Antunovic's statement provoked a response from the local HDZ, which held a news conference saying that the conduct of the town's SDP-led ruling coalition was unlawful and undemocratic, because it was refusing to call a session of the Town Council to replace the town government.
The HDZ had four deputies in the Town Council, but the party's ranks were joined by another six councillors (from the DC-HSU coalition, the HCSP party, and one independent councillor). The HDZ now has ten of the 19 seats in the Town Council.
The party requested calling a session of the Town Council to take over authority, but Mayor Sinisa Srzic, an independent councillor, and his deputy Dragan Srzic, leader of the local SDP branch, refused to call the session, prompting the HDZ and its partners to ask the Central Office for State Administration for help.
During today's HDZ press conference, the Central Office for State Administration sent a request that the Town Council hold a session on May 17.
SDP leader Zeljka Antunovic told reporters in Makarska that the crisis of the town government was proof of a political trade-off and an attempt to topple legally elected authorities.
She blamed it also on the Central Office for State Administration and the central government, saying the government was taking part in a crisis of a town government instead of letting it be resolved through elections.
Officials of the HDZ branch in Makarska dismissed Antunovic's accusations.
The head of the Central Office for State Administration, Antun Palaric, said the Office had called the session of the Makarska Town Council because the president of the Town Council, as well as the mayor, had ignored such a request from a group of councillors.
This is usual procedure, in line with the law, Palaric told Hina.