ZAGREB, March 20, 2019 - Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Gabrijela Žalac said on Wednesday the luxury Mercedes E parked in the yard of her family house was not hers but belongs to her parents.

"When I buy a car, of course I'll state it in my declaration of assets," the minister told reporters, adding that the car was in her yard as her "brother brought his car to my mom's because he has nowhere to park it."

"My parents bought that car two months ago," Žalac said, then corrected herself by saying that "it's rented on a lease contract and when it's paid off, it will probably be bought."

She confirmed that she knows Josip Stojanović, the owner of a company leasing luxury cars which owns the car in question, whose daily lease is 1,200 kuna, but denied that the acquaintance was used so her parents could buy the car.

Jutarnji List daily says in its latest edition that Žalac did not report the luxury Mercedes E, worth at least 50,000 euro, in her declaration of assets, and that neighbours say it has been parked in the yard of her family house in Vinkovci for quite some time.

In her declaration of assets, the minister reported only her husband's Mercedes C180 worth 24,000 kuna.

Žalac would not say if she would resign if she was charged for a recent accident in which she hit and injured a little girl with her car while driving with an expired licence.

She questioned reporters why would she list something in her declaration of assets that she did not own and promised that she would present the car rental agreement, "exactly everything, my parents' income."

"I truly do not understand why all this. Why would I drag my parents into this when the media are attacking me? My neighbour's car could have been parked there," Žalac said. "You (media) said such a quantity of lies since last Saturday. If I were to deny everything you have been saying every day, that would go on for ever. You will be given everything to inspect. I am not hiding anything," she said.

She claimed that her only sin is that her driver's licence had expired, referring to a recent accident in Vinkovci when she hit a 10-year old girl with her car, who ran out onto the street, underscoring that she has paid the fine envisaged for driving with an expired licence.

Social Democratic Party (SDP) MP Peđa Grbin on Wednesday called out Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds Gabrijela Žalac because she did not clearly explain what money was being used to pay for the lease of a luxurious Mercedes parked in her driveway.

Grbin added that Žalac did not explain what her relationship was with Josip Stojanović Jolly, a car dealer who in fact owns the Mercedes, and that she should step down.

"The daily rental for that vehicle is more than 1,200 kuna, or 36,000 kuna a month, which is twice the minister's wage and, as a state official who won the trust of citizens, she is expected to provide a clear explanation," Grbin said in parliament.

He added that Minister Žalac should not be using her parents as an excuse and her relationship with the vehicle's owner and needs to clearly state how she got that vehicle.

The MOST party's political secretary Nikola Grmoja said that Minister Žalac was not convincing when she tried to explain why the luxurious Mercedes with Zagreb registration plates was parked in her driveway. "The minister appeared confused, she changed her story," Grmoja told reporters in parliament.

More news about the minister can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, March 11, 2019 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Monday he had rejected the resignation of Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Gabrijela Žalac after she hit a 10-year-old girl while driving without a valid driving licence.

Speaking to reporters in Zagreb, Plenković said that the minister's failure to renew her driving licence was not the kind of infringement that would require her resignation.

Žalac has offered her resignation after she hit a 10-year-old girl who was jaywalking in the eastern town of Vinkovci on Saturday. The girl was hospitalised and the minister visited her in the evening.

Plenković said he had talked to Žalac several times since the accident, adding that her offer of resignation was "a fair and moral move". "This could have happened to anyone. Her failure to renew her driving licence is not the kind of infringement for which I would ask her to resign from the government," the prime minister said.

He said that this was an omission and negligence on the minister's part, but not a criminal office. "It was a minor offence, the minister has paid the fine and will have her licence renewed," he added.

Plenković said that the most important thing was that the girl was recovering well and would suffer no permanent consequences of the accident.

Commending Žalac for her performance as minister, Plenković said that during her term in office Croatia had increased its EU funding absorption rate from 9 percent to 65 percent and that her ambition was to increase the rate to 85 percent by the end of the year.

Speaking earlier, Žalac said that she was shaken up by Saturday's traffic accident in which a ten-year girl was injured after being hit by the car driven by her. "I am truly shaken. I wouldn't want what happened to me on Saturday happen to anyone else. I was driving to a store when a little girl ran in front of my car. I hit her, I assisted her on the scene as much as I could, we called an ambulance and the police and the girl was taken to the hospital in Vinkovci and from there to the Clinical Hospital in Osijek," said the minister in her highly emotional address to the press in her ministry.

Commenting on her expired licence, the minister said she was not even aware that the licence had expired, admitting however that this is no excuse. "This isn't an excuse at all. My licence has expired on 9 June 2016," Žalac said. Her driving licence was issued in 2006 and the minister was confident that it was valid until she was scheduled for a regular medical examination.

"I only care that this little girl is fine, that she is recovering well and that everything will be all right. That is what is most important to me right now," Žalac reiterated several times.

She apologised to the Croatian public, saying that she was driving without a valid licence out of ignorance, reiterating however that this is no excuse.

More news about the incident can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, March 10, 2019 - Commenting on the responsibility of Minister Gabrijela Žalac who, without a valid driver's licence was involved in a car accident on Saturday in Vinkovci, the Office of the President said on Sunday this was an issue of moral and ethical responsibility of a state official and a citizen of Croatia.

"For the president, this is an issue of moral and ethical responsibility of a state official and a citizen of Croatia," the Office of the President said on Sunday.

In that traffic accident which happened in the eastern town of Vinkovci on Saturday morning, a 10-year-old child, who was running across the street outside a marked crosswalk, was injured when she was hit by the car which was driven by Minister Žalac.

