We will find the solution before the beginning of the tourist season, since the current situation is untenable for us, says the Prime Minister.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Monday that a solution for the current “unsustainable situation with long queues at border crossings” would be found before the beginning of the tourist season, reports Jutarnji List on April 24, 2017.
“We are working on this all the time, and we are in dialogue with all the partners at the EU level, meaning with the European Commission, the European Council, other member states, as well as with Slovenia,” said the Prime Minister.
“I will remind you once again that the latest changes to the Schengen regulations, which have been in some way imposed by terrorist threats in a number of member states and include the systematic control of all those entering and leaving the European Union, have the possibility, thanks to our efforts, for the systemic controls to be changed to just targeted controls,” explained Plenković. He added that Croatia and Hungary had done so and that he expected Slovenia to do the same.
According to him, Slovenia did not take such measures to the extent that Croatia did. “We are in talks with everyone to explain how important tourism is for us, how important it is for the economy. We do not want to have problems during the tourist season,” said the Prime Minister. “In Croatia, tourism has a share of about 18 percent in GDP, so we will do everything in our power to resolve this issue. I think Croatia has all the arguments on its side,” said Plenković.
“We have prepared complete documentation with accurately recorded waiting times at individual border crossings. As I have already said, this situation is unsustainable for us, we are in contact with all the colleagues and are looking for a solution. I believe that we will find it by the start of the tourist season,” he said.
Plenković also discussed the upcoming vote in the Parliament on the opposition’s motion of no confidence against Finance Minister Zdravko Marić. He was asked whether he talked with MOST’s ministers about how they plan to vote on the issue. The Prime Minister said that the discussion had still not taken place. He added that “this is not a matter for ministers, but is the subject of future talks between HDZ and MOST.”
If MOST’s ministers and MPs were to vote against Marić, that could possibly lead to the fall of government.
