Prime Minister Finally Addresses New President

After Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović won what was the tightest presidential elections in Croatia’s history on Sunday, the messages of congratulations came pouring in. Out going president Ivo Josipović was one of the first to call – followed by the leaders of Slovakia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Belarus, Georgia and Azerbaijan, as well as scores of EU and European diplomats. But there was one call notably absent – from Croatia’s Prime Minister Zoran Milanović…

On Thursday, before a parliament sitting, Milanović addressed the issue for the first time.

“The presidential elections have been and a new president was elected. I want to thank the former president (Josipović) who served us all honourably. We want to welcome the new president and we will work together in the framework of the law, as we have done until now. We worked very well with the former president and I believe it will be that way in the future too,” said Milanović, before adding.

“As the Prime Minister I invite the new president every Thursday, when the government sits, to set aside however much time is needed to chat about what the government has been doing the last three years, what it will do, and what we think is good and better than the previous two governments. We have arguments and we are open for discussion. The door is open,”said the PM.

Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović will be inaugurated on 19 February.