MOST’s Deputy Prime Minister and Administration Minister Ivan Kovačić is demanding an apology from HDZ’s member of Parliament.
Deputy Prime Minister and Administration Minister Ivan Kovačić (MOST) could leave the government on Thursday if Member of Parliament Josip Đakić (HDZ) does not apologize to him for calling him despicable, reports Jutarnji List on March 12, 2017.
The media reports have been confirmed by Kovačić’s special adviser at the Ministry Ivica Relković. If Đakić does not apologize, than they expect Prime Minister Andrej Plenković (HDZ) and Minister of Veterans Affairs Tomo Medved (HDZ) to clarify to the public why did the government decide to appoint at the Administration Ministry high-ranking SDP officials, former Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs Vesna Nađ and former Deputy Minister of Defence Višnja Tafra.
Relković claims that Minister Medved was calling Kovačić for weeks, asking him to accept the transfer of Nađ from the Veterans Affairs Ministry to Administration Ministry. Nađ was one of the officials against whom veterans’ organized a marathon protest during the former SDP government, demanding her resignation. On the other hand, Tafra was the best of all the candidates who applied to the public competition for the position of general secretary at the Administration Ministry.
“If that does not happen, the Minister cannot come to the next session of the government, since he has been called despicable. HDZ leadership knew that such a decision would be made for a month, and all HDZ’s minister voted for it. Does it mean that HDZ ministers are also despicable?” asked Relković. He added that Đakić should apologize not only to the minister, but also to Tafra and Nađ. “That is the minimum that is necessary for the minister to come to the government session on Thursday”, explained Relković. “Minister Kovačić is a decent man who does not assess people according to their political affiliation. In addition, he could not refuse a request from our political partners to accept the transfer. He accepted the request of Minister Medved and now he is being called despicable by Medved’s party colleague”, continued Relković.
Minister of Veterans Affairs Tomo Medved confirmed that he requested the transfer of Vesna Nađ due to bad relations between her and some veterans groups. He wrote a letter to the Justice Ministry and the Administration Ministry to find a position for her.
Josip Đakić, the MP who started the drama by slandering Kovačić for having two high-ranking SDP officials in his ministry, did not want to comment on the issue. Sources close to Prime Minister Plenković say there will be no resignation. “First of all, there is no resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Kovačić. Tafra was appointed by the government following a public competition. Nađ was moved in accordance with her qualifications, in agreement between ministers Medved and Kovačić”, said a source.
