ZAGREB, July 1, 2020 - During its presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2020, Croatia has shown leadership and secured the best possible results under the conditions unprecedented in history, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic says in an interview for Hina.

Croatia took over the EU presidency only six and a half years after it was admitted to the bloc, however, the chairmanship could not unfold as planned, due to the coronavirus pandemic, which had affected the usual functioning of EU institutions and the everyday life of the Europeans.

PM Plenkovic underscored that before it took the helm of the EU on 1 January, Croatia had worked in a committed manner on preparations for this duty, and the slogan of the Croatian presidency was "A strong Europe in a world of challenges".

However, no one could have foreseen so many challenges we have been facing in recent times, including the COVID pandemic, the premier said explaining that therefore the focus was shifted from the Croatian presidency agenda's priorities to the top priority: the safety and security of European citizens.

Furthermore, Zagreb was hit by a 5.5-strong earthquake on 22 March, he recalled adding that the most experienced and oldest EU member-states cannot remember that anybody's presidency had been conducted under such complex circumstances.

"Therefore commendations and recognition we are receiving from older members for a job well done are more than a matter of courtesy, they mean their sincere appreciation of our huge efforts we have invested and results we have achieved."

"Despite the unprecedented circumstances, we have achieved many goals we had set, and Croatia enjoys the status and reputation it never had before," Plenkovic said.

In mid-March, virtual meetings and video conferences started replacing physical meetings at the political level.

In these circumstances, our task was to coordinate a joint response to the crisis caused by COVID-19, Plenkovic said.

We can say that in a record short time the European Union managed to accomplish a lot of things. We can say that in many ways we have been a "digitised presidency". The first digital trialogue was held during the Croatian presidency and referred to the SMART-TEN-T topic, he added.

Until 13 March 2020, in Croatia 21 events and gatherings were held, bringing together experts and working groups, two events were within a parliamentary dimension plus 32 events under the auspices of the Croatian presidency. From March to the end of June, more than 70 video conferences were held, including discussions on the impact of the pandemic on the economy, public healthcare systems, borders, education, culture, employment, and mobility, he said.

The Council of the EU needed to act under extraordinary circumstances. Only COREPER continued to meet in a physical format, and I thank them for that, the Croatian premier said.

He commented on the full activation of integrated political crisis response (IPCR) arrangements during the Croatian presidency of the Council of the EU to help the EU members to address the COVID-19 outbreak.

Croatia's greatest achievement its ability to act and meet its targets in most difficult circumstances

Asked about Croatia's greatest achievement during its presidency of the Council of the EU, Plenkovic said that "our greatest achievement is the fact that we continued to act and achieve our targets in the most difficult circumstances."

At the start of our presidency, we defined the Zagreb Summit and progress in the enlargement policy, preparations for launching the Conference on the Future of Europe, and orderly Brexit as our goals. In all three areas, we have met the targets he has set: thanks to the strong engagement and initiative from Croatia, the Council of the EU made a decision on opening the membership talks with North Macedonia and Albania, despite strong opposition from some of the EU member states. Also, a new methodology for the accession negotiations has been confirmed, he said.

After several months of intensive talks with member-states and advocacy for the strongest possible mandate of the Council, the Croatian EU Presidency has reached agreement on the Council's position for inter-institutional talks on a joint statement based on which the Conference on the Future of Europe should be launched by the end of this year, the Croatian government reported earlier on Wednesday.

ZAGREB, July 1, 2020 - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Tuesday held a video-conference with European Parliament President David Sassoli and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the Conference on the Future of Europe, stressing the importance of launching the conference as soon as possible.

After several months of intensive talks with member-states and advocacy for the strongest possible mandate of the Council, the Croatian EU Presidency has reached agreement on the Council's position for inter-institutional talks on a joint statement based on which the Conference on the Future of Europe should be launched by the end of this year, the Croatian government said in a statement.

That process has been launched by today's talks between Plenkovic and the representatives of the other two EU institutions and Croatia expressed interest in giving, also during Germany's EU presidency, which will continue the talks, its strong contribution to the organisation and work of the Conference at the European and national levels, the government said, adding that European Commission Vice-President Dubravka Suica would have an important role in the work of the Conference.

PM Plenkovic underlined the need to launch the Conference as soon as possible, as its significance has grown even more important in the context of the EU's recovery from the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the aim of launching a broad and open political debate on the future of the EU.

The Conference should additionally bring the EU closer to citizens, strengthen its international position and contribute to building a modern vision of a united, more solidary and economically more sustainable Europe.

EP President Sassoli and EC President von der Leyen thanked PM Plenkovic and Croatia's EU Presidency for the great effort invested and success in agreeing the Council's mandate and for continuous strong messages regarding the Conference on the Future of Europe, on which there is a lot of agreement among EU institutions.

They welcomed PM Plenkovic's approach regarding the launching and further work of the Conference and expressed readiness for close cooperation with Croatia, said the government.

