The indictment against four former ministers on Wednesday prompted fierce criticism of the government and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic by the members of the parliamentary opposition, who said it was an absolute, unprecedented scandal and demanded the PM to resign and for early elections to be held.

Social Democratic Party (SDP) leader Pedja Grbin said the four members of the Andrej Plenkovic government were charged with crimes they had committed while in office and that that case set a precedent.

“I cannot remember anything like this happening in any of the normal, well-organised European countries. This absolutely sets a precedent because four ministers have been indicted in a single day for a joint criminal enterprise. And they are not the only ones. There are also (Lovro) Kuscevic, (Gabrijela) Zalac, (Josipa) Rimac… and then someone has the nerve to give us speeches about not having known anything and about this being a fight against corruption,” said Grbin.

He wondered what kind of fight against corruption this was if it was waged by people charged with corruption.

Corruption is happening too often and that simply cannot be accidental. Corruption is the only system in this government that functions, Grbin said, noting that anyone with any conscience would resign but that Plenkovic was not such a person.

Plenkovic can try to justify himself any way he wants, but the reality is that people whom he chose to be his closest associates have been indicted for corruption, Grbin said.

‘Stepping down would be democratic minimum’

Sandra Bencic of the Green-Left Bloc said the fact that the indictment was filed against two ministers and a deputy prime minister who were in office when they were arrested, and a former minister meant that, in terms of political responsibility, the entire government, including the prime minister, was indicted for corruption.

She said that in “modern, normal democracies” such a government could not remain in office. If the prime minister “has even a trace of political responsibility,” he will resign and call an election, she added.

Bencic said Plenkovic was counting on an international career and wondered which institution would hire him if he “does not do the democratic minimum” and face the parliament and resign.

‘Change is in the air’

Nikola Grmoja of the conservative populist Most party said “criminal stability” was the only stability in Croatia.

He said it was incredible that in 24 hours a former HDZ MP, Vinko Zulim, was arrested and four former ministers, of whom two incumbent MPs, were indicted. In any normal European country, that would mean the fall of the government, but not in Plenkovic’s Croatia, he added.

That makes the opposition take even stronger action to achieve the so-desired change in the next election and the fact that the government depends on persons indicted for corruption is not a problem, Grmoja said.

He does not think the people will continue to “watch and suffer this in silence.” “I think… change is very near, it’s in the air,” he said, also accusing Plenkovic of high treason due to the closure of the Sisak Refinery and the resulting import of more expensive petroleum products.

‘Drastic prison sentences for those misappropriating state assets’

Marijan Pavlicek of the right-wing Sovereignists said the latest indictment only confirmed that Plenkovic’s two governments were “the most corrupt in the modern Croatian state.”

As many as 17 ministers have been replaced in the last six years due to corruption and some were even arrested while in office, he said, adding that the indictment of four ex-ministers in one day does not happen in any West European country.

What’s even worse, the incumbent government and parliamentary majority depend on two people indicted for corruption, he said, adding that his party will table amendments to the Criminal Code envisaging much more drastic prison sentences for those misappropriating state assets.

‘Plenkovic, and Bacic are integrating corruption into every pore of society’

Dalija Oreskovic of the Centre party said it might be true when Plenkovic and HDZ whip Branko Bacic said they had zero tolerance for corruption, because “they don’t tolerate corruption but are integrating it into every pore of this state and society.”

The legal proceedings based on the latest indictment “will last long and it’s questionable if there will be convictions,” she said, adding that there are many problems which Croatia “won’t tackle because there is no political will and there won’t be any as long as the HDZ is in power.”