President Zoran Milanovic said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, the ruling HDZ's presidential candidate Dragan Primorac and State Attorney-General Ivan Turudic are a "serious threat" to Croatian democracy, pluralism and open society.

Five years ago I was behind in the polls and I won, and now I seem to be leading in the polls, but there are still some important steps to take to win, Milanovic told reporters during his visit to the southern towns of Cavtat and Dubrovnik. He is supported by the Social Democratic Party and its partners in his bid for re-election.

“I am the most experienced and competent candidate”

“I warn you, this is a very important moment,” Milanovic said, adding that Plenkovic was “a serious threat to Croatian democracy, Croatian pluralism and Croatian open society” and not Dragan Primorac, whom he labelled a “house thief” and accused of being “brought in” by Andrej Plenkovic to “do his will, just like Ivan Turudic.”

I would like to say that we are where we were five years ago, but we are not – the situation is worse, and the attacks and the plunder continue. All Croatian citizens who are not looking closely at what is happening with the State Attorney’s office and the kind of puppet Plenkovic has put there should think carefully about what would happen if Primorac became president, Milanovic said.

“Polls are polls, the fight is the fight, and victory is victory, what separates us is victory at the polling stations. I call on the Croatian people to go to the polls and give me their support for another five years, because I am definitely the most experienced and competent candidate who knows a lot about statecraft, and this job is no joke,” he added.