The appointment of Ivan Turudic as state attorney general is "the lowest level of democracy" in Croatia, the president of the opposition Centre party, Ivica Puljak, said in Zadar on Saturday, inviting citizens to a protest the left-liberal opposition will hold in Zagreb next Saturday.

The ruling HDZ party’s attempt to criminalise the uncovering of corruption by adopting a law that will penalise the disclosure and publication of information from criminal proceedings and the vote for a man with criminal ties “are eroding the foundations of the state and democracy,” Puljak told the press.

He said Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic “insisted” on Turudic becoming state attorney general “to protect himself.”

His man will keep incriminating evidence against him and members of his HDZ party locked away and never instigate proceedings, Puljak added.

He said Turudic’s ties to Zdravko Mamic, a fugitive from the law, and former state secretary Josipa Rimac, who has been indicted of corruption, were the last straw for the opposition and that this was why 11 left-liberal opposition parties would hold a protest on 17 February.

“We are inviting citizens to the protest… because we have had it with disorder, clientelism and destruction of democracy. It’s time that citizens choose, either the HDZ or Croatia.”