ZAGREB, May 1, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Friday dismissed the president's claims that the appearance of a few men wearing T-shirts with the salute "For the homeland ready" at the Okučani celebration was intentional provocation, adding that it is Milanović's right to leave, and the obligation of others to stay.

President Zoran Milanović abruptly left the central commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Operation Flash in protest against the salute "For the homeland ready" on T-shirts of some of war veterans who arrived in the town of Okučani on Friday morning to participate in the commemoration. The salute concerned, which was used during the Ustasha regime in the Second World War, was also used by the HOS volunteers during the 1991-1995 Homeland War.

"I have understood. We have held a brief conversation, for a minute. He was obviously informed by someone that some of the participants in the commemorative event had T-shirts with the HOS insignia. It is his decision (to leave). It is his right to leave, and it is our obligation to stay," Plenković said in his comment to Milanovic's behaviour at the Okučani celebration.

Plenković dismissed Milanović's claims that those T-shirts were an intentional act of provocation.

Asked by the press whether such T-shirts bothered him, Plenković answered that "all who gave their lives for Croatia, including the fallen HOS members, have deserved my respect."

"Making differences and what the president has done is not good. We have come here to pay tribute to the fallen defenders. You can see these 51 cubes here (as part of the Okučani monument to the fallen soldiers), we have come here because of those people. There is no place for provocation, we are here also on behalf of the institutions," the premier said.

As for the said salute, the premier recalled that his cabinet had made a clear position.

"The council for dealing with the past, which we have established, has adopted a document which very clearly identifies the moments in which some insignia, used during the Homeland War, can be used and those are commemorations and times when we remember our victims," Plenković said. "We pay our deepest respects to Croatian defenders," said the premier.

Plenković recalled that during the recent commemoration in Jasenovac, Milanović said that a memorial plaque with the names of the fallen HOS soldiers which contains the "For the homeland ready" salute should be thrown away.

"You will never hear any of us saying that a plaque with the names of the fallen soldiers who defended Croatia should be thrown away," he explained.

More politics news can be found in the dedicated section.

ZAGREB, April 28, 2020 - Prime Minster and Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) leader Andrej Plenković said on Monday that the parliamentary elections would be held when epidemiological circumstances allow, adding that the party's bodies had not discussed the election in detail yet.

Our political objective is to have political stability which is made possible thanks to reforms, Plenković told the press ahead of a meeting of the HDZ leadership in Zagreb.

We have ensured that for the country. With regard to our top priorities, Croatia is much better now than it was in 2016. Our desire is for the election to be held in this election year when epidemiological circumstances allow that. Today is the first day of gradual lifting of restrictive measures and we will make the decision when the election can be in line with political assessments; however, we have not discussed that in HDZ's bodies, Plenković explained.

We are in an election year, regardless of the fact if they are held this June, July or September, these are small nuances, he added.

The premier underscored that the most important thing is to beat the coronavirus and for the country to be economically reactivated efficiently as soon as possible.

He believes that the date of the election is less important than, as he said, the circumstances in which everyone will have an equal opportunity for electioneering and for articulating their ideas and platforms.

Plenković added that he had not discussed the election with President Zoran Milanović, recalling that the parliamentary majority will decide when and on what date to dissolve the current parliament.

After the dissolution, in accordance with the Constitution the president has 30 to 60 days to decide which of the four Sundays in theory it is possible to hold the election.

Asked whether he thinks that the opposition will agree to dissolve the parliament, Plenković said that the opposition had until now acted fairly courageously but now they seem to be a little less courageous.

Referring to the gradual easing of restrictive measures because of the epidemic, Plenković said that he was pleased with the way Croatia managed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

"The increase in the number of infections at a slower pace compared with other countries, a small number of our citizens who unfortunately died, prove that the government's measures have brought results. The thing that is important is that we chose health and the lives of our citizens," he underscored.

He added that the presented economic and social measures were accepted exceptionally well and they are a strong support provided by the state for the economy, private sector, employees and the private sector.

Plenković denied that the National Civil Protection Authority was politicised and dismissed claims that this crisis management team had turned into an election campaign headquarters.

He recalled that the COVID-19 crisis management team was appointed by the government and that it consists of people who represent government departments and who have a political term that the government assigned them.

