Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic attended the solemn meeting of the Osijek City Council and made a statement to the media.

He praised the Slavonia and Baranja project: “We have invested 3.3 billion euros in five districts, and fantastic cultural infrastructure such as this concert hall and other projects are attracting foreign investment, such as the American one in the Nemetin business zone,” he said, praising the Osijek City Council.

“The burden is on the opposition”

Regarding the selection of constitutional judges, he said that the opposition had rejected several sessions.

“The burden of responsibility lies with the opposition. More than 60 people have applied, whom the constitution-breaker Zoran Milanovic calls worn-out kitchen cabinets and stable flies, while the SDP refuses to respect the logic for appointing the Constitutional Court. Given that they want a vote of no confidence in the government, will not vote for Minister Irena Hrstic, and are accomplices of the constitutional violator, the question is who has been dealing with whom?” he added.

“Contacts will resume today and will continue until Friday,” he emphasised.

“Hajdas-Doncic is protecting Milanovic”

“Sinisa Hajdas-Doncic is formally at the head of the SDP and is holding the fort for Milanovic. We have defeated Davor Bernardic and Pedja Grbin, and we will defeat him too. The SDP has shown its true colours by supporting Milanovic, and it lost by a margin of 19 votes. We will respond by showing what Croatia was like under their rule compared to what it is now under our mandate. Let them resign themselves to their fate,” he said.

With regard to the upcoming no-confidence debate against the government, he said he expected nothing different than before. “We keep winning elections while they keep losing with 17 failed no-confidence motions. Their job is to obstruct the government. Sometimes they do this in parliament, sometimes by banging wildly on the tables. Sometimes they protest and insult, and such a group is unwelcome,” said Plenkovic.

“In Croatia, 1.7 million people are employed while they throw around empty phrases about people leaving the country. Look at how many people are returning, returning to Slavonia. Look at how many have returned from Ireland. Unlike during her time in office, Croatia is catching up with the EU. Look at what has been achieved here,” he emphasised.

“The Hungarians have not seen the drone”

Regarding the negotiations with the trade unions, he said that the average salary in the public sector had risen by 32 per cent. “There has never been such a big increase. Now we are having the usual talks about basic salaries and coefficients. Do you know how much the basic salary has risen during Milanovic’s term of office? Zero,” he added.

Regarding the remarks of Defence Minister Ivan Anusic, he said that such remarks were typical for gatherings where people speak more openly. “Croatia belongs to the West, not to the East, where Milanovic is trying to pull us under the influence of Russia,” he said.

He was also asked whether Hungary was protecting Croatian airspace, despite the fact that two years ago a drone flew through Croatian airspace and crashed in Zagreb. “I would say they did not see it. If we do not trust them, we trust NATO. The fact is that the drone flew over Hungary at such a speed and landed where it landed, and they did not have time to react,” Plenkovic replied.