The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) on Friday harshly condemned the government's decision to increase salaries by 20 percent for some public sector officials and to promote several deputies and assistants in public institutions to the status of officials.
A day after the government's decision, HDZ's Vice President Damir Jelic told a press conference that this was a "pay-rise for the favoured and the dole for the rest".
A member of the party's presidency, Gordan Jandrokovic said that this was yet another in a series of bad decisions by which members of the ruling parties were being taken care of.
"This is not just a matter of money, but the message that is being sent to the nation", he said.
"They (government) believe they have a right to be privileged regardless of how difficult it may be for the people", Jandrokovic added.
In addition to raising salaries, a decision to reserve their previous jobs for them once their terms in office expire has gone almost unnoticed. "Again they are giving themselves a privilege that other citizens cannot enjoy", Jandrokovic concluded.
