ZAGREB, 11 December, 2021 - President and Armed Forces Supreme Commander Zoran Milanović said on Friday that €200 million had disappeared during the purchase of French Rafale fighter jets and that he assumed Prime Minister Andrej Plenković was working on replacing Defence Minister Mario Banožić.
"I only hope the jets will not end up costing €1.3 billion, that would be a serious problem... €200 million is gone," Milanović said, explaining that he was talking about €200 million less in projections for the defence system.
"The projections were a lie. I did not see any VAT there. It was increased based on the assumption that the cost was one billion euros, but the cost is 20% higher. If you announce something, you should state it in the budget. It was announced, but a lie was made and it was not put in the budget," he said.
Milanović, who was speaking after an event marking the 30th anniversary of the Croatian Air Force, said that Armed Forces Chief of Staff Robert Hranj did not attend because he was on holiday, adding that he did not know why Defence Minister Banožić did not show up but that he would not be allowed to speak if he had.
Until he changes, Banožić will not be allowed to speak
"Until the minister changes or until he changes certain things, he will not speak. I would prefer a normal person to cooperate with," Milanović said, adding that he assumed Plenković was looking for a new defence minister.
"Until he reinstates (Colonel Elvis) Burčul and stops harassing Hranj and threatening with inspections, the situation will stay as it is," he said.
Commenting on the procurement of US-made Bradley armoured vehicles, Milanović said that "it is in somebody's interest not to take them."
"I am not even talking about buying but taking. Someone is systematically undermining it in the media, which is outrageous. The decision was made by Congress and it can be repeated but nobody will do it with such an unreliable partner. I guess someone wants to take commission," he said.
Milanović added that he would ask to inspect the agreements on the procurement of the Rafale jets to become acquainted with the deal. He said that at the moment he did "not have a clue" what Croatia had bought and that he would ask for declassification of all documents on the matter that can be declassified.
He recalled that at the moment when the decision was made in talks with the French, "Hranj dropped out" and the talks were taken over by Plenković, Banožić and Plenković's chief of staff Zvonimir Frka Petešić.
He again commented on the 1991 Zec family murders, insisting that the family was primarily a target of robbery.
Milanović added that he would not allow others, whom he described as "moral usurers who think that they are full of virtue while all the others are fools, chauvinists and nationalists", to silence him.
"But we are not. To me, that is chauvinism. They are auctioning off victims, but not every crime is the same," he said.
Commenting on criticisms of his statements by some NGOs, Milanović said "those people are deranged, and some are also mean."
He added that they had compared him with Viktor Orban whom he had called a clown, as well as with Ratko Mladić and Franjo Tuđman.
"I am the one auctioning off victims? No, that's what they do," he said, repeating that not every crime is the same.
"They call me a right-winger who defends Serbs and say that I will not get their support for the second term in office. Who says I am interested in a second term?" he said.
Commenting on PM Andrej Plenković's visit to Ukraine, he said that one should be careful in relations with Russia and Ukraine.
"Don't stick your nose where it does not belong. It's very cold there and your nose might freeze," he said.
