ZAGREB, Sept 28, 2020 - President Zoran Milanovic said on Monday that he had apologised to everyone he had offended with his way of communicating and that he was more stable than Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.
"I have apologised, it (the manner of my apology) can be ironic but is not insulting. I did not call anyone mad. I did not turn on anyone physically in parliament. I don't see what the fuss is about. For someone to tell you to stabilise, what does that mean? I am more stable than he is," Milanovic said.
Milanovic's latest comment ensued after a reply from the government to his request for a meeting with Plenkovic to discuss the Janaf graft that he (Milanovic) first needs to apologise to everyone he has insulted and to calm down.
Later War Veterans' Affairs Minister Tomo Medved commented on Milanovic's apology saying that it did not appear to be an apology but the continuation of unacceptable dialogue.
I wouldn't go back to the "club"
Milanovic told reporters that he had visited a club owned by former Janaf CEO Dragan Kovacevic, twice in the company of a "very small group" and that he would not go there ever again.
"He was the CEO of Janaf. I start from the point that he must be someone who represents something, and he is someone I have known for some time. I was in the company of a completely different group. I did not go there on St. Martin's and especially not since I was elected. Some fish arrived from Split and no one wanted to buy it so we went and ate what was left," he said.
Asked whether it was appropriate that he as the president went to the "club" during lockdown, Milanovic told reporters to stop with that "demagogy."
Both the President and Prime Minister continued their work during the entire time of the lockdown and meet with their associates and during that time 50% of the population went to work too, he recalled.
"This is to ridiculous. Was I supposed to stay home and consult with my associates via 'zoom'," he asked and claimed that a certain level of trust has to exist.
Asked whether a visit by US State Secretary Mike Pompeo can be related to certain strategic management projects, Milanovic said that it can be related to the US presidential election.
"They did not remember us for four years. Now, the visa regime is being abolished, that should have been done long ago. We are treated as a security problem and that's that. We in fact did not have any relations with the US for the past four years," he said.
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