"The Opposition obviously has a lot of reason to be unhappy. I can understand that. This same Opposition has tried to bring down the government several times. They launched motions for no confidence votes. Not one month went by without a similar motion. Now they can see how we are handling essential challenges and that is making them a little unsatisfied," said Plenković.

More election news can be found in the Politics section.

As Novac/Frenki Lausic writes on the 27th of April, 2020, for HDZ, when it comes to the Croatian economy, the state budget and other standards that regard citizens, it would be best to hold parliamentary elections now.

With each new passing day and month, even if we go with the baseline scenario, where the recovery of the Croatian economy would begin to be felt in the second part of the year, and the coronavirus pandemic would be kept under control, economic disadvantages on all levels would be visible.

The business results of Croatian companies will be much worse, the state budget deficit and public debt will grow radically, and the wallets of most citizens will grow even more empty. Last year, the Republic of Croatia achieved a budget surplus of 0.4 percent, and Zdravko Maric, the finance minister, said in preliminary estimates that the borrowing of a massive 45 billion kuna would be needed in the first three months of the coronavirus crisis in order to cover current expenditures of the enfeebled Croatian state budget.

Executives from the Croatian National Bank (HNB/CNB) said that each month with the epidemiological measures we've had so far in place, brings about a three percent drop for the Croatian economy. The current uncertainty is so high that the risks are largely unaccountable. In such a situation, pragmatism also requires HDZ to reduce this uncertainty to an absolute minimum, which can now, at least as far as HDZ as a party is concerned, can only be achieved through rapid elections. The July elections, if the party wins, gives HDZ the opportunity to make cuts on the expenditure side of the state budget with the power of a new electoral victory, and with generally less resistance.

Furthermore, such a strategy also enables the party not to make any painful decisions before July rolls around, especially those concerning the salaries of employees in the state and public sectors. If we remain with ''only'' a 45 billion kuna hole blown in the budget for the first three months of the coronavirus crisis, we should know that this represents 31 percent of the state budget and 11.2 percent of Croatia's GDP, if we calculate the GDP compared to the 2019 result, when amounted to 400 billion kuna.

However, if we know that with the baseline scenario, real GDP will drop, according to various calculations, by between seven and ten percent, then the deficit ratio in GDP in 2020 will be higher than 11.2 percent. This would also mean that public debt would reach close to 84 percent of GDP, the last time that was the case was back in 2015. In a less optimistic scenario, Croatia's GDP decline would be greater than ten percent and would go towards fifteen percent (and more) than that. The budget deficit would go up to 60 billion kuna and public debt would soar above 90 percent of GDP. In just one year. It goes without saying that this would be devastating beyond words for the Croatian economy.

A quick look at the numbers: 

A 45 billion kuna deficit in the state budget in the first three months of the coronavirus crisis.

84 percent of GDP could account for public debt in 2020 (up from 73 percent of GDP in 2019) even with a baseline (optimistic) scenario.

31 percent of the central government's budget amounts to 45 billion kuna

11.2 percent of GDP (from 2019) amounts to 45 billion kuna.

Make sure to follow our politics page for more.

April 24, 2020 - Croatian athletes of the first two individual categories and the senior teams competing in the highest rank can start training again from Monday, April 27.

24 Sata writes that Croatian athletes and clubs have finally received the go-ahead from the Croatian Government that their sporting activities can begin again.

Croatian athletes of the first two individual categories and senior teams competing in the highest rank can start training again from April 27, concluded Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic after the session of the Croatian Government on Thursday.

Thus, on Monday, the top football teams in the country could start preparations for the season to continue. As the first calendar option failed, two more calendar options remain. One is to start the championship on May 30, while the other is to continue the championship on June 13.

Croatian champion Dinamo welcomed the news, though little is known about the club's plan for training. It is only certain that there will be some activities on Monday (April 27) at Maksimir. The club is still awaiting a letter of all measures (or its publication on the official site), so the players and new staff will act in accordance with these provisions.

The situation will involve discussions with doctors and epidemiologists, as Dinamo does not know whether they will train in smaller or larger groups and maybe work individually. 

New coach Igor Jovicevic will start his adventure on the Dinamo bench in odd conditions, and the schedule and manner of training will depend on the instructions of the Government, doctors, and epidemiologists. In any case, everything will be much clearer by Monday.

On the other hand, Hajduk has been in good shape for a week already. The first-team players have been individually training at Poljud, each in their own term, with tasks assigned to them by the fitness trainers. As the situation with the virus stabilized, Hajduk was granted permission to train with multiple players in one group. So, as of Friday, Hajduk will train in a group of four players with coach Igor Tudor.

