▁the ▁Platform ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁People ' s ▁Party ▁and ▁its ▁program ▁documents , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁prior ities ▁of ▁Cro atia ▁in ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁from ▁the ▁perspective ▁of ▁the ▁HD Z . ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁winning ▁coal ition ▁list , ▁where ▁he ▁received ▁the ▁highest ▁number ▁of ▁prefer ential ▁votes ▁among ▁the ▁HD Z ▁candidates . ▁ ▁Between ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁Pl enk ović ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Committee ▁on ▁Bud gets . ▁From ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁vice - ch air man ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Parliament ▁Committee ▁on ▁Foreign ▁Affairs ▁and ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁parliament ' s ▁deleg ation ▁to ▁the ▁Eur on est ▁Parliament ary ▁Assembly . ▁He ▁led ▁the ▁parliament ' s ▁monitoring ▁mission ▁during ▁the ▁Ukrain ian ▁parliament ary ▁elections ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁his ▁committee ▁assign ments , ▁Pl enk ović ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Parliament ▁Inter group ▁on ▁S ME s ; ▁the ▁European ▁Parliament ▁Inter group ▁on ▁W ine , ▁Sp ir its ▁and ▁Qu ality ▁Food st uff s ; ▁the ▁European ▁Parliament ▁Inter group ▁on ▁Youth ▁Iss ues ; ▁and ▁the ▁European ▁Parliament ▁Inter group ▁on ▁Dis ability . ▁ ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Cro at ian ▁Democratic ▁Union ▁Pl enk ović ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁HD Z ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁in ▁a ▁sign ▁it ▁was ▁dist ancing