The MOST party in Croatia is among the new European political parties will succeed to send deputies in the European Parliament. The Bridge of Independent Lists combines liberalism with conservatism. The party was founded in 2012 and led by Božo Petrov, a former Deputy Prime Minister and former Speaker of the Croatian parliament. It currently has 10 seats in the Sabor (parliament) and is expected to win one seat in the EP.
The party became known for the support it offers to a strict monetary policy aiming for the reduction of public debt. It also proposed severe reforms in the public sector.
But now, Petrov adopts a harder line, marked by Euroscepticism and nationalism.
According to the Croatian News Agency (HINA) Petrov has said in an interview that Euro-bureaucrats in Brussels are transforming the European Union into a super-state. Nations and national identities are in peril.
The leader of MOST also said that the party’s MEPs will be loyal only to the “Croatian cause”.
Petrov said that the EU politicians aim to create a uniform identity. This is why he considers the rise of Euroscepticism in EU countries a reaction to this. He believes as well that the European political environment will be changed after the European elections.
Petrov who leads the electoral list of the party, will not go to Brussels leaving the post to another party candidate.
The MOST doesn’t belong to any European political group but Petrov’s interview may give an idea concerning his intentions.
Petrov also said he disagrees with the model of the nomination of spitzenkandidaten and he supports the nomination of the President of the European Commission by the head of member states.
