Croatia's top court rules that the president can't run in the parliamentary election unless he quits
Croatia’s Constitutional Court has ruled that President Zoran Milanović can't run for prime minister or take part in the parliamentary preelection activities of an opposition party unless he resigns immediately from his current post
ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatian's president can't run for prime minister, take part in the upcoming parliamentary election or campaign in favor of an opposition party unless he resigns immediately from his current post, according to a ruling on Monday from the country's top court.
President Zoran Milanović on Friday called a parliamentary election for April 17, but hours later announced that he would run for Croatia’s next prime minister on the list of the opposition Social Democratic Party.
The surprise announcement has triggered a deep political crisis in the European Union and NATO-member country, with the state's constitutional court called in to give its opinion on Milanović's move to run in the parliamentary election.
“If he (president) wants to take part in a political campaign … he must submit his resignation immediately to the president of the Constitutional Court,” presiding judge Miroslav Separovic said at a news conference.
