and democratic Croatia - and that under Prime Minister Kosor's leadership, it had completed the EU entry talks.

The statement added that under Kosor's leadership, the party had launched an anti-corruption campaign according to the principle "no one is untouchable" and by starting among its own ranks.