At a recent referendum in the Baška Voda municipality, voters decided on the removal of Mayor Vjekoslav Radić, but he will remain in office thanks to a margin of 12 votes in his favour. A total of 1,051 voters cast ballots out of 2,848 registered, representing a significant turnout, but it was not sufficient for a recall.
A successful recall required at least 950 votes for removal, but only 938 voters voted for dismissal, which is 12 votes short of the required minimum. The vote count took an hour and a half, and the results showed that Radić had nonetheless retained the confidence of the majority of voters who turned out for the referendum.
The referendum was called following an initiative by six councillors from the Independent List of Youth (NLM) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), with reasons for the recall including non-compliance with decisions of the Municipal Council, unresolved issues regarding public procurement and employment, problems with the municipal company Luka, and the failure to adopt a spatial plan. Nine of the 13 councillors voted to call the referendum, including three members of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).
Vjekoslav Radić won the 2025 local elections as an independent candidate with the support of the NLM and the SDP, after leaving the HDZ a few days before announcing his candidacy. However, on 18 September 2026, he returned to the HDZ after the NLM and SDP withdrew their support, which further affected the political dynamics in the municipality.
This referendum highlights how complex the political situation in Baška Voda is, while the closeness of the result indicates a divided electorate regarding the future of local government.
