[ELECTIONS 2003] Rural Solutions For Urban Problems?

Luka Trconić (Luka Trconic), one of HSS leaders, has proposed new legislation designed to reform City of Zagreb administration. According to proposal, City Council would be composed of two chambers – one elected by voters on city level, and another composed of delegates appointed by special city district assemblies.

This proposed federalisation of Zagreb is HSS attempt to woo Zagreb voters who feel increasingly alienated from city administration, dominated by two feuding parties - SDP and HNS - and two feuding factions within one of those feuding parties – Račan (Racan) loyalists and SDP right-wingers led by charismatic Party boss and former mayor Milan Bandić (Milan Bandic).

Zagreb City Administration recently got under intense public scrutiny following spectacular protests and sit-ins in few Zagreb neighbourhoods. Local populations didn't like plans to have some of their parks replaced by luxury residential-commercial buildings and accused administration of being under influence of shady construction entrepreneurs and issuing building permits without proper documents, legal requirements and, last but not least, a single word with the people in local neighbourhoods.

HSS obviously hopes to profit from those affairs, but its past history leaves much to be desire. HSS, being a rural party, usually fared very bad in Croatian capital – the most urban of all Croatian electoral battlegrounds. Then again, some areas of Zagreb are more rural than others and HSS might establish something of a base at least in some neighbourhoods. If their proposed federalisation becomes a law, they might even have their representatives in Zagreb city government – something they failed to get on last local elections.