PM thanks firemen, calls for punishing arsonists

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic commented at a cabinet session on Thursday on the many fires raging along the coast, thanking the firemen, the army, the Canadair pilots and everyone participating in putting them out for their efforts and selflessness, saying it was up to the police and the Interior Ministry to find and punish those who set them.

This year fires have devastated large areas along the coast, affecting numerous counties, due to drought, carelessness and, as investigations have shown, arson, Plenkovic said.

"The police and the Interior Ministry have the clear obligation and instruction to find the perpetrators and bring them to account with the severest sanctions because the extents have been bigger than any year before."

Thanking the firemen, army, civil defence organisations and pilots for helping put out the fires and prevent bigger damage, Plenkovic said it was crucial that "there have been no human casualties and destruction of more serious infrastructure. Also, this is a message that during the year we have to work on prevention, whether through Croatian Forests, farmland design or the work of other competent services, so as to avoid such situations as much as possible."

He said the government would find the money and a model to reward pilots and firemen.

The Agriculture Ministry has invited applications for the renewal of farmland destroyed in the fires, for which HRK 150 has been set aside. The claims can be submitted as of October and European funds will also be used to compensate for the damage, Plenkovic said.

He also commented on a decision to delay the enforcement of a property tax law. "I expect the Finance Ministry to organise, with all interested stakeholders and the public, a series of discussions to identify all aspects and implications of this tax. The application of the law was delayed because we believe it should be explained to the Croatian public and units of local and regional self-government in much greater detail."

Commenting on a recent terror attack in Barcelona, Plenkovic said such attacks had become continuous and that this once again underscored the significance of national and homeland security, including in the context of Croatia's new National Security Strategy.

"Quality cooperation with other countries, intelligence cooperation and alertness of all competent institutions as well as international cooperation. Croatia will contribute to that as a country which this year is recording the best results in tourism since it gained independence and we will certainly take into account questions important for our economic development," he said.

Text: Hina

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