Asked to comment on his rivals, Pasalic said the HB respected every candidacy and took it seriously. The HB wants to show that there are two opposed concepts on the Croatian political scene - one which is aimed at "transforming the Republic of Croatia into the Hague Republic" and the other which promotes knowledge, work, competence and determination, Pasalic said, adding that his party supported the latter option.
"It does not matter to us who the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) will nominate its presidential candidate because the HDZ is continuing (former prime minister) Racan's policy of transforming the state into the Hague Republic," said Pasalic, who was the only presidential nominee of his party.
By taking part in the presidential race, the HB wants to help crystalise those two concepts "so as to prevent ruling structures from doing the opposite of what they promised before elections", Pasalic said.