President Zoran Milanovic on Wednesday described the appointment of Ivan Turudic as State Attorney-General as an abomination, called the members of parliament who voted for him enemies of Croatia, and the seven years of HDZ Party's rule as a Croatian national disaster

He said that he had not heard about Plenkovic’s message to the State Attorney’s Office, but that “he will also receive a message from someone”: “The river of justice often comes in spring. I have sent the documents and the letter,” he explained, adding that the whole discussion was a farce, N1 Zagreb reports.

“Then he surrounded himself with the seven-member HDZ committee, which had unanimously voted for this humbug, and finally with the entire party. This is the first time since President Tito that the party has decided on the man who arrests people and puts them in prison. This is a national disaster,” he added.

Referring to the draft law that provides for prison sentences for those who reveal details of police investigations, the so-called “Lex AP”, President Milanovic said: “If this law came into force, the public would not know what kind of frauds we are dealing with. And now they would ban it. I call for resistance against the oppressors. According to Plenkovic, this should not be published, and this is information that the public needs to know,” he said, repeating that as president he would pardon anyone convicted of this law on leaking information.

“For me, anyone who voted for Turudic is not a friend of this country, but an enemy of Croatia,” he emphasised.

Turudic replies: Milanovic is our disgrace

The newly appointed State Attorney-General Ivan Turudic commented on President Milanovic’s speech in an interview with the Croatian RTL commercial broadcaster on Wednesday.

“He is our shame, the shame of the whole country. What is the content of his statements, what is there to hear in them, other than insults and spittle of the lowest kind? He uses a language that poisons Croatia and the youth, everyone in Croatia. It is no longer shocking when the notorious Milanovic utters such words. I am not afraid of him at all, I have no respect for him. If it makes him happy, then let him be,” Turudic said.

“The problem with him is that he wants to outdo himself every time. He will reach the point of implosion, he will implode in his malice and rage. And when anger and fear mix, it’s a very dangerous and toxic combination,” he added