May the 20th, 2024 – PM Andrej Plenković has presented the new Croatian Government ministers. The move comes after the April the 17th elections which saw him secure another mandate.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, today is the very first working day of the third government to be led by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković. The new Croatian Government ministers were presented as they held a session in Zagreb.
At the beginning of the session, the agenda was adopted, and Plenković commented on the constitution of the session of the Parliament and thanked the majority that gave his government confidence. “That trust is binding. It’s a great honour that you’ve allowed us to work for the betterment of Croatia once again,” he said.
He also welcomed the new Croatian Government ministers he appointed. That includes three members of Domovinski Pokret (Homeland Movement/DP) as well as the new Minister of Tourism. He thanked his former ministers, Anja Šimpraga, Nikolina Brnjac and Ivan Malenica, and wished them success in their new duties.
Plenković also touched on the government’s programme and said that it’s “a synthesis of the political programmes of the parties that are part of the majority”.
“We want a successful, fair, modern and sustainable Croatia,” said the Prime Minister, adding that in the next four years, himself and his new Croatian Government ministers want to reach 80 to 82 percent of the average development of the entire EU. He recalled the raising of the country’s credit rating and said that he wants to go one step further and move to the category that starts with the letter A. He also pointed out that the government’s goal is to raise wages, as well as the number of employees.
He also announced an increase in pensions, benefits paid out to new parents for each child born, other parental benefits, social benefits, and a more efficient healthcare system. Plenković stated that a new CPC will be drawn up and that the fight against corruption will be worked on. Over the next 60 days, national programmes related to national minorities will be created, he announced.
There will also be further investment in the army and the police, and efforts to more closely link Croatia and Croats who have emigrated abroad. “We’re going to protect Croatia’s borders, make sure the memory of the Homeland War remains strong and dignified, strengthen Croatia’s influence across Europe and the world… In less than two years, we’ll achieve OECD membership, as this is the only major relevant organisation that Croatia needs to join. We’ll take special care of Croats living outside of Croatia and the rights of Croats living in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina,” he said, emphasising that two MPs from Bosnia and Herzegovina were on the electoral lists, as well as, for the first time ever, one MP from Serbia.
