President Zoran Milanovi\u0107 visited the University of Zagreb, where he toured the School of Medicine, the Faculty of Law and the Rector\u2019s Office, which were damaged in the recent earthquake. In statements to the press, the President commented on the situation in Zagreb following this calamity, but also on the Government\u2019s measures aimed at boosting the economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAlthough it does not fall under my legal or constitutional authority, repairing the damage in Zagreb will take a relatively short time if we organize ourselves well and adopt a State-level legal framework, and establish a bureau or central institution modelled on what was done in Dubrovnik 40 years ago. This is an opportunity for a new and better start that Zagreb deserves as the capital of Croatia,\u201d said President Milanovi\u0107.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Questioned by reporters on whether he was invited to join the Government\u2019s emergency team of advisors for the economic sector, he replied: \u201cI have not been invited to join the Council and I do not belong there, but I am always open for talks. Every piece of advice is welcome, but the Government is the one making decisions and the measures adopted by the Government thus far were an economic shield, not a stimulus. This is an economic shield and protection for those who need assistance the most. The measures will change as the situation unfolds, but it is important to send a message very early to the economically most vulnerable \u2013 we are here for you<\/em>. People who lay off workers, shut down companies, who are on \u2018artificial ventilation\u2019 \u2013 they need a clear message that Croatia will support them in a concrete way. Well-intentioned promises are not enough and there has been a lot of poor communication between the Government and those affected the most by the crisis: tens of thousands of people who work in the private sector, where liquidity is not strong and where funds must be secured to pay wages.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n President Milanovi\u0107 believes that the public sector should also help shoulder the impact of the crisis and \u201cwages in the public sector should be reduced by a certain percentage, but not to the minimum wage \u2013 that is a very bad idea by moralists and demagogues.\u201d He added that \u201cthe State should guarantee the minimum wage for everyone who has lost their job, without exception.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou cannot force the Government into a mindless deficit, although it is time for borrowing. Now is the time for leadership. The State is acting responsibly and is reducing public debt in times of stability so that it can be more capable and accept the debt burden in times of crisis. That is the art of governing; now is the time to borrow. These are tough decisions, so the Government will have to be clear about what someone in the service sector can expect in three months,\u201d President Milanovi\u0107 underscored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The President commented on the decisions of the Civil Protection Directorate, which placed restrictions on the movement of citizens in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus. \u201cIf we have restricted free movement \u2013 and we have done so \u2013 in that way restricting citizens from enjoying their private property, that\u2019s a decision that should be made by Parliament with a two-thirds majority. With all due respect, the [Civil Protection] Directorate is not a political body. If it is not physically prevented from meeting, Parliament must work. There\u2019s no room there for me at the moment,\u201d President Milanovi\u0107 emphasized. He said he was not sure if there would be support in Parliament for surveillance measures against citizens who violate self-isolation. Asked about activating Article 17 of the Constitution, President Milanovi\u0107 said: \u201cAs long as Parliament functions, there\u2019s no need for any Prime Minister-President duet.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" President Zoran Milanovi\u0107 visited the University of Zagreb, where he toured the School of Medicine, the Faculty of Law and the Rector\u2019s Office, which were damaged in the recent earthquake. In statements to the press, the President commented on the situation in Zagreb following this calamity, but also on the Government\u2019s measures aimed at boosting the economy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1728,"template":"","news-cat":[12],"class_list":["post-1923","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-cat-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n