President Milanović on Grabar-Kitarović’s claims: She wants to wash her hands of her relationship with Putin, but she shouldn’t do so at Croatia’s expense
“She probably wants to wash her hands of her close relationship with Putin. Don’t do so at Croatia’s expense, find some other way,” the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović commented on former president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović’s statement in a British podcast in which she attributes her election defeat to Russian hybrid influence.
“My first association was the second album of the rock group The Clash “Give them enough rope”, followed by suspension points then they will hang themselves. Namely, give them enough rope then they will hang themselves. That second part is missing, but it refers to an English idiom and a well-known album. I won’t say anything further”, President Milanović explained figuratively, adding: “I realize you want to wash your hands of certain actions, but don’t smear us. I don’t know why, ask her. Or I’ll ask her because she is once again par of the delegation going to New York, I signed it again. We are leaving in two days for the UN General Assembly Session, and she elbowed her way in again”.
The President feels that the former president “obviously wants to go [work] abroad, and the photograph showing her forcing a jersey on Putin – is compromising and has to be erased, but don’t do it at my expense”.
Journalists asked President Milanović about the fact that Minister Grlić-Radman didn’t include millions of amounts of dividends in his financial disclosure statement. “I’ve said a lot about this, all of it true, how he got hold of the company. He is a monopolist. The company should have been nationalized in 1991, but it wasn’t, those who managed it as communist career people got it. They got brutally rich through that monopoly”, the President noted, adding “it wouldn’t be a problem if they didn’t lie the whole time about the identity of who and what they are. Four billion euros wouldn’t be enough for Grlić-Radman to be what he wants to be. I’m certain that after this he will be promoted”, he noted.
President Milanović called today on the Government of the Republic of Croatia and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković to take all necessary steps to solve the problems of the Croatian citizens, of the fans in Greek prisons.
“Our citizens in Greek prisons have problems, how to get money, how to purchase water? Because the tap water is not fit for drinking, therefore they have to purchase it, and they cannot get money through regular channels. Yesterday I spoke to people who are close to them, I feel the Croatian government can do a lot more”, President Milanović stated in Pazin.
He wrote to Prime Minister Plenković yesterday about the problems the Croatian citizens in Greek prisons are facing, considering that they may be detained there for months. “I hope the Prime Minister will undertake steps in good faith and within the scope of his responsibility”, President Milanović noted.