- Published: 22.11.2017.
PM Plenkovic says 2018 budget realistic
Prime Minister and Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) leader Andrej Plenkovic said on Wednesday that the 2018 draft budget was realistic and reflected the political priorities of the government's platform, stressing that he did not want to comment on empty and unfounded comments by opposition leader Davor Bernardic.
"The budget is realistic and in my opinion reflects all political priorities of the government's platform. I don't intend to comment or waste any time on empty, unfounded, irresponsible and banal comments by the leader of the so-called opposition - you could see today what it looks like," PM Plenkovic told reporters after leaving the parliament hall, when asked to comment on Bernardic's claim that the draft budget was empty and overblown.
Noting that he and Finance Minister Zdravko Maric together presented the draft 2018 budget with projections for 2019 and 2020 "as befits a responsible government and a serious parliamentary majority", PM Plenkovic said that they witnessed flagrant attempts to obstruct the parliament's work.
"We regret that. I am confident that the Croatian public and people see very clearly who is serious and responsible and who is here to score some points in an unprecedented - at least as far as this parliament is concerned - attempt to prevent the normal work of deputies... Opposition MPs breaching the Standing Orders as many times as today is neither appropriate nor befits parliamentarians," said PM Plenkovic.
Responding to a reporter's remark that the opposition had opted for such conduct because the HDZ insisted on dissolving the parliamentary commission of inquiry for the ailing Agrokor corporation, PM Plenkovic said: "No, that is only in line with the legal provision which has been in force since Monday."
Asked why HDZ members of the commission did not vote for the dissolution of the commission in line with the law but only gave a written statement to that effect, PM Plenkovic said the statement was clear and that the HDZ MPs had done what should have been done.
He repeated that the dissolution of the commission was in line with the law.
Text: Hina