President Zoran Milanovic addressed the public after his victory over the HDZ party candidate, Dragan Primorac, and confirmed his second term in office. Pročitaj više

This result had been expected in all polls in recent months, as well as his dominance in the first round.

“This victory is a great acknowledgment for me”

“I’ll start like all verbal abusers… I’ll keep it short. Croatia, thank you! Thank you, Bosnia and Herzegovina, thank you to all Croatians around the world. For me, this victory is a great acknowledgment, a vote of confidence from the people. We have sent a message to those who need to hear it, and I ask them to listen. There is another category of our citizens, just like those present here, and they voted for me.

Those who want to hoard everything for themselves have received the message that the people have sent today. Not to me, but to them

Please give a big round of applause for the HDZ members who voted for me! Whatever you want, with open arms, that is my duty to the executive in the country, which claims responsibility for 99 per cent of things and leaves one per cent to us. These are my words from ten years ago, when Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic defeated Ivo Josipovic. That was a bit bitter for me, but the government bears the greatest responsibility,” Milanovic said and continued:

“I will abide by the constitution, that is my programme, and 75 percent of my voters agree with it. I am not seeking power, because it is not about power, it is about duty, and my duty is to be equal. That requires co-operation, it requires the convening of the National Security Council, which has not been convened for three years, and not by my decision.

A message to Plenkovic

As stipulated in the Constitution, I will be the Commander-in-Chief. Whatever responsibility remains, we must share it. Those who want to hoard everything for themselves have received the message that the people have sent today. Not to me, but to them. I hope I have not spoken too much of myself, as some have done. There are many years of work behind me and I want to believe that today’s result is the response of our people to that work. Trust is hard to earn and can be lost in the blink of an eye. The fight does not stop – fair, clean and legal. Thank you all for your votes!”

There is another category of our citizens, just like those present here, and they voted for me

Finally, he addressed a message to Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.

“I will not announce any letters or put public pressure on the Prime Minister, but we will have to talk. The second round is over; look at the scoreboard. That’s the only way it can go, in a sporting way, sometimes with a foul or a bumpy start, but never below all standards. Loyal to the fatherland, long live Croatia, long live the people!”