Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ZAGREB1054
2007-11-30 14:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Zagreb
Cable title:
MILANOVIC REPLACES JURCIC AS SDP'S CANDIDATE FOR
how-toVZCZCXRO5887 OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHVB #1054 3341446 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 301446Z NOV 07 FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8391 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 001054
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/PPD AND EUR/RPM
OSD FOR WINTERNITZ
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV HR
SUBJECT: MILANOVIC REPLACES JURCIC AS SDP'S CANDIDATE FOR
PRIME MINISTER
REF: ZAGREB 1048 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Rick Holtzapple, POL/ECON, Reasons 1.4 B/D
(C) On November 30, the Social Democratic Party of Croatia
(SDP) leadership announced that economist Ljubo Jurcic was
withdrawing his name as the party's prime ministerial
candidate, and that "responsiblity for formation of a
governning coalition" now lies solely with party president
Zoran Milanovic. (COMMENT: As reported reftels, Jurcic's
weak image has been a drag on the SDP's ability to convince
potential coalition partners to join the SDP in forming a
government. With today's decision, Milanovic takes
unambiguous control of the SDP. In our view, the fact that
the SDP would take such a step today re-inforces the idea
that the SDP is struggling to convince smaller parties,
particularly the HSS/HSLS group to join with it, but still
believes it has a chance to succeed. END COMMENT.)
BRADTKE