The four-member groups will alternate throughout the day at Poljud, but still with all the measures prescribed by the Civil Protection Headquarters. Players will always train in the same groups. The whole team could train together only once the coronavirus is fully under control.

Rijeka has been training at Rujevica for several days. The training is organized in several groups, followed from the stands by trainer Simon Rozman who returned from Slovenia several days ago and has to quarantine. The club, therefore, provided him and his assistant with accommodation in President Mišković's office.

This news has undoubtedly pleased Croatian athletes, including the Sinkovic brothers and the best Croatian gymnast Tin Srbic. Martin and Valent had been rowing on the ergometer on their balconies for more than five weeks, awaiting permission to train. While the citizens of Zagreb were walking around Jarun in peace, the Civil Protection Headquarters did not allow the Sinkovic brothers to train. 

"We'll switch to Jarun now. I can't wait to get in the boat. We haven't rowed for five weeks, so we'll have to get a feel for the pairs," said Martin Sinkovic, and Valent added:

"It feels like I haven't rowed for a year. I’m waiting for Monday to get into a normal training rhythm. A few days ago, we received the news that we would have the European Championship, and now we will be able to prepare."

Gymnast Tin Srbic has been improvising and maintaining form for weeks, but from Monday, he can finally go back to his favorite place - the gym! 

"I am glad that the decision was made and that we will be able to train normally. To me, the gym is everything, so I hope there will be new competitions at the end of the year to represent your country," Srbic told RTL.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, April 21, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Monday that the government was making well-thought-out decisions in the context of the coronavirus epidemic and would also define measures to relaunch some of the economic activities in line with epidemiological standards.

The measures to relaunch some economic activities will be defined at a government session on Thursday, Plenković said, declining to specify those measures.

"Once the entire set is finalised, we will present it," he told reporters after a session of his HDZ party's presidency.

He did not agree with assessments that Croatia was late in adopting measures to restart economic activities, describing them as an attempt to exert pressure on the government.

"All the countries that announced a certain easing of restrictions, notably big ones, had the highest number of fatalities on the day when they expressed their hope that restrictions would be eased. We are not in such a situation nor do we have a large number of infections or fatalities. Our decisions are rational, well-prepared, based on experts' opinions and on a clear political estimate as was the set of measures designed to alleviate the impact of the crisis on the economic sector," he said.

He added that measures designed to reactivate some parts of the economic sector would also be well-thought-out and rational.

The government must not allow a situation in which it would be pressured into easing restrictions and then experience an upsurge in the number of infections, he warned.

As for President Zoran Milanović's comment that decisions in Croatia should start to be made at the political and no longer at the expert level, Plenković said that all decisions that had been made were also political decisions.

"One should distinguish between political decisions of the government and ministers and the so-called health-epidemiological framework, which is about adjusting certain measures in the interest of our citizens' health safety. The national civil protection authority did not just come out of the blue, it was established based on a government decision," he said.

He added that all members of the national authority were appointed to represent departments. "And those departments are government departments... decisions to be made by the government on Thursday will also be political decisions and then epidemiologists will fit them into a framework to prevent putting at risk all the achievements of the recent weeks," he said.

Plenković also said that the HDZ would give up 20% of its funds, from the tranche for the second quarter, to be used for the fight against the coronavirus epidemic.

More coronavirus news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

April 18, 2020 - The restrictive measures currently in place because of the coronavirus pandemic will expire at midnight on Sunday. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic has thus asked Croatian ministers to prepare an overview of economic activities to restart the economy, after which epidemiologists will make recommendations on how to comply with the measures.

"Most epidemiological measures expire at midnight on Sunday, and we will certainly extend most of these measures. But we are definitely moving towards a phase where certain measures will come to an end," said Chief of the National Civil Protection Headquarters and Minister of the Interior, Davor Bozinovic, on Friday for Jutarnji List.

He reiterated that Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic asked all Croatian ministers to prepare an overview of economic activities to restart the economy, after which epidemiologists would make recommendations on how to organize compliance.

Next week, therefore, the Government will discuss proposed measures to unlock the Croatian economy after restrictive measures to curb the coronavirus pandemic have been in place for almost a month.

