Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Friday that President Zoran Milanovic's assessment that the prosecutorial system was falling apart, and that the state attorney general was being saved for saving former minister Gabrijela Zalac, constituted political pressure on the work of prosecutors.

“That’s political pressure on the work of the State Attorney’s Office (DORH) and that’s the key message from President Milanovic and the entire opposition,” Plenkovic told Croatian reporters covering his visit to Montenegro.

He said everything was clear to him in a statement DORH issued after an inspection in a case dubbed Software, which implicates former EU funds minister Zalac. “What’s important is that DORH deals with corruption cases independently and impartially.”

Plenkovic also commented on today’s arrest of five persons suspected of inciting to terrorism.

“It’s even more important for Croatia that DORH deal with acts of terrorism or inciting to terrorism in the most serious way possible, because petty politicians are trying to send messages to destabilise the state.”

He said “everything should be viewed in the political-politicking context.”

“Politicians and anti-vaxxers who are pretending with referendums are people who don’t want us to keep our health, but for there to be as many people as possible at risk of COVID-19 having the worst aftermath. Everyone should open their eyes and look at who advocates what and stands behind what,” Plenkovic added.