Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Sunday, on the occasion of the release of some of the Croatian fans from Greek prisons, that the Croatian Embassy in Athens was instructed to cover the entire package of costs for their return if they do not have funds, adding that they are returning to Croatia individually.

“This is what the state is for, to help citizens who are far from their homeland, friends, home and family,” Plenkovic told reporters after laying a wreath on Franjo Tudjman’s grave at Mirogoj.

“The decision was made on Friday to release 31 Croatian citizens. We do not know whether they have any documents, funds or anything with them. They are located all over Greece in different prisons. An unprecedented process is happening, the Greek courts, the Greek prosecutor’s office and their prison system are working on weekends which has never happened before. Greece has made an effort to take an extraordinary step after the decision that was made on Friday and to release them as soon as possible. Under these circumstances, the Croatian Embassy in Athens works around the clock and has its doors open for Croatian citizens,” Plenkovic explained.

So far, he says, a little less than 20 of them have come to the Embassy, ​​some of them have asked to be issued a passport because they don’t have any documents.

“Some of them asked for support to give them financial resources to buy tickets to return to Croatia. None of them have asked for money for bail so far. The bail is paid for now by the lawyer hired there, so I assume it will be refunded later from the family. The embassy was instructed to cover the entire package that might arise – bail, passport, travel expenses to Croatia, and it will be dealt with later. This is basically a completely normal procedure when Croatian embassies and consulates help Croatian citizens when they are in difficulties and have no means,” Plenkovic said.

Asked if they would have to return the money, Plenkovic said that the embassy would handle it.

About sixty Bradleys to be trained to function

Journalists were also interested in when the Croatian army will be able to use the Bradley armoured vehicles, which Croatia acquired from the USA and which are being transported to the Djuro Djakovic factory in Slavonski Brod for modernisation.

“The idea is to put into use more than 60 of the 89 Bradleys, part of which will serve as a pool for spare parts for those that will be operational. Djuro Djakovic has the task of making this process work systematically and successively. It will take some time and in the coming years they will be ready and available to strengthen the capabilities of the Croatian Army,” he said.