Recently, on October 19, 2025, nine years have passed Andrej Plenkovic, current boss HDZ-, became the prime minister with the longest (third in order) mandate in the history of the Republic of Croatia and will soon, without any doubt, "outrun" the first Croatian president in terms of the length of his reign. Franjo Tuđman, who was at the head of the state for nine and a half years. As expected, the evaluations of his reign so far, but also of all his work, are extremely contradictory: in the ranks of the ruling party and its coalition partners, they consider him, despite turbulent domestic and turbulent international (dis)opportunities, the most successful prime minister in the modern history of the Republic of Croatia (on July 17, 2016, he was elected president of the HDZ, after which he won parliamentary and local elections three times in a row, and achieved the best results in the elections for the EU Parliament) who politically, economically and socially stabilized the country, while on the left (or what is nominally left of it) they accuse him of being an unscrupulous autocrat who subordinated all state and public institutions to his personal power and interests, turning them into obedient servants of his politics and the ruling party, and who is accompanied by numerous corruption scandals among his ministers (he has dismissed about 30 of them so far), but that circle of privileged and privileged people close to the prime minister, involved i suspects for various criminal acts, is much wider (it is difficult to count them all). Before he would "let them down the drain", as a rule, he would defend them and cover them with his authority, even when it was obvious to everyone, even from the plane, that they had been caught red-handed.
FRENCH MAID
And indeed, the fight against corruption and the more than open connection of the political elite with powerful business-mafia structures is one of the weakest links of Plenković's rule. He, of course, denies this and states that he is changing corrupt ministers (whom he himself chose), and the police arrest all those suspected of corruption and crime. But in a situation where the prime minister, through Ivan Turudić, the compromised chief state attorney (prosecutor), whose recent election to the head of the state attorney's office he personally extended, controls all police and supposedly independent investigative bodies, including a good part of the highest judicial instances, then it is quite clear that this fight is, at best, strictly selective and that it primarily serves the purpose of "protecting the image and deeds" of the prime minister himself, so that his name would not be linked to a strong criminal case in any case an octopus under the auspices of HDZ, which networked the whole of Croatia and remained intact since the time of Tuđman, through Sanader, until Karamark and our days. And indeed for Plenković, despite numerous indications (primarily related to the affair surrounding "Agrokor" and his role in the formation of the so-called "Borg" group, which planned the expropriation of the once most powerful regional tycoon Todorić and his empire and at the same time pocketed tens of millions of euros), there is no evidence that he is personally involved in any dirty corruption or similar actions. Nevertheless (who knows what the weather holds?), although none of the affairs, at least so far, has shaken him, it is quite clear that the problem is not in individual ministers and the prime minister's performances with their dismissals and appointments, but rather in the entire, freakishly set up system that tolerates, encourages and ultimately protects the unbridled greed of the party's Hadeze clique (unfortunately, the other parties, when they find themselves in the opportunity, are not immune to these and similar "challenges") which unscrupulously robs its own people, and all under the hypocritical aegis of feigned patriotism and protection of national interests against the force of various enemies (with the Serbs at the head of the column) who are only planning how to harm us. And that false, perfidiously forced picture of reality, no matter how thin and transparent it is, with (un)skillful manipulations, aggressive populist demagoguery and nationalist rhetoric, "receives" with unbearable ease, and directs the dissatisfaction of frustrated citizens in a completely wrong direction: not towards the real culprits of shameless theft and thievery, but towards "domestic traitors" led by "Communists", "Yugoslavs", non-national front of various (quasi) leftists, fake anti-fascists and human rights associations, of course, always with the assistance of local Serbs led by Dr. Milorad Pupovec, who work hard on destabilization Croatia. Of course, all those small-minded platitudes have nothing to do with common sense and the truth, all of which Plenković knows very well, but he pretends to be as naive as a French maid and does nothing to resolutely oppose it, convinced that he himself can profit from that chauvinistic background and win some votes and support from the ranks of the extreme right.
