President Milanović Opposes Imposition of Curfew
Following the wreath laying ceremony at the Central Cross in the Alley of Fallen Croatian Defenders at Mirogoj Cemetery on the occasion of All Saints’ Day, the President of the Republic answered reporters’ questions. He commented on the security situation in Croatia, the COVID-19 pandemic measures, and plans to observe the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Vukovar.
“I would like to say a few words about the proposal to convene a National Security Council meeting, which by law is the umbrella organization of the entire national security system and everything else is subordinate to it. It is large enough to be able to reach decisions in our area of competence and political responsibility, and small enough not to look like a public fair. The Coordinating Committee of the National Security system held a meeting the day before yesterday with eight or nine ministers present who discussed measures. They are here to help, but help can’t be given in such a way that first a subordinate body meets that has no authority to take initiative. Therefore all recommendations in this context are senseless”, President MIlanović noted.
He said that the attack on the Government has elements of terrorism, but it was not organized. If it had come to radicalization, which is the Prime Minister’s personal view, President Milanović repeated that a National Security Council meeting should have been convened immediately afterwards.
President Milanović talked about the situation related to the pandemic, and when asked about his view on suggestions to impose a curfew in Croatia, he said: “I think that those who talk about a curfew should be put away. People get goose bumps at the mention of a police curfew”. I do not follow the situation every day, but I can see that people are developing mental health issues. I don’t want to hear talk of a curfew”. Reminding that the Constitutional Court gave its opinion on the measures that have been implemented, President Milanović repeated his warning that “this way of making decisions is creating a huge legal mess”. He feels that without a constitutional basis, repressive measures are referred to as “violation of human rights”, as opposed to arrests for legally prescribed violations, which is “law enforcement”. “We have reached the point that after six months the term curfew is being used. Does that mean that the police armed with assault rifles will go around and make arrests?”, the President of the Republic asked.
He reminded that “restrictions of movement already exist, we have sufficient restrictions. The measures are sufficient, but people are afraid. We have done everything we could. One should be careful and more than that isn’t possible.”
Regarding the situation in hospitals due to the surge in coronavirus cases, he said: “The medical staff has a tough job for regular wages. I am sure that the state has done all it could. It’s a no-win situation, but there can be no submission because there will be a third wave, probably the most difficult one. Experience has shown”. About the fear that the healthcare system will collapse due to the pandemic, he replied: “We were aware of that during the first wave and we saw what happened in Italy. Lombardy had so many deaths because whoever coughed was hospitalized, and look what happened”.
Regarding plans for the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Vukovar on 18th November, the President said: “They have to reach an agreement with their former party official who left the HDZ. It is a public holiday in the Government’s jurisdiction as opposed to this holiday, which is a matter of agreement. According to the Public Holidays Act, the Day of Remembrance is organized by the Government. I hope that the mayor is preparing for the walk and that it won’t be used for usual political ends. I know that this has occurred too often in the past.”
On commenting his relationship with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković he said: “There is no cohabitation, we don’t have the French constitutional order, we are a parliamentary democracy. This entire debate, or rather dispute or cycle that began with slander and insinuations ended in a similar way, and both were uttered by Plenković. I extended a hand of cooperation.”