Jadranka Kosor submitted her candidacy for President of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) at the party's head office in Zagreb on Saturday, saying that she expected a victory at the HDZ General Election Convention on May 20 and the election of Andrej Plenkovic as her deputy.
The incumbent HDZ president was accompanied, among others, by Andrej Plenkovic, Vladimir Seks, Tomislav Ivic, Josip Djakic, Djuro Popijac, Djuro Perica, Djurdjica Sumrak and Miroslav Ciro Blazevic.
"I want us to carry on with the same strength in fighting for the rule of law and against crime and corruption," Kosor said, adding that the HDZ was now in the opposition but that it would certainly come to power soon.
Kosor said she wanted the HDZ to be led by "honourable people who have proved themselves in their work and who have given everything for Croatia and the HDZ and have taken nothing from them." "I want us to return to our roots, to the HDZ as a party of law-abiding, honourable and decent people, Croatian patriots."
Kosor said she saw a special role for her party once Croatia became a member of the European Union, adding that the HDZ occupied a special place as a member of the European People's Party.
When asked by reporters to comment on media reports that portrayed Tomislav Karamarko as a favourite, Kosor said that those were "media spins and behind-the-scene games" and that the HDZ needed a leadership that would be able "to stand peacefully and bravely" in front of its members and all Croatian citizens.
Kosor said that the HDZ needed a president who had proved herself in fighting for the rule of law, economic recovery, and EU membership.
When asked how she viewed the fact that she had lost support in some of her bastions, such as the Osijek-Baranja branch, Kosor replied that "the HDZ is my bastion."
