Sandra Bencic

There will be no left-wing pre-election coalition in Croatia to counter the main ruling Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ.

This was made clear after the opposition Mozemo! [We Can!] party announced it will go alone into the next elections, rejecting a pre-election alliance with the opposition Social Democrats, SDP.

The prize-winning author of the design for the one-euro coin in Croatia withdrew his design on Monday, after claims that he had copied a published photograph.

Stjepan Pranjkovic said he was withdrawing the design due to "negative atmosphere in the media, as well as the pressure" he was under.

Activists and experts have called on Croatia to promote and protect human rights and freedoms at home as well as abroad after the country was elected by the UN General Assembly as a new member of the Human Rights Council last week.