Zagreb - Parliamentary opposition parties on Wednesday strongly criticised the bill on the reconstruction of buildings in Zagreb and its environs damaged by a March 22 earthquake.
"The bill lacks ambition and cements the existing situation. It restores the situation that existed before the earthquake and does not say what Zagreb should like 10 or 20 years from now," said Peđa Grbin of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
"The bill is impracticable. It contains a lot of disputable things," said Anka Mrak Taritas of the Civic Liberal Alliance (GLAS), while Bridge's Marija Selak Raspudić said that it "creates an atmosphere of legal uncertainty" and "bypasses the existing regulations."
Homeland Movement leader Miroslav Škoro raised the question of funding, saying that neither the government nor the City of Zagreb had enough money for the reconstruction.
On the other hand, Domagoj Ivan Milošević of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) said that the bill was based on three key pillars: political inclusion, the Government adopted more than 25 opposition proposals, transparency and solidarity.
"The Government will be open to as many suggestions as possible from MPs and parliamentary groups during a debate on the bill on the reconstruction of earthquake-damaged buildings in the City of Zagreb, Zagreb County and Krapina-Zagorje County", Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Wednesday.
"The approach is the same as in the first reading. This is an important bill for Zagreb, it is important for systematic and transparent work and financing, and we will be open to as many suggestions as possible from MPs and parliamentary groups," Plenković told the press before the second extraordinary session of Parliament, convened to adopt the bill which is receiving a second reading.
Asked if he expected broad support, Plenkovic said that it would be good go have a consensus on such a bill.