Croatia Still Far From Meeting Waste Management Targets
ZAGREB, 15 March 2022 - Croatia is still far from meeting the waste management targets, the parliamentary Committee on Environment and Nature Protection said on Tuesday.
The Committee discussed waste sorting infrastructure and technology in local government units. It met in the northern town of Prelog, which is regarded as an example of good practice in this regard because it has tripled the percentage of waste separation in the last five years.
A total of 1.7 million tonnes of municipal waste was generated in Croatia in 2020, which is a decrease of 6.5 per cent from 2019, and amounts to 418 kilograms per capita, said Mile Horvat, state secretary at the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development.
"2020 saw a rise in the number of local government units separately collecting biowaste from municipal waste. This activity was carried out by 20 units more than in 2019," Horvat said.
At least 65 per cent of municipal waste should be recycled by 2035, but many local government units are far from meeting this target, said Pero Čosić, deputy chairman of the Committee.
He commended the town of Prelog as an example of good practice because it had tripled the percentage of separately collected waste in the last five years, which has now reached nearly 70 per cent of waste separation.
"The amount of mixed waste has also been reduced, to below 100 kilos per capita, which makes Prelog one of the leaders in sustainable waste management in Croatia," Čosić said.
Such local examples show that the system of waste separation on the doorstep and establishment of local infrastructure for waste processing and recovery, along with raising of public awareness, are the key to meeting the set targets, Čosić said.
The mayor of Prelog, Ljubomir Kolarek, agreed, saying that his town's success in waste management was the result of systematic work and public awareness raising over the last ten years.
The Committee said that the new Waste Management Act had set new, more ambitious targets with regard to municipal waste management, and that HRK 1.25 billion (€167m), which is planned to be invested in the waste management system through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, should contribute to waste reduction, reuse and recycling.
Conference: Consumers Should Invest in Financial Products, Services They Understand
ZAGREB, 15 March 2022 - Consumers should invest in the financial products and services they understand, and to do that, one should study them well - this was one of the messages of the conference "Consumer in the Digital Finance World", held in Zagreb on Tuesday.
The conference was organised on the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day by the ministries of economy and finance, the Croatian National Bank (HNB) and the HANFA regulatory agency for the supervision of financial services.
HANFA Steering Board vice-president Ilijana Jeleč said that digitalisation provided a number of opportunities for consumers as well as pitfalls.
Access to financial services is simpler but there is a large amount of information which is not easy to absorb and consumers are not always willing to sufficiently study the services they buy, she said, noting that this was especially problematic when purchasing financial services and products.
Since those services and products usually imply long-term investments, it is very important to study them before buying them, she said, mentioning also investment fraud on social networks and offers for investments in cryptocurrencies.
Jeleč said that HANFA had warned on a number of occasions that such investments were not regulated and were very speculative, advising consumers to avoid highly risky, speculative products and invest in what they understand.
Underlining the importance of consumer education, she said HANFA was investing significant effort in that regard, was cooperating with schools and universities on youth education and had launched a portal called "Novac za sutra" to inform citizens about financial services and improve their financial literacy.
Minister underlines importance of consumer protection associations
Economy Minister Tomislav Ćorić pointed to the 2021-2024 National Programme for Consumer Protection and the new law on consumer protection, to go into force on 28 May, as documents addressing problems faced by consumers living in the digital society.
He said the ministry's services last year answered more than 6,000 phone calls by consumers and replied to more than 3,000 queries.
He underlined the important role of consumer protection associations, notably in the context of the coming introduction of the euro, set for 1 January 2023, noting that the ministry had granted HRK 350,000 to strengthen their institutional capacity.
Consumer protection central principle of euro introduction bill
The State Secretary at the Finance Ministry, Stjepan Čuraj, commenting on the euro introduction bill, noted that the principle of consumer protection and the ban on unjustified price increases had central place in the bill.
Speaking of financial literacy, Čuraj said that according to an OECD survey from 2019, financial literacy in Croatia had increased mildly compared to 2015, when a survey on that topic was carried out by the HNB and HANFA.
The average grade for the financial literacy of consumers in the OECD survey was 12.3 out of 21 points or 59%, while in the 2015 survey it was 56%. However, despite the improvement, the lack of financial competence and skills was the biggest among young people aged 18-29, Čuraj said.
HNB official: Elderly most evident victims of digital revolution
Data by the European Commission show that in the first week of the coronavirus pandemic the use of digital applications in banking grew by 72%.
