With new SDP president, chances for cooperation between MOST and SDP have improved.
Newly-elected SDP president Davor Bernardić issued on Friday a public invitation to Speaker of Parliament and MOST leader Božo Petrov to establish a working group for the reform of local government system, which he called one of strategic interests of Croatia, adding that MOST would have the support of SDP, reports Večernji List on December 2, 2016.
SDP will give its full support for real reforms to be implemented, and not just an illusion of reforms, said Bernardić at a press conference. He called on Petrov, who used to be the Mayor of Metković, to chair the working group and to try to find a consensus agreement on the reform of local government system.
Bernardić recalled the inaugural speech of Božo Petrov who said at the time that he would push for a return of confidence in the institutions and for the implementation of reforms which are necessary for the country. Among them, Bernardić noted, one of the most important ones is the reform of local government system.
However, Bernardić did not answer a question whether this was an offer to the entire government, both MOST and HDZ, saying only that his priority was “the interest of the homeland and better life for people in the communities where they live”. Asked if his invitation actually meant that Petrov should be an opposition to his coalition partner and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Bernadić replied: “Well, isn’t he that already?”
Bernardić said that, after today’s public invitation to Petrov, he would initiate discussions and meetings in order to “help this country so that people would not leave their homes”. “Decentralisation is a strategic objective of Croatia and reform of local government system is one of the most important things which we have to implement and base the development of Croatia on it”, said the newly-elected SDP president.
He pointed out that they will send their specific proposals to the government, offer legislative solutions and try to encourage a broader debate and consensus on the reform of local government, but did not specify his own position related to the territorial reorganization.
“The number of municipalities is not the most important issue, but their functionality and organization. Certainly, no one wants to have their municipality abolished, but that does not mean that each municipality or each town must have all the functions, their own local municipal companies, because that leads to the overlap of functions and rising costs”, Bernardić said and added that the local government system should be optimized and more efficient.
Bernardić and SDP’s mayors and county prefects again warned that the tax reform would take two billion kuna away from local government units, which will have direct effects upon the quality of life of citizens.
