Vladimir Šeks, one of the founders of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and former Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, delivered a series of sharp political messages at the celebration of the party's 37th anniversary in Ploče. The ceremony was dedicated to the anniversary of the establishment of the first municipal committee of HDZ, which was founded on 18 October 1989 at the Bać restaurant Čarli.
In his speech, Šeks called out Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, asserting that Serbian politics had not moved sufficiently away from ideas from the 1990s. He warned of the rhetoric regarding the "Serbian world" and made serious allegations about alleged Serbian influence on some media and the attitude of Serbian authorities towards the war past. He also mentioned Patriarch Porfirije and the Serbian Orthodox Church, politically linking them with messages from Serbian leadership. Finally, he issued a closing warning that Croatia must prepare "for a possible conflict", calling for unity among the Croatian people.
He also sharply attacked opposition politicians Miro Bulj and Nikola Grmoja of Most. He called Bulj a "blockhead", criticising him for accusing Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and the Government of high treason. For Grmoja, he used the words "scoundrel and the scoundrel of scoundrels", attributing to him the advocacy of destroying the Croatian judiciary. In a parliamentary debate on 13 October, Grmoja, speaking about the storage of hazardous waste in Lika, made serious accusations against the Prime Minister, while Bulj was removed from the chamber during the same session due to a conflict over the Rules of Procedure.
Bulj reacted to Šeks's outburst with a post on social media, calling him out due to his past and using the nickname "Owl". He described the HDZ gathering with derogatory terms and accused the ruling party of not protecting national interests. He stated that he would continue to criticise Prime Minister Plenković, asserting that Šeks's words were "a sign that I am on the right path and I will not stop".
In his speech, Šeks also reflected on the beginnings of HDZ and the creation of the Croatian state, reminding the audience of the political circumstances at the end of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s. He highlighted that the party was formed in what was then Kardelj under circumstances of strong influence from communist institutions. He presented his own view of the international circumstances surrounding the declaration of Croatian independence and the talks with political leadership during the 1990s, particularly focusing on constitutional decisions regarding Croatian independence and talks with Franjo Tuđman. He recounted Tuđman's stance on the role of anti-fascism and the Homeland War in the foundations of modern Croatia.
He also acknowledged that crime and problems related to privatisation and privatisation had politically harmed HDZ, but presented the current Plenković Government as extremely successful. He spoke about relations with Serbia and the need for national unity.
