Bucharest, 18 March 2024 (dpa/MIA) - Croatia's Constitutional Court thwarted President Zoran Milanović's plan to run for a parliament seat, ruling he must first resign as president since partisan political activities are incompatible with this office, the court declared on Monday.

Milanović announced plans on Friday to run on the list of the opposition Social Democrats (SDP) in the early parliamentary elections scheduled for April 17.

In case the opposition emerged victorious from the vote, he was planning to become prime minister and resign as president, Milanović said, citing the controversial justice policies of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković which critics say are fuelling corruption in the EU country.

Milanović and Plenković are considered fierce opponents. The president has repeatedly voiced support for Russia, while Plenković pursues the pro-Ukrainian line of his HDV party, which belongs to the conservative European People's Party (EPP) in the European Parliament.

Croatia dissolved its parliament last week on initiative of Plenković's government prompting early elections.

Shortly beforehand, the parliament had passed a controversial law against whistleblowers under pressure from Plenković. The opposition fears that this is intended to cover up corruption by politicians from Plenković's camp.

Critics believe that the prime minister wants to bring the elections forward because he fears that the popularity of his centre-right HDZ party will have declined by then.

Plenković has been heavily criticized recently for his justice and media policies, with only a narrow majority of lawmakers backing him.

Photo: MIA archive