ZAGREB, June 29, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Monday he was not worried about media reports that the Constitutional Court would launch the procedure to assess the constitutionality of decisions by the coronavirus response team, adding that he was confident everything had been done in accordance with the law and in the public interest.

"I'm not worried at all. I'm sure when the Constitutional Court takes everything into consideration when it looks at the arguments and the government's opinion, ... (it will see) that everything we did was in accordance with the constitution and the law and in the public interest," Plenkovic told a press conference in Zagreb.

He said that sometimes he got the impression that "the opposition is rooting for coronavirus, which is irresponsible," he added. 

Commenting on the matter while on the campaign trail in Dugo Selo, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic said that the initiative had been launched by two left-leaning Constitutional Court judges and that its purpose was to create an atmosphere of uncertainty.

He said that the situation was unusual given that it was the final week of the election campaign.

"I think matters like this should be dealt with within the Constitutional Court itself. This information was obviously released to create an atmosphere of uncertainty. It is important that the Constitutional Court has said that the procedure is not being launched ex officio and that it is an attempt by two judges to bring this matter to the fore," Jandrokovic said.

ZAGREB, June 27, 2020 - Prime Minister and HDZ party leader Andrej Plenkovic said during a tour of the sixth constituency on Friday that after his party formed the government after the elections, it would raise the average wage to HRK 6,700 and to HRK 7,600 by the end of its term.

Speaking to party members and supporters in Sisak, Plenkovic also said that the minimum wage would be increased from HRK 3,250 to 4,250 and that pensions, which have been increased by 12%, would be additionally raised by 10%.

Speaking of his government's achievements in the past term, he said that the law on the financing of local and regional government units had helped Sisak-Moslavina County obtain more budget funds.

He added that close to HRK 90 million had been allocated from the state budget for regional development in Sisak County, contracts had been signed for HRK 1.8 billion of EU funds and HRK 170 million had been provided for active employment measures in the county.

(€1 = HRK 7.566)

ZAGREB, June 23, 2020 - Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) president Andrej Plenkovic said on Tuesday that July 5 remains to be the date of the parliamentary election and that wise and smart balancing was needed to do good for the economy and protect the public healthcare system.

Asked by the press in Rijeka if the election date stayed the same, he said, "Of course it does. I don't understand how holding the election can even be brought into question."

He said the Electoral Commission was in charge of that. "No spins or, mainly opposition, arguments about some lack of safety. That isn't so. Croatia today, regardless of 20 or 19 cases, remains one of the three EU countries with the least active COVID-19 cases per million inhabitants and this is the message about Croatia as a safe country."

Plenkovic said he was tested for COVID-19 three times and that he could get tested every day if epidemiologists thought it was necessary.

He said experts clearly indicated that COVID-19 was at its lowest intensity during the summer and that everyone was much more skeptical about what the situation in the autumn would be like.

"That's why we decided, thinking of citizens' health safety, that we need the election and new legitimacy now when the disease is at its lowest intensity so that we can form the government and deal with economic and public health challenges in the autumn."

Plenkovic said the somewhat higher number of infections were localised and that it was necessary to once again increase the protection of hospitals and care facilities. "We have to learn to live with COVID-19 until there is a vaccine at a global level."

Asked about a recent tennis tournament in Zadar which caused an outbreak, he said it was necessary to see if the organisers had done all they should have but that their intention was very good, to bring the world's top players.

He said a couple of players and coaches were positive. "We'll see if there are other consequences. The first tests yesterday were quite good, it seems, as only one boy is positive."

As for his meeting with Serbian player Novak Djokovic, Plenkovic said, "We said hello. I thanked him for the tournament taking place in Zadar, we took photos and went our way. I think there is nothing to fear about that." The result of Djokovic's COVID-19 test is expected today.

Asked if the outbreak could cost Zadar the tourist season, he said it could not. "It will cost it as much as the media spin it, so be a little more reasonable. There are some people who badly want everything to be negative, and our task is to do everything for things to be positive in Croatia, not in terms of COVID-19 testing, but tourism and development."

Plenkovic said another lockdown would result in no revenue or economic activity. "We have to be wise about that and smartly balance to do good for the Croatian economy while protecting the healthcare system."

Asked if measures on the border with Serbia might be tightened, he said the national civil protection authority would see about that. If a large number of infections are confirmed to be originating from a country, Serbia for example, measures at the border can be tightened, he added.

Asked about the Slovenian health minister's statement that he was worried about the daily rise in new infections in Croatia, Plenkovic said Slovenians were among the most numerous tourists in Croatia and that the opening of borders was agreed to with Slovenia before any other country.

"It's normal for the minister of health to follow the situation in other countries, just as we are. I believe we will keep the number of new infections under control and that we will ensure the normal movement of Slovenian citizens in Croatia and Croatian citizens in Slovenia. That's in the interest of both our countries."

