(Beta/Danijel Kasapic/EV)
The new president of Croatia is the former prime minister, Zoran Milanovic, Social Democratic Party’s candidate, according to the results of the State Electoral Commission based on the vote count from nearly all polling stations.
On Jan. 5, in the second round of presidential elections, Milanovic defeated the incumbent Croatian president, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, the candidate of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union.
According to the results based on the 99.54 of the ballots that had been processed, Milanovic won 52.69 percent of votes, which is around 1,030,000, while Grabar-Kitarovic took 47.69 percent, i.e. around 926,000 votes.
In his speech following the announcement of the results, Milanovic declared he would be president of all Croatian citizens, the Croats and those who are not. “Thank you all; thank you to those who supported me and those who didn’t, and thank you to my opponent, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic,” said Milanovic.
“This is the moment where I want a line to be drawn, and [have you know] that from today or tomorrow I will live and do my job differently from how it had been done before. The citizens of Croatia elected me as the president of the republic, of our republic, of all [its] citizens, the Croats and those who are not, and I am happy because of it,” the president-elect said.
He added that he knows that he is not to everyone’s liking and that he does not want divisions.
“I offer my hand to Milanovic, [inviting him] to have a civilized presidential transition, to familiarize him [with the office], to meet with me even before the official transfer of power, because what Croatia needs is stability,” said the incumbent president, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic.
Milanovic is scheduled to enter into office on Feb. 18.
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