Minister Malenica Bans UBHOS Veteran Association over Use of Ustasha Salute
ZAGREB, 2 Novmber, 2021 - The Ministry of Justice and Administration has banned the Association of Croatian Defence Force Combatants (UBHOS) because it refused to remove its slogan and salute "For the Homeland Ready" from its statute, the veteran association said on Tuesday.
UBHOS said in a press release that they were "unofficially and unlawfully" informed this week that the Ministry of Justice and Administration had issued a decision signed by Minister Ivan Malenica refusing to extend the association's registration pursuant to the Associations Act because the association refused to remove "the military and Party of Rights slogan and salute 'For the Homeland Ready'" from its statute.
UBHOS said that it was registered on 3 April 2001 and it was the "first and only one to legalise the legitimate use of 'For the Homeland Ready' as its salute." That practice was later taken on by other HOS associations that emerged under the auspices of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).
UBHOS recalled that the HOS sign, insignia and stamp was legalised by the Ministry of Justice in 2001 during the coalition government led by the late Ivica Račan as prime minister and that it considered it to be its acquired and legalised right.
"No subsequent excuses by individual state government departments can change that legally because that would be an an act contrary to the Constitution, which prohibits retroactive application of regulations and laws and taking away acquired rights," UBHOS underscored.
UBHOS added that this is not a Nazi salute or insignia because that does not derive from its content and meaning, regardless of its use in history, which was additionally confirmed by the Council for Facing the Consequences of Undemocratic Regimes on 28 February 2018.
The association claimed that the salute originally represents "an expression of resistance to the Serbian ideology of territorial expansion and hegemony," and in that context it was used in the Croatian war of independence in 1990-1995 and the majority of HOS troops were not burdened with Ustasha nostalgia but used the salute because "a better salute did not exist in those circumstances and it still doesn't exist."
"Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, and President Zoran Milanović before him, with their irresponsible, sectarian and petty political actions and statements about this salute, are destroying the unity of the Croatian army and veterans, jeopardising the defence of Croatia's independence and territorial integrity, unconstitutionally disputing the provisions of the Homeland War Veterans and Their Families Act," UBHOS said.
In that way they challenge the rulings by the Military Court in Zagreb and the Supreme Court which in 1993 recognised the formation and activities of voluntary HOS units as legitimate defenders and an integral part of the Croatian Army, the UBHOS press release said.
Milanović Denies Names FM Released as Candidates for Ambassadors
ZAGREB, 2 November ,2021 - President Zoran Milnaović on Tuesday called out Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman for hypocrisy and "yet another outburst" after the foreign minister revealed the names of some of Milanović's candidates for ambassadorial posts, which the president today denied.
The dispute between the president and government over new ambassadors has been ongoing for a year.
Some of the names revealed as the president's candidates include former interior minister Ranko Ostojić, former environment protection minister Mihael Zmajlović and former ambassador to France Ivo Goldstein. Former foreign ministers Davor Ivo Stier and Miro Kovač and former diplomat Vladimir Drobnjak have been named as the government's candidates.
Last week, Grlić Radman revealed the names on RTL Television, with Milanović reacting today, saying that some of these names were "made up" and are not "relevant."
Milanović admitted that during their visit to New York, Grlić Radman had complained that one candidate was an ethnic Serb while one had Tito's portrait in his office.
Milanović said that he doesn't recommend Tito, recalling that the late president Franjo Tuđman had kept Tito's bust in his office for 10 years. The problem is that Grlić Radman has now put all these people in an impossible position, he added.
Davor Ivo Stier is apparently the government's candidate for ambassador to the Vatican, and Milanović says that his nomination is now in question.
Stier used to be an editor of an Ustasha newspaper. When I was his superior at the foreign ministry, I suggested that he be promoted and I never asked him about his past or who his grandfather was. I know that his grandfather was a war criminal, but that is irrelevant now, said Milanović.
We could then also say that Grlić's father was a prominent communist (..)president of the local party, a representative in the social political council on behalf of the Communist Alliance, who held lectures about Tito. "That kind of hypocrisy is destroying this society," Milanović said.
Policy towards BiH
Milanović called out Prime Minister Plenković over his recent statement about the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milorad Dodik, saying that he had a question for the prime minister regarding the policy towards that country and the status of Croats there.
At an EU-Western Balkans summit in October, Plenković said that "the EU is reading Dodik's messages about the functioning of BiH with caution and disapproval."
"I am the Croatian president, primarily in Croatia but in a certain way there too. I wonder whether it was the prime minister, the leader of the HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) or someone working in a third echelon at the Office of the High Representative who said that. He is saying something that a few bureaucrats in Brussels and a few ambitious activists want to hear, who want to turn BiH into a Switzerland, but that's not working," said Milanović.
