On Friday, the Croatian Parliament accepted with 76 votes “for” and 48 “against” the Annual Report on the Government of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, who, when submitting the report, announced an increase in the minimum wage and free meals for all children in primary schools.
In the budget for next year, we will plan for the state to finance one meal a day in all primary schools from the 1st to the 8th grade, Plenković said.
Meals for 311,000 children
He stated that it will cost the state HRK 550 million, and this measure will provide meals for 311,000 children, almost 80,000 of whom are in poverty.
In his report, the Prime Minister also announced an increase in the minimum wage, which from January 1 will amount to 700 euros gross or 560 euros net, which is about HRK 4,220.
When it comes to GDP growth, Plenković said that it is expected to be at the level of 5.7 percent this year, which is almost twice as much as the Government’s previous projections.
He also announced the Government’s new goal – that by the end of the mandate, the average net salary will reach HRK 8,200 or EUR 1,088.
He also announced the regulation of the operation of shops on Sundays in addition to 16 working Sundays, health reform and investments in sports infrastructure.
The Prime Minister said that we are living in times of crisis that have changed our lives, threatened the economy and the standard of living, but Croatia has shown resilience in all crises.
At the same time, the Parliament did not accept the conclusion of Vesna Vučemilović (Sovereignists), which, as she claims, would prove that the Government was not involved in the INA affair.
Before the vote, Božo Petrov (Most) said that he would like to live in the country he describes to Plenković in his reports. “Do you go out among the people, talk to the people and ask how they are,” Petrov asked the ruling party.
The Prime Minister says that we live well, then why did 10 percent of the young active population go abroad, he talks about the fight against corruption, and at the same time he tries to shut down the Anti-Corruption Council and runs away from it, he talks about raising wages, and 25 percent of people in Croatia live on the edge of poverty, said Petrov.
The government and HDZ are recording developments in corruption
Sabina Glasovac (SDP) asserted that it is clear to everyone that there is no progress in Croatia with this Government and listed that there is no progress in healthcare, education, regional administration, reconstruction… “The only place where the Government and HDZ are making progress is corruption,” she said.
Branko Bačić (HDZ) replied to them, asserting that thanks to the Government, Croatia is a stable and safe country, and this is during a period when we are going through crisis times caused by the pandemic and aggression against Ukraine.
At the height of the crisis, Croatia recorded the second highest economic growth in the EU, the number of employed people was never higher and the number of unemployed was lower, and the average salary grew by 34 percent, Bačić said.
His presentation was briefly interrupted by the members of the Green-Left Bloc Club with noise in the bench, so they were admonished by the Speaker of the Parliament, Gordan Jandroković.
“I can’t ignore the successes that Croatia is recording,” Bačić said.
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