PM says Zlatar Violic made mistake, didn't commit crime

While attending an exercise of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) in the Paklenica National Park on Friday, PM Milanovic dismissed accusations that he had known of the former minister's irregularities some time before and that he had not wanted to react until the pertinent report by the State Auditor Office became public.

Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic has said that he did not know that former Culture Minister Andrea Zlatar Violic misused official credit cards until the case was made public, and added that what she did was not a crime and that she left the government due to irregularities and omissions. 

"We did not shun responsibility. You can see how high standards we have set. Let us compare what has happened in the past three and a half years (of his cabinet's term) and during the eight years before that. People make mistakes, I have had to ask some ministers to leave the cabinet over minor mistakes," Milanovic said, adding that what had happened from 2004 to 2011 and during his premiership was "worlds apart".

"A mistake is a mistake, an omission is an omission, and a crime is a crime," Milanovic said noting that the state auditors did not find anything criminal during their inspection of the ministries of the current government.

Milanovic said that he agreed with Finance Minister Boris Lalovac about the curtailment of salaries of employees in state agencies, but added that he would be against any drastic cuts.

Asked by the press whether Zagreb might have early mayoral elections, Milanovic said that he did not know as he had no influence on that matter.

In the Paklenica National Park, on the southern slopes of Mount Velebit, HGSS members conducted an exercise of rescuing victims from a mountain river.

(Hina) ms

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