Zarko Tusek stepped down on Thursday from his position as county head of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) branch in Krapina-Zagorje County after a recording of his contentious meeting with a local councillor Viktor Simunic on possible pre-election cooperation was made public.

“This ugly episode which was illegally recorded and released in public is a heavy blow to the HDZ and for that reason in fact, after nine years of heading the HDZ Zagorje branch, I have decided to step down as president of the Krapina-Zagorje HDZ branch,” Tusek told a press conference on Thursday.

The 24 Sata daily released an article in which Simunic claimed that Tusek and Oroslavje Mayor Emil Gredicak (HDZ) tried to buy him off in exchange for his support in the local election, which are due to be held in May. Simunic secretly recorded the conversation and the daily made it public.

Tusek added that he would remain as a Member of Parliament.