Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic declined to name the exact date for the presidential election, he confirmed that it will not take place on Christmas or St. Stephen’s Day (26 December).

“I can say with certainty that the election will not take place on Christmas Wednesday or St. Stephen’s Day. Given the current situation, it could fall on a Sunday,” Plenkovic said after a meeting of the HDZ presidency on Monday, although he did not specify whether it would be 22 or 29 December.

He added that the HDZ presidency had not discussed the election date. “This is just my assessment, we will see what happens,” he said, recalling that the process went smoothly five years ago.

Plenkovic pointed out that this decision does not depend on him alone. “It’s not just up to me, which is good, because that would be too easy. We will announce everything in due course and create a little tension,” he said.

On the judges of the Constitutional Court: Everything will come in due course

Plenkovic assured that the most important thing was that the election would not take place at Christmas, calling it a “significant step for democracy.”

In response to the opposition’s accusations that the HDZ is causing chaos with the appointment of the Constitutional Court judges and questioning the timing shortly before the presidential election, Plenkovic dismissed the comments of MPs Dalija Oreskovic and Anka Mrak-Taritas as unfounded.

He pointed out that a considerable number of candidates – 65 candidates for 10 out of 13 judges – are running for the Constitutional Court and referred to President Milanovic’s recent criticism of the court.

The relevant parliamentary committee has conducted interviews and discussions will continue in the coming days to fill the seats as scheduled, he said.

When asked whether the HDZ and SDP will ultimately agree on the candidates or whether he expects significant challenges, Plenkovic replied: “I have no expectations of the SDP.”

On the presidential candidates: Milanovic remains untouched, an apparent agreement

He criticised the SDP party for its “blind allegiance to Milanovic” and its lack of solidarity with Ukraine, which he sees as a disregard for moral and international obligations.

Regarding a vote on sending Croatian officers to Wiesbaden for NATO’s NSATU mission for Ukraine, Plenkovic said this would happen “if conditions allow” He speculated that opposition members might change their stance, dismissing doubts by saying that they might need to be reminded of the Wiesbaden location.

Plenkovic was asked whether the reputation of HDZ presidential candidate Dragan Primorac could suffer from the investigation into a property purchase from the early 2000s.

He replied confidently: “I think he will win. The intensity of the opposition’s attacks on Primorac shows that he is seen as a threat. Milanovic remains untouched, so there seems to be an agreement, they are clearly intimidated.”