4 weeks ago
ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia's Constitutional Court connected Friday banned President Zoran Milanović from becoming premier curate successful lawsuit his center-left statement manages to garner a mostly aft this week's highly contested parliamentary election.
The ballot connected Wednesday ended inconclusively. The governing center-right Croatian Democratic Union, aliases HDZ, won nan astir votes but not capable to norm alone. Although it vanished second, Milanović's Social Democratic Party is besides trying to muster a conjugation successful nan 151-member parliament.
CROATIA'S PRESIDENT BARRED FROM RUNNING IN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION UNLESS HE RESIGNS, COURT RULES
Milanović made a astonishment announcement that he would tally for premier curate conscionable hours aft calling nan predetermination for April 17. The Constitutional Court warned him past period that he had to resign first, a informing that he ignored.
Croatia's President Zoran Milanovic addresses nan media extracurricular a polling position aft casting his ballot successful Zagreb, Croatia, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Croatia is voting successful a parliamentary predetermination aft a run that centered connected a bitter rivalry betwixt nan president and premier curate of nan mini European Union and NATO member. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
"The Constitutional Court established that pinch his statements and behaviour nan president ... brought himself successful nan position that he tin neither beryllium nan premier minister-designate of nan early authorities nor nan early premier minister," nan ruling said.
Milanovic and his SDP statement said nan Constitutional Court has nary correct to antagonistic nan will of nan people. They claimed that nan early parliament tin take whomever they want arsenic nan adjacent premier minister.
"The elections are complete and nan people's will will determine, and not nan judges," Milanovic said astatine a property conference.
SDP President Pedja Grbin described nan ruling arsenic "shameful." He urged different guidance groups to thief shape a caller authorities without HDZ.
Milanović has insisted that he had not violated Croatia's apical rule by openly supporting nan guidance during nan run and saying he would go nan caller premier minister. He has accused nan existent Prime Minister Andrej Plenković of wide corruption.
The showdown betwixt Croatia's 2 apical politicians has dominated nan vote, which is besides seen arsenic a trial up of elections for nan European parliament successful June.
Milanović is captious of EU policies complete nan warfare successful Ukraine. If he were to shape a government, that could perchance unfastened abstraction for stronger pro-Russia power successful nan country, akin to Hungary and Slovakia.
Officials results of Wednesday's ballot has shown that Plenković's HDZ won 61 parliamentary seats while nan SDP sewage 42. The far-right Homeland Movement has emerged arsenic a imaginable kingmaker pinch 14 seats.
The Constitutional Court said that Milanović could not now go premier curate moreover if he resigned arsenic president to return up nan caller post. Some guidance politicians alleged nan tribunal is controlled by nan ruling conservatives.
Former Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor said nan court's decisions and announcements ran against nan constitution itself. Leftist leader Dalija Orešković described Croatia's apical tribunal arsenic "one of a number of captured institutions."
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The HDZ has mostly held agency since Croatia gained independence. The Balkan federation became an EU personnel successful 2013, and joined Europe’s passport-free recreation area and nan eurozone past year.
A statesmanlike predetermination is owed to beryllium held successful Croatia by nan extremity of nan year.
