The Pensioners Together Bloc (BUZ) bloc will support incumbent President Zoran Milanovic in the upcoming presidential elections, which are expected to take place in Croatia at the end of 2024, said Milivoj Spika, the leader of this non-parliamentary party, at a press conference in Zagreb on Tuesday.

“One of the reasons for our support is that Zoran Milanovic embodies practically everything that is in opposition to the HDZ (the ruling party),” said Spika.

Milanovic is “practically the only obstacle to the policy of the HDZ and the policy pursued by Andrej Plenkovic,” said the BUZ leader, criticising the current government for its tendency towards absolutism and its indifference and inertia towards the problems that burden pensioners.

The authorities are not endeavouring to solve the problems that burden pensioners

The BUZ leader says that the authorities of the head of state do not provide support in solving the problems of pensioners, rising poverty and low pensions, but the parties that support Milanovic are decisive for this and can take power.

Spika said he was pleasantly surprised by Milanovic’s insight into the problems of pensioners, adding that the president had also promised to strengthen his team of advisors with a counsellor for pensioners.

Milanovic received a delegation from the BUZ party on 5 September.

In the meantime, BUZ has accused the pensioners’ association MUH and the Croatian Party of Pensioners (HSU) of supporting “the government’s exploitation of pensioners”.

On 12 September, HSU president Veselko Gabricevic declared that his party would support Dragan Primorac’s presidential candidacy.