ZAGREB, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic formally announced her candidacy on Wednesday for a new term in the upcoming December elections.
Grabar-Kitarovic, whose current term expires on Feb. 20, 2020, briefly reviewed her first term in a speech, saying that she has always been above partisan and ideological divisions in the country.
She said that she had started the first term believing that Croatia can advance towards the most developed European countries. She noted that there were many challenges ahead, such as economic growth, better salaries in the country, negative demographic trends, and reform of the justice system.
"The main reason why I am running is my faith in Croatia. Faith has preserved us in the most difficult moments and had led us to freedom, which gives us the opportunity to build our country the way we all want it -- more successful and better," she said.
Grabar-Kitarovic was elected president of Croatia on Jan. 11, 2015, and her term of office is five years.
The 51-year-old president will run for a second term on behalf of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). She will present a detailed program ahead of the election campaign.
Along with the incumbent president, around a dozen candidates have already announced their presidential bids, including former prime minister Zoran Milanovic and popular singer Miroslav Skoro.
The date of the presidential elections has not yet been announced.