Commenting on this, HNB vice governor Bojan Fras said that it was interesting that those figures did not change more significantly after the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions.
The digital revolution suits equally banks and their clients, Fras said, but noted that elderly citizens were the most evident victims of the digital revolution, being unwilling to use not only online banking services but also ATMs and bank cards.
Speaking of consumer complaints, Fras said that the HNB in 2021 received and processed 906 complaints and that none referred to digital banking services.
Croatia's SSSH Union Federation Joins Global Protest Against Ukraine War
ZAGREB, 15 March 2022 - Croatia's SSSH union federation said on Tuesday it was joining in the support to the European and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) which are holding a Global Day of Action for Peace in Brussels today.
The SSSH said it had condemned the Russian aggression on Ukraine in the strongest terms and demanded that the war stop and that dialogue and negotiations be established within the UN to stop further human victims and suffering.
The SSSH said the war in Ukraine was a threat to Europe's peace, stability and values as well as the international order, extending solidarity with the Ukrainian people, workers and unions.
The SSSH has paid money into ITUC's solidarity fund for Ukrainian unions and called on other Croatian unions to do the same.
The SSSH said it was at the disposal of Ukrainian refugees and preparing information material in Ukrainian on Croatia's labour market as well as labour and social rights.
It called on all stakeholders on Croatia's labour market to take into account Ukrainian refugees' vulnerable position, and on the relevant authorities to ensure their full integration.
Social Workers: It's Time for Politics in Croatia to Stop Ignoring the Profession
ZAGREB, 15 March 2022 - It's time for Croatian politics to stop ignoring the profession, social workers said in a message on Tuesday on the occasion of World Social Work Day, with this year's theme being "Co-building a New Eco-Social World: Leaving No One Behind."
"We are seeking ways for our voice to have the same significance as the voice of politics because politics is deaf to our profession," the president of the Croatian Association of Social Workers Štefica Karačić said.
Today's central gathering of social workers in Croatia was held under the motto "Social work in Croatia: New prospects," because in light of the natural disasters and pandemic which are a challenge to social work, the profession is at the beginning of reforms to the social welfare system which they do not agree with and believe the reforms are heading in the wrong direction.
Karačić: The concept of the changes adds more red tape to welfare services
Karačić added that the gathering was an opportunity to once again try and establish dialogue with the competent ministry, adding that structural changes should be the result of a synergy of all those this sector is related to.
The biggest problem with the new reform is that the entire concept of changes will just add more red tape to welfare services and benefits, which means further distancing from beneficiaries, less accessibility, and a reduced role of social workers who are in immediate contact with beneficiaries.
The president of the Croatian Chamber of Social Workers Antun Ilijaš said that Croatia has 2,500 social workers who care for more than 500,000 beneficiaries, which is a large number. Yet social services are only mentioned in public a few times a year and only when something goes wrong.
Asked to comment on the messages and criticism heard at the gathering, Marija Pletikosa, state secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, said that the profession was not being ignored and the ministry was working on strengthening the profession's dignity.
Pletikosa said that the reforms would relieve social workers of some administrative tasks because the aim is for them to do only what is their profession, to respect protocols and to standardise procedures at all welfare centres. She believes that the majority of social workers are satisfied with the changes.
During the gathering of about a hundred social workers, they stood and applauded social workers in Ukraine, as well as in Russia, who, despite all the dangers, have to remain dedicated to the fundamental principles of the profession, advocating peace and protecting every human being.
Mayor Announces Public Consultation on Reconstruction of Zagreb's Upper, Lower Town
ZAGREB, 15 March 2022 - Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević said on Tuesday that a programme for the city's integral reconstruction, focusing on the seismic retrofitting and integral reconstruction of the Upper and Lower Town districts, that is, the city's historical centre, would be presented on 22 March.
"Next Tuesday public consultation will be launched on the programme for the integral reconstruction of the city's historical centre. In addition to that, an expert discussion and a set of round tables will be launched to include citizens and experts in the process... in order to use the reconstruction process to revitalise the city's historical centre," the mayor said at a news conference.
His deputy Luka Korlaet said the programme for the integral reconstruction of the city's historical centre would be presented on 22 March, on the second anniversary of the Zagreb earthquake.
"It will be the first long-term strategic document of that kind, providing guidelines for the state, city, private owners and investors on how to carry out not only seismic retrofitting but how to make the city better as a whole," Korlaet said.
