Deputy PM: Post-Quake Reconstruction Bill to be Put to Vote on Thursday
ZAGREB, 31 January, 2021 - Deputy Prime Minister Boris Milošević said on Sunday that according to the information available to him, the bill on the post-earthquake reconstruction would be put to the vote on Thursday, and he expects all political parties to show consensus rather than one-upmanship considering this topic.
"The information I have is that the bill will be put to the vote on Thursday, the parliamentary majority is stable," Miloševic, who is a vice chairman of the task force for dealing with the 29 December earthquake, told the national radio on Sunday morning.
"I hold that the law on the post-earthquake reconstruction would be supported not only by the parliamentary majority but also all political parties, as I see this law as an above-party matter. This is not the time for political one-upmanship," Milošević said.
After the Opposition broke the quorum in the parliament on Friday, the relevant amendments to the law on post-earthquake reconstruction were not voted in.
Considering the the demolition and removal of the buildings that were so damaged in the earthquake that they presented danger to human lives and health as well as to adjacent buildings, the Deputy PM told the national radio that the job was complex and that it required some procedure, including the consent from the owners and other permits.
The delay in the adoption of the post-quake reconstruction rendered this task more complicated, he said, adding that the new law would make all that easier.
Now, the authorities have started demolishing the state- and the city-owned buildings and structures, according to Milošević.
The removal of private properties, seriously damaged in the quake, will require the permission from the owners.
Milošević noted that more than 8,500 buildings and properties had been seriously damaged in the quake-affected areas, including in the cities of Petrinja, Glina and Sisak, as well as in scattered rural settlements.
New Zealand Croats Collecting Donations for Quake Victims in Croatia
ZAGREB, 31 January, 2021 - The Croatian community in New Zealand has joined in aid raising campaigns for the Croatian areas affected by the 29 December devastating earthquake.
Thus, the Croatian Cultural Society in Auckland has opened a bank account for pecuniary donations for families in Petrinja, Glina and Sisak.
The Croatian Catholic Mission in Auckland already paid 5,000 dollars to a family in the village of Sibić.
The Croatian Cultural Society president Goran Katich said that the society would collect the donations throughout this year and would also organise humanitarian concerts and other events to raise relief for the quake victims.
According to the data provided by the the New Zealand Foreign Affairs Ministry and Trade, there are more than 100,000 Croats and their descendants in that country.
"Croatian immigrants began arriving in New Zealand from the 1850s and today there are more than 100,000 New Zealanders of Croatian heritage. There are also more than 2,500 Croatian nationals living here," the ministry said on its website.
Croatia's Coronavirus Update: 336 New Cases, 29 Deaths, 459 Recoveries
ZAGREB, 31 January, 2021 - In the last 24 hours, Croatia has conducted 5,079 coronavirus tests and 7.2% of them, that is 336, have returned positive, the national COVID-19 crisis management team reported on Sunday.
There have been 29 deaths linked to COVID-19, bringing the country's COVID-related death toll to 5,027.
There are currently 2,923 active cases of the infection, of whom 1,275 are hospitalised patients, including 113 placed on ventilators.
Since the outbreak of the this infectious disease in late February 2020, Croatia has conducted 1.91 million tests which have shown that 232,426 persons have contracted this novel virus. Of them, 224,476 have recovered so far, including 459 recoveries in the last 24 hours.
Currently, 15,503 persons in Croatia are self-isolating.
Croatian Embassy Sarajevo Attacked Again Last Night
January 31, 2021 – The Croatian Embassy in Sarajevo was last night again the target of an aggressive act. The flag of the European Union, which hung above the entrance, was ripped from its mounting and left lying on the ground in the darkened street
The Croatian Embassy Sarajevo was attacked last night. Zagreb-based media Vecernji List learned the news from their sister title in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A wall mounting that jointly held poles carrying both the Croatian flag and the flag of the European Union were the focus of the attack. Someone tried to rip the metal mounting from the wall on the outside of the Croatian Embassy Sarajevo. This is not the first time the Croatian Embassy in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been targeted.
