В Хорватии пророссийский Миланович выиграл первый тур президентских выборов.

This is reported by the country's public broadcaster HRT.

Milanović received 49.09% of the votes in the first round, falling short of victory by less than 1%.

In the second round, he will face Dragan Primorac from the Croatian Democratic Union, which is led by the pro-Ukrainian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković. Primorac garnered 19.35% of the votes.

The second round of the presidential elections will take place on January 12.

More about the elections in Croatia

This marks the eighth election in Croatia since the declaration of independence. In Croatia, which operates as a parliamentary republic, the role of the president is largely ceremonial. The president does not have the power to veto laws but has a voice in matters of foreign policy, defense, and security.

For the past five years, the presidency has been held by Zoran Milanović from the Social Democratic Party.

During his term, he has clashed with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković over foreign and domestic policy. In 2022, the Prime Minister even apologized to Ukrainians for the president's remarks that Ukraine "does not belong in NATO," and that the Revolution of Dignity was a "coup." For this, Milanović labeled him a "Ukrainian agent".