Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) president Tomislav Karamarko on Sunday night congratulated the HDZ's members of the European Parliament and all members of the strongest opposition party as well as its coalition partners in Croatia's first EP election, announcing a victory at next month's local elections as well.
Karamarko said the 745,000 ballots cast in the vote "is a good, respectable sample and I hope and believe that all our members are satisfied with the result of 33 per cent."
He said this was just the first step and that "the HDZ is certainly moving on," adding that the party would prepare for local elections in a similar way.
Karamarko said the HDZ's motto had been "out with theft, corruption and crime, back in with honesty and genuine patriotism."
"We have gone through catharsis and wait for others to do the same."
He also congratulated the MEPs elected from the ruling Social Democratic Party and Nikola Vuljanic of the Labour Party. "Now all together and firmly, with love in the fight for Croatia in the European Parliament."
Karamarko regretted the low turnout, recalling that the HDZ had advocated holding the EP election together with the local elections. He said the separate polls "cost the Croatian people HRK 85 million (approx. 11.2 million euros)."
The coalition slate of the HDZ, the Croatian Party of Rights Dr Ante Starcevic (HSP AS) and the BUZ pensioners' party won 32.99% of Sunday's vote, or 233,227 ballots. Its MEPs are Ruza Tomasic, Andrej Plenkovic, Dubravka Suica, Davor Ivo Stier, Ivana Maletic and Zdravka Busic, according to preliminary results.
