The Divergence with Jakovčić Began with Sanader’s Arrival

Member of Parliament and candidate for the Istrian County Prefect Damir Kajin appeared on the show Nedjeljom u 2 where he stated that he continues to live by the values he has upheld for the past 23 years during his time in IDS.

He stated that the divergence between him and Jakovčić did not begin in the last few months, but long ago, considering that with Sanader’s arrival as Prime Minister, Jakovčić definitely moved towards him, while he, Kajin, tried to keep IDS in opposition.

In response to the host’s question about why he decided to announce his candidacy for prefect outside of IDS, he emphasized that he did so because ‘if he had done it yesterday, it would have been early, and if he did it tomorrow, it would be too late.’

-I simply do not want to wake up the day after tomorrow and look in the mirror with the realization that I have done nothing because I am not one of those who, like Ivan Jakovčić, will let their beard grow and bring down the government – said Kajin, reiterating that Istria is ripe for change and that power needs to be returned to the people.

According to him, he wants to offer citizens a policy of equal opportunities and wants to stop autocracy in Istria, keeping in mind, as he said, ‘that Istria is governed by Ivan Jakovčić and his mayors who currently control more than two billion kuna of public money.’ Stating that it is questionable whether Zoran Milanović would even coalition with IDS if it weren’t for him, Kajin asserted that the support of SDP for his candidacy for prefect is welcome because it is evident that this party, as he said, is aware of the fact that it can no longer support an administration that is an end in itself and which is not primarily at the service of all citizens.

– Why would he refuse the support of SDP or Bruno Langer? Today, a vote for IDS is actually a vote for Jakovčić, and a vote for this all-Istrian coalition is a vote for a turnaround and prosperity that will happen in Istria. IDS of Ivan Jakovčić is certainly not Istria, no one is bringing him down from Zagreb – he stated, adding that the separatist wars with the Government for which the citizens of Istria voted have come to an end. Stating that a large investment cycle is ahead of Istria, Kajin said that with this Government, Istria will resolve everything that Jakovčić could not with HDZ prime ministers, from investments in water supply and road construction to the construction of the new Pula General Hospital and the continuation of the construction of the Istrian Ypsilon.

In response to the host’s question about why he accepted a privileged parliamentary pension, Kajin briefly replied that he would ‘do it again tomorrow.’ Speaking about TE Plomin 3, he emphasized that he will continue to fight for gas as an energy source, although he believes it is ‘difficult to expect that the process will return to the beginning’ and that it is now impossible to change the Government’s decision. Regarding the Brijuni Riviera project, he pointed out that it is a megalomaniac project from which, as things stand, nothing will come. –
– For twelve years we have been talking and spending money on this project. It is clear that the philosophy of approach needs to change, and then perhaps something will happen in the foreseeable future. Still, I believe that large systems should not have priority over small ones – emphasized Kajin.

When asked what he would do if he does not become prefect, he stated that he will honestly fulfill his parliamentary mandate until the end but that he has no intention of returning the mandate to IDS because, as he said, ‘he has always hidden behind it.’ ‘It would be fair for part of that compensation to be given to those who won the mandate. If we went into coalition with SDP, HNS, and HSU, then that coalition should return the mandate,’ concluded Kajin. He expressed confidence that he will win already in the first round of the local elections, stating that he has not yet spoken to anyone about the distribution of positions, including Ivan Herak, whom he believes ‘should be returned to political life because he understands the issues.’