“I want to hear first hand what the problems are and try to resolve them,” Plenković said in Glasgow, where he was attending the UN conference on climate change (COP26).
Commenting on Defence Minister Mario Banožić’s statement that it was time to remove President Zoran Milanović from office, Plenković said the minister of defence hadn’t said that but that it was “derived from a question and put as such in a headline”.
Plenković also said that while Milanović was prime minister, funds for the armed forces had been reduced, while during his own term as prime minister the armed forces had a bigger budget, a better position, the army had returned to Vukovar, Ploče, Sinj, Varaždin and the decision on the procurement of multi-purpose fighter jets had been made.
“This continued unlawful behaviour, privatisation of the army by Milanović, his statements in the capacity of head of state, we haven’t seen that before. We have seen many creative people in politics, but such primitive, brutal insults against one’s interlocutor, in which he practically calls the HDZ a Nazi party… He should cool it a bit until 9 November and then we’ll see what this is about,” the prime minister said.
The public should be worried and should strongly condemn the president’s unlawful behaviour, he said, reiterating that with every attack Banožić’s position in the government was firmer and that Milanović didn’t decide who would be in his government.
