"If there is a flu, it isn't dangerous. It's a disease striking birds, poultry, and not people," he said on Croatian Television's primetime news, adding "the alarm about poultry is justified, but the alarm about people is exaggerated".
The minister said no people had taken ill either "in Croatia or thousands of kilometres away". "It's significant that like other countries, we are preparing ourselves in the fight against bird flu, terrorism, bioterrorism and disasters. We are ready for everything, including potential pandemics," he added.
Yesterday and today more than 10,000 poultry were killed in nine villages in Zdenci municipality in Virovitica-Podravina County and Djurdjenovac municipality in Osijek-Baranja County following the discovery on Friday of 12 dead swans near Zdenci, six of which proved positive for bird flu.
The head of a crisis centre for fighting bird flu set up in Zdenci, Mate Brstilo, said the poultry euthanasia had been performed quickly and professionally.