CROATIA - PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
Marinko Culic of the Split weekly Feral Tribune writes in the Belgrade daily Nasa Borba of June 22, 1997, about the outcome of the Croatian elections.
It can be said that even with the most convincing victory so far made by the HDZ, that is by the HDZ candidate in the elections, this type of rule has made a full circle, and that there is no way out of it.
The failure of Gotovac created an effect which can have far - reaching meaning, and maybe have decisive influence on the party scene in Croatia. His nomination was directly supported by nine opposition parties, and indirectly by some others. When such a large party grouping attracts only 17 percent of the voters, it is not an exaggeration to conclude that the largest part of the Croatian opposition is swept away from the scene and that remaining on it are only two relevant parties (HDZ and SDP). Gotovac himself, who is the first victim of this sudden and feverish stiffening and reduction of the opposition, has stated in disappointment that the political center does not function the way I expected it to, although it would be much more suitable to say that it has completely fallen apart and does not exist anymore.
Now there is a realistic danger of the creation of bipolar political system between HDZ and SDP, which in the long run completely suits the ruling party, because it can always hold this sole opposition in its fist with a tried out repertoire of sounding of the alarm of new communist danger. But, some long term projections are not necessary. It is clear that setting up for the 1999 parliamentary elections is already on. These will definitely be fateful, because they will practically represent the test whether HDZ can continue its rule without Tudjman. SDP is the only party ready for that, while practically all other opposition parties are torn by internal divisions, so that some are already in a panic fight for pure survival, which the others might be confronted with already tomorrow.
But even that is not the worst. It is actually obvious that some opposition parties, who are leading in the number of runaways into the ranks of HDZ, and subsequent tailoring of the election results, are beginning to participate in generating deep political crises in the country equally as the ruling party. That is why it is better that some of them disappear and leave their place to new parties which will be better prepared the challenges which are coming.
All this is even more confirmed by the highest apstinency rate than ever before in these elections - considerably over forty percent. For them it can undoubtedly be said that, in relative majority, they are mainly recruited from the disappointed and disgusted supporters of the opposition. On a number of occasions they have given their support to the opposition, even brought it to power, as in Zagreb, but it did not know even how to take it, later even going into a wholesale of gained mandates. In that manner, any sense of going to vote was destroyed, because it is becoming clear to everybody that with, or without them, nothing is changing.
Source: Belgrade daily Nasa Borba, June 22, 1997
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