The most anticipated relaxation measures are certainly those regarding tourism, especially given the pressure from some of our foreign markets, which would love to spend the summer in the Adriatic this year. In this regard, for the sake of domestic guests, it is proposed to open intercity traffic and then the borders towards our auto destinations, which, in the case of a good epidemiological picture, could have some visitors this year.

"It is important that the conditions of border crossings are as simple as possible because if people have to wait in traffic and fill in paperwork, this is not appropriate either in health or in tourist terms," said the Jutarnji List interlocutors. When it comes to accommodation, it is suggested to open those closest to nature - primarily campsites - and begin with a segment of mobile homes with their own toilets so that guests do not mix often, and holiday homes and private renters will be open.

There are high hopes in nautical tourism, more precisely, the charter segment, which should also come to life among the first, because it was concluded that it could provide epidemiological conditions. It is also suggested to open cafes and restaurants, but to begin, only those who have terraces and who can provide sufficient distance between tables and guests.

Regarding the transport sector, Minister Oleg Butkovic will propose the introduction of the Zadar - Ancona catamaran line for freight, the gradual introduction of public transport in cities on a Sunday timetable, and the suburban railway around Zagreb gradually opening up under the same rule. The ministry is likely to suggest that, as in other European countries, trucking is carried out unaccompanied by police escorts along established corridors, and stopping would be allowed at predetermined areas.

Consideration is also being given to reducing the amount of tolls for Croatian citizens from 10 to 20 percent, the possibility of opening air routes within Croatia and relaxing travel arrangements to the islands.

Construction will certainly be one of the key branches of the economy this crisis year, and the Ministry has propsed three measures: accelerated digitization for obtaining all permits, faster flow of supplying construction materials, opening shops with construction materials, and solving problems with foreign labor power.

The Ministry of Agriculture proposes to pay HRK 350 million in incentives to the forestry industry for export, the same amount of incentives to the food industry with more than 250 employees, and to pay the first and second installment of the incentive for spring sowing.

The Ministry of the Economy will propose the gradual opening of non-food stores, with more models being discussed based on other European countries. Specifically, some countries have begun to open smaller stores as space is concerned, however, some activities are not as risky, even though they have large retail outlets, such as car dealerships, in which the daily flow of customers is low.

Consideration is also given to opening various trades, such as hairdressers, beauty salons, and massage parlors, with strict measures of distance, limiting the number of customers and wearing masks. For example, if a hair salon has four chairs, two customers will likely be able to stay at the same time. There will also be various services, tech stores, watchmakers, carpenters - all where there is no physical contact and where there is little flow of people. The opening of gyms and fitness centers is still pending.

In the cultural sector, the proposal will be to open bookstores. In the education and science system, one of the first measures to be relaxed will be to open scientific institutes and research laboratories, which should start working from the end of April in an appropriate form. As for returning to the classrooms of elementary and high school students, these decisions are entirely dependent on the assessments of the Headquarters and epidemiologists, so there are no specific dates.

However, it is suggested that final and diploma exams may still be taken in schools and colleges, especially where it is necessary to test the practical skills of students. The State Matura exam is likely to be written in June, and Minister Blazenka Divjak announced on Friday that the mandatory exams - Croatian and foreign language and mathematics - would be written from June 8 to June 29 in this case.

When it comes to the judiciary, the pace of relaxation of restrictive measures also depends on others - a prerequisite for discussions to begin is the resumption of public transport. If there is no transportation, it is pointless to invite the parties to court.

Another factor, says Justice Minister Drazen Bosnjakovic, is limiting the number of people who can stay in one room at the same time, and the sheer size of the courtrooms that are miniature in many courts, which is now being addressed by space allocation. To ensure that the work of the courts does not depend solely on loosening restrictions, the Ministry of Justice is developing a system of distance hearings.

This is in the wake of a request by the Croatian Bar Association to have hearings in civil cases via video link.

Minister Bosnjakovic says that it is necessary to see if the courts have computers with cameras and to check whether any legal interventions are required.

All courts were instructed to prepare larger premises in which trials could be held in compliance with spacing measures.

You can see the overview of economic activities below:

1. Public transportation according to Sunday timetable

It is proposed to open public transport and suburban rail according to the Sunday timetable, catamaran transport for cargoes between Ancona and Zadar, air transport within the country and relaxing measures towards the islands.