He said the document was aimed at defining a new approach to urban development to make the city safer and greener and make its residents' quality of life better, with less traffic jams and lower utility bills.
Point for mass vaccination at Zagreb Trade Fair Centre closed
Tomašević said that after almost a year, the point for mass vaccination against COVID-19 at the Zagreb Trade Fair Centre closed down last weekend.
Between 50 and 100 medical workers worked at the location on a daily basis for the past 12 months, administering close to 480,000 vaccine doses, he said.
"We need to continue to be cautious, and if the current trend changes, we will be ready to respond with mass vaccination capacity," the mayor stressed.
He also announced that the city ZET public transportation company would be offering free public transport for Ukrainian refugees who have a certificate issued by the Ministry of the Interior proving their displaced person status.
Milanović: Croatia Shouldn't Get Involved in Ukraine War More Than It's Good and Safe
ZAGREB, 15 March 2022 - President Zoran Milanović said on Tuesday he did not want Croatia to get involved in the war in Ukraine more than it should and more than it was good and safe for it.
He was speaking in Mravinci near Split at a ceremony marking 31 years of the BATT Special Police.
The president said that in 1991 that Croatian unit was small and depended on a small number of the right and brave people. It is the same in every war, including the one in Ukraine, which depends on defenders and stout-hearted fighters to defend the capital of Kyiv, he added.
"I say these things with caution and restraint because I don't want Croatia to get involved more than it should and more than it's good and safe for it. But I had to say it," Milanović said, adding that 31 years ago "Croatia did not have weapons, an army, recognition. It didn't have either the sympathies or the favours of a good part of the Western world. It was helped tacitly, if even so."
At that time Croatia could not buy weapons, not even smuggle them at first, everything started with the police because there was no army, and from that police the Croatian Army was created, Milanović said among other things.
Croatia Logs 1,179 New Coronavirus Cases, 19 Deaths
ZAGREB, 15 March 2022 - In the last 24 hours 1,179 coronavirus cases, out of 5,859 tests, and 19 related deaths have been registered in Croatia, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Tuesday.
There are 8,394 active cases, including 715 hospitalised patients, 47 of whom are on ventilators, while 6,572 persons are self-isolating.
Croatia has registered 1,074,706 coronavirus cases to date and the death toll is 15,373.
To date 56.89% of the total population or 67.67% of adults have been vaccinated, including 65.62% of adults fully.
Most Says Referendums to Build "Missile Shield" for Democracy
ZAGREB, 15 March 2022 - MPs of the opposition Bridge party said on Tuesday that the Public Administration Ministry had determined that the party had collected a sufficient number of signatures for its two referendum initiatives, noting that the purpose of the two referendums was to build a shield for democracy and human rights.
MP Nikola Grmoja said that the referendum initiative aimed at amending Article 17 of the Constitution to include epidemic and pandemic as events during which constitutionally guaranteed rights and freedoms can be restricted only by a two-thirds parliamentary majority, had collected 370,310 valid signatures.
The other initiative, advocating a referendum against the national COVID-19 crisis management team, has collected 372,635 valid signatures, as determined by the Public Administration Ministry.
Grmoja believes that despite the war in Ukraine, that topic had not lost its relevance as it could become important again in autumn.
He noted that the current growth of prices in Croatia and the rest of the world was not due only to the Russian aggression against Ukraine because food and energy prices had been going up before it.
MP Nino Raspudić said that the issues raised by the two referendum initiatives were definitely not passe, claiming the government was keeping citizens in a state of permanent emergency in order to cover up its criminal activities.
"Croatia is being held captive by completely incompetent and immoral people implicated in criminal activity. This is the only way to say 'enough' through institutions. Croatian citizens have said so," Raspudić said, adding that the referendum question seeking to amend article 17 of the Constitution was aimed at building "a strong, lasting missile shield for democracy and human rights in Croatia" because "the same story could continue after the summer."
Asked for a comment on the varying expert assessments regarding the crash of a military drone in Zagreb last Thursday, Grmoja said that "Defence Minister Mario Banožić can no longer continue to be minister after this."
"Not only because of the fact that the incident happened, with our air defence system failing to react, but because of the very communication following this unprecedented incident," he said.
Several Hundred Ukrainian Refugees Staying in Northern Croatian Counties
ZAGREB, 15 March 2022 - Several hundred refugees from Ukraine have been provided with accommodation in Varaždin, Međimurje, and Krapina-Zagorje counties northern Croatia, and more and more are arriving on a daily basis.
