Q & A session held in parliament

After the two-month summer break, the new autumn session of the Croatian Parliament began today. The morning session lasted much longer than expected, in which MPs ask questions to ministers and the prime minister. As usual the session was marked by objections, reprimands and expulsions from the assembly. 

Almost two months since the last extraordinary parliamentary session, which was held due to the natural gas scandal, among other things, in the new session, members of the government, primarily Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, were greeted by the same topic and fierce opposition.

“What did you do for two months to shed light on the affair in which the Croatian electric company lost 14.8 million euros,” asked Anka Mrak Taritaš from the Glas party.

“Not on a single topic will the government adopt a decision based on pressure by others. A mistake happened. OK. You had the committee session, debate in parliament and a conclusion. We are proud that our measures during the energy crisis enabled citizens not to feel it,” responded Prime Minister Plenković.

“You repeat the pattern - you leave those who have established themselves in a position of power until the Office for Prevention of Corruption and Organized Crime and the police arrive,” accused Sandra Benčić from the Možemo party.

“For three months you left the director in his position, with that alone, whether you take something from this or not, because we don't know that, but with that alone, you are the patron of political corruption in Croatia,” claimed Benčić.

“What kind of an operation is this? A fake, perfidious, untrue operation, by political ankle biters, who want to get into power by falsely accusing without a single argument, and look who, the Prime Minister. In fact you're all protected by immunity so I can't sue you,” retorted the Prime Minister.

The prime minister went on to say that they are feeble, pathetic and, wretched, but he is supposed to be corrupt.

“Prime Minister, where are you in this story, a screenwriter, director, whisperer or lead actor?” asked Social Democratic Party MP Mirela Ahmetović.

Prime Minister Plenković responded saying that his role in all of this is that Croatians live better than if they were managing them.

The MOST party came out with new accusations.

“Today we are saying this publicly for the first time: You have a member of the Croatian Electric Company management, Šambić, who signed a property contract with non-other than Pavao Vujnovac,” claimed Zvonimir Troskot.

“What mechanism exists for me to, for example, with my modest insight into the country, come to information that someone is buying an apartment,” responded Prime Minister Plenković.

MP Karolina Vidović Krišto also pointed the finger at Plenković for his connections with Pavao Vujnovac and earned five reprimands for of which she was ejected from the assembly and cannot attend tomorrow's session.

The Homeland Movement also fiercely attacked the Prime Minister. Stipo Mlinarić criticized him for cooperating with people who do not respect national holidays and received a reprimand.

“The continuity of the policies you implement in the Republic of Croatia in fact represents complete destruction of Croatia,” continued Ivan Penava.

Plenković countered by noting that such propaganda cannot hide successes they have had from the people.

In order to emphasize the successes, MPs from the governing majority helped the ministers with their own questions, while the opposition noticed that ministers Grlić Radman, Banožić and Marija Vučković were not present.

Source: HRT