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Croatia: Coalition partners clash locally, but national alliance likely to hold
๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ท Croatia /Elections & Politics

Croatia: Coalition partners clash locally, but national alliance likely to hold

From Veฤernji List · () Croatian

Translated from Croatian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Tensions are rising between the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) in Bjelovar-Bilogora County, Croatia, over local political disputes.
  • The conflict, fueled by disagreements over local projects like thermal springs and the management of a local fair, has intensified public exchanges on social media between local leaders.
  • Despite local friction, political analysts believe the coalition between HDZ and HSLS is unlikely to be jeopardized at the national level due to their mutual electoral interests.

A political spat between Croatia's ruling HDZ party and its coalition partner, the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), is escalating in Bjelovar-Bilogora County, Croatia. The conflict, initially simmering since last year's local elections when the HSLS ran its own candidate, has recently intensified with sharp exchanges on social media between local HDZ and HSLS leaders.

Our country's thermal springs will compete with Daruvar's.

โ€” Unknown SourceSpeculation from sources close to local political circles about the underlying reasons for the conflict.

The public dispute centers on several local issues, including the management of the Bjelovar Fair and the development of thermal springs. HDZ county governor Marko Maruลกiฤ‡ criticized HSLS mayor Dario Hrebak for perceived mismanagement, referencing issues like street cleanliness. Hrebak, in turn, dismissed their past "friendship" as mere pre-election public relations, calling himself naive for believing it. The controversy also involves the appointment of a new director to the Bjelovar Fair, with accusations of missing documentation and potential theft, prompting threats of police involvement.

Sources close to local politics suggest the fair appointment is a symptom of a larger power struggle, with the development of new thermal springs in Bjelovar directly competing with existing facilities in Daruvar, which are managed by the county. This local friction has raised questions about the stability of the national coalition between the two parties, particularly concerning future parliamentary election lists.

He is my friend, a little nervous.

โ€” Marko Maruลกiฤ‡County governor's comment on the HSLS mayor's public statements.

However, political insiders largely believe the national coalition will remain intact. Both parties reportedly see significant mutual benefit in continuing their alliance, especially in electoral districts where Hrebak's votes are crucial for the HDZ, and the HSLS relies on HDZ support to secure parliamentary seats. The shared electoral interest is seen as a strong incentive to overcome local disputes.

That friendship was just a PR trick by the HDZ camp, which I fell for because I was naive.

โ€” Dario HrebakThe HSLS mayor's response to the county governor's remarks about their friendship.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Veฤernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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