According to a preliminary report from the State Election Commission (DIP), a slate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), led by Varazdin Mayor Neven Bosilj, won 12 out of 21 seats in the Varazdin Town Council in early elections held on Sunday.

The SDP slate won 43.34% of the vote. An independent slate led by Ivan Cehok won 14.08% of the vote and four seats in the local council. The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), which ran in the election in a coalition with the Croatian Pensioners Party (HSU), won 14.06% of the vote and three seats, while the People’s Party – Reformists and the Independent List of Dubravka Novak won one seat each, with 6.70% and 6.55% of voter support respectively.

Turnout was 31.19%.

Thanking voters who went to the polls, Mayor Bosilj, whose party previously had five seats in the Varazdin Town Council, said that the election result would put an end to obstruction by opposition deputies in the town council.

He added that the SDP was open to cooperation with all parties except for the slate of Ivan Cehok, a former Varazdin mayor.

“I believe we will finally be able to adopt a city budget and that it will help resolve the problem of waste bales disposed of at the entrance to the city 18 years ago,” he said.