Croatia to Enter ERM II on Friday - Diplomatic Sources
ZAGREB, July 9, 2020 - Croatia and Bulgaria are expected to be admitted into the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM II), a sort of waiting room for entry into the euro area, on Friday, Hina learned from diplomatic sources in Brussels on Thursday.
The decision on this received support from the Euro Task Force on Monday, and it will also be on the agenda on Thursday afternoon and Friday when the Eurogroup and the Finance and Economic Council meeting.
A decision on a country's admission into ERM II is taken by the countries already participating in this mechanism, namely the 19 euro area member states, Denmark and the European Central Bank.
The decision on the admission of Bulgaria and Croatia is expected to be announced in an official statement on Friday, the diplomatic sources said.
Any member state that wishes to adopt the euro has to spend at least two years in the ERM II mechanism, which means that Croatia might join the euro area in 2023 at the earliest.
In a report released last month, the European Commission said that Croatia met all the criteria for entry into the euro area except membership of ERM II.
Visit Ludbreg on the Croatian Road Less Travelled
July 9, 2020 - Continuing the TCN series, The Croatian Road Less Travelled, Marc Rowlands explains why you should visit Ludbreg.
Situated in the far north of Croatia, just south-east of Varaždin and Čakovec and less than 20 kilometres from the border with Hungary, the small and picturesque town of Ludbreg is one of incredible contrasts and one with no small amount of ambition. Its close proximity to such neighbours pales into insignificance when you see the places Ludbreg would rather be judged against - this town is known as the Centre Of The World. The moniker was attributed when it was discovered, by accident, that it lies equidistant between many significant cities. Capitalising on the name, Ludbreg has charted these cities and their distance in a circular stone paving feature which can be found in the town's central square. 
Visit Ludbreg, Centre Of The World © Croatian National Tourist Board / Bojan Markicevic
However, as much as the town might name-check Paris, Athens, Vienna and Budapest on its monument, there's actually no escaping the fact that it is actually a direct product of its local environment. Its close proximity to the river Drava - an important trading route since before Roman times - its major tributary, the river Plitvice, and its placing on the river Bednja, are doubtless the reasons for its position. That it sits on the border of three county lines - Koprivnica-Križevci, Varaždin and Međimurje - might be a modern administrative allocation, but it gives an indication of Ludbreg's mixed identity. 
The best place to chill when you visit Ludbreg is Youth island © Ludbreg Tourist Board
To the town's east lie the vast flatlands of the Pannonian basin, to the south, a luscious green carpet covers the gently rolling hills of Zagorje, along the river Drava is the historic region of Podravina, stemming from the foothills of the Alps, to its north, historic Međimurje, then Austria and Hungary. You can see the land around the town juggle with this mixed identity, just as the town does; flat agricultural fields are interrupted by hills like Kalnički gorje or more gentle rises atop which beautiful holiday homes are placed. Nearer the centre of town, ultra-contemporary businesses lie next to routes of ancient pilgrimage. Neither here nor there, Ludbreg exists within a wonderfully mixed topography, with one foot in the past but a sharp eye on the future. 
Hazelnut House holiday home, one option of where to stay when you visit Ludbreg © Varaždin Tourist Board
Why visit?
Truth be told, if you visit Ludbreg, you can see all of its sights in a day trip. And the town is perfect for just that. But, by doing so, you probably wouldn't get more than a tourist's glimpse of the place. Ludbreg is actually comprised of thirteen settlements that exist around the centre and it is within these quiet-looking hamlets and villages that most of the town's drive and ambition lie. This is where the people live. And, for a while, you can too. The whole town has a reputation for sustainable living and sustainable growth - pioneering waste management schemes, growing allotments granted to residents without gardens and technically advanced green power solutions. It is in these settlements that you'll find holiday homes designated to agro-tourism and ecotourism. Perfect for relaxing alongside only your nearest and dearest, they hold distinct, unique architecture, some have outdoor swimming pools and all are surrounded by clean, fresh air and nature. 
