HDZ presidential candidate Dragan Primorac criticised Croatian President Zoran Milanovic on Thursday. He stated that it did not matter whether Milanovic was “paid by Russia or volunteered”, as his actions were damaging Croatia and its NATO allies.

Primorac accused Milanovic of deceiving the public by falsely portraying himself as a protector of children who may be taken to Ukraine.

“A president who lies cannot be the president of Croatia”

He claims that according to the Washington Declaration and the statements of Croatian military officials, no Croatian soldiers would take part in the fighting in Ukraine. Primorac further claimed that Milanovic had forbidden key members of parliament to hear the NATO representatives in order to conceal the truth.

He added that Milanovic banned general Tihomir Kundid three times from speaking in parliament about the NSATU mission, which, according to Primorac, indicates that Milanovic did not want the truth to be heard because “a president who lies cannot be the president of Croatia.”

“If you have honour and pride, you call a press conference and say: ‘I tried to scare the Croatian people, but it did not work’,” he said, adding that Milanovic should resign after his remarks “two months before the presidential election, an election he will lose anyway, so that he can at least keep a remnant of his dignity.”

Milanovic: Only Plenkovic and his clique could want this person as president

The HDZ presidential candidate called on Kundid and other army officers “not to be afraid” and not to tolerate such behaviour, but to “tell the truth”. He promised that he would reinstate them if they were retired or replaced as soon as he was elected president.

He also called on Croatian military officers, especially General Kundid, not to tolerate such alleged deception.

In response, President Zoran Milanovic wrote on Facebook: “Only Plenkovic and his clique could want this person as president. The coup-plotter Plenkovic is threatening a coup by his greedy property hoarder.”