The Croatian Embassy in Sarajevo © Miłosz Pieńkowski
It could have been mindless vandalism, drunken idiocy, politically motivated – or even all three. The Croatian Embassy lies in the very heart of Sarajevo. It is situated just north of the river Miljacka and in the same quarter of the city as the building for the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, other government and municipal buildings, the Sarajevo National Theatre and is just across the park from the embassies of France and Austria. There are several cafes, bars, fast food restaurants and pubs close by. It is a popularly frequented part of the city at night. Unlike Croatia, businesses selling food, alcohol and other drinks are currently open. Sarajevo city centre is alive at night.
The damage caused to the Croatian Embassy was minimal. The wall mounting was damaged but held firm, as did the pole carrying the Croatian flag. The pole carrying the flag of the European Union fared less well – it snapped under the force of the aggression and was completely prized from the mounting. Last night the pole and the flag of the European Union were left lying on the darkened pavement outside the Croatian Embassy, immediately in front of the doorway above which it previously hung.
An investigation is underway and police are searching for the culprits.
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Zagreb Cafes Protest Opening 1st Feb Cancelled, Fines Too Severe
January 31, 2021 – The planned cafes protest in Zagreb and elsewhere, which was due to see 100 facilities open their doors on Monday 1st February in defiance of the current ban on their operations, has been cancelled. Huge fines and the threat of prison are the reason for the climb down. Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Tomislav Coric appealed to caterers for patience.
The proposed Zagreb cafes protest organised for Monday 1st February has been cancelled. The protest was due to see some catering facilities and gyms open their doors to the public in defiance of the current nationwide ban on operations in such facilities. Around 100 businesses were said to be joining the Zagreb cafes protest.
"Although it has been rumoured that more than 100 caterers in Zagreb will open their facilities on February 1, mostly cafes, or at least start issuing coffee and drinks outside, despite the work ban, it does not seem this will (now) happen, as many have withdrawn after seeing all the consequences that could befall them if they do, " Franz Letica, president of the Zagreb Caterers' Association, told Hina by telephone after the meeting.
On Friday 29 January, the Association of Caterers in Zagreb announced the opening of at least 100 bars and Croatian cafes would open on Monday. An informal meeting of caterers, many who were due to take part in the cafes protest, took place on the afternoon of Saturday 30 January. It seems that at the meeting, plans for the cafes protest fell apart. Caterers had faced the possible punishment of fines - from 20 thousand kuna to 70 thousand kuna - and up to three years in prison for defying the law and opening during the cafes protest.
Petra Odobašić, the owner of a catering facility from Zagreb who attended Saturday's informal meeting, also confirmed to Hina there would be no mass opening on Monday, but that only a dozen caterers would continue with the cafes protest. This handful of establishments were described as being situated mostly in the Dubrava area of Zagreb. Around 80 caterers attended Saturday's informal meeting, mostly from Zagreb, but some from other areas such as Karlovac.
Appearing on Croatian television on Saturday 30 January, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Tomislav Coric appealed to caterers for patience.
"We hope there will be (patience)," he said when asked about the proposed act of defiance, "given that we have explained the epidemiological situation we are currently in. We need to think about the season - spring and summer - this will be the time when we can all reap the fruits of responsibility together."
Osijek Company Saponia Begins Construction of Zagreb Logistics Centre
January the 31st, 2021 - The Osijek company Saponia has begun with the construction of a brand new logistics and distribution centre in Zagreb, aimed at improving business operations in many ways.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, in early 2021, the Osijek company Saponia will begin building a brand new, modernly equipped logistics and distribution centre that will provide adequate logistical support to the long-term development of its sales and distribution business. Quality infrastructure is a prerequisite for increasing business efficiency for this well known enterprise, and in order to achieve this, two investment projects have been launched - the modernisation of the existing Saponia warehouse and the construction of a completely new logistics and distribution centre in the eastern industrial zone of Zagreb.
The first part of the project - the reconstruction of the existing storage space - has now been completed, and over recent days a building permit for the construction of a new LDC has been obtained. With its completion in April this year, the Osijek company Saponia will have 4,500 pallet spaces available for high-rack warehousing and modern storage mechanisation, which will enable the faster flow of goods, the increased punctuality of deliveries and overall reduced operating costs.
