The party convention, opened by HDZ vice president Jadranka Kosor, is attended by over 6,000 delegates from Croatia and abroad.
After the Croatian National Anthem, the participants observed a minute of silence for the founder of the HDZ and first Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and all those killed in the Homeland Defence War.
Today's meeting is aimed at motivating party members and the electorate for the autumn parliamentary elections. The HDZ president and Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader is expected to address the meeting and present the guidelines of the HDZ election programme. The details of its programme, notably the part referring to the economy, will be presented at the autumn finale of the election race.
The development of the economy and enterprise, lower unemployment rate, new highway kilometres, judicial and education reforms, better care for Homeland War soldiers, workers and pensioners are only some of the successes of the HDZ-led government, the participants in today's event stressed, expressing conviction in the HDZ victory at the parliamentary elections.
HDZ Secretary General Ivan Jarnjak also underlined the HDZ's credit for Croatia's independence, economic growth and democracy development.
Agriculture Minister Petar Cobankovic underlined the efforts Ivo Sanader, his cabinet and the HDZ had invested in the development of the farming sector, better subsidies in the agriculture and fisheries sectors and new infrastructure projects which will help the party win the coming elections and improve living standards in rural areas.
Martina Dalic, who is in charge of the HDZ economic programmes, said that the party vision was and still is a developed and competitive economy, economic growth and new jobs.
A member of the HDZ Presidency, Gordan Jandrokovic, underlined the efforts Sanader and the party invested in the strengthening of Croatia's international position, the country's drawing closer to the European Union and NATO and its candidacy for a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council.
Another member of the HDZ Presidency, Andrija Hebrang said "the HDZ is the wisest, bravest and most patriotic party in Croatia, founded by the greatest son of the Croatian people".
On behalf of Bosnian Croats, the event was addressed by HDZ MP Ivan Bagaric who said that Bosnian Croats had the right to vote at elections in Croatia under the constitution.