Plenković: Milanović is an isolated grump, the Croatian Army is not his private fiefdom

The conflict between Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and President Zoran Milanović over sending Croatian soldiers to a military parade in Paris has escalated further.

After the parliamentary majority meeting, Andrej Plenković called Zoran Milanović's statements "a tirade of nonsense and insults", accused him of unlawful treatment of the Chief of the General Staff Tihomir Kundid and claimed that the president is "an isolated grump who does not understand anything that is happening on the international scene".

Milanović is forcing Kundid into unlawful behavior

At the beginning of his address, he also briefly commented on the drop in inflation, describing it as "very good and positive news".

After the parliamentary majority meeting at the government offices, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković devoted most of his address to the new conflict with the President of the Republic.

“A brief comment on this tirade of nonsense and insults that Milanović uttered against me in Slunj. I think it is, unfortunately, good for people to hear it. It's all the same camouflage of the same insults and illegal behavior. He is forcing Kundid to behave illegally with illegal orders,” said Plenković.

"Kundid's misjudgment and mistake for not coming to the meeting"

He rejected claims that the Government is putting pressure on the Chief of the General Staff.

“The insinuations that the Government is putting pressure on Kundid are completely incorrect. What is correct, and in a way pathetic, is that the Chief of the General Staff, was invited to a meeting in the Government, and not in a pub in Slovenska Street where you eat so food isn’t thrown away...,” said the Prime Minister.

He pointed out that representatives of all EU member states and their armed forces will participate in the military parade in Paris.

“All EU members, representatives of all armed forces, will be in France. This fact leaves Croatia in the option of pretending that Milanović is some actor, when in fact he is an isolated grump who essentially does not understand anything that is happening on the international scene,” said Plenković, adding that this is a "flagrant violation of the law".

The Prime Minister also said that at the meeting of the parliamentary majority there was a discussion about the president's treatment of the Chief of General Staff.

“We had a coalition meeting where everyone was disgusted by Milanović's mobbing of Kundid. Kundid's assessment and mistake in not coming to the meeting is incredibly wrong. Croatia was moving towards being part of the Western circle. This is the society in which we want to see Croatia,” he said.

He called on Kundid to act in accordance with the law

The Prime Minister said that this kind of behavior damages Croatia's reputation in international relations and announced that the Government would consider further steps.

“This is a real embarrassment for Croatia on the international scene. An embarrassment for Croatia in the context of him behaving as if he were above the law, and he is not. In the coming days, we will consider all options so that we do not let this situation pass. The Croatian Army is not Milanović's puppet,” said Plenković.

He again called on the Chief of the General Staff, Tihomir Kundid, to act in accordance with the law.

“He does not owe Milanović anything. Milanović is not a boss, but a bully who mistreats him,” said the Prime Minister.

Plenković repeated that Kundid made a mistake when he did not come to the meeting at the Government.

“If Kundid thinks it's good for him to behave the way Milanović tells him, i.e. to consciously force him to break the law, then that's his serious problem,” said the prime minister.

"Coalition partners are appalled by Milanović"

When asked if he had discussed the whole situation with the coalition partners and what their position was, Plenković said that they condemn the actions of the President of the Republic.

“They are appalled. Ask them a little. They also read the media. I didn't watch his hits, because I didn't have time, but from what can be viewed quickly, it's shameful,” said the Prime Minister.

"I usually like Kundid, I didn't experience him like this"

When asked if he expected the resignation of the Chief of the General Staff Tihomir Kundid, Plenković reminded that the decision on his dismissal is made by the President of the Republic.

“Formally, Kundid is dismissed by the President of the Republic, but it's worse when you don't trust him. This same Kundid was imprisoned in Pantovčak, you remember,” said the Prime Minister.

He also commented on the President of the Republic's attitude towards international partners, claiming that it was precisely because of his behavior that he remained out of important international events.

“If they had invited him to Paris, he would have reacted differently. If you are surly all the time, in the end no one will call you. That's what happened to him. If you constantly whine... That's the case with people, and it's the same with states. No one calls him,” said Plenković.

Speaking again about Kundid, the Prime Minister stated that he was disappointed with his actions.

“I usually like Kundid, I didn't experience him like this. They distorted the problem. Unfortunately, the Croatian public follows events on the international scene too little,” he pointed out.

"Hranj is disqualified for ambassadorship"

The Prime Minister also referred to the statement of the former Chief of the General Staff, Admiral Robert Hranj, who said that he would act on the orders of the President of the Republic.

“Hranj has been discredited,” Plenković asserted.

He explained that he believes that Hranj has lost credibility due to his close relationship with the President of the Republic.

“Well, he took Hranj to Slovenska Street... If you take Hranj to eat and drink in Slovenska, Hranj is disqualified for ambassadorship. Bye bye,” said the Prime Minister.

At the beginning of his address, Plenković briefly referred to the fall in inflation.

“That is very good and positive news,” he said.

Source: HRT