Vaccination, booster jab and responsible behavior key in battling new variants of COVID-19

Regarding the omicron variant of COVID-19, which has also been confirmed in Croatia, Plenković said that it was widely spread as an increasing number of reports had shown that it was spreading across many countries. He recalled the importance of complying with epidemiological measures, including vaccination as the most important one.

He dismissed as untrue media interpretations that the HBK was against COVID certificates, underscoring that nothing was contradictory and that the government and the HBK did not have different views.

"I don't understand how the Iustitia et Pax Commission's press release this morning could be misinterpreted to mean that bishops were against COVID certificates," PM Plenković told reporters this evening after a meeting of the HDZ presidency and national council.

He added that the meeting with the HBK was excellent, timely and useful for all citizens and that it had sent clear messages to the faithful.

Regarding the omicron variant of COVID-19, which has also been confirmed in Croatia, Plenković said that it was widely spread as an increasing number of reports had shown that it was spreading across many countries. He recalled the importance of complying with epidemiological measures, including vaccination as the most important one.

Milanović's comments are nonsense, irrelevant

As for the latest statements by President Zoran Milanović, who during a visit to the island of Vis on Monday accused Defence Minister Mario Banožić over his refusal to pay per diems to soldiers providing support to him, Plenković said he felt sorry for people who invited Milanović to visit them.

"Nobody knows the purpose of those visits. There are always echoes of some quarrels, comments, insults. I think this is superfluous and makes no sense," Plenković said, describing Milanović's comments as nonsense and irrelevant.

As for wages for the Croatian Armed Forces, they are not an issue, he added.

Commenting on a referendum campaign against COVID-19 certificates, launched by the opposition Bridge party, Plenković said that there was no parliament that would be able to operationally manage, on a daily basis, any crisis, let alone a pandemic that had been under way for two years.

"Those are figments of imagination... they (Bridge) do not care about public healthcare at all. Those are destructive actors who are severely frustrated by being in the opposition; there is a rational and an irrational opposition, and their behaviour is irrational," he said.

As for plans for a new anti-government protest in Zagreb on 18 December, Plenković said that Croatia is a democracy where people have different views and articulate them freely.

However, messages that incite to terrorism and anarchy are not democracy. Should the protesters articulate their messages in such a way that will make them fall under the Criminal Code, decisions on them will not be made by the government but by police and the prosecutorial authorities, he said.

Text: Hina

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