Villa Mila holiday home, another great place to stay when you visit Ludbreg © Varaždin Tourist Board
Rural House Gabrijela holiday home - you can get close up to nature and still keep the swimming pool when you visit Ludbreg © Varaždin Tourist Board
The bountiful nature surrounding Ludbreg is one which services the town's ancient industries, traditions and arts & crafts. Some of these you can see or join in with, the most famous being Ludbreg's wine roads. Take a tour of the area's vineyards, cellars and winemakers to sample great examples of continental wine. White wines are their forté and Graševina, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Traminac are just some of the major league players available here, alongside rarer names like Moslavac and Manzoni. Muscat, Pinot Noir, Frankovka, Cabernet Sauvignon and Poštenjak can also be sampled.
The wine roads surrounding the town are one of the best activities when you visit Ludbreg © Ludbreg Town
Alongside the sights, the other thing to catch when you visit Ludbreg is the events. In these regards, Ludbreg punches well above its welterweight. The town's event calendar is brimming with exciting or entertaining things to see and do. It wasn't so long ago that hundreds of participants and spectators from 33 countries descended on the town for the annual World Model Aircraft Championships. Ludbreg is used to happily hosting such hordes, its institutions beckoning thousands of visitors every year.
The peaceful approach to the pilgrimage site - one of the more famous reasons to visit Ludbreg © Ludbreg Tourist Board
The most famous of these institutions is the Catholic faith. Whether you believe the town to be named after a returning Crusader or an entranced winemaker, one history of Ludbreg holds a greater clarity due to its acknowledgement by the Vatican. Many people visit Ludbreg on devout pilgrimage because the Blood of Christ is said to exist here. When doubt entered into the mind of a local priest performing the Eucharist, it is said the vessel he held became filled with the actual Blood of Jesus Christ. Pope Julius II began investigating the claim thoroughly, so much so, that the miracle wasn't confirmed until the reign of his successor, Pope Leon X, in 1513. Pilgrims have visited Ludbreg ever since. The relic of the Precious Blood of Jesus is kept in Ludbreg's parish church of the Holy Trinity, although a special site for pilgrims was built on the edge of the town centre in 1992.
The pilgrimage site which the faithful flock to when they visit Ludbreg © Fraxinus
The most-famous architectural building in Ludbreg (and the prettiest) is the Baroque castle Batthyany. The castle dates from the reconstruction of the older medieval castle on the same site by Count Louis of Batthyany in the mid-18th century and today houses the workshop of the Croatian Restoration Institute. There, painstaking repair work is undertaken on historical items from all over Croatia which have been damaged by the years or in the war of the 1990s. Walking around the ultra-modern town centre of Ludbreg offers no clue that behind this castle's walls such careful preservation of the past is taking place.
Batthyany castle in Ludbreg © Ludbreg Town
The other great institution of Ludbreg is also one which dedicates its life to preserving the past, but the history it protects belongs to the people, not the church. The cultural and artistic society KUD Anka Ošpuh, named after a female Partizan hero, has been operating in Ludbreg since 1976, although its roots are older. Many female-led charitable organisations operate in and around Ludbreg. That much of this work has existed in such hands for up to 150 years is simply remarkable, particularly within a broader Croatian society still viewed as patriarchal. Traditionally, while the young men of Ludbreg were drawn to more manly pursuits such as sports, bombastic brass instrument-playing and all-male choirs rooted in those of the church, the town's women were instead occupied with chores, charity work and the songs, dances and costumes of folklore. Folklore societies and their preservation of local, peasant traditions became incredibly popular all over Croatia after the Second World War. Early examples in the area of Ludbreg include Braća Kavurić from Martijanec (founded 1945) and that of Kutnjak (1947) with similar established in Sveti Đurđ, Sesvete Ludbreški, Dubovica and Vrbanovac. 
