Serbian ruling party's EPP membership bid decision postponed

Serbian ruling party's EPP membership bid decision postponed

This was "a decision made by the European People's Party (EPP) presidency," Plenkovic said.

N1's report noted, however, that "it is assumed" the decision came in order to boost HDZ's chances in the polls, considering the overall tense climate between the two countries, and the fact the Croatian party "does not want a twinning with a party (SNS) with which it often clashes."

The leader of Croatia's SDP party, Zoran Milanovic, also commented on this development to describe the SNS, led by Serbian PM Aleksandar Vucic, as "not a civilized European party."

SNS Secretary-General Jadranka Joksimovic, meanwhile, spoke for Tanjug in Belgrade on Tuesday to say the issue of the party's membership in the EPP would be on the agenda again in mid-November.

"I am certain that HDZ President Andrej Plenkovic and the HDZ will vote with pleasure in favor of accepting the SNS into the EPP group," Joksimovic said.