HNS may support SDP in Zagreb local council

ZAGREB, Croatia – Radimir Cacic, chairman of the Croatian People’s Party (HNS), a smaller opposition party, said on Saturday (April 4th) that he is conducting talks with officials from the main opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) over a potential coalition in the Zagreb municipal council, following the May 17th local elections.

According to Cacic, the deal calls for joint control over the activities of the SDP’s Milan Bandic, who has a good shot at winning a second term as mayor. The statement came as a surprise, as the HNS had made clear it would not back Bandic.

Senior HNS officials explained the move might be interpreted more generally as co-operation with the SDP rather than with Bandic. The SDP is the most popular party in Croatia right now.