photo: tanjug / hina...and a chauvinistic orgy in Split
BAHATI CHANCELLOR
But apparently things got out of hand. From Marko Perković Thompson's spectacular concerts in Zagreb and Sinj, to the attempts of various veterans' associations to prevent anti-fascist cultural manifestations in Benkovac and Šibenik, to the latest fierce anti-Serb outbursts by Ustašoid black shirts against the holding of the "Day of Serbian Culture" in Zagreb and Split, all of this came at a heavy "charge" and it is only a matter of time and the political-social context when the ruling party will be encouraged and strengthened the voices of "hard" Croats who do not see any problem in the evident escalation of the Ustasha. On the contrary, he is recognized as a sincere "patriot" even by those who never accepted the "nationally anemic" Plenković as their leader. It is good for them as long as it brings them victories (and of course, material privileges, because every patriotism, especially in the Republic of Croatia, has its price), but they are just waiting for him to slip more seriously at the first bend in order to additionally plant his foot and with some kind of internal "courtly" coup to the head of the party and the state bring a man to the extent of their short wit, that is, a rigid right-winger who advocates a clear sovereignist policy to Orban, a more modern version of Karamarko, the former head of the HDZ. Good luck, the same Taliban from Hadeze sigh, that Milanović is "theirs". Regardless of all his flaws and escapades, unlike the skinny Plenković, he would openly and resolutely defend Croatia and the Croats, so wasn't he the one who awarded the HVO members suspected of war crimes, returned the general rank to Branimir Glavaš, which was taken away from him after he was convicted as a war criminal, and the current president of the Republic of Croatia has plenty of such and similar "pearls". On the other hand, the prime minister cowardly withdraws because his future personal "European" career (such moves would not be welcomed in Brussels) that he is undoubtedly planning is more important than the protection and promotion of the nationalist ideas of the hard-line core of the party, which shaped HDZ as a pan-Croatian movement in which ZAVNOH and anti-fascism, contrary to the preamble of the Croatian constitution, have no significance. On the contrary, with the wholehearted support of the top of the Catholic Church, the foundation of national statehood is being "delegated" to the NDH as an expression of the historical aspiration of the Croatian people for an independent state, as the then newly composed People's Tribune Franjo Tuđman said clearly and loudly in the early 90s. When Plenković came to the head of the HDZ, he promised to change it, that is, to Europeanize it, but today we are witnessing how those were also mere platitudes; on the contrary, the exact opposite happened: the HDZ changed Plenković, the smug bureaucrat with a European flair became an arrogant authoritarian chancellor with a pronounced "will to power", who decides everything on his own or in a narrow circle of privileged cronies and party aides from whom he demands unquestioning obedience in return.
TROUBLE WITH REALITY
Plenković and his tenure of power were shaken by various crises and scandals, above all the aforementioned "Agrokor", where huge billions of euros were "embezzled", and the complex court proceedings against the suspects had actually not even started yet, then the pandemic, devastating earthquakes in Zagreb, Sisak and Petrinja, the energy crisis, strikes, inflation, a permanent conflict with the president of the country, once high unemployment, a complicated international scene (the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the war in Ukraine, the Israeli genocide in Gaza and the vague reluctance of the government of the Republic of Croatia to recognize the Palestinian state, etc.), but he came out of all those events mostly unscathed. There is no doubt that he proved to be a skilled leader, because he knew how to bribe and (or) attract to his side all those who could potentially threaten him (Minister of Defense Anušić), and as a politician of "general practice" he successfully swims in Euro-structures, where he undoubtedly has a certain influence, certainly above the importance and role of the Republic of Croatia in the EU, but all this is not even remotely enough to be classified among real statesmen of the format, as he clearly perceives himself. Simply because it does not and has never adhered to fundamental European values. Although he publicly swore by them, he actually systematically ignored them, and his daily behavior and political practice within the Republic of Croatia, devoid of all moral scruples, completely exposes him as a person who only cares about power and authority and chooses the means to achieve it. He acts through half-truths, misleads the public and has never and probably never will clearly define the political ideas and energy that drives him, he simply lacks political charisma and credibility as a statesman. And that is precisely why a large part of the Croatian public does not recognize him as a statesman with a vision, a politician with authentic spiritual motivations, but behind him there is a gaping void regarding the direction and meaning of the policy he advocates. And that's all Plenković's bizarre tragicomicity, in him everything remains at the level of an empty, theatrical gesture that is changed according to the need of the moment, mostly without meaning and intelligence, he does not defend and does not advocate principles, but is exclusively guided by mere pragma, which lacks basic human empathy for the weak and vulnerable, and the losers of the transition (not only among the elderly, but also the young population) are more and more, after all, as well as the accumulated dissatisfaction that threatens the social eruption. The symptoms of such a situation are increasingly visible: the escalation of the Ustashoid black shirts is not only a consequence of war, nationalist indoctrination, revisionism, political manipulations, but first and foremost an expression of social neglect and social hopelessness, which Plenković and his aides persistently keep silent about or justify with bizarre "double connotations", in which the Ustash salute "Za dom spremni" is only the tip of a huge nationalist, Ustashoid iceberg rolling under the surface of the sea.
