Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Wednesday that in the eight years of its European Union membership Croatia had absorbed €50 billion more than it paid in, underscoring that every country was facing difficulties in absorbing money from EU funds.

“In the eight years of our EU membership we have absorbed over €80 billion and we paid in €30 billion, which means we are €50 billion in the black,” the prime minister said during Question Time in Parliament, responding to a question by Domagoj Hajdukovic of the Social Democrats’ caucus.

Plenkovic underscored that all EU member states have difficulties in absorbing money from EU funds, adding that the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) were not invented for Croatia’s sake.

Our government said it wanted to participate in the instrument because we want a more strict supervision of the use of European funds, I have no problem with that, if someone is guilty, they will answer for that, if they are not, they won’t, Plenkovic told the MP who asked him how will those responsible for irresponsible use of EU funds be held accountable.

Were you aware of the crimes of ex minister Gabrijela Zalac or she tricked you as well, Hajdukovic asked the prime minister.

Hajdukovic agreed Croatia was in the black when it came to EU funds, stressing that the point of his question was whether the money from EU funds had been stolen by the prime minister’s party colleagues or had it been distributed to those who were supposed to receive it.