News

ZAGREB, 9 March 2022 - Agriculture Minister Marija Vučković said on Wednesday the government would do all that was necessary to contribute to citizens' food security and that Croatia would have enough food, despite disrupted international commodity trends due to the war in Ukraine. Responding to questions from the press after a cabinet session, she said the government was considering various models to ensure the necessary supplies. "Croatia will also do everything that is necessary to enable farmers and fishermen to work", she said, adding that today the government adopted decisions to aid farmers and fishermen and to procure HRK 594.6…

ZAGREB, 9 March 2022 - Parliament on Wednesday gave a vote of confidence in Ivan Paladina as the new minister of construction, physical planning and state assets, after which he was sworn in. He was supported by 77 lawmakers in the 151-seat legislature, while 51 were against and three abstained. An entrepreneur and manager with more than 15 years of experience in strategic and executive leadership in different fields of business, Paladina is taking over the ministry from Darko Horvat, who resign last month on suspicion of illegal allocation of incentives to small businesses while he served as the economy minister in…

ZAGREB, 9 March 2022 - Interior Minister Davor Božinović said on Wednesday that early next week the national COVID-19 crisis management team would probably relax restrictions on gatherings and some economic activities. Despite today's minimal increase in new coronavirus cases, there have been significant decreases in new cases, hospitalisations and deaths in the past few weeks, which allows for returning to a regular work dynamic, he said at a cabinet session. The population's immunity, thanks to recovery from COVID and vaccination, also allows for considering a relaxation of the protocols, he added. Although the most important restrictions, on gatherings, crossing the border, shops'…

ZAGREB, 9 March 2022 - The government on Wednesday adopted a set of measures to buffer energy price hikes worth almost HRK 5 billion, including a bill of amendments to the VAT Act, decisions to subsidise gas prices for households and small businesses, and once-only aid to pensioners and the socially