The Domovinski pokret (DP) party declared on Friday that it continues to insist on its negotiating positions and insists that the Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS) cannot be part of the government, rejecting media reports of internal divisions.

“We are sticking to our negotiating positions: The SDSS cannot be part of the government. We will not give up our principles,” explained the Domovinski pokret in a Facebook post.

The post with a joint photo of leading party officials standing in front of a monument in Vukovar was signed with hashtags by DP President Ivan Penava, Vice President Mario Radic, General Secretary Josip Dabo and Political Secretary Damir Barna.

The party also denied reports of splits within the party.

The parliamentary group representing ethnic minorities is ready to support the HDZ candidate Gordan Jandrokovic for the post of Speaker of Parliament, said the parliamentary representative of Czech and Slovak minorities, Vladimir Bilek, after a meeting of the parliamentary group on Thursday.

When asked about the DP’s strong opposition to a possible participation of the SDSS in the government, Bilek said: “I believe that we will decide on all further steps through consultations in the coming days and negotiations with the designated prime minister and coalition partners.”

Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic had stated that there were no new developments in the negotiations between his HDZ party and the DP on the formation of a new parliamentary majority and that the talks would continue next week.