"When designing the Zagreb logistics and distribution centre, care was taken to meet the highest performance standards, and part of the concept is the energy efficiency of the building, which will contribute to solar panels and energy-saving lighting. The investment in the reconstruction, construction and equipping of the LDC worth 8.74 million kuna will be able to meet all of the specific storage requirements of both the production programme of Saponia and the products Kandita and Koestlin, the sale and distribution of which have been contracted since this year,'' said dr.sc . Dajana Mrcela, President of the Management Board of Saponia.
Namely, out of 4,124 m2 of the total space of the new LDC, almost a quarter will be conditioned space that ensures the maximum preservation of the quality of Kandit's and Koestlin's products. In the new space, in addition to the warehouse, new office premises of the sales and logistics department will be located, which will enable the more efficient organisation of business processes. Almost 40,000 unloadings will be performed annually from the Zagreb logistics centre at the points of sale of their partners. Therefore, the vehicle fleet has been expanded to include refrigerators due to the specific transport requirements of Kandit's and Koestlin's products, and the Osijek company Saponia can now boast of having 108 trucks at its disposal.
"With this business move, Saponia, together with Kandit and Koestlin, has confirmed its commitment to raising the level of quality of its business and improving its services to its partners. This partnership is a logical continuation of the efforts of these companies aimed at sustainable development and ensuring better operability and profitability,'' added dr.sc. Diana Mrcela.
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Minister Bozinovic: Cafe Terraces Would be Open if Weather was Warmer
January the 31st, 2021 - Minister Bozinovic has explained that because we're still deep in the cold, damp winter months in which numerous pathogens which can cause respiratory issues are rife, terraces must remain shut, adding that it would be a different story if the weather was different.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, at a recent press conference held by the National Civil Protection Headquarters, Minister Bozinovic touched on the weather conditions of winter and what opening the terraces of catering and hospitality establishments would mean for the country's epidemiological picture, which has become favourable over the last few weeks.
''If it was safe outside for the terraces to be open, then they would be, it's still cold, this still isn't the period in which viruses, including his one, find it more difficult to spread. If our more favourable trends are better by the 15th and if some new variant of the virus doesn't turn up here, and we hope that the situation will be better with the vaccine, then we can talk about correcting things to everyone's satisfaction.
Our goal is to prevent the situation from November and December from happening again, as that was when our healthcare system and capacities were on the verge of not being able to handle the situation,'' said Minister Bozinovic.
The director of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, Krunoslav Capak, also weighed in.
''We have a further mitigated downward trend. Sisak-Moslavina County has the highest numbers, Istria has the lowest. We're in seventh place in the ranking of European Union countries. We're in twentieth place in regard to those EU countries in terms of mortality. In the last week, the average share of positives in Croatia has been 11.2,'' Capak said.
''We received 409 reports of side effects from the Pfizer vaccine and 11 with Moderna. These are mostly local reactions such as headaches,'' he stated.
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Split Smart City Platform: Croatian Telecom and City of Split Begin Project
January the 31st, 2021 - The Split Smart City Platform is set to be created and come to fruition thanks to an agreement recently signed by Croatian Telecom and the City of Split.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the representatives of the City of Split and the Croatian Telecom Group signed an agreement recently for the project of creating the Split Smart City Platform which will represent the digital transformation of the city's services and enable citizens fast and easy two-way communication with the city's services via both mobile and web applications.
Through the new smart digital system, citizens will have access to all useful data in one place: an insight into the agreed services that citizens or companies have with city companies, information on bills, debts and the ability to pay bills, the ability to report problems and complaints, kindergarten registration, information about events, as well as submitting requests and receiving documents issued by the City of Split. The system will also be able to integrate with other systems already in use in the city such as the Split Parking app and NextBike.
"We're creating a unique digital platform that will be the basis for the further modernisation and digitalisation of the city's services. We've managed to do a lot so far, and now we're embarking on a new digital step forward that will make things even more accessible and more helpful for our residents. Through better and more transparent communication, simplicity and efficiency, we're once again aiming for what is most important to us - the satisfaction of the people who live in Split,'' said the Mayor of Split, Andro Krstulovic Opara.
The Split Smart City Platform project will last for three years and is divided into three phases in which Croatian Telecom will provide the Cloud infrastructure, and Combis will deal with the development and delivery of the application solution itself. The value of the contract stands at 3.5 million kuna, and the application should be available to citizens by the end of the year.