Contemporary members of folklore society Anka Ošpuh © Ludbreg Town
These village societies were mixed, but with the absence of any such society in central Ludbreg, it took 22 women to form the town's own. They made a great success of doing so. Although initially so poor with resources they had to practise in the basement of factories and local houses, by 1977 the society had grown to contain 79 members and was able to establish its own group of attached tamburica musicians and an all-female choir. As their reputation grew, the society absorbed many key contributors from similar groups in surrounding villages and their assets. To the 12 valuable Moslavina folk costumes with which they began, KUD Anka Ošpuh were able to add examples from Podravina, Slavonia, Dalmatia, Lika and even some worn by Croats in Vojvodina (present-day Serbia). Many of these costumes are still preserved or worn by society members to this day, kept alive, like the songs and dances of the region, by the society. These days, KUD Anka Ošpuh is one of the most highly regarded in Croatia and has performed all over the country, plus internationally at folk song and dance festivals. Its essential work is passed down to children and young people of the area in order that these traditions survive. Highly skilled and beautifully presented, they offer a glimpse of authentic and historic local culture. If you get the chance to see them, you simply must.
Ludbreg © Ludbreg Town
How to get to Ludbreg: The town lies approximately 100 kilometres by road from Zagreb, with bus or car being your options. Ludbreg has its own train station with trains running direct to Zagreb, Osijek and Varaždin.
Črn-Bel restaurant © Črn-Bel restaurant / Luka Krušec (LuMedia)
Where to eat: Surrounded by vineyards and beautiful nature, the Črn-Bel restaurant is a brilliant spot for lunch or dinner. They do great grilled meats, superior pizzas from a wood-fired oven and sharing platters, with most ingredients sourced locally. Restoran Raj in the town centre is much more of an informal, family place, with pizzas for the kids and shared grills or deep-fried seafood for the parents.
Where to drink: Pivnica Mejaši is a great pub in the centre of town where you can refresh yourself. They have a lovely, covered outdoor terrace and a good pub-grub menu, including pizzas, which will satisfy for lunch or an informal evening meal.
Ludbreg's first piece of street art is a mural of the moon © Ludbreg Tourist Board
What's new: Although the 'Centre of the World' is the star of the town's main square, you'll not miss several new additions to their menu of monuments. The latest is an artwork dedicated to young, local athlete Sara Kolak, a javelin player who earned a Gold medal for Croatia at the 2016 Olympics. She shares the square with a fountain, a photo opportunity spot and a remarkable solar-powered tree where you can charge your phones and other devices for free. For the cool cats, the town has a brilliant mural of the moon on one building facade – it's Ludbreg's first street art piece. The town will host a conference on cycling tourism from 16 – 18 September 2020.
Ludbreg's town centre © Ludbreg Town
What not to miss: For a small place, the list is huge. Don't miss the parish church of the Holy Trinity, its interior is delightful. You must visit the castle too and take the pilgrim's walk up to the modern ecclesiastical point of worship. LUMEN, a Ludbreg youth organisation, hold great music and theatre events. Centre of the World Day is April 1 and everyone joins in during the town's big day. The fountain on the central square flows with wine for the occasion. The town's carnival sees joyful residents march the chilly streets in costume. It's 164 years old and takes place on Shrove Tuesday. Ludbreg's Advent festivities grow year upon year. Also in winter, at the end of January, the town's winemakers present their fresh batches at the Young Wine Days.
Ludbreg's central square. During its three-day International Flower Festival, the town explodes with even more natural colour © Ludbreg Tourist Board
The town's three-day International Flower Festival is the second biggest in Croatia and is an explosion of natural colour. You can visit it at the end of April / beginning of May. The Ludbreg Bike Tour is a 15 kilometre run around the town, with a great afterparty at the picturesque Youth Island (main picture). Two more great parties are Idemo Otok in June and Crazy Island in August. Strange to imagine such a small place hosting two electronic music festivals of such far-reaching repute, but it does. Young dance music enthusiasts from all over Croatia travel here to attend them. Again, they take place on Youth Island. Although pilgrims visit throughout the year, many reserve the journey for the seven days surrounding Holy Sunday. KUD Anka Ošpuh holds folklore events throughout the year including a memorial performance for former president Mirjana Bošnjak, a springtime celebration, Ludance (which focusses specifically on local folklore), a wintertime celebration, Christmas show and, pick of the bunch, Folklore Meetings in the Centre of the World, during which they're joined by outside folklore societies. KUD Anka Ošpuh's great tamburica orchestra also play many dates independently, as do the once-attached but now independent, all-female Podravina choir.
