Ivo Sanader returns to claim HDZ's leadership

After he suddenly decided to leave his post six months ago, Croatia's former Prime Minister and HDZ president, announces his return.

After he suddenly decided to leave his post six months ago, Croatia's former Prime Minister and HDZ president, announces his return. His return seems as pompous as his departure and the only difference is that he now seems to be launching an attack against the current HDZ president, Jadranka Kosor.

Deficit in the party's leadership

-  I give my support to the work of Croatia's government and Prime Minister Kosor, but I do not support her management of the HDZ party. The responsibility for the worst election results of HDZ's candidate Andrija Hebrang are not to be blamed on Hebrang only, but also on the party leadership – Ivo Sanader said in the first press conference since his resignation.

Sanader further explains that party's leadership deficits are partly his responsibility, but only because he decided to make a full withdrawal from the party.

-Because HDZ is a winning party, and not a party that gets 12 percent of support, I decided to activate my role of the honorary president. I am also thinking of returning to Croatia's parliament – announced Sanader.

Kosor-Pahor agreement happened thanks to Sanader?

Asked to elaborate on why he left the post of Prime Minister, Sanader said that he was not ready to sell Croatia's territory and how his departure assisted in Kosor's agreement with Slovenian Prime Minister, Borut Pahor. However, he refused to make further comments on the agreement.

- I did not see it and I only know details that were published in the media. I cannot make a comment on something that I never saw – former PM clarified.

Asked wether his return to politics means that HDZ will have new internal elections, Sanader replied that he doubts that something like that would happen.

HDZ needs to decide if it wants to support Josipovic or Bandic

- I do not think about it and I do not think that there is any need for something like that – he added.

However, Sanader dislikes the fact that HDZ's leadership did not clarify whether it intends to support SDP's presidential candidate Ivo Josipovic or current Zagreb mayor, Milan Bandic.

-The party needs to be clear on such important matters. I personally plan to support which ever candidate party's presidency decides to support and I will act according to their plans – he said.

Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor did not attend the press conference.

Sanader answered a couple of questions concerning a number of political scandals that have implicated his involvement. This includes the the sales of Hypo bank to Bayerishe Landsbank and alleged fee that Sanader received in this transaction. Sanader denied these allegations and refused to clarify his connection to German publishing house WAZ and Croatian EPH.

Sanader about WAZ: These are my business contacts.

- These are my business contacts and they do not concern anybody else – he said.

PM's spokeswoman, Martina Bandic and HDZ's spokeswoman, Suncana Glavak said that Prime Minister Kosor did not have any comments concerning the conference. It is not known if prime Minister Kosor was informed about this event.