The leader of the Centre Party Ivica Puljak said on Wednesday that 57 MPs currently support the idea of forming a parliamentary majority to fight corruption, which would pass three laws, repeal the amended Criminal Code, amend the Elections Act and replace State Attorney-General Ivan Turudic.

Puljak made the statement after a meeting of the partners forming the SDP-led Rivers of Justice coalition.

He noted that this idea is currently supported by 57 MPs from the Rivers of Justice coalition, Mozemo, Fokus and the Istrian Democratic Party, and Matija Posavec, while ethnic minority MPs are waiting for the outcome of negotiations on the formation of the parliamentary majority and the government.

Puljak called on all those who are against the HDZ party coming to power for the third time in a row to support this idea and not to issue ultimatums, because “it is important that we all unite so that the HDZ does not form a government for the third time in a row.”

“We will try to form an anti-corruption majority”

“If the Domovinski pokret party is concerned about preventing the HDZ from winning a third consecutive term and continuing with corruption as it has done so far, then it will support the proposal that decision-making be transferred to the parliament and that the parliament truly become a decision-making body. I call on them to stop with the ultimatums and support this idea,” said Puljak.

He added that there was no reason why the Most party should not join them. It was now time for them to state their position independently of the current turbulent developments within the party.

Puljak said that after the amendment of the Elections Act and the replacement of Turudic, talks would be held on the next steps, the formation of the government and the prime minister-designate, with the proposal to appoint Zoran Milanovic as prime minister-designate having been abandoned.

“Just as we have spoken in the parliament and during the election campaign over the past four years, we will try to form an anti-corruption majority,” said GLAS party leader Anka Mrak-Taritas. “As serious and responsible people, we should make responsible and serious decisions,” she said.

Mrak-Taritas believes that the situation can be simple, that a parliamentary majority can be formed to adopt three decisions (on Turudic, the amended Criminal Code and the Elections Act), which will be followed by more or less difficult negotiations.

“The HDZ has absorbed its coalition partners every time”

“You are either in the anti-corruption bloc against the HDZ or with the HDZ, there is no third option,” he said, wishing luck to all those who want to help the HDZ win a third consecutive term in office.

“The HDZ has absorbed its coalition partners every time,” said Mrak-Taritas, noting that ethnic minorities, even if they never take sides, should be part of the anti-corruption bloc.

Dalija Oreskovic (SSIP party) said that the parliament is the institution that is able to change laws and also the Constitution. “The question now is whether there is a parliament that will fight for Croatia, that’s how I see these negotiations,” she said.

World views are not a priority at the moment because insisting on them would enable the HDZ to form the third government in a row, she said, adding that she could accept a prime minister nominated by Most or the Domovinski pokret parties because her priority is to remove the HDZ from power.

At Wednesday’s meeting of the SDP-led coalition, it was also agreed that representatives of the SDP’s coalition partners would be included in the ongoing negotiations depending on their availability.