2. Opening borders for cars

It is proposed to open the borders to our auto destinations, which guests and tourists could come from, and the Ministry of Tourism believes that the conditions of crossing the border should be as simple as possible to avoid waiting in traffic.

3. Camps first to open

In the tourism sector, it is proposed to start first with the objects closest to nature - camps, i.e., mobile homes with their own sanitary facilities, then private accommodation and holiday homes. There is also nautical tourism.

4. Cafes with terraces start to work

It is also proposed to open cafes and restaurants, but to begin with, only those catering establishments that have terraces and can provide sufficient physical distance between the tables and the guests present would start.

5. Hairdressers will have to wear masks

The Ministry of the Economy is also moving towards relaxing small craft measures. Hairdressers and other salons could work concerning all measures of distance, with increased hygiene, limiting the number of customers and wearing protective masks.

6. New rules for crafts and showrooms

There are also plans to open other stores, such as technicians, watchmaking and carpentry shops, various repair shops, but also showrooms, where there is a slower daily flow of customers. Fitness centers and gyms are yet to be considered.

7. Taking exams at universities

Science institutes and research laboratories will first open in the education system - from the end of April. It is suggested that the final and graduate exams be taken in schools and universities, and the state matura exam will be taken in June.

8. Solving problems with foreign labor

It is proposed to urgently amend the acts for the digitalization of the licensing system, the faster flow of construction materials, opening all shops with construction materials, and the solution of problems of foreign workers at construction sites.

9. Bookstores first to open in culture

The Ministry of Culture will propose to open bookstores in consultation with clerks, and say they are in contact with other stakeholders in the culture to suggest what is realistic and what can be realized in a situation of prolonged restrictions.

10. Court hearings via video link

The Ministry of Justice is developing a system of remote court hearings via video link. All courts were also instructed to prepare larger premises where trials could be held, with due regard for physical distance measures.

Follow TCN's live updates on the coronavirus crisis 

ZAGREB, April 15, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Tuesday the government's biggest task was to fight the socio-economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, asking all ministers to make economies and underlining that the burden of this crisis must be borne with solidarity.

Speaking for the public broadcaster, he said rationalisation was the main concept and that ministers would have to plan in stages how to reactivate the economy in line with health and safety guidelines. "We don't want to fall into the trap of lightly easing something and then having new infection hotspots."

Plenković said the uncertainty of the pandemic's duration was the key problem of the crisis as no one knew when a vaccine would be found or immunity acquired.

He said he would do everything for the state to function as much as possible while primarily seeing to citizens' health. "It's not just a common sense obligation of the government but a constitutional category as well."

Plenković said he was satisfied with the results of the second set of measures to help the economy and that some 100,000 companies had applied for aid to keep jobs.

Speaking of the third set, he said the government today tabled a bill to enable a stay on the enforcement on physical persons' monetary funds for the duration of the crisis.

He said the government's measures had been planned for a period of three months and another three if the crises continued.

Asked if the crisis would delay Croatia's introduction of the euro, he recalled that Croatia adopted a euro introduction strategy two years ago and that it would complete an action plan next month. He said the pace might be somewhat affected but that Croatia remained committed to that goal.

Plenković said that if Croatia were in the euro area, there would be no pressure on the kuna now and the European Central Bank could do for it what it was doing for all euro area member states. "In a way, we would be secured."

He went on to say that this situation was an opportunity for a new start not just by the government but all of society as it provided "a fresh look on what is really good and what isn't good."

"We must strike a balance between understanding the role of the state and some chubby state which perhaps has taken more than it should. That's the key before us."

Asked about the objective of amendments to the law on the protection of the population from contagious diseases, Plenković said they proposed that instead of the minister of health declaring an epidemic as was the case now, it would be better if the government did it.

The amendments will also specify the link between activities related to an epidemic from the aspect of the Health Ministry and what the national civil protection authority and the government do, he said. "Since no one has been faced with such a situation yet, we have realised that it demands also improving legislation."

Asked if they had worked out a plan in case the coronavirus pandemic were to last long, the prime minister said the restrictions could not be limitless so they would try to work out a plan allowing the reactivation of certain industries but in a different way, within "an epidemiological framework."

Speaking of Croatia's presidency of the Council of the EU, Plenković said the wish was to find a common European response to how to coordinate while living with COVID-19 and acting better after COVID-19. "That will be our wish for June, that we come out of this stronger."

