Milanovic among guests only after midnight - without children

The victory, but without a huge enthusiasm - that’s how we could describe the atmosphere in the election headquarters of Kukuriku coalition in the Museum of modern art (MSU). From the 7 PM last night it seemed like they’ve been expecting the equal score and not the election won in advance. Maybe the reason was a premature celebration back in 2007 when they burnt their fingers.

Waiting for the results seemed more like the Christmas banquet than the celebration of taking over the reign after long eight years.

Unlike the HNS coalition members, starting from the president Radimir Cacic followed by Vesna Pusic, Dragan Kovacevic and many others who spent the entire evening with gathered media representatives, other members and guests, the SDP president Zoran Milanovic didn’t show up among people. He arrived only after midnight, after the State Election Commission published the first, pre-term and unofficial result.

Many guests didn’t like that kind of gesture performed by the SDP president and the Kukuriku coalition official and especially because SDP insisted on the VIP room during the election evening for Milanovic, and other officials who, unlike him, didn’t spend so much time behind the closed doors.

- And what do you think, who ordered for a VIP room? We didn’t use it in the campaign, we spent time with the citizens so it would be more reasonable we didn’t have one tonight. We expected that everybody will be gathered among media, guests and ambassadors among them and we were surprised that they ordered the room - as Kukuriku coalition explained the SDP request.

Furthermore along with HNS members and HSU members with Silvano Hrelja, IDS members with Ivan Jakovcic, there were Ranko Ostojic, Milanka Opačić, Biljana Borzan, Ivan Račan, Željko Jovanović, Gordan Maras, Ingrid Antičević Marinović and Arsen Bauk spent their time with other ‘’mortals’’. They tolerated the constant media questioning and they were willingly giving their statements, posing and smiling for the cameras. They ran from one media to another, making comments about poll surveys as they were arriving and about the possible arrangement of the future government. But they didn’t talk much about that subject, leaving a message - we’ll talk about it tomorrow.

However, VIP room and arriving among guests only after midnight will be another example that the Zoran Milanovic’s reign will be ‘’heavy’’, unattached from the citizens (Ivo Sanader also requested the VIP room back in 2007 as Jadranka Kosor last night). Furthermore this Friday afternoon, right before the beginning of the election silence, the news agencies received an e-mail from SDP with a request directed to the news-reporters and photographers for not taking pictures and publishing photos of Milanovic’s minor children that will be present on the election evening.

During the election eve in the Museum of modern art, among other guests there will be minor sons of Sanja Music Milanovic and Zoran Milanovic. We ask all the photographers and cameramen not to take pictures or record, and their news editors not to publish the recordings and photographs of the children, according to the Law on media, the Code of honor of the Croatian Journalists and the recommendation of the People's Ombudsman for Children. Thank You for understanding and respecting this request.

The Milanovic family - posted on: Croatian Journalists' Association

The e-mail surprised many newsagents since it was not a regular request. Many gathered guests didn’t believe it either.

- It is impossible he made such request - equally responded SDP, HNS and IDS members.

SDP members even asked who had sent the e-mail since they also didn’t get what was all the fuss about it. They commented that Milanovic didn’t have to bring children with him at all if he had planned to ban taking photos.

Many of them were reassured that such request was sent to media for real after the news-reporters showed the content of the mentioned e-mail.