Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic said at a meeting of his Social Democratic Party on Saturday that he felt sorry the most for the teachers and that the teachers would be the first in line for a pay rise as soon as it was possible.

The MHS, which brings together four unions that refused to agree to a reduction of their entitlements under the collective agreement, said that it was not the first time that the prime minister was making statements that were contrary to steps being taken by his ministers. It said that his feeling sorry for the teachers, while at the same time they were being harassed by his ministers, was "an affront to the dignity" of all employees in the education sector.

"His comment that the teachers' demands are not realistic because there is no money in the state coffers shows that he is not familiar with the gist of the dispute. His promises are identical to the unions' demands because we, too, do not demand money now, but when it becomes available again," the statement said.

The MHS denied media reports that during Saturday's failed attempt at conciliation between the government and the unions MHS leader Vilim Ribic referred to the government negotiators as "nerds", claiming that it was an interpretation by Labour Minister Mirando Mrsic which some of the media then ascribed to Ribic.