BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th January, 2020) The opposition candidate's victory in the Croatian presidential election does not represent any move to the left for the country, so no major political shifts are expected from the upcoming parliamentary elections, European Parliament member from Croatia Tomislav Sokol told Sputnik.
In a Sunday runoff, the opposition Social Democratic Party's Zoran Milanovic won 52.7 of the vote, defeating incumbent Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, backed by the ruling center-right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).
Asked whether the election results mean a shift in the country's political landscape, Sokol, a HDZ member, expressed doubt. He noted that Grabar-Kitarovic had lost in an extremely tight race, though she was arguably the only candidate with "systematic electoral program and notable, internationally recognized results in all segments of her authority." He, at the same time, stressed that the will of the people should be respected.
Speaking of the parliamentary elections scheduled for December, the lawmaker voiced belief that the voters would support the incumbent center-right government that had been performing "extremely successfully" in terms of macroeconomic indicators.
"I firmly believe that citizens will recognize the success of this Government in the upcoming parliamentary elections. For that reason, I do not think that the victory of Zoran Milanoviс in the presidential election can indicate the strengthening of leftist options in the Republic of Croatia," he said.
As for the transfer of power to the opposition president-elect, it will be done smoothly as Grabar-Kitarovic has already congratulated Milanovic, "demonstrating her statesmanlike behavior," according to Sokol.
"This stands in contrast to what happened five years ago, when Milanoviс, who was at that point Prime Minister, refused to congratulate Grabar-Kitaroviс on winning the presidential election," the lawmaker said.
He yet expressed hope that the newly elected president would "continue to pursue a strong foreign policy, represent the Republic of Croatia with dignity and above all protect the Constitution, just as President Grabar-Kitaroviс has done it so far."
Among foreign policy priorities for the country in the years to come, the lawmaker named efforts related to joining the eurozone and the Schengen area and raising Croatians' living standards.