What to buy: Ludbreg has had a beekeeping society for over 70 years and local beekeepers know their stuff. Ludbreg honey is a great gift to take home, as are any of the bottles of fine wine produced around the town.
Ludbreg's town centre © Ludbreg Town
On these links you can read about the other destinations in our The Croatian Road Less Travelled series:
Osijek - the capital of Slavonia, on the banks of the Drava
Donji Miholjac - a hidden gem in the heart of the Pannonian basin
For the latest news from Ludbreg, check out the dedicated TCN section.
For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.
Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages
25th Edition of 100 Leading Croatian Restaurants Presented
July 9, 2020 - A true gastronomy lover will rarely miss the edition of "100 leading Croatian restaurants and their recipes". For 25 years now, Karin Mimica, the leader of Gastronaut, has published this important issue, which informs all those interested about the best gastronomy Croatia has to offer.
Leading restaurants will be presented with text, pictures and recipes of home specialties and information on what is worth seeing and experiencing in their surroundings. In addition to restaurants selected from among a hundred leaders, the book presents quality and top products that can be found and destinations with their gastronomic and oenological advantages, says Mimica, who launched the project back in 1995 in collaboration with the then Croatian Economic Forum.
The project "100 leading Croatian restaurants - Restaurant Croatica" has been implemented continuously for 25 years and is the oldest national brand of quality in catering. The titleholders and leaders are also united in the Gastronaut Club project, which has so far organized over 120 thematic gastronomic gatherings and advocates the presentation of destinations, potentials, culture and history through the prism of gastronomy.
During November and December last year, in the first part of the election, guests voted for restaurants through the portal www.gastronaut.hr (there were over 2400 restaurants in the competition), and in the second part, caterers. The final word was given by the Honorary Committee of the project by checking the data related to the offer and service of restaurants and determining the list of restaurants that we can be proud of at the state level and which is the basis for a guide through 100 leading Croatian restaurants and their specialties.
Selected restaurants also become titleholders of Restaurant Croatica 2019, and in addition to a plaque, they are also awarded a sticker that leads to the online edition of the book in Croatian and English via QR code, concluded Mimica.
The print edition will be distributed to bookstores, larger kiosks and post offices in early August. Awarding the Restaurant Croatica plaque this year has been postponed to October 6, 2020, so that the caterers can join after the main season. By no means should you miss this valuable publication, and everything else that happens will be finger-licking good.
Note: Only eight Slavonian restaurants were on the list of the best. The newest ones have not yet had a chance to prove themselves, but they should not lose hope. A great refreshment is certainly restaurant Zlatni lug from Donji Emovac near Pozega, which with its top offer of food and wine in an authentic cellar (with decent prices) stands out significantly from all restaurants in the area. Other restaurants are: Visnjica from Visnjica, Schon Blick from Vetovo, Krcma kod Ruze from Osijek, Josic from Zmajevac, Kormoran from Bilje, Baranjska kuca from Karanac and Dunav from Ilok.
To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Virovitica
July 9, 2020 - Tourism was on hold when we started this series of articles, but most of us still have plenty of time. So let's look at the virtual resources available to explore Croatia virtually. We continue our new Virtual Croatia series with the tools to discover Virovitica, the center of the amazing region of Podravina.
A few weeks ago I wrote that being a tourism blogger in the corona era was about as useful as being a cocktail barman in Saudi Arabia. I feel less useless now, a few weeks later, and I am encouraged by the number of Croatian tourism businesses who are contacting us wanting to start thinking of promoting post-corona tourism.
