Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman today accused Croatian President Zoran Milanović of having his campaign financed by the Russians.
"His pro-Russian views are very clear. His (election) campaign is obviously being financed by some Russian sources, we assume considering his behavior," Grlić Radman told reporters in Zagreb.
Accusing the president of harming the Croatian national elections, the minister and official of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) said that the Parliament should dismiss Milanović, but that the dismissal "can hardly happen" given that it requires a two-thirds majority.
Today, the Croatian media also reported the statement of Prime Minister and HDZ President Andrej Plenković that Milanović's "campaign of disinformation" is potentially being financed by the Russians.
When asked by a journalist whether Croatia should have reacted more harshly to Vučić's statements in Dubrovnik, after the summit of Ukraine and Southeast Europe, the Croatian head of diplomacy said that it was not and that Serbia should be more "linked to Western interests".
"He probably said that because of his public. What he said later, of course he congratulated the prime minister, you can't give someone... freedom of speech. He can do what he wants," Grlić Radman added.
The minister concluded that "a narrative cannot be imposed on someone, if he does not want to use that narrative".
The president and prime minister of Croatia come from different political options, Plenković from the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), and Milanović from the opposition Social Democratic Party, and they have extremely bad relations.
This often breaks down when it comes to support for Ukraine. Unlike Plenković, Milanović is against sending Croatian soldiers on missions to support Ukraine, because he believes that this would lead to war in Croatia.
The president stated that Croatia will continue to help Ukraine, which is a victim of aggression, but that this help cannot be any form of participation by members of the Croatian army.
Plenković, on the other hand, repeatedly accused the president of being pro-Russian.
The latest conflict is also interpreted in the light of the upcoming presidential elections in which Milanović announced his participation, while HDZ supports an independent candidate, former HDZ member Dragan Primorc.
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