"Today, there can be no progress without digitalisation. The intention of Croatian Telecom and Combis is to connect society as successfully as possible with the opportunities provided by new technologies, and solutions for smart cities are a key step in building a digital society. We're proud that through this project, and with the City of Split, we will be able to raise the quality of life of the city's citizens as well as the efficiency of the city's companies. The concept of smart cities has long come to life in the world with excellent results, and in Croatia it's still in its infancy. As such, I'd congratulate Split for making such a step forward,'' said Marijana Bacic, the Vice President for Corporate Sales and ICT Services at Croatian Telecom.
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Warnings of Enormous Fines if Croatian Cafes Open Doors on Monday
January the 31st, 2021 - Croatian cafes are planning to open their doors as a sign of both protest against the extended anti-epidemic measures and of desperation on Monday, but warnings of astronomical fines will likely be enough to put many off the idea.
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes, after a number of Croatian cafes and the owners of other such establishments who are currently banned from working publicly stated after the government's decision to extend the lockdown measures that they plan to open their facilities on February the 1st, which is openly supported by some of their associations, the National Association of Caterers posted a warning on social media, reminding them that any such move would be breaking the law.
As is now known, on Friday, the Association of Caterers in Zagreb announced the opening of at least 100 bars and Croatian cafes on Monday, announcing a meeting over the weekend at which the details of the action will be polished up. Hrvoje Bujas, the president of the Voice of Entrepreneurs Association (UGP), said on Friday that he would open his own cafe, but noted that he was aware that the association couldn't promote it because it would be a criminal offense. Instead, they're looking for another way to exercise the rights they seek, and they're doing so together with the National Association of Caterers, which had a change of leadership last weekend when Jelena Tabak from Split was elected president after the resignation of Marin Medak.
In last night's announcement, the National Association notes that the Association cannot knowingly encourage Croatian cafes to open their doors and as such violate the Law on Civil Protection and the Law on Protection of the Population from Infectious Diseases.
"Such violations entail draconian fines - both financial ones and prison sentences, not only for those who do this, but also for those who incite it, aware or unaware of the law - from 20 to 70 thousand kuna and up to three years in prison. This doesn't mean that we don't understand the situation our colleagues who are thinking about it are in, given that there is less and less room for maneuver and more and more accumulated obligations. That doesn’t mean we don’t often think about it ourselves. Despite the news of open catering and hospitality establishments in Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic, the fact is that throughout the European Union, there's a lockdown, except for the working hours of a limited set of establishments in Spain.
Violation of the laws of the Republic of Croatia is something we don't want to encourage, especially if it means we're endangering the lives and health of our colleagues,'' the National Association of Caterers announced on its Facebook page.
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Second Phase of Earthquake Clear-Up Begins
ZAGREB, 30 January, 2021 - The head of the task force dealing with the aftermath of the 29 December earthquake, Tomo Medved, said on Saturday that the second phase of the clear-up process had begun - removing the buildings that were so damaged in the earthquake that they presented danger to human lives and health as well as to adjacent buildings.
The first buildings condemned were the old army barracks and the old department store in Petrinja. Medved said that such buildings had to be removed to clear the ground for new buildings and because they posed a risk in the event of a new earthquake.
The members of the task force also visited a site in Petrinja where a container settlement was being built. About a hundred containers would be used for housing and as many for businesses, while 5 containers would serve as sanitary facilities.
The first containers are arriving next week and all the containers will be set up by mid-February, spokesman for the task force Mladen Pavić said.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković also arrived in Petrinja to give support to the task force and thank everyone for helping with the relief effort.
He said that the beginning of the removal of damaged buildings would speed up the pace of the reconstruction process. He added that it was good that 1,025 mobile homes had been set up in the area and that 1,061 accommodation facilities were connected to power supply.
Plenković announced that Transport Minister Oleg Butković, Finance Minister Zdravko Marić and Deputy Prime Ministers Tomo Medved and Boris Milošević would meet with representatives of the state-owned HAC motorway operator on Monday to discuss completion of the motorway between Lekenik and Sisak.
"We think this project must now be given a priority because a better road connection is crucial for the long-term revitalisation and economic recovery of Sisak-Moslavina County," the prime minister said.
