Vrdoljak: I Am Not the One Who Thinks to Die for Ombla

Minister of Economy Ivan Vrdoljak stated today that the decision on the construction of the Ombla hydroelectric power plant will be made solely based on expert analyses.

The authorities will no longer show muscles and power in this and all other cases, but will base their decisions on the assessment and opinion of experts, Vrdoljak said after visiting the facilities of the company Hidraulika Kurelja in Donja Stubica.

He added that ‘in this country, no one will do anything that is not in the interest of citizens and the country as a whole’.

If there is even a little doubt that something is wrong, and that it could be smarter and more beneficial, we will decide what is the smartest and most beneficial, Vrdoljak said.

The impetus for the journalist’s question about the perspective of the Ombla project was today’s statement by the Minister of Environment and Nature Protection Mihael Zmajlović, in which the threat to endemic animal species inhabiting the caves through which the Ombla River flows is cited as a possible obstacle to construction.

Minister Vrdoljak emphasized that ‘no one will die for any project while showing muscles and power’.

He announced that those who decide will weigh all the risks and benefits of the planned 60 megawatts of the Ombla hydroelectric power plant and then decide. -I am not the one who thinks to die for Ombla- Vrdoljak said.

He added that he has not yet read the study for Ombla, but that the political stance is such that nothing is done for the sake of buying votes, but that one should be reasonable and responsible.

When asked about the phase of the Plomin C thermal power plant project, he announced the submission of requests for binding offers in the next 10 days.

Regarding the request from Russian Gazprom for shares in some Croatian companies in the name of the return of property of the Oil Industry of Serbia, of which Gazprom is the owner, he said that such issues can be resolved by the succession agreement that is in force.

In response to a journalist’s question about whether he has ambitions for the position after Vesna Pusić’s candidacy for the president of HNS, Vrdoljak reminded that he had previously stated that he supports Vesna Pusić’s candidacy.