REGARDING the election result of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), its leader Andrej Plenkovic now faces a chance to truly reform Croatia and fulfill his good campaign promises. His place in the political history of Croatia will depend on it.
Plenkovic can be remembered as a great reformer who had made the center-right party more or less decent, and Croatia a bearable place to live, and where hundreds of thousand people don't run away from, or he can be remembered as yet another leader who clung to power in order for HDZ to continue the slow process of destroying Croatia to its ultimate end.
The former and the future Prime Minister has won by a landslide when it comes to the number of seats in the parliament - 66 for HDZ - only to have 76 seats to form the future government a day after the election.
Ethnic minorities, HNS, and the Reformists will support Plenkovic
The ethnic minorities, HNS, and the Reformists make a total of 76 seats, which are necessary to form the new government. Plenkovic won't have to negotiate with the Homeland Movement of a pop singer Miroslav Skoro, which has already broken up. The entire executive power now undoubtedly lies in Plenkovic's hands, but the entire power in HDZ as well, which is equally important.
Plenkovic made a completely sober and normal election victory speech
The fight against the coronavirus pandemic is still awaiting Plenkovic, as well as the economic crisis, which is additionally being heated up with the collapse of the tourist season; all of it was reflected in his sober and moderate victory speech.
"This result like this is binding. We had a difficult term with lots of challenges, and the challenges ahead of us will be even greater. These circumstances call for hard work, energy, sacrifice, knowledge, experience," Plenkovic said.
"This kind of support from voters is a massive responsibility for us. Croatia needs solutions for economic and public health challenges, strengthening of institutions, and human and minority rights," he concluded. It sounded more like Angela Merkel's speech than a local honky-tonk nationalistic talk that HDZ voters fall for.
It was a victory speech, but without triumphalism, it actually sounded - normal. Although he had every reason to showcase the entire grandeur of his well-known arrogance, it seemed that Plenkovic was aware of the gravity of the moment. After people chanting, "HDZ! HDZ!" after his speech, it was maybe the first time in the history of this party that it didn't sound like a threat to all the citizens of Croatia.
Undertaking reforms is in no political nor material HDZ's interest
On the other hand, it shouldn't be forgotten that it's in no political nor material interest of HDZ to truly change Croatia for the better, because they are the architects of this system which enables them almost a permanent stay in power and massive hiring of their people and supporters on different levels and in all possible institutions by political patronage. Plenkovic's election victory depended exactly on that, which means that undertaking reforms would undermine the positions of the HDZ's base, which would mean salto mortale for the party.
Still, it's worth mentioning some meaningful promises of Plenkovic and HDZ from the pre-election campaign, which Plenkovic is now fully capable of fulfilling. He holds the majority in the parliament; he has his people in all levels of HDZ; he has a mandate given by the electorate; the only thing he needs now is his political will.
Reducing the number of ministries
One of the reforms that Plenkovic has been mentioning since autumn last year is the reduction of ministries. His government has as much as 20 ministries, while, for example, Slovenia and large Germany have 14.
At the presentation of the HDZ's manifesto, Plenkovic announced the reduced number of ministries. "Some are idealizing the numbers, mentioning the number 12 as the ideal. That would be great. But from my experience, I think that the number will be slightly higher."
Investing in modernizing the public health system
Another meaningful HDZ's promise from the pre-election campaign is built on this - they want to modernize the public health system and finally build the National Children Hospital, for which they will give three billion kunas. The pandemic has shown that Croatia needs a well-developed health system, and that means the modernization of equipment and paying the health care workers enough to keep them in the country.
The pandemic has reminded of another important thing thanks to the required permits for moving through different counties during the pandemic: Croatia has a crazy local government system. In its election campaign, HDZ promised to reduce the number of municipalities. It was also announced by Administration Minister Ivan Malenica and by HDZ Vice President Ivan Anusic.
Reducing the number of municipalities
"Reducing the number of municipalities, local and regional governments which is large at this moment. Reducing the number of public administration employees," said Anusic in an interview, pointing it out as a crucial HDZ pre-election promise.
They also promised five billion kunas for modernizing the education system, which is also imperative in Croatia. Now they won't have to negotiate with HNS about the educational system reforms; it's now all in HDZ's hands, and they have an opportunity to step up.
Reducing the tax burden
In HDZ's program named "Safe Croatia," Plenkovic promised to reduce the tax burden: reduction in the rate of income tax from 24 to 20 percent, reduction in the food taxation from 25 to 13 percent, reduction in the rate of corporation tax for companies with annual revenue up to 7.5 million kunas from 12 to 10 percent, etc.
Plenkovic now has a chance to fulfill all of the promises. The Croatian citizens could especially benefit from reducing food taxation, which is among the highest in the EU with respect to people's earnings.
The continuation of digitalization
An important part of the HDZ's manifesto is also the program "Digital Croatia," which was, however, advertised under the infamous slogan "More digitalization, less corruption," which doesn't promise no corruption at all, but merely less corruption. But even that would mean significant progress for HDZ.
Three hundred new e-services are planned as well as building the national broadband infrastructure, which Croatia already needed yesterday. Plenkovic can now make it true; it all depends primarily on him.
Reforming the justice system is the most important reform
Of course, no promises were spared in the pre-election campaign, so there are many more promises by Plenkovic and HDZ, good or bad, but maybe the most important one is reforming the justice system.
They have been putting the reform of the justice system into practice since Croatia's independence, but neither of the reforms have made radical changes in the justice system, which is crucial for Croatia to become a state under the rule of law. Without it, all other reforms make no sense in the long term because, in a country without legal certainty and justice, there is no work and no life.
Absolutely everything depends on Plenkovic now
Plenkovic now has a political power to do it. Plenkovic once said that "he can do whatever he wants," which wasn't true back then. Now it is. With this election victory, Plenkovic can do whatever he wants; there's no room for excuses such as that coalition partners are giving him a hard time.
It all depends on Plenkovic now, and the moment arrives when we will finally find out if Andrej Plenkovic is only a skilled apparatchik with a Brussel vibe, or a politician who will create a better Croatia.