Zagreb - The sharp rhetoric between the opposition and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković continued at the new parliament's first Question Time on Wednesday when SDP MP Ivana Marković asked him what kind of Croatia he envisioned in the context of the new coalition partner in the government, the Homeland Movement.
She called the Homeland Movement a "dangerous movement" announcing Taliban-like actions. Marković asked Plenković what kind of Croatia he sees, "for everyone or only for HDZ members, for those who are different or only those who conform, for free women or only for women whose lives you want to dictate."
The prime minister said she was accusing his HDZ party while she and her party did not respect the constitution but "the violator of the constitution," meaning President Zoran Milanović.
He said that when it came to the gender equality policy, his government had nothing to be ashamed of, adding that the Social Democratic Party "did not have the courage to ratify the Istanbul Convention" when it was in power.
Independent MP Josip Jurčević accused the prime minister of running the HDZ and the government in a dictatorial and corrupt manner, serving a colonisation of the state and globalist and Greater Serbian interests, to which Plenković responded that he was speaking nonsense and lies.
Agriculture Minister Josip Dabro, responding to a question from MP Dragana Jeckov (SDSS) about the management of state agricultural land, said some local units had created programmes but there were mistakes and difficulties that needed to be corrected.
"I will try to speed this up, give me about six months, I believe everyone will be satisfied," he added.
Jeckov said that until the minister made a decision, farmers and livestock breeders would have to seek fertile fields in Ireland, Germany, and other countries.
Asked by MP Marijana Puljak (Centre) about how he obtained his university degree, Dabro said his diploma was recognised by the Agency for Science and Higher Education, "the only institution that verifies the validity of diplomas."
Puljak was also interested in "beaver management plans," to which Dabro said they were being developed.
Tourism Minister Tonči Glavina appealed to the tourism sector and all stakeholders in that segment to be careful in setting prices, especially considering the upcoming European Football Championship and Olympic Games, which will be held in Germany and France, leading to a large number of tourists going to those countries.
Labour Minister Marin Piletić said the government would continue to strengthen the base pay and coefficients, and announced that student work will count towards years of pension service.
Economy Minister Ante Šušnjar said strengthening industry and enterprise was a priority, adding that an industrial development plan has been prepared for the government to adopt.
Finance Minister Marko Primorac announced an increase in the threshold for entering the VAT system.