Milanović: Plenković has to Resolve "the Banožić Problem"
ZAGREB, 2 November, 2021 - The President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Zoran Milanović, said on Tuesday said he cannot work with Defence Minister Mario Banožić and expects Prime Minister Andrej Plenković to "resolve this problem" and remove the person who has become "a problem for the state."
"I can discuss these matters only with the leader of the HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) and not with Banožić any more. This has become serious and has repercussions for national security and relations with neighbours. Because people who don't know the difference between the truth and lies, and are doing such a delicate job, are dangerous for Croatia," Milanović told the press in Vukovar.
Milanović and Banožić have been locked in a public row since a decision to retire the commander of the Honorary-Guard Battalion, Elvis Burčul. This weekend details were revealed showing that several members of the battalion had attended a funeral for four members of the HVO (Croatian Defence Force) in Bugojno, Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the Defence Ministry and President having different opinions on the matter.
What has been happening over the past two days is dangerous and irresponsible, said Milanović.
"It is impossible to work with him," said Milanović referring to Banožić and warning that this is the first time a defence minister has accused the president and commander in chief of the armed forces of breaching the Constitution.
"OK. I took note. You will feel the consequences," Milanović sent a message to Banožić.
He said he can speak only to the prime minister and expects him to "resolve the problem that we have and that is Banožić."
"He arrived totally unprepared, ignorant and terribly aggressive. A local party honcho who leads one of the most delicate systems in the country and who is supposed to work with the commander in chief and be at his service, and he is doing just the opposite," said Milanović.
Milanović reiterated that Banožić had "criminally" retired Burčul and that he insists on Burčul being reinstated into the system.
He once again warned of the coming meeting of the Defence Council (scheduled for 9 November) and pointed out that the Croatian military is facing a serious material crisis because its needs have been totally ignored, in particular the ground forces.
"And these are things that I cannot resolve because I do not manage the budget," he added.
Milanović described Plenković's comment on a "creeping coup" as being absolutely irresponsible and alarming.
Time to Remove President from Office, says Defence Minister
ZAGREB, 2 November, 2021 - Defence Minister Mario Banožić said in Vukovar on Tuesday it was time to remove President Zoran Milanović from office after they once again clashed over the army and their powers and decisions.
Speaking to the press, Banožić said Milanović was "a psychiatric case." Asked if it was time Milanović was removed from office, he said, "Of course it is. It was a long time ago, but look at his conduct. Would you reach a different conclusion than what I said?"
He would not say if the ruling HDZ party would initiate the president's impeachment.
This morning the two attended a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the fall of Lužac.
Banožić said he had not wanted to speak about his conflict with the president because it was neither the time nor the place.
"However, Milanović, disrespecting Vukovar's suffering, did a performance here, just another one in which he was slinging mud at me, the HDZ and the whole defence system, pulling us into games of petty politicking."
Banožić said that while he and his team attended a memorial service for the victims, Milanović went for a coffee with Vukovar Mayor Ivan Penava.
That is the best proof of what Milanović does as the president, he does not deal with the state and the law, but engages in "petty partisanship with some semi-politician in an attempt to revive power and himself," Banožić said.
He added that the president was using "street talk" and doing international damage to Croatia. "He is a man without character. Calling someone derogatory names, a liar, a cigarette butt, (saying) that he will retire someone, that speaks best to the mental state he is in."
Banožić said Milanović was Croatia's worst prime minister and now the worst president trying to keep above everyone. He distorts the law as it suits him and is not a man who should represent Croats in the world, he added. "Shame on him for everything he said today."
Milanović is bringing politics into the army and is now doing it via the Chief of the General Staff, Robert Hranj, he said, referring to an incident last week when he was not allowed to address conscripts.
"Do you know how many times generals were banned from laying a wreath with me? Generals were banned from laying a wreath with the minister of defence. What is that other than the pathetic policy of a man full of complexes?," Banožić said.
He added that he was receiving many insults to the effect that he was a liar, so he will release documents showing how Milanović does not respect the Defence Act.
Infobip Acquires Peerless Network in US, Takes $500m Loan
ZAGREB, 2 November, 2021 - The Infobip IT company has concluded a sales contract with the US-based Peerless Network company as well as ensuring a US$ 500 million loan, which places it among reputable IT companies with high growth and big value, Infobip reported on Tuesday.
Peerless Network is a global provider of VoIP (Voice over IP) services from Chicago and Infobip expects to take over the company next year once the regulatory procedure and approvals are issued.