The European project can survive this and after the pandemic everyone will draw certain lessons and now there will be more focus on preparing crises response mechanisms, he said, adding that Europe was a strong project and that key parties, with Croatia's contribution, would work on making it stronger.

More coronavirus news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, April 11, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Friday there was no need to declare a state of emergency and that he would continue to support citizens, workers and the economy as well as downsize budget expenditures.

Speaking for Večernji List TV, he said there was no need to declare a state of emergency because both the government and parliament functioned. "They are doing what democratic institutions should."

Plenković said although restrictions had been imposed, there was no curfew or the army in the streets as in some other countries. He added that what the government was doing was appropriate and clear, that people were aware of the seriousness of the situation and that they were mostly responding very responsibly.

The prime minister said the government would propose further measures to help the economy, "adapting to the circumstances." He added that he was glad the measures proposed so far had been supported in public.

Plenković said the government would propose a law to suspend enforcement on monetary funds and other measures benefitting citizens.

He said the government had talked with representatives of the most important state-owned public companies to appeal for cost cutting, making crisis plans and paying a portion of their profits into the state budget.

He refuted media speculation on the establishment of a national crisis management team for the economy. He said that after Easter the government would consider how "experts from the academic community, the private sector and possibly unions" could contribute to making the Croatian economy adapt to "the new normal."

The prime minister underlined the importance of investing in agriculture in the wake of the closure of borders and communication disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in the digital economy and the digital society as well as in all services necessary to catch up with the fourth industrial revolution.

"The government is thinking about that next step because the most important thing will be how fast an economy stands back on its feet and catches up with new challenges. In that sense we will see that those solutions are good for Croatia and Croatian citizens."

The prime minister said that in this crisis "the state has shown to be quite resilient and effective" and he also highlighted the responsible behaviour of citizens.

Asked if he was satisfied with the behaviour of the opposition, he said it was "playing its game" and had its initiatives but that it had, for the most part, backed all government proposals.

He said the government was doing what it could given the financial situation and that what had been done so far was quite generous.

More news about coronavirus can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, April 7, 2020 - After conducting on Monday a second video conference with Croatian medical experts from the country and abroad, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said that from the very start Croatia had reacted very well in preventing the coronavirus from spreading and that any relaxation of restrictions should not be sudden.

Plenković said that in comparison to other countries, Croatia had reacted very well, with timely and fairly restrictive measures resulting in a slow spreading of the disease and a low fatality rate in the first few weeks of the epidemic.

He said that that the experts he talked to said that Croatia's strategy had been good from the very start compared with other, much richer countries that have a stronger research community and stronger centres and health systems and more funds available.

Plenković believes that it is necessary to continue with a policy that will not lead to any problems within the health system, "which means that we have to continue with the procurement of quality protective equipment and thank medical staff for their sacrifice as well as implement restrictive measures, adapting them to the needs of the Croatian economy."

"Our objective is for all relaxations of measures to be in line with epidemiological recommendations and estimates and for them not to be sudden, which could lead to an increase in the number of people infected," he said.

He announced that in the weeks ahead joint assessments would be made of the dynamic of relaxing measures but taking account of health.

Measures will be introduced to make it possible for everything that Croatian farmers and family farms produce is consumed in an appropriate way, and "for citizens to access farmers' markets but not the way they used to previously."

He confirmed that a decision to that effect could be made before Easter, saying that currently the government was working on the legal formulation of that decision.

He appealed to citizens to behave just as responsibly as they have until now even though warmer weather has been forecast and to be patient and trust the authorities and experts and follow the fundamental recommendation on social distance, because "self-discipline and responsibility are key."

Plenković pointed out one comment from today's meeting - that the risk of the disease is the greatest within the family and that that is where the disease spreads the fastest. "Hence it is truly important to be careful in everything you do so that there are no negative consequences."

He also commented on the latest surveys showing an increased trust in the authorities. "That type of trust is a signal that the government is managing this crisis appropriately and that it takes care of citizens' interests," he said.

More coronavirus news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, March 20, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Thursday addressed the public concerning the coronavirus epidemic, calling for the nation's unity, behaving responsibly and listening to health workers' recommendations, and he also announced more measures to help the economy, notably the private sector.

The fight against coronavirus is the biggest crisis since the Homeland War and the biggest challenge for us all, he said. This fight, just as in the Homeland War, "demands our unity, responsibility and self-possession, because only in that way will we overcome this setback together."