One of the challenges of writing about tourism at the moment is that there is nothing positive to write about. With people confined to their homes and tourism in Croatia currently not possible, many have decided to go into hibernation until it is all over.
I think that this is a mistake, and I have greatly enjoyed the TCN series by Zoran Pejovic of Paradox Hospitality on thinking ahead to tourism in a post-corona world. You can find Zoran's articles here.
Way back on March 14 - several lifetimes ago - I published an article called Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Zagreb. The way I saw things, now was an OUTSTANDING opportunity for tourism promotion. People have time, they yearn for their freedom and former lives, so give them the tools to thoroughly research and enjoy your destinations, and you will have then longing to be there. And when they do come, they will have a deeper understanding of the destination due to their research.
South Africa and Portugal were the first to do their post-corona tourism promotion videos several weeks ago (Post-Corona Tourism Planning: Lessons from South Africa and Portugal), a trick which has been followed by other tourism countries, the latest being Croatia with the national tourist board campaign, #CroatiaLongDistanceLove, going live yesterday.
But while these campaigns create longing and market presence, they don't really educate. People now have time to really get into destinations. And dreams of escape to somewhere more exotic are high on the list of priorities of many.
So TCN has decided to help with that education with a new series called Virtual Croatia, where we will be helping you discover many of Croatia's destinations with all the best virtual tools available on your self-isolating sofa at home.
We started with Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Tools to Discover Hvar.
After this, we put our a press release (which you can read here in English and Croatian) offering a free article to any local tourist board in Croatia who would like the free promotion in our Virtual Croatia series.
The Sinj Tourist Board was the first to respond, and now you can see just how rich the tourism offer is in this proud Alka town - your virtual tools to Discover Sinj. This was followed by Discover Opatija, Discover Brela, Discover Rogoznica, Discover Stari Grad, Discover Omiš, Discover Lumbarda, Discover Jezera, Discover Šolta, Discover Cavtat and Konavle, Discover Koprivnica, Discover Pašman, and Discover Gradac.
People from the Virovitica Tourist Board most kindly helped us put together a series of videos promoting their town and region.
Let's begin!
Discover Virovitica - a Town with Rich History
The introductory promotional video
History of the town and the Pejačević Castle
The project of the Pejačević Castle restoration
The story of lace traditionally made in Virovitica
Events in Virovitica through the year
December in Virovitica
GoPro postcard
International bee safari tourist route
Virovitica loves trains
Discover Virovitica Websites
The Virovitica Tourist Board website has a lot of information about the town, its history, and what it offers today. You can find out all about the walking routes in Virovitica (the Green, the Sacral, the route of noble families). The Virovitica Town Museum has decided to create a virtual museum during these times when we're not supposed to spend much time indoors with other people.
Has this lovely town of remarkable history managed to get under your skin?
To discover more of virtual Croatia, you can follow this series in our dedicated section, Virtual Croatia.
If you are a local tourist board in Croatia and would like your destination featured in this series for free, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Virtual Croatia (and destination name)
Croatia Reports 91 New Cases of COVID-19, One Fatality
ZAGREB, July 9, 2020 - A total of 91 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in Croatia in the last 24 hours, one person has died and three are on ventilators, the National Civil Protection Authority said on Thursday.
The number of active cases currently stands at 978, the authority said on its website.
Of the active cases, 100 are receiving hospital treatment and three of them are on ventilators.
Since February 25, when the first case of infection with the novel coronavirus in the country was reported, 3,416 people have contracted the disease, and of the 115 have died while 2,323 have recovered.
Currently, 4,410 people are in self-isolation.
So far, 89,764 people have been tested, including 1,529 in the last 24 hours.
Former Tax Administration Director Sentenced to Two Years
ZAGREB, July 9, 2020 - A former director of the Tax Administration and Social Democratic Party (SDP) member of Parliament, Nada Cavlovic Smiljanec, was sentenced to two years in prison on Thursday for prolonging the collection of tax debt from Osijek businessman Zeljko Bilos.
