On Wednesday, the government representatives rejected all 128 amendments to the draft budget revision 2024, while the members of the ruling majority did not put forward any amendments.

The opposition’s 128 amendments included around 60 proposals from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and 50 amendments from the Most party, most of which were submitted by MP Marin Miletic, who called for additional budget funds for a number of projects, primarily in Rijeka and Istria.

In one of his amendments, Miletic demanded three million euros in compensation for the side effects caused by the COVID-19 vaccine and for the unjustified fines levied during the pandemic, which he said had financially ruined many citizens, forcing them to close their businesses.

Glasovac: There is money available and it should be made available to pensioners

“The HDZ has sent a clear message that the citizens of Istria and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County are second-class citizens,” said Dalibor Paus from the Democratic Party of Istria (IDS) after his amendment calling for an increase in funding for the road operator BINA Istra to abolish the toll for the Ucka tunnel was rejected.

There is money available and it should be made available to pensioners, as many of them live on the edge of poverty and are particularly affected by inflation, said Sabina Glasovac (SDP party), calling for around half a billion euros to be taken from the energy supplier HEP in the form of energy levies and used to increase pensions.

Some of the amendments are submitted every year. For example, MP Bozo Petrov (Most) has repeatedly requested funds for the construction of a centre for citrus fruits and a warehouse for mandarins in the Neretva River valley while Sanja Radolovic (SDP) has repeatedly requested funds for the restoration of the staircase of the Church of Our Lady of the Sea in Pula.

Parliament will vote on the amendments and the 2024 budget revision on 25 October.