The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its opposition partners on Tuesday dismissed the ruling Croatian Democratic Union's (HDZ) claims that President Ivo Josipovic had sided with the opposition as its leader, saying the opposition leader was SDP president Zoran Milanovic and that the HDZ's attacks on Josipovic reflected its fear of losing the forthcoming parliamentary election and power.
SDP MP Davorko Vidovic told reporters Josipovic was performing his presidential duty as well as possible.
"If anyone has shown how to protect national... and not partial interests in this country, it's Ivo Josipovic. Imputations that he is acting as the opposition chief reflect the HDZ's powerlessness and fear that it will lose the election since so far, they had the exclusive support of all institutions in this country, unscrupulously using the fact that they were in power for their election campaigns and are now trying to do the same," said Vidovic.
"They are the losers with such an attempt to slander the president of the republic and not he, nor will this damage the opposition," he added.
Reporters asked him to comment on allegations that HDZ president and Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor had banned ministers from socialising with Josipovic, to which Vidovic said: "It's unacceptable to ban a minister from doing that. That shows that people don't understand the system, the way it functions, or the role of the president of the republic."
Goran Beus Richembergh of the Croatian People's Party (HNS), too, said Milanovic was the opposition leader as the president of the strongest opposition party and that this would be officially confirmed at the forthcoming signing of a coalition agreement between the SDP, the HNS, the Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) and the Croatian Pensioners Party (HSU).
"And those who feel that someone else is the opposition leader probably see the opposition at every step and this is good because it's true. The HDZ has the opposition wherever it turns," he said.
Asked if the HDZ saw the opposition in Josipovic's office as well, Beus Richembergh said Josipovic abided by the constitution and his powers to such an extent that it was reflected in his ratings - he was elected by more than 60 per cent of the electorate and recent polls gave him more than 80 per cent in public support.
He said Kosor had never won any election, wondering "who elected her to give her the right to talk about the president of the republic like that and what is her rating among the Croatian public?"
Damir Kajin of the IDS said Milanovic had helped Josipovic in the presidential race. "He wouldn't have succeeded without Milanovic, so it's only right that President Josipovic should give back something to Milanovic now."
Commenting on the HDZ's claims, Silvano Hrelja of the HSU said: "I know the HDZ is clutching at straws but one can only respond with another question. Tomorrow, when the HDZ loses the election, will Josipovic be the opposition leader then as well?"
