Insult-Hurling President Poses Risk to EU in Croatia’s Election
- Milanovic has upended campaign, thwarting Plenkovic’s bid
- President opposes military aid to Ukraine, NATO expansion
Photographer: Attila Kisbenedek/AFP/Getty Images
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Croatian President Zoran Milanovic has opposed NATO expansion and condemned military aid to Ukraine as a “deeply immoral” path to prolonging the war with Russia. Now he wants to take the reins of government in Wednesday’s election.
The head of state plunged into the contest last month to thwart the ambitions of his arch-rival, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, for a third term in office. Milanovic’s claims of corruption surrounding the administration and his penchant for lobbing insults at his political enemies has won him steady public backing.