The Parliament has started its autumn session.
Croatian Parliament on Friday began its autumn session. As usual, the first item on the agenda were questions to the government, reports Poslovni.hr on September 15, 2017.
SDP’s MPs criticised Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, saying that he gave “sedating, pale and diplomatic” responses to their questions, and accusing him of dividing Croatia with his policies. SDP leader Davor Bernardić said that the government was hiding real business data on Agrokor.
“Five months have passed since the ‘Lex Agrokor’ was written for one company and five months since Ante Ramljak was appointed as the extraordinary commissioner. We could see him more often in celebrity magazines than explaining the real state of affairs. The state has assumed all the risks and potential dangers, so it is strange that it is hiding real business information about the company. Are you receiving real-time reports or you will, when they finally come, pretend that you did not know anything and will then pompously dismiss one of your ministers? Why are you afraid of a parliamentary committee of inquiry?” asked Bernardić.
The Prime Minister claimed that everything was transparent. “The Law on Companies of Systemic Importance for the Republic of Croatia was passed by the Parliament in the circumstances when the largest company was close to going into bankruptcy. You know how many employees, companies, suppliers and small farms are tied to that company and what would be the effect of not doing anything… By adopting this law, there has been a new trust of creditors who were willing to offer fresh liquidity and money which was used to pay suppliers, salaries, farmers… We have involved global consultants, credible audit companies, in a way that everything with the company is entirely transparent,” said Plenković. “There is also a continuing process of restructuring with credible international players, and we will continue to work transparently, professionally and responsibly in the interest of Croatian citizens for the completion of this process for another nine months.”
Bernardić then moved to the topic of the controversial memorial plaque which has recently been relocated from Jasenovac. It took Plenković’s government nine months to do it, and it is still not sure whether it would like to remove it altogether, or just move it somewhere else. He accused Plenković of creating the impression that he was doing something. “You are buying time for your position in the European Commission. The position of the prime minister is just a reserve post for you, and Croatia does not deserve that,” Bernardić said.
“Your ridiculous theory that I am getting ready to move to Brussels does not hold water even if I try to understand what you wanted to say,” Plenković replied.
Bernardić’s party colleague Gordan Maras claimed that previous Karamarko’s government was better than Plenković’s. “Croatia has been divided for a year… and the standard of living is getting worse… Your partners are right-wingers Skejo and Bujanec, while we have a host of problems – with Slovenia, INA, Agrokor, radicalisation of society and constant return to historical topics,” said Maras. He accused Plenković that because of his policies over 100,000 people had left Croatia. “The results are bad, you are doing badly, and you are not embarrassed? When will you resign,” asked Maras.
Plenković replied, “You two are having a lot of fun because I have not noticed that you were doing anything serious, so you are using this minutes to promote SDP, which has never been weaker.” HDZ won the elections, he told Maras. “My government is facing all the problems that have occurred in the past 25 years. The only thing that did not happen to us is an earthquake or something from the portfolio of the Security Intelligence Agency,” he said.
“You are looking at the world through rosy glasses. People are leaving, why? Because they are happy with you and because they have a good life? Even your MPs are embarrassed to listen to your answers. This Government is worse than Karamarko’s government, and this is one of the most difficult things I have ever said in the Parliament,” Maras said. “I will fight for Skejo and Bujanec not to be idols to my son. Let them be your son’s heroes,” he said.
SDP’s MP Siniša Hajda Dončić was interested to know where does the Prime Minister see Croatia in the world. “Should it be with the countries of old Europe which are based on the principle of solidarity, or are you more inclined towards Hungary and Poland,” he asked.
The Prime Minister replied that he saw Croatia as one of the countries which are deeply integrated into the European process. “My impression is that you and the President, as a foreign policy co-creator and recently as a spokeswoman for the Hungarian Prime Minister, are pushing Croatia to the brink of Europe, towards being some kind of a military border to Russia,” said Hajdaš Dončić.
SDP’s Sabina Glasovac warned that the Prime Minister was not immediately answering the questions he was receiving. “Maybe he is trying to make up some response, or perhaps someone is whispering to him,” Glasovac said, while the Prime Minister replied, “I can do whatever I want.” Speaker Jandroković warned him that he has to give an answer.
Translated from Poslovni.hr