Varaždin Civil Protection Service head Ivica Matošić told Hina on Tuesday that 106 Ukrainian refugees are currently staying in Varaždin County.
He noted that the county authorities were doing their best to secure the necessary accommodation capacity for the reception of more refugees.
Matošić said that around 1,200 beds were available in private accommodation.
340 refugees enter Croatia in last 24 hours
According to the latest information, 340 Ukrainian refugees entered Croatia via the Goričan border crossing in the last 24 hours, Međimurje County Civil Protection head Josip Grivec said.
Eighty-five of them will continue their journey to other countries while 15 have said that they will stay in Međimurje County, Grivec said, noting that the refugees were women and children and that they were staying in private accommodation.
In Krapina-Zagorje County there are currently 27 Ukrainian refugees, the head of the county Civil Protection service, Stjepan Skuliber, said.
Since a reception centre has still not been set up in the county, the refugees are staying in private accommodation.
Ukrainians in Osijek: "We Will Do Everything We Can to Make them Feel Safe"
March 15, 2022 - Ukrainians in Osijek will feel safe and comfortable in the city thanks to various programs provided to help refugees integrate.
From the first day of the aggression on Ukraine, the City of Osijek opened its doors to Ukrainian refugees. Osijek was among the first in Croatia to prepare a Reception Center with 100 beds and was recently visited by Minister Davor Božinović. It also joined the new action plan "Slavonian Heart for Families of Ukraine," prepared by Osijek-Baranja County and the Center for Missing and Abused Children, to integrate children and adults coming to eastern Croatia quicker, reports Lokalni.hr.
"In addition to schools and kindergartens, city companies, institutions, associations, and sports clubs participate in the integration of Ukrainian citizens. We will do everything to make them feel safe and comfortable in our city. Our professional services are at their disposal. On this occasion, I would also like to thank my fellow citizens who selflessly help. If anyone can understand the Ukrainian people, it is the inhabitants of Osijek and Osijek-Baranja County," says Osijek Mayor Ivan Radić.
The city's Passenger Transport Company provided free city public transport for refugees and transports refugees from the Croatian border to the reception center or accommodation. Sports facilities offered free use of the pool. In addition, the space for the Children's Corner run by the Center for Missing Children has been renovated in the Osijek Cultural Center.
They also plan to offer children piano and other school activities because many had a music education in Ukraine. In addition, the city company Unikom, which includes the Zoo, will provide free tickets for the zoo. Assistance was also offered to the Kyiv Zoo in an animal shelter.
Free art and educational workshops (Waldingerionice) for children aged 6 to 13 are held in the City Galleries of Osijek every Saturday from 10:30 to 12:30. All Ukrainian children are welcome. The City Galleries of Osijek provide all materials and professional guidance. The Waldinger Gallery is open free to visitors every day from Tuesday to Sunday from 17:00 to 20:00. Depending on the program, there is always an exhibition in the gallery that can be viewed.
The Branko Mihaljević Children's Theater in Osijek joined with complimentary tickets for the non-verbal performances "Wild Horse" and "Duck Swims Across the Drava." In addition, the theater has equipment for the needs of blind and partially sighted children that can be used for simultaneous translation so that plays in Croatian could be watched in Ukrainian with the help of a translator or narrator.
Last Friday and Saturday, the Croatian National Theater organized a humanitarian classical music concert for peace in Ukraine. Part of the funds will be transferred to an account opened to help refugees. In addition, Ukrainians in exile will be offered free tickets to the Croatian National Theater.
An invitation was sent to all sports clubs and members of Osijek Sports Associations to include refugee children and youth in training and other club activities as part of regular planning and program activities. The Center for Technical Culture Osijek is also ready to include several children in workshops on model making, aircraft modeling, assembling Lego models, photography, and construction. If necessary, additional workshops can be provided.
The city of Osijek is a member of the association Croatia Helps, and it has offered a holiday in Novi Vinodolski from June 20 to 27 for 40 Ukrainian children who will be accommodated in Osijek. The city has also made available business space in Pothodnik, which will house the Refugee Info Center. Its opening was announced in the coming days. They are also planning a program for entrepreneurs, given that they have already received inquiries from several Ukrainian companies that would move to Osijek, and a model is being sought to co-finance their business.
For more, check out our lifestyle section.