This is Infobip's fourth acquisition on the US market in less than a year.
With this takeover Infobip has ensured a significant presence in the VoIP segment via the Internet on the US market and clients have access to a wide range of CPaaS products, Infobip said.
Peerless Network was founded in 2008 with its own 'voice' network. It covers 93% of the US population and has more than 4,500 interconnections in 49 American states and a turnover of 9 billion minutes a month on more than 200 markets.
The latest takeover by Infobip follows after it acquired the US OpenMarket company for approximately $300 million. In addition, in the first quarter of this year, Infobip generated an increase in revenue of 55% year on year.
Earlier this year Infobip also acquired the Croatian Shift franchise and the leading provider of text messaging firewall services, Anam Technologies in Ireland.
$500 million loan
Infobip revealed that last month it ensured a loan of $500 million, for which its financial adviser was Morgan Stanley. The main investors were credit funds managed by Ares Management Corporation and BlackRock.
The new financing places Infobip among an exclusive group of reputable IT companies with high growth and big value that used similar financing models. This is Infobip's second round of external financing after significant strategic investments by One Equity Partners (OEP) of €300 million in the second half of last year, Infobip said.
The latest takeover has accelerated its international strategy by a number of years and the companies' complementary solutions will process more than 30 billion monthly user interactions through communication channels in more than 190 countries.
That will enable even stronger growth in doing business in the USA, Chief Executive Director and part-owner of Infobip, Silvio Kutić, said.
DSHV Warns of Silence about Crimes against Croats in Serbia
ZAGREB, 2 November, 2021 - The Democratic Alliance of Croats of Vojvodina, the Croatian minority's political party in Serbia, on Tuesday welcomed an online version of a dossier on crimes against Croats in Vojvodina committed in the 1990s and warned that policies denying or keeping silent about those crimes are still in force in Serbia.
The dossier is based on several years of research and was released by the Humanitarian Law Fund, a Serbian regional NGO for human rights which established that a campaign was conducted in Serbia between 1991 and 1995 against the Croat population in Vojvodina.
The campaign consisted of expulsion, looting, confiscation of houses and flats, arrests, detention in concentration camps, abuse, harassment, kidnapping and murder.
The campaign was aimed at forcing Croats to leave their homes and Serbia, in which advocates of ethnic cleansing succeeded to a great extent as tens of thousands of Croats were expelled from Vojvodina, the dossier says.
The intimidation campaign was conducted with the silent approval of political structures in Serbia and in some cases the police too were involved in violent acts against Croats, as were reservists of the now-defunct Yugoslav People's Army, the document adds.
DSHV notes that Vojislav Šešelj's conviction by the international tribunal in The Hague is the only one to have been delivered in international and domestic courts relating to the forced expulsion of Croats from Vojvodina.
DSHV claims that is due to the fact that the policies of dealing with the past in Serbia continue to negate and keep silent about the crimes committed against Vojvodina Croats in the 1990s.
That is also the main reason why there is not one memorial in Vojvodina for those innocent victims and why they are not commemorated, DSHV said, adding that those who point to that fact are frequently identified as enemies of Serbia.
DSHV expects authorities in Serbia to provide the satisfaction the Croat victims in Vojvodina deserve, and not only for the purpose of the country's European prospects.
According to DSHV, during the war in the 1990s, almost 40,000 Croats were expelled from Vojvodina, mostly from Srijem, and 25 Croats were killed.
The dossier was released at the following link: www.zonaneodgovornosti.net
40 COVID Deaths in Croatia in Past 24 hours, 785 New Cases
ZAGREB, 2 November, 2021 - Forty people have died in Croatia in the past 24 hours as a consequence of COVID-19 and 785 new cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed, the national COVID response team reported on Tuesday.
There are currently 20,562 active cases in the country and 1,543 hospitalised patients, with 185 of them on ventilators.
In addition, 23,291 people are currently self-isolating.
Since 25 February 2020 when the first case of contagion was identified in Croatia, there have been a total of 472,259 positive cases and the death toll now stands at 9,291.
A total of 442,406 people have recovered from the infection, including 3,067 in the past 24 hours.
To date a total of 3,113,199 people have been tested for the virus, with 2,887 tested in the past 24 hours.
As of Monday 3,617,177 doses of vaccines have been administered, with 47.11% of the total population or 56.43% of the adult population vaccinated. Of that number 1,911,771 people have received at least one dose and 1,798,141 people are fully vaccinated, which accounts for 53.18% of the adult population.
President's Office: Defence Minister Undermines International Reputation of Croatia, Army
ZAGREB, 2 November, 2021 - President Zoran Milanović's office said on Monday that Defence Minister Mario Banožić was undermining the international reputation of Croatia and the Croatian Army with his statements.