"In this fight, the health and lives of our people are the number one priority. We must all do our best to save every human life," the prime minister said, adding that it was not the responsibility only of the health system but everyone.

Doctors won't be able to help us if we don't behave responsibly and listen to instructions, he said. "We should all realise that we are equally in danger and that even when we don't have the symptoms, we can carry the virus and infect our dearest ones, notably those weakest - the elderly, chronic patients and the infirm."

Plenković said it was necessary to understand that the virus did not travel but was carried by people who were in contact with others, who disregarded hygiene instructions or spread it by moving across the country.

"That's why I call on all of you to abide by the instructions of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, not to shake hands, to keep a sufficient distance from others and to reduce the number of daily meetings. That's crucial for containing the epidemic. Only in that way will the average number of people an infected person infects go down."

He said that especially applied to all Croatians arriving from abroad, or who did so over the past two weeks, notably from contagion regions. "It's important that we are all responsible and that we don't withhold valuable information from Croatian doctors. It's about people's lives and an effective fight against this epidemic."

Plenković said the containment of the epidemic in China was proof of the effectiveness of rigorous measures. He particularly appealed to the 12,000 Croatians in self-isolation to strictly abide by the rules.

I realise it's not easy for them, but it's necessary, and I would like to thank them for behaving responsibly because by doing so they protect both themselves and others, he said.

"At the moment, we are firmly managing this crisis, not it us, but for this fight to be successful, everyone's help is necessary."

The prime minister said the economy's health was the government's second priority and that the extent of the crisis demanded emergency measures.

"We already know the coronavirus epidemic will have significant consequences on our economy, notably transport, tourism and hospitality, as well as other sectors. Thanks to the fact that today our economic situation is better than a few years ago, our economy today is more resilient to shocks."

The government has therefore adopted a package of 63 measures, worth over HRK 30 billion, aimed at preserving jobs and the economy's liquidity, Plenković said. "We support job preservation and will pay employers a net minimum wage of HRK 3,250 for each worker, and they will be able to pay the additional part of the wage, for which we stimulate them with our measures."

Businesses are also being helped with the deferral of profit and income tax as well as pension and healthcare contributions, he said and welcomed banks' announcement that they would defer loan payments. "In line with the talks we held, we welcome the measure directed at deferring loan payments, not just for businesses but households too."

This is a time for the nation's unity and for social responsibility, Plenković said, reminding employers once again that "those who lay off workers" will not be able to benefit from the government's measures.

"This set of measures that we have proposed is the first one and we will be following the situation on the labour market on a daily basis. We will prepare additional measures. We do not intend to let the private sector bear the brunt of the crisis," he stressed.

The PM also said that considering the current situation, all budgetary items would have to be re-examined to reduce spending as much as possible.

"All ministers were instructed to cut all expenses that are not necessary except for those related to the health system, pensions and social contributions," he said, noting that the burden of the crisis had to be shared equally by all and that Croatia should be solidary as a society and a nation.

Plenković expressed special gratitude to all medical workers - doctors, nurses and other medical staff - who are on the first line of defence against coronavirus.

He also thanked all other workers, from shop assistants to truck drivers, from border police, inspectors, civil protection, Red Cross volunteers and all others involved in protection against the epidemic and in ensuring the functioning of the economic sector and normal supply.

As the current chair of the Council of the EU, Croatia has been active in managing the crisis at EU level as well, Plenković said, recalling a decision on the temporary closure of the EU border to people from third countries.

"We will continue to coordinate activities in the fight against the virus and in alleviating economic consequences as well as in research and efforts to find a vaccine," he said.

At the end of his address, Plenković again called for unity and consensus, saying that Croatia is at war against the virus, panic and negative socio-economic consequences.

"That is why we all have to demonstrate unity, this is no time for divisions but for consensus. We have opened constructive dialogue with all parliamentary parties, we are cooperating with the President of the Republic, we are consulting with employers, unions, business people and bankers. Cooperation with the media is also important as they have the key role in providing quality information to the public and in non-dissemination of fake news, which often causes panic," he said.

The government's focus is on citizens' lives and health, and in its decisions the government relies on opinions of experts and researchers, the PM said, stressing that the government would continue communicating about the situation regarding the coronavirus epidemic transparently and in a timely manner.

More coronavirus news can be found in the Lifestyle section.