IN A CLASH WITH THE PRESIDENT
Nevertheless, one should be fair and emphasize that Plenković opened up space for accelerating the achievement of certain Croatian strategic goals. Under his leadership, the Republic of Croatia entered Schengen (soon to become a member of the OECD), the country's credit rating was significantly raised, the huge fiscal deficit and public debt decreased, starting in 2021. to 2025. In 2010, the country had an above-average growth rate, and in terms of development, it detached itself from the very bottom of the EU, where it had been languishing for a long time, and began to approach the average of the members of the Union, and in the end, it brought us (or rather dragged us) into the Eurozone, which only made life even more difficult for the vast majority of citizens. Namely, even though Plenković and his gang promised with all their mouths that by changing the currency the price increase would be symbolic, after the introduction of the euro, everything, especially the basic necessities of life, became enormously more expensive, thus accelerating the already galloping rate of inflation. The exclusive minority of the rich became even richer, and the vast majority of the poor, or on the verge of poverty, even poorer, deprived of all human dignity and reduced to mere survival. A large number of young people in search of a better perspective moved (and are still moving) to Western Europe, Australia and Canada, and that demographic deficit is difficult to compensate, especially because the radical right constantly and persistently fills the public with wretched nonsense about migrants (Nepalese, Indians, Filipinos and others), declaring them a danger to "Croatian identity", our culture, our "Catholic/Christian" way of life, and this demonization is dangerously escalating, and no one or very few people speak up. that without their work (there are currently around 150 guest workers in the Republic of Croatia), this country simply would not be able to function effectively. In addition to foreign workers, Croatia desperately needs a large, well-designed reform of education (especially higher education), as well as healthcare, which powerful lobbies are pushing into greater privatization, so that soon (if not already) health will become a luxury that only the richest can seriously care about. The one who has money will be able to get treatment, and for the rest, God willing. The reform of the tax system, pension funds and a number of other things are still awaiting serious measures that Plenković is afraid to face and is postponing all of this, in order to "blur" the painful reality, which will soon become even more difficult, especially when the "adjustment period" for the Republic of Croatia as a new member of the EU expires and thus the enormous financial support stops arriving. In addition, the prime minister is forcing a conflict with the president of the country, Zoran Milanović, in order to shift the public's attention from the important to ephemeral phenomena. There is also luck and success in that, because Milanović is also satisfied with this, in essence, completely unnecessary, often comical and unnecessary "fight", which boosts each other's ratings, even though both actors know very well that what they are doing only harms the stability of the country, and makes them untrustworthy on the international stage, but mutual intolerance and egos are stronger than their responsibility, so it is likely that in the future, as in the previous cohabitation, they will not be able to agree on anything. And what is blocking the work of a number of state, judicial and public institutions, who cares? By all accounts, although there are no innocents in this sad story, thanks above all to Plenković, Croatian society is stuck in a petty-bourgeois, purgatory baroness, it is being exhausted by ideological divisions, a wide range of double connotations, historical and homeland myths, nationalist, above all hysterical, anti-Serb resentment, and all of this is leading us astray and away from the European civilizational values on which everyone should rest mature and healthy society. And all that, unfortunately, will continue for a long time, because exactly like in Andre Gide's novelCounterfeiters, there is an omnipresent social hypocrisy at work, which in our country, in the Republic of Croatia, is stamped above all by Plenković and HDZ.
