Reaction from the outgoing government on the proposed incoming minister selection.
Outgoing Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanović said that he was ready to hand over the power to the new prime minister if tomorrow’s parliamentary sessions ends with a vote of confidence for the new government. “Parties are the centre of political activity, and they should not be gathering experts at coffee shops in Zagreb because that erodes the confidence in democracy. This is becoming a parody, even though there are people in the new government who are competent”, Milanović said, reports Index.hr on January 21, 2016.
Milanović added that he was leaving a better and freer Croatia, with a better reputation and better economic indicators, with more stable finances and better tax revenues. He also said that antifascism traditions in Croatia are under attack. “I would not say that they are in danger, but something bad is trying to be presented as patriotism, which is not true.” Asked to comment on the statement by the new Culture Minister Zlatko Hasanbegović that Croatia should base its independence solely on the Homeland War and not on antifascism during the Second World War, Milanović said he feared that this kind of rhetoric will dominate in the coming period.
Talking about a statement by one party from the Patriotic Coalition that the new government will abolish the Civil Partnership Act, Milanović said that it was a possibility. “What we have is a reasonable solution, and we do not need to push the country back to the Middle Ages”, concluded Milanović.
Outgoing Foreign Minister Vesna Pusić expressed on Facebook her opinion about the new government. “After I saw the proposal for the new ministers, I have to say that I am very worried. Among people who have been nominated there is a person who has publicly proposed compiling a list of traitors, which directly implies terror, and there is also a person who has publicly stated that antifascism is just empty words. Therefore, I am very concerned about the future of our country and all the citizens, because the threats to civil liberties and human rights, just coming from those who will be in the new government, are greater than ever”, wrote Pusić.
Outgoing Interior Minister Ostojić commented on the nomination of Vlaho Orepić to be his successor. “I do not know him personally, but I am glad that we were fighting together in 1991. I respect him because I know how difficult it was back then. I believe that a person with good reputation will be a better solution than any of the names that were being mentioned in the previous days. I am glad that he is a respected person in his community and I hope he will respect the laws”, said Ostojić.