ZAGREB, May 23, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic has said the ban on Sunday work will be lifted if it is established that it is no longer required epidemiologically, but that he is for Sunday to be a non-working day.

"The ban on Sunday work was an epidemiological measure introduced at a moment that was quite different from today's circumstances, when we have single-digit numbers of new (COVID-19) infections. The objective of the measure was to reduce the intensify of the population's mobility one day in the week. If it's now concluded epidemiologically that it's no longer necessary, the measure will be lifted," Plenkovic said in an interview in Jutarnji List's Saturday issue.

"As far as Sunday is concerned, I'm for it to be a non-working day. That's the political position of the government and the HDZ."

He said the effects of the economy's reactivation would be carefully analysed.

In the first 20 days of May, retail trade dropped only 5% on the year, he said. We will continue with the support measures for the real sector but target them, he added.

Speaking of opponents in the coming parliamentary election, Plenkovic said voters would elect those who they thought could cope with crises and run the country in the best way. "Those who create chaos and are irresponsible can't run the country in difficult, challenging circumstances."

He said he was prepared to participate in debates and that he still thought, as he did in the presidential election, that a vote for Miroslav Skoro was a vote for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

"When (Mislav) Kolakusic, supported by Human Shield, gave up the campaign, enabling the consolidation of the left's votes, and when some people in our party were more engaged on some other side rather than for Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, Skoro wins 24%. And what was achieved by that? Not only was  (Zoran) Milanovic first in the first round, but 100,000 ballots were made invalid in the second round, which was obviously sabotage. I believe people see that now and that the same scenario won't happen twice. Such a scenario repeating would help (Davor) Bernardic and the SDP."

Maj 22, 2020 - The Prime Minister toured the most luxurious ship in the world, currently anchored in the port of Rijeka, not far from his sister vessel, which construction began recently in Rijeka shipyard 3. maj as a part of an investment worth 860 million euros

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, accompanied by Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts Darko Horvat, Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Oleg Butković and Minister of Tourism Gari Cappelli, visited the Scenic Eclipse, the best luxury ship in the world according to critics from last year. The luxury 6-star ship, owned by the Australian Scenic Group, sailed into the port of Rijeka this month, where it will remain until the situation with the coronavirus calms down.

We will be looking for solutions that will enable the continuation of Croatian shipbuilding because it was fascinating to see that in such difficult circumstances a ship like this was built in Uljanik. Many of the shipyard employees contributed greatly to the construction of this ship, although it ended with one incredible personal engagement of the client himself. The whole idea is to start with further investments, this time in 3. maj. Such ships, according to the captain are the best there is at the moment when it comes to polar cruisers and will be built in the Rijeka shipyard in the future, said Prime Minister Plenković. He also stated that the intentions of the Scenic Group are still very strong and a solution is being sought on how to proceed with these processes in the right way.

Prime Minister Plenković and ministers were welcomed in Rijeka by Saša Čokljat, director of MKM Yachts, a subsidiary of the Australian corporation Scenic, which has ordered Eclipse II. Australian businessman and Scenic Group owner Glen Moroney greeted them via video call from Switzerland. On this occasion, Čokljat once again expressed his satisfaction with the excellent cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Croatia, which has recognized the importance of the project and the long-term development perspective it can provide to the Croatian shipbuilding.

I am extremely glad because, at the moment when other cruising companies are putting their projects on hold, Scenic Group and 3. maj are starting a new business. We believe that this job will not only strengthen Scenic's fleet but also the shipyard itself. The activation of state guarantees awaits us soon which will enable a needed work to start the construction in full swing of the sister luxury polar cruiser ship. I believe that one such construction creates an opportunity to preserve rich tradition in shipbuilding, the continuity of production and knowledge, and hundreds of jobs, said Čokljat.

If we make a recall, cutting the sheets for the hull of the ship "Eclipse II" in April concluded a new project of building five cruisers worth 860 million euros. The first 1,000 tons of steel from a total of 4,500 arrived from North Macedonia. The hull keel is scheduled to be laid in 3. maj by the beginning of this summer. Then, the construction of four more ships with similar characteristics is planned. 

"Scenic Eclipse" was also built and completed at the Croatian shipyard Uljanik in July 2019. Its construction is specific because, at a time when the ship was only half-way completed, Uljanik ended in a blockade and bankruptcy. Scenic then set a precedent - it did not collect 50 million euros of state guarantees, but it returned them to the state - it kept the ship and continued construction with its own funds and manpower. There are two helicopters on board for trips to distant places, as well as a submarine that can dive to a depth of 330 meters below the sea surface to provide guests with an unforgettable and unique adventure experience. At the christening ceremony in New York last year, the godmother of "Scenic Eclipse" was the famous actress Helen Mirren.

Now meet the original Scenic Eclipse. You can learn more about Scenic Eclipse on the official website. 

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic hopes for a speedy resolution to Croatia's problematic border situation.