The president's office was responding to claims by the Defence Ministry earlier in the day that it had prevented an international scandal over the participation of the Honorary and Protection Battalion in a commemoration in Bosnia and Herzegovina earlier this year.
The office said that Banožić, "with his lying statements" and the ministry's press release today, "is undermining without precedent" the international reputation of Croatia and the Croatian Army, the relations with BiH as well as "disturbing the public with fabrications."
The president's office said that Banožić's claim via the ministry that he had prevented an international scandal was incorrect and insulting to the Croatian Army, which, it added, "unlike the minister, has always acted and acts in line with the law and legal commands and decisions."
In March, members of the Honorary and Protection Battalion were sent to attend the burial of the remains of four Croatian Defence Council members in Bugojno, BiH in line with the law, based on a request from the president's office, on the command of the chief of the General Staff and with the minister's written decision, Milanović's office said.
It added that Banožić tried to obstruct the legal sending of members of the battalion to Bugojno by waiting for the last minute to sign the decision to that effect, despite receiving a request from the chief of the General Staff in line with the law and in time.
The president's office asked Banožić to say why it bothered him that members of the battalion should attend the commemoration, which was also attended by the president's advisor on veterans, retired general Marijan Mareković, and by Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman on the government's behalf. The office noted that the ministry, in its press release, did not mention that Grlić Radman was at the commemoration.
Milanović's office said that Banožić was abusing the Defence Ministry for his political clashes with the president and the military Chief-Of-Staff, Admiral Robert Hranj, adding that it was dangerous and irresponsible to accuse the president and the chief-of-staff of breaking the law via the ministry's website..
The president's office also carried a response from Hranj, who issued "a strong protest" against the ministry press release which, "based on a number of gross untruths, completely distorts the situation."
Hranj told Minister Banožić that communication between state officials via the Defence Ministry website was "entirely inappropriate" and that contentious issues must be resolved in direct communication.
He added that it was also "absolutely unacceptable" to state "gross untruths with the evident objective to defame the other party."
The admiral said the ministry press release, "besides stating numerous untruths, brings an unnecessary dose of mistrust and casts a shadow on the good relations" between Croatia and BiH, "especially their armed forces."
Zagreb Air Pollution Data Come from Company for Air Cleaning Products, says Professor
ZAGREB, 2 November, 2021 - Zvjezdana Bencetić Klaić of the Zagreb Faculty of Science said on Monday the information earlier in the day that Zagreb was one of the cities with the most polluted air in the world came from the website of a company making air cleaning products.
Speaking on Croatian Television, the professor said the company "publishes all data available to it from the web, regardless of their quality."
Besides using data from state stations which monitor air quality, she said, the website also uses some unusual sources such as Tobacco Travno.
At this time of year emissions of pollutants are higher due to heating and weather conditions, such as fog and lack of wind, which favour higher concentrations, but the next rain and stronger wind cleanse the atmosphere, she said.
She added that it was not only important what the concentration was at any given hour but over a longer period of time as well.
Korea-Croatia Business Forum 2021 Happening November 4 in Zagreb
November 2, 2021 - The Korea-Croatia Business Forum 2021 will be held on November 4, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. at the Hotel Westin in Zagreb.
The event is organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Zagreb in partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Croatia, Croatian Chamber of Economy, Korean Business Center Zagreb (KOTRA), Croatian-Korean Business Club, the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia to the Republic of Korea, and the Korean-Croatian Business Innovation Council.
The Forum has been held annually in Zagreb since 2013, with the aim of further promoting business partnerships between Korea and Croatia, covering various topics such as tourism, cosmetics, and public procurement.
With the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Croatia in 2022, this year's Forum includes a range of presentations on a diverse array of fields of mutual interest such as infrastructure projects, and tourism, under the theme of “Looking to the Future: Strengthening Business Partnerships and Cooperation.” Many Korean and Croatian companies and organizations are participating at the forum, including the Korea Importers Association (KOIMA), the Association of Croatian Travel Agencies (UHPA), Korean Association of Travel Agents (KATA), and the Doosan Heavy Industries & Constructions Co., Ltd.
The Forum will start at 09:00 with registration which will be followed by the presentation sessions and the signing ceremony for MOU between KATA, UPA in CCE, and UHPA from 09:30 until 12:20. Afterward, there will be a networking luncheon until 14:00, and the Forum will end with a 1-on-1 business meeting from 14:00 until 16:30.
For any inquiries, comments, or questions, we kindly ask you to contact the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Zagreb at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone 01/4821-282.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated business section.
