The Social Democratic Party presidency on Monday held a special session on the occasion of the party's 30th anniversary, with SDP leader Pedja Grbin saying that considering growing inequality, intolerance and lack of freedom, social democracy and a strong SDP were necessary more than ever.

“This may be so even more than it was 30 years ago,” he said in an address to those present at the event.

“We need a progressive SDP that offers solutions to growing inequality, regarding the social system and housing, health and education, sustainable development and the green economy,” he said.

He admitted that over the past 30 years the SDP might not have always been sufficiently determined and that sometimes it made unacceptable compromises regarding workers’ rights and failed to protect those perceived as different or weaker.

Grbin promised that his party would in the future be “a clear barrier to corruption, clientelism and cronysm” as well as defend anti-fascism, rights of those who are weaker and women’s rights.

“We are entering a new phase of a major global economic and health crisis, which has been affecting the lives of people in Croatia, and we need a different perspective,” said Grbin.

The SDP, at the time the Party of Democratic Change, held its first convention on November 3, 1990 and the party marked its anniversary today as Question Time in parliament is set for Tuesday, November 3.

Attending today’s 30-minute event were about 30 senior SDP officials, as well as President Zoran Milanovic and former President Ivo Josipovic.

Before the session, an SDP delegation laid flowers and lit candles at the graves of the SDP’s first president, Ivica Racan, and former Social Democrat parliament speaker Boris Sprem.