Social Democratic Party leader Pedja Grbin reiterated on Saturday that the campaign to promote vaccination against COVID had evidently failed, and said he was willing to consider the option of mandatory vaccination if scientists said it was the solution to fight the epidemic.

Speaking to the press during a break in an SDP Presidency meeting, Grbin said that in talking about priorities and the legacy of his four-year term in office on Monday, the prime minister mentioned Peljesac Bridge, entering the Schengen and euro areas, procuring fighter jets, even the waiving of US visas.

“But interestingly, he didn’t say that he wanted his legacy to be a successful (post-earthquake) reconstruction of Zagreb and Banija. Those are the things we in the SDP want to talk about and want to be a priority of political activity, what is important to citizens and to improve the quality of life.”

Earlier today, the SDP Presidency discussed party matters as well as solutions to citizens’ current and long-term problems.

Grbin said that in the afternoon, the party would also discuss key matters for Croatia’s future, including whether COVID vaccination should be mandatory and reform of Croatia’s territorial organisation.

Responding to questions, he said the vaccination promotion campaign failed because citizens were not sufficiently educated about the benefits of vaccination and the dangers of not getting vaccinated.

Asked about the possibility of former president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović being elected NATO secretary-general, Grbin said the SDP’s answer was “why not?”