ZAGREB, 5 January, 2022 - Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets Minister Darko Horvat said on Wednesday that the opposition had the right to call for his resignation, adding that everyone involved in the post-earthquake reconstruction process has their share of the responsibility.
"The opposition has that right and let them exercise it. However, I am confident that the discussion in Parliament and the government report will show there is no need for such a process," Horvat said after a cabinet meeting.
Horvat was not specific when asked by the press if he was satisfied with the absorption of only 1.6% of funds from the EU Solidarity Fund for the Zagreb earthquake.
"We have said that preparations take time, document preparation and stocktaking. Funds are being approved and are coming in from week to week. HRK 360 million has been disbursed and about HRK 120 million has been approved, and this dynamic will be increasing," said Horvat.
Asked whether he felt responsible because reconstruction was taking so long, Horvat said that everything that was done was done on time.
"All essential activities concerning the Solidarity Fund and the Zagreb and Petrinja earthquakes were done on time to ensure public calls for applications, absorb funds and expend them on projects," Horvat said, adding that some of the implementing bodies were possibly tardy in the process.
Responding to claims by reporters that reconstruction was running late, which is something even Prime Minister Andrej Plenković has said, Horvat said that the prime minister has never said that.
"The prime minister has never said we are running late. All he said was that we aren't satisfied with the pace of reconstruction," said Horvat.
