Addressing the press on Wednesday, HNS President Radimir Cacic said that the party had achieved all its strategic goals and was proud of "a sharp increase" in the number of HNS councilors in local law-making bodies throughout the country.
Cacic said there would be 737 HNS councillors sitting in county, town or municipal councils, or 20 percent more than in the last local elections.
In addition, the HNS succeeded in keeping its traditional strongholds.
For instance, HNS candidate Predrag Stromar won the race for Varazdin County Prefect in the first round of voting, securing over 50 percent of votes.
"Not only did he win, but his list won a majority in the (county) assembly," Cacic said.
The HNS Zagreb branch confirmed its position of the third strongest party in the capital with an increase in the number of HNS councilors in the Zagreb City Council.
Besides, four HNS candidates were chosen by direct ballot as mayors in the first round of elections, and another six will compete in runoffs.
Cacic believes that those six candidates, including Andro Vlahusic, who will compete in Dubrovnik against the incumbent mayor Dubravka Suica of the governing Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), stand great chances of winning mayoral runoffs on 31 May.
The head of the HNS parliamentary caucus, Vesna Pusic, welcomed the new model of the election of heads of counties, cities and municipalities, saying she believes that the direct election would put en end to "political deals".