President Milanović: National Recovery Plan Not Transparent, What’s Being Hidden?
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović attended the presentation of awards to the best makers of the Samobor Salami, a protected food brand from Zagreb County, at the traditional Samobor Salami Festival in the town of Samobor. After the awards were presented, members of the press asked the President if he had seen the National Recovery Plan, which the Government is due to submit to Brussels in five days.
“I haven’t seen it, nobody has seen it. That is a problem because it erodes the little trust that exists between citizens and the EU and that link – having information about what the money will be spent on – is very important. For the sake of transparency, so that one knows if it goes to public firms, those with political ties to the ruling party. If I were the Prime Minister, in this particular situation I would take care that everything was as transparent as possible. This is completely non-transparent. I don’t even know what’s being hidden, because such things result in people feeling completely alienated from the centre of power, and Brussels is the centre of power,” replied President Milanović.
The President of the Republic emphasized that the National Recovery Plan should be as transparent as possible in order to dispel suspicion of rumours that something isn’t right. “It is important to dispel suspicion of or rumours about preferential treatment,” he said. It is not clear to the President why the Prime Minister even went to the Croatian Parliament with such a document: “The Prime Minister should not have opened this topic then; he should not have come to Parliament with the National Recovery Plan as it is. He has only provoked people to ask him legitimate questions.” He added that when it comes to EU money, it should be clear what that money is being used for. “I am not familiar with a single project,” said President Milanović, noting that he, as President, cannot suggest what should be included in the National Recovery Plan.
The 34th edition of the traditional Samobor Salami Festival, which is being held under the auspices of the President of the Republic, was organized differently this year due to the pandemic. In his address, President Milanović expressed hope that next year the Salami Festival will again be held in the traditional way. “A thousand people used to gather at this event,” said the President of the Republic.
“I tried to make salami once and it ended badly. People think they can make everything,” said the President, adding that the EU introduced stricter criteria for good reason. “Not everyone is a master at making things and not everyone is a winemaker; not everyone knows how to make rakija and not everyone knows how to make wine,” he said. “One of the fundamental laws of dialectics is at work here, according to which quantity turns into quality. Keep going, I am following your work with pleasure,” concluded the President.
After the awards presentation, President Milanović viewed products made by craftsmen from the town of Samobor that are on display at Trg kralja Tomislava, the town’s main square. Alongside President Milanović was the President’s Special Adviser for the Economy Dr. Velibor Mačkić.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Ana Marija Katić