Bilos, whose company OLT was granted an extension of debt payment, which deprived the state budget of HRK 9.5 million, received four years and six months in prison. The former head of the Tax Administration's Osijek office, Ruzica Kovacevic, got three years.
The indictment says that Cavlovic Smiljanec, using her authority as the director of the Tax Administration, instructed Kovacevic not to implement the enforcement order, which allowed Bilos's company to continue operating until the launch of a pre-bankruptcy settlement procedure in May 2013. This also prevented enforcement proceedings from being initiated.
The accused pleaded not guilty and rejected the charges.
HRK 30 MN to Be Reallocated for Quarantine and Out-of-Hospital Accommodation
ZAGREB, July 9, 2020 - The government on Thursday decided to reallocate HRK 30 million of budget funds to cover the costs of legal entities and civil protection operational forces mobilised to set up quarantine and out-of-hospital accommodation facilities and support quarantine facilities during the COVID-19 epidemic.
The Finance Ministry had made the recommendation, which the government adopted, to reallocate HRK 30 million from the 2020 budget, more specifically from the budget of the Economy Ministry's directorate for commodity reserves.
That will secure funds required to settle the costs of legal entities and civil protection forces mobilised to set up quarantine and out-of-hospital accommodation facilities and support the work of quarantine units by providing food supplies, transport, disinfectants and the like in an effort to curb the COVID-19 epidemic, Finance Minister Zdravko Maric told the cabinet.
The civil protection authority mobilised 113 legal entities and operational civil protection personnel with the aim of setting up quarantine and out-of-hospital facilities and it is estimated that the cost of those operations amounts to HRK 30 million.
PM Calls on All to Get to Work Due to Current Situation, Parliament to Sit in Summer
ZAGREB, July 9, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Thursday that due to the current circumstances everyone should leave the recent parliamentary elections behind and get to work, adding that parliament would sit this summer without having a usual summer recess.
"I believe that because of all the public health, financial and economic circumstances in which we are now, it will be good for us to leave the elections behind us and get to work in the interest of Croatian citizens," Plenkovic said at the beginning of a cabinet meeting.
This means that parliament will also sit during summer even though the constitution provides for a summer recess. However, it is always possible to hold extraordinary sessions of parliament, and this will be necessary now because of its inaugural session and a set of laws that need to be adopted, the prime minister said.
Plenkovic thanked all the citizens who had gone to the polls to elect the new parliament and voted for those deputies they deemed to be the best representatives of their views in the Croatian parliament.
Voting has to be repeated at a polling station in Rasa, Istria, after which the final results of the vote for the new 151-seat legislature will be confirmed. After that, the 10th parliament can hold its inaugural session and appoint the new government.
Plenkovic's Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) is the winner of the elections, having secured 66 seats.
Zinfandel Food & Wine Bar Staff Doing Their Part to Keep Split Safe
July 9, 2020 - As borders open and tourism resumes, it's up to us to do our part to ensure a safe environment in the post-lockdown world. Zinfandel Food & Wine Bar is setting an example in Split.
Croatia has imprinted their name amongst the list of countries that fought COVID-19 head-on and established measures early to protect and provide a secure state. Luckily, their work paid off, and citizens and visitors are able to roam and enjoy the solace of summer freely.
However, the 'new normal' is well and truly here. As we regain our footing post-lockdown, we must all do our part to guarantee the most corona-free environment we can. One way to do that is by adhering to measures, whether it's keeping a social distance or wearing a mask.
One admirable example comes from Zinfandel Food & Wine Bar in Split, whose encouraging words confirm that while Split and Croatia are safe to visit, we must all come together to make sure it stays this way.
"Our safety is your safety!" What a wonderful message to send to the world from Split, Croatia. Remember, we are all in this together.
For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.
Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages
Šuica's Call-In Show Comments Draw Attention of European Ombudsman
July 9, 2020 — The Europe’s Ombudsman will investigate Dubravka Šuica’s criticism of a Dubrovnik local television station’s call-in show, as well as the European Commission's subsequent response.
The European Ombudsman, the chief watchdog of the continent’s administrative body, will look into the European Commission’s handling of Vice President Dubravka Šuica’s response to criticism on a local call-in show in Dubrovnik.
The inquiry comes in response to an anonymous complaint filed by a Croatian, which took issue with Šuica’s call in to the show, as well as the Commission’s response.
"[The complainant] is concerned that, while it is welcome that the Vice-President stated her support for freedom of expression, the Commission should nonetheless have taken a position on her comments, which the complainant insists are at odds with support for freedom of expression,” the Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly wrote. “I have decided to open an inquiry into this complaint.”
Šuica, the Commission’s Vice President of Democracy and Demography, called into a local show in Dubrovnik this April, after a viewer questioned the sources of her wealth. “It's really amazing how people are dealing misinformation, and you haven't reprimanded it!” she said at the time chastising the host, Pasko Tomaš. “My wish would be to prevent any Croat, male, female, or citizen of this country from speaking in this way.”
The European Commission and Šuica gently sidestepped any implication her call tried to stifle debate, limit free speech, or threaten the free press.
“The European Commission and Vice-President Šuica attach utmost importance to the freedom of expression and to the freedom and pluralism of the media, which are fundamental European values enshrined in the European Union’s Charter of Fundamental Rights,” the Commission initially said in response to the hullabaloo cause by the TV exchange. “Since the programme was broadcast, Vice-President Šuica has already reiterated her unwavering support for those freedoms and clarified that it was not, and is not, her intention to impair the independence of the TV station in question, the independence of the journalist, Mr. Paško Tomaš, or the independence of his programme ‘The Voice of the People’ (‘Glas Naroda’). I hope this allays your concerns.”
During her call-in, Šuica told the journalist, “I’m the godmother of your Dubrovnik television! And I'm really happy that I was at the time.”
The Ombudsman O’Reilly said, after reviewing the show’s transcript, Šuica “appears to say that she believes that the media should not broadcast or publish statements criticizing public figures. She also seems to imply that the radio station allows such critical statements to be broadcast in order to increase its popularity.”
The European Ombudsman acts as an independent liaison between citizens and the administrative bodies overseeing the continent. The office can initiate inquiries and send reports to the European Parliament for review. While he or she cannot formally start any proceedings, the officeholder can investigate and pass long findings which may start disciplinary proceedings.
Šuica’s incident on “Glas Norada” or “The Voice of the People” show was a break from the show’s usual pattern. Croatia’s local television broadcasters often feature call-in shows giving citizens a chance to vent, air conspiracy theories or generally lambaste politicians.
But usually, it’s a one-way exchange. The politicos almost never respond.
The caller on Dubrovnik’s show followed the same format.
“We have individuals, these politicians, they stay for four to eight years in power,” the angry caller said. “They rob everyone wherever they can and in eight years they have to 10-15 million [kunas],” the caller said.
“Here, for example, Šuica. She was said to be worth seven million euros. Imagine that!”
The caller was referring to Šuica’s wealth, a major bugaboo which arose when she was nominated to be an EC Vice President. The former mayor and school teacher has assets worth about €5 million, including multiple homes, two apartments, a cottage in Bosnia, as well as a yacht and three cars. The figure was first reported by Index.hr.
“She has a yacht worth 500,000 euros,” the caller said. “She would need HRK 250,000 a month just to maintain the yacht, to pay for anchoring. Where did her money come from? She can say this, that, but it's all the same in our country.”
Šuica’s response to the call included a castigation of the journalist and host Tomaš.
“I’m surprised you didn't react,” she told him during her call. “I know that you are an excellent journalist, that your show is watched. I heard it from the kitchen!”
O’Reilly requested the European Commission respond by July 27.
