The President of the Republic Zoran Milanovi\u0107 today commented on the Prime Minister\u2019s call to convene the National Security Council and the Defense Council, emphasizing that some preparation time is necessary for the sessions. \u201cHe has been refusing Council sessions for four years, and now he proposes one. I agree, but we need to prepare for it. For some reason, he is very tense that it should happen immediately \u2013 why? We will prepare. He is threatening that he won\u2019t have time. This should not be taken personally. If we are going to talk about delays, he hasn\u2019t deigned to meet with me for six years to agree on ambassadorial appointments; he has been stifling the service for six years. Do we want to talk about deadlines? About postponing or stretching out the election of the President of the Supreme Court? Let\u2019s not open that discussion,\u201d said the President.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
President Milanovi\u0107 reiterated that he agreed to the Council session after Prime Minister Plenkovi\u0107 \u201csaid three times that he could not.\u201d \u201cThe proposal he sent is more or less acceptable; it just needs some refinement. What else can I say? Should I snap my heels and run the moment it suits him? I hope his motives are exactly as he stated in the letter and that there are no others,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The President also described the Prime Minister\u2019s recent criticisms as inappropriate. \u201cThe nasty remarks about me going on excursions are beneath the level of a Prime Minister,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regarding the possible timing of the sessions, President Milanovi\u0107 said they would be held very soon and saw no reason for the Prime Minister\u2019s sense of urgency. \u201cRemind me when Plenkovi\u0107 ever reacted like this to one of my proposals. Never,\u201d he noted. He added that the location of the meetings is unimportant to him and that he will not impose conditions. \u201cIt can be in the Office of the President, it can be in the Government. It cannot be at HDZ, that\u2019s it. Otherwise, it doesn\u2019t matter to me,\u201d said President Milanovi\u0107.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The President also criticized Prime Minister Plenkovi\u0107 for obstructing the appointment of consuls general and ambassadors over the past six years. \u201cAnd that is called responsible behavior toward the Croatian state? I have never done that, Ivo Sanader didn\u2019t do that either, yet he does,\u201d he warned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response to accusations that he is obstructing ambassadorial appointments, President Milanovi\u0107 said: \u201cObstructing? I, who have been seeking agreement for six years? It is my constitutional duty to appoint ambassadors. In fact, I have violated that duty by giving Plenkovi\u0107 the opportunity to select more ambassadors and consuls general than I do. And he also chooses all officials according to party and personal ties. I give him room, but he refuses to yield anything because there are no sanctions he fears,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanovi\u0107 today commented on the Prime Minister\u2019s call to convene the National Security Council and the Defense Council, emphasizing that some preparation time is necessary for the sessions. \u201cHe has been refusing Council sessions for four years, and now he proposes one. I agree, but we need to prepare for it. For some reason, he is very tense that it should happen immediately \u2013 why? We will prepare. He is threatening that he won\u2019t have time. This should not be taken personally. If we are going to talk about delays, he hasn\u2019t deigned to meet with me for six years to agree on ambassadorial appointments; he has been stifling the service for six years. Do we want to talk about deadlines? About postponing or stretching out the election of the President of the Supreme Court? Let\u2019s not open that discussion,\u201d said the President.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":42489,"template":"","news-cat":[12],"class_list":["post-42490","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-cat-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n