The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) branch in Zagreb has decided to launch disciplinary proceedings against eight of its members due to a particularly serious violation of their obligations as regulated by the party statute, and the party's court of honour has decided to expel them unconditionally, the HDZ said on Monday.

The decision to expel the eight members was made at the proposal of the presidency of the HDZ Zagreb branch because they spread inappropriate messages whose content constituted hate speech, and demonstrated disloyalty to the HDZ and openly lobbied for presidential candidates of other political camps.

The decision to expel the eight members was made after it was determined that by posting such messages on social networks they breached the party’s statute and with their communication harmed the reputation, honour and dignity of the HDZ and its members.

The HDZ branch said that the principle of intra-party democracy included the right to express different opinions as well as disagree with certain policies but that hate speech could not be tolerated either in the party or in society in general.