Resignation of Minister Krstičević: Discussing with the Prime Minister in Banski Dvori

Defense Minister Damir Krstičević submitted his resignation on Thursday following the crash of a military training aircraft in which two members of the Croatian Air Force lost their lives near the village of Biljane Donje near Zadar. 

– “Our task is to be with the families, and we will provide them with all the necessary assistance and support, everything we know and can. As the Minister of Defense, I want to express my condolences to all members of the Croatian Air Force and the Croatian Army. This is a huge loss for the Croatian Army. As of today, I am resigning from the position of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense,” said Krstičević. 

—

— 

– “It is very difficult to lose a Croatian soldier. This is hard for every Minister of Defense and every commander in the Croatian Army. As we know, three months ago we also had an aviation accident with Kiowa helicopters, where we also lost two young lives,” he recalled.

Shortly before 9 AM on Friday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Damir Krstičević arrived at Banski Dvori, and a few minutes later, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, who is expected to discuss with him after he submitted his resignation following the death of two Croatian Air Force pilots in an aviation accident yesterday. It was confirmed to Hina last night from the Government that this conversation would take place in the morning.

He told reporters that he did not inform Prime Minister Andrej Plenković about his resignation, but the two spoke on the phone last night.

The Government expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the two members of the Croatian Air Force who lost their lives after the aircraft crash.

The Office of the President of the Republic, Zoran Milanović, did not want to comment on Minister Krstičević’s resignation last night, but it is expected that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces will address this today.

If Prime Minister Plenković accepts Krstičević’s resignation, he will become the 15th minister to leave the Government.

From the original composition of the Government that began work on October 19, 2016, today only Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Zdravko Marić, Minister of Croatian Veterans Tomo Medved, Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Oleg Butković, Minister of Culture Nina Obuljen Koržinek, Minister of Tourism Gari Cappelli, and Minister of Environmental Protection and Energy Tomislav Ćorić, who was the Minister of Labor and Pension System at the beginning of the Government’s term, remain alongside Prime Minister Plenković.

{embed_digitalno_izdanje}{/embed_digitalno_izdanje}