"We haven't been blowing smoke in people's eyes. We aren't so called experts or Third Ways. That has never led to stability and firmness in any serious and successful European democracy," he told an election convention of the SDP's Split-Dalmatia County branch.
Milanovic said the SDP was not perfect and, without mentioning Aleksandra Kolaric, who was ousted from the party yesterday, that there was criticism within the party, which he said could be voiced publicly "because we don't live in the 19th century."
Kolaric was ousted over her public criticism that the government, by amending a law on judicial cooperation with European Union countries, had caused an unnecessary conflict with the European Commission.
"If you want to, speak publicly, use the public space, the media, Facebook, but watch how you treat your party," he said, reiterating that one must take the SDP into account because it was one of the most stable and most honest Croatian institutions.
He called on the party members not to fall for hypocrisy, untruths and obstructions from the political rivals in the HDZ.
"The Cyrillic, minority rights, all that is a perfidious obstruction... What was a pose 11 or 12 years ago is now scheming in the corners of local pubs and various initiatives as if we were at war."
Milanovic said the SDP behaved according to European standards, whereas the rivals from the HDZ "behave as not even an Eastern Balkan third leaguer."
"That's the real face of our rivals. I don't call them enemies but rivals. They aren't a Croatian alternative. They don't have a stance, they change it from day to day. They are for a referendum (on the use of Cyrillic), they aren't for it... That's not a serious policy but we must take it into account," he said, adding that the rivals from the HDZ said one thing, did another and thought yet another one.
He went on to say that another advantage the SDP had over the HDZ was that "the HDZ has no values at all."
"Those who organised the 'In the name of the family' referendum have values with which I don't agree, but there are such people in America, Germany, Italy who are committed to their values, fixations, prejudices. We in Croatia have them too, but they believe in what they do. I think they overestimated themselves and underestimated this society's intelligence and world view, but they are people who do things with conviction and who can't be bought or sold for small change."
The 'In the name of the family' civil group initiated a referendum to constitutionally define marriage as a heterosexual union. The December 1 referendum was successful.
Commenting on the ruling coalition, he said: "We can disagree on some things and we must disagree. However, on key strategic matters, and property tax is not one of them, most European countries have it and the question is whether to impose it now or in five years or not at all, we are allies."