President of the Republic Names Andrej Plenković Prime Minister-Designate
The President of the Republic of Croatia Zoran Milanović received the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia and president of the HDZ Andrej Plenković at a ceremony during which he named him Prime Minister-designate, a process provided for by the Constitution. He presented to him the Decision on giving the mandate for forming the Government of the Republic of Croatia. Furthermore, the President of the Republic reached a Decision on the state opening of the Croatian Parliament on 22nd July 2020.
Following their meeting, President Milanović addressed the media: “He brought the signatures, the election result is clear and I congratulated him. I saw 76 signatures, I hope that all will be healthy, strong, merry, present at the sittings, I hope their health will not be compromised and that they will be able to work normally. Complex times are ahead, times we have not faced before. I hope that this year will end as it has to, i.e. with an economic downturn, and that the coming year will be one of economic recovery, I want to believe this”.
In replying to a question about the announced reduction in the number of ministries, President Milanović stated: “If it will be easier for the Prime Minister to work, then it’s a good thing. A few plaques will change that is the Prime Minister’s discretionary right, the number of civil servants will remain the same, the number of administrative departments will practically remain the same. If this will help the Prime Minister, and it will, all the better”, President Milanović noted.
Reporters wanted to know whether these difficult times will see a ‘tough cohabitation’ between the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister. “I have generally supported all of the Government’s measures. My stances are well-known and it is hardly likely that they will change. If I consider something harmful, I will react”, the President replied.
Regarding the salute ‘Za dom spremni’ (For the Homeland Ready) President Milanović replied: “(Having a deputy prime minister from the ranks of an ethnic minority) is a continuation of good practice, a practice of good spirit, it isn’t just symbolic, it distinguishes Croatia, from unfortunately many of its neighbours. We have a long history of discussions on this topic and a decision concluding that this salute is not in accordance with the Constitution. The issue is whether we will treat it as disturbing the peace or penalize it as hate speech because that’s what it is. We come from different backgrounds, families, I’m not one in favour of bans, but there is no other choice. This has to be penalized as a criminal act calling for a light sentence, which will label the person who commits it. We will not insist on this topic, it is up to those who can change it”.
Speaking about the Law on the reconstruction of the City of Zagreb, President Milanović said that even before the earthquake, Zagreb was a neglected city. “The Law on the reconstruction of the City of Zagreb does not necessarily have to be called that, but the intention of that law is clear. I have seen the most significant cities in the past 20 years. Even before the earthquake, Zagreb was the most neglected city, having a serious historical and urban centre with its architecture, this is our city, our capital, this is the Croatian Jerusalem”, he noted.
As far as the issue of wearing masks is concerned, President MIlanović feels that such matters should be legislated. “I expect clearer and more precise legal framework from the perspective of the Constitution related to the Civil Protection Directorate’s COVID-19 response team, such as defining powers for adopting measures and their duration, and the current legislation does not define that. The Law on the protection of the population even at the time it was adopted was not intended to relate to Croatia as a whole, to every citizen the whole time. This can be resolved so that the Government, for a specific time proposes a certain limited suspension of human rights in cases such as this one. I expect that this two-thirds majority already exists, that we have a clear legal situation, we know what is possible and for what period of time, who may order someone to wear a mask, and if he doesn’t wear one, what is the fine. I repeat, I’m not part of this story, I’m not an opponent of the Government, I’m not asking for powers for myself, however such a decision would make the legal regime clear”, he said and added that he is not calling for an extraordinary situation.
“I’m talking about the legal order. This Civil Protection Directorate will be able to issue executive orders, otherwise it makes no sense. We will be more serious as a legal order. My intentions are good”, President Milanović concluded.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Tomislav Bušljeta