Croatia’s ruling coalition faces renewed tension after the HSLS party announced it would boycott government meetings over remarks by Domovinski pokret (DP) lawmaker Josip Dabro, while reaffirming that it remains part of the coalition, party leader Dario Hrebak said on Wednesday.
Hrebak spoke after meeting Prime Minister and HDZ party leader Andrej Plenković at Banski dvori, the seat of government, along with coalition partners. He said there had been no progress in resolving the dispute over Dabro, who recently sang a controversial song in Komletinci that referenced “the grave of gold” in Madrid, the burial site of former NDH leader Ante Pavelić.
“We discussed the issue with our partners in HDZ and with the Prime Minister. There hasn’t been much movement, although there is goodwill. Our goal has never been to topple the government; our goal is always stability,” Hrebak told reporters.
He stressed that the problem lies specifically with Dabro. “Neither HSLS, nor HDZ, nor DP sang this song. Josip Dabro did something we cannot condone. This is a serious problem, and it is named Josip Dabro,” he said.
Hrebak declined to offer a concrete solution, saying it remains to be seen “what the coming days will bring.” He added that HSLS will report the outcomes of Wednesday’s meeting to its party leadership and central council, noting that a prior decision obliges HSLS not to attend coalition meetings until the “Dabro case” is resolved. “But we will continue to support the government in the coming days,” he said.
HSLS emphasized that it is not issuing an ultimatum but desires to resolve the dispute within roughly 30 days, the party said, citing a constitutional timeframe.
The dispute highlights ongoing friction within Croatia’s coalition government, which has faced challenges in maintaining cohesion amid sensitive historical and political issues.