Croatian President Ivo Josipovic held talks Friday with parliamentary party leaders in a bid to ease political tensions in the wake of a series of anti-government protests.

"The reason why I have called the parties is to talk about stability" in the country, Josipovic said ahead of the meetings which will include an update on Croatia's bid to join the European Union, now entering its final phase.

The president's office said the talks would also focus on the protests and economic situation.

Since late February, thousands of people have been protesting several times a week in the capital Zagreb. The rallies, organised via Facebook, have called on Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor to resign and for early elections which are not due until early next year.

Josipovic said Thursday the protests came as people were "experiencing hard times".

"They have no jobs or are not being paid for their work, and because they and their families are hungry," he said.

Kosor has said that the election date will be announced once EU accession talks are concluded, which the government hopes to wrap up by July.

She took over as premier in 2009 when her powerful predecessor Ivo Sanader, currently detained on suspicion of corruption, stood down.

Croatia was hit hard by the global economic crisis and has seen negative growth for the past two years, recording its highest unemployment rate in eight years.