The commissioner will set up a commission to compile lists of candidates for the upcoming local elections in Osijek-Baranja County, Sanader said, adding that the National Council had unanimously supported the HDZ Presidency's position that organising Croatia into regions was absolutely contrary to the party programme.
Commissioner Ivic also decided to dissolve the HDZ's branch in Osijek.
This is not a party rift, Sanader said, recalling that similar cases had happened before. Mentioning three former party members, he said that the party had only grown stronger after their ouster. This is about the HDZ's determination to make strong decisions on any issue, Sanader said.
Asked if he feared that Glavas could wash dirty linen in public, Sanader answered "Have we ever been afraid of anything?" and added that the HDZ leadership had shown that it had the vision of how to reform the party, prepare it for elections and make it credible again.
Asked to comment on the fact that a year ago he had called Glavas a visionary and was now ousting him, Sanader said that Glavas had misunderstood his statement and that his vision about organising the country into regions was wrong.
Parliament Speaker Vladimir Seks, the founder of the HDZ branch in Osijek, said that the county branch had pursued a policy that was contrary to the party policy and worked covertly against the party platform. Asked whether it had been difficult to make the decision of Glavas's ouster considering that they were close friends, Seks replied by quoting Plato "I like my friends, but I like the truth better".