Commenting on Friday on the recent e-mail correspondence scandal involving former Economy Minister Martina Dalic and consultants who drafted the controversial Lex Agrokor bill, President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic told reporters she would meet with Prime Minister Plenkovic on Monday to discuss recent developments.

“I will meet with Prime Minister, I hope, on Monday, I’m just waiting for the exact time to be confirmed,” said President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic.

“I requested a detailed report from the SOA (intelligence agency), I received it last night, and now the head of SOA (Daniel) Markic will come to my office (for a briefing)… I will also convene the National Security Council,” she said, talking about steps she would take to deal with the scandal.

Asked whether the Prime Minister had any responsibility for what has been dubbed in the media the Hotmail affair, she replied that they have not talked about the issue yet.

“We did not talk on the phone because I was outside the country. I did not want to speak about it over the phone because I don’t think the conversation would not be secure enough, which is why requested a meeting,” Grabar-Kitarovic said.

“I think the authenticity of this content should be investigated, this is done by certain institutions, and nobody should pressure the state attorney’s office (DORH). Of course, each one of us is politically responsible for the job they do, and that also depends on the stability within the ruling coalition, their talks, and at this moment I don’t have enough information to comment any further,” she added.

Grabar-Kitarovic said there were several reasons that were cause for concern over the entire affair, which started last week when news website Index.hr published leaked e-mail correspondence documenting the drafting of the law on state-appointed management, passed in April 2017 to help stave off bankruptcy of the food and retail group Agrokor.

“Firstly, fact is that the (debt) settlement must be implemented, I don’t want any complications in the process, as the stability of the entire Agrokor group depends on it. Second, we have the Hotmail affair, this needs to be investigated to see who knew about this communication. Why does a group of officials, serious people, communicate via Hotmail and other private e-mails which use servers outside the country, to discuss such an important issue?” Grabar-Kitarovic said.

She also said that a third side-effect of the affair was that “everything in the country has pulled to a stop”, referring to the way all other pressing matters that the government and politics should deal with have been pushed aside by the scandal.

Grabar-Kitarovic commented on PM Plenkovic’s earlier statement that all the consultants involved should return the fees they received.

“(If it was me) I would return the money. I wouldn’t want to compromise my position and my good intentions in drafting the bill which eventually did result in restoring stability. I would not want to cast any doubts on me. Besides, honour is more important than money. Let’s not forget the positive side to this,” she said.

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