PM: I rejected the resignation of Minister Zalac, that traffic accident could have happened to anyone

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Monday he had rejected the resignation of Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Gabrijela Zalac after she hit a 10-year-old girl while driving without a valid driving licence.

Speaking to reporters in Zagreb, Plenkovic said that the minister's failure to renew her driving licence was not the kind of infringement that would require her resignation.

Zalac has offered her resignation after she hit a 10-year-old girl who was jaywalking in the eastern town of Vinkovci on Saturday. The girl was hospitalised and the minister visited her in the evening.

Plenkovic said he had talked to Zalac several times since the accident, adding that her offer of resignation was "a fair and moral move".

"This could have happened to anyone. Her failure to renew her driving licence is not the kind of infringement for which I would ask her to resign from the government," the prime minister said.

He said that this was an omission and negligence on the minister's part, but not a criminal office. "It was a minor offence, the minister has paid the fine and will have her licence renewed," he added.

Plenkovic said that the most important thing was that the girl was recovering well and would suffer no permanent consequences of the accident. 

Commending Zalac for her performance as minister, Plenkovic said that during her term in office Croatia had increased its EU funding absorption rate from 9 percent to 65 percent and that her ambition was to increase the rate to 85 percent by the end of the year.

Text: Hina

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