Plenković welcomes Ban, talks with DP and HSLS representatives

After the parliamentary majority meeting, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković gave a statement to the press.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said that he welcomes Boška Ban, a new member of the parliamentary majority.

“We held a meeting today and after that meeting she decided to become part of the parliamentary majority, which she has already given a statement about. All colleagues who were at the meeting naturally expressed their warm welcome,” said Plenković.

“We also had meetings with representatives of the Homeland Movement (DP) and representatives of HSLS. We talked about the situation that is filling the media space, the behavior of Mr. Dabro, whom we all condemned,” said Plenković.

“Specifically, I talked with Penava and Mlinarić, and later with Hrebak and Klasić. In any case, I think that today's talks helped us better understand the positions of both parties. As far as I understand the position of the Homeland Movement, they neither knew that this would happen, nor are they satisfied with it. On the contrary, they are also dissatisfied with it and almost all the colleagues I spoke to say so. Such behavior has not brought anything positive for them either, in fact only negative,” Plenković emphasized.

Plenković said that as far as the HSLS is concerned, the situation is in accordance with the schedule they had internally. “They demand certain improvements, certain moves that should, above all, guarantee that such behavior does not happen again,” he stated.

“What the HSLS thinks, in principle, is also thought by the vast majority of other members and members of the parliamentary majority, and that is why today at the meeting of the parliamentary majority we heard very clearly a summary of what Mr. Penava told us and the situation is clear there. That was his behavior, not the behavior of the Homeland Movement. They also expressed dissatisfaction and regret with such a move and they also condemn it,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

As for further functioning, he thinks that in the next period there will be a convergence of views.

“A modality will be found for the coalition to function along, I say, that fence where Mr. Dabro's behavior was unacceptable to HSLS. Everything went in a good direction. Representatives of HSLS and DP also talked to each other, which is also good. We will use our modest diplomatic and political experience to overcome situations, for which we are not responsible at all,” emphasized Plenković.

He stated that he had other activities, mostly international.

“All in all, today was good, useful, it would be the first day when I could realistically set aside time for this conversation, because we were in Munich and India, yesterday in Ukraine, so we have taken a step forward and there seems to be goodwill on all sides to stabilize the entire situation,” said Prime Minister Plenković.

Source: HRT