Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic said that the government's first 100 days in office were turbulent, that the parliamentary majority was formed quickly, that the parliament and government have been acting promptly and that a law on Zagreb's post-quake reconstruction has been adopted.

“That was our priority, and our decision to go to elections in July when the epidemiological situation was the best has also proven to the right… had we waited for the autumn, the question is if elections could be held at all, and then we would have had a constitutional crisis,” Jandrokovic said at Zagreb’s Mirogoj cemetery, where he laid wreaths and lit candles on the occasion of All Saints’ Day.

He noted that the government was dealing with numerous socioeconomic challenges and expressed the belief that it was responding to them well, including by securing money from EU funds to help patch holes in the budget caused by economic inactivity.

Jandrokovic also recalled the October 12 attack on the government headquarters, but noted that he believed Croatia was dealing with the situation rather well when compared to other countries going through crises.

No to debates that are not crucial for citizens

Asked about the recent war of words between the prime minister and the president, Jandrokovic said that there was no war of words and that after the statement by the prime minister earlier in the morning, he hoped the situation would calm down.

Asked if the prime minister had spent too much time trading barbs with the president, Jandrokovic said that the prime minister had made it clear on several occasions that he was not interested in such debates and that he had turned to important issues, which he considered a right decision.

Asked if the government had avoided visiting Mirogoj together with Milanovic, Jandrokovic said that there had been no plan for a joint visit.

“We planned our visit for today, (Milanovic’s) invitation arrived at my office on Thursday afternoon, at the same time when it was sent to the media, and there was no talk of or agreement on the time or location. I saw it more as an address or statement by the President rather than a serious invitation,” Jandrokovic said in a comment on Milanovic’s inviting the government to visit Mirogoj together after his office did not receive any such proposal from the government, contrary to the customary procedure of recent years.

Asked about Milanovic’s statement about the failure by the National Security Council to meet right after the October 12 attack on the government headquarters, Jandrokovic said that he had not heard of it but that the Council would convene once the time was right and conditions had been created.

“This year is extraordinary because of the epidemiological situation so we have to take care not to hold big meetings and I believe that stance is appropriate to the current situation. I believe next year the situation will be as it was before,” said Jandrokovic.