Zagreb - All sixteen parliamentary caucuses agreed on Wednesday that due to the inability of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković to attend, Question Time would be held on Wednesday, 28 September instead of Thursday, 15 September.
After consultations with parliamentary caucuses, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković informed Members of Parliament of the decision to postpone Question Time.
PM Plenković tested positive to COVID-19 on Wednesday morning and has been ordered to isolate at home.
MP: PM's not taking part in Question Time would set a precedent
For the sake of the public, but also for the sake of us MPs, it is important that the Prime Minister be present during Question Time, the leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Peđa Grbin, said.
"It would set a precedent for the prime minister to not attend," long-serving MP Davorko Vidović (Social Democrats) said, underscoring that it was better to postpone Question Time than for MPs to question ministers.
He added that "ministers are constantly changing and only the prime minister who has governed Croatia for six years can give the right answers to the right questions," said Vidović.
Anka Mrak Taritaš (Glas) said that they have "an awful lot of questions" for the prime minister and want answers from him. A challenging autumn-winter awaits him, she said.
The Homeland Movement (DP) also agrees with postponing Question Time for as long as necessary, said MP Davor Dretar.
Grmoja: PM can answer questions from his home
"We can postpone Question Time. We don't have any problems with that but the situation for the ruling coalition will not be any better, it can only get worse," said Nikola Grmoja (Bridge), who had his own opinion of how things will develop on Thursday, when the Sabor is due to convene.
"We are willing to agree to anything the government proposes in that regard. If the prime minister decides to answer questions from his home, although that is not provided for in the Standing Orders, we are ready for that option too. I think that is what will happen tomorrow and that the Prime Minister will answer MPs' questions from his home via video link," said Grmoja.
"If there is an agreement on a postponement, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) is in favour as well, we left the possibility for the opposition to express its view so that it does not look like we do not want the opposition to question the prime minister who justifiably cannot be in the Sabor tomorrow," HDZ whip Branko Bačić said.
Bačić explained that if the Prime Minister is absent, the Standing Orders allow Question Time to be held with MPs putting questions to an individual Deputy Prime Minister or a minister.
Schedule for Thursday and Friday
In a letter addressed to MPs, Parliament Speaker Jandroković said that the agenda planned for Thursday included amendments to the Value Added Tax Act, which would bring further tax reliefs and mitigate the effects of price hikes.
MPs will also have the opportunity to speak about topics which are not on the agenda when the Sabor convenes again on Thursday.