Upon the accident the 10-year-old child was taken to the local hospital where she was diagnosed with a lower leg fracture, and the hospital's spokeswoman stated that the child was not in a life-threatening condition. Later the child was transferred to the Osijek hospital for the treatment of her injury and doctors said they did not expect any complication or serious consequence of the injury.

The government issued a press release on Saturday saying that Žalac has not tendered her resignation, nor has the government discussed that option considering the fact that the traffic accident involving the minister could have happen to anyone.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković telephoned the minister when he was informed about the accident, according to the government's press release which underscores the fact that the minister was driving her private car on her expired licence.

She also immediately paid a fine for that offence which is actually irrelevant for the accident itself.

Furthermore, the minister helped the injured child upon the accident and is in contact with her family, the government's press release reads.

Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Žalac wrote on her Facebook wall on Saturday evening that she truly regretted the accident and apologised to the public for not renewing her driver's licence on time.

Since the accident, the public has been debating whether or not the minister needs to resign.

The president of the Social Democratic Party, Davor Bernardić, said on Sunday that a traffic accident could happen to anyone, but that the case of minister Gabrijela Žalac involved driving without a valid driver's licence and disrespect for the laws of the Republic of Croatia.

An accident can happen to anyone, this is simply a case of unfortunate circumstances. However, driving without a valid licence is disrespect for the laws of the Republic of Croatia, Bernardić said, adding that the minister's resignation would have been a moral act but that "moral and this government simply do not go in the same sentence together."

The president of the GLAS party, Anka Mrak Taritaš, said that Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Gabrijela Žalac broke the law and that the least she should have done was stand before the public and take responsibility for her actions, adding however, that this cannot be expected from the government of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

"A minister needs to work transparently and if they make an omission, they need to admit it. The Minister should have absolutely resigned," Mrak Taritaš said.

More news about the accident can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, March 10, 2019 - Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Gabrijela Žalac, who on Saturday took part in a traffic accident in which a 10-year-old girl was injured, wrote on her Facebook wall on Saturday evening that she truly regretted the accident and apologised to the public for not renewing her driver's licence on time.

In that traffic accident which happened in the eastern town of Vinkovci on Saturday morning, a 10-year-old child, who was running across the street outside a marked crosswalk, was injured when she was hit by the car which was driven by Minister Žalac.

Upon the accident the 10-year-old child was taken to the local hospital where she was diagnosed with a lower leg fracture, and the hospital's spokeswoman stated that the child was not in a life-threatening condition. Later the child was transferred to the Osijek hospital for the treatment of her injury and doctors said they did not expect any complication or serious consequence of the injury.

"As for my driver's licence, I have failed to renew it, which was my duty, as it is the duty of all Croatian citizen to renew their licenses every ten years, and for that omission I apologise to the Croatian public," the minister wrote.

She also said she had visited her "little sweet neighbour in the hospital and she is recovering well." "My thoughts and prayers are with that girl and her family and I wish her a speedy recovery," the minister said.

The government issued a press release on Saturday saying that Žalac has not tendered her resignation, nor has the government discussed that option considering the fact that the traffic accident involving the minister could have happen to anyone.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković telephoned the minister when he was informed about the accident, according to the government's press release which underscores the fact that the minister was driving her private car on her expired licence.

She also immediately paid a fine for that offence which is actually irrelevant for the accident itself. Furthermore, the minister helped the injured child upon the accident and is in contact with her family, the government's press release reads.

MP Mirando Mrsić of the Democrats party said the minister should have resigned immediately. "A minister in the government cannot break the laws of their own country. Minister Gabrijela Žalac needs to resign immediately. This is the only right way of taking responsibility for your actions," the Democrats said in a press release.

Traffic experts agreed that the minister made a number of omissions, driving without a valid driver's licence. They agree she should have been example to others and check the expiration date on her license.

More news about the minister can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, March 10, 2019 - Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Gabrijela Žalac has not tendered her resignation, nor has the government discussed that option considering the fact that the traffic accident involving the minister could happen to anyone, the government said in a press release on Saturday evening.

In that traffic accident which happened in the eastern town of Vinkovci on Saturday morning, a 10-year-old child, who was running across the street outside a marked crosswalk, was injured when she was hit by the car which was driven by Minister Žalac.

Upon the accident the 10-year-old child was taken to the local hospital where she was diagnosed with a lower leg fracture, and the hospital's spokeswoman stated that the child was not in a life-threatening condition. Later the child was transferred to the Osijek hospital for the treatment of her injury and doctors said they did not expect any complication or serious consequence of the injury.

The local police in Vinkovci on Saturday stated in their report about the traffic accident that Minister Žalac did not possess a valid driving licence and that she did not drive under the influence of alcohol when the accident happened. The local police have also confirmed that the accident took place outside a designated pedestrian crosswalk while the child was running across the street.

The fine for driving without a valid driving licence is 1000 kuna, or 500 kuna if the offender pays it on the spot.

According to the police report, after the accident Žalac paid 500 kuna (approximately 68 euro) for the offence of driving on an expired licence.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković telephoned the minister when he was informed about the accident, according to the government's press release which underscores the fact that the minister was driving her private car on her expired licence. She also immediately paid a fine for that offence which is actually irrelevant for the accident itself.

Furthermore, the minister helped the injured child upon the accident and is in contact with her family, the government's press release reads.

More news on the regional development minister can be found in the Politics section.

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Good news for Varaždin thanks to EU cash.

ZAGREB, June 3, 2018 - Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Gabrijela Žalac said on Saturday that President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović's recent criticism of the government was not acceptable.