The club of councilors of the SDP on the affair: We condemn all corruption, the Rijeka SDP is turning a new page

The Fund for Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency made a decision according to which the City of Rijeka must return all non-refundable European funds for the construction of the sorting plant in Mihačeva Draga. As Mayor Iva Rinčić announced on Saturday, it is estimated that the City will have to return at least 3.8 million euros due to the commission of criminal offenses in the implementation of that project.

“The club of SDP councilors condemns every form of corruption and irregularities and supports that all circumstances are fully clarified. The SDP councilors in the current convocation of the City Council were in no way involved in these events,” answered Ivana Prica Matijaš when asked by Hina how she would comment on the Fund’s decision.

“SDP has turned a new page in Rijeka and is building the future with new people and a new approach.”

Matijaš added that “it is certain that there were mistakes in the past”.

“That’s why the citizens sent us a clear message at the last local elections. We wanted a new and better SDP in Rijeka. That’s exactly how we act today – responsibly, openly and focused on the future,” said the head of the SDP’s club of councilors in the Rijeka City Council.

Mayor Iva Rinčić at the press conference, speaking about the Fund’s decision, assessed that this case reflects the way in which capital projects were implemented in Rijeka for the former authorities.

She also said that Rijeka will have to return the money because the former SDP government did not know or was not capable of managing projects and that the sorting plant was supposed to be an example of a modern and efficient project, but it became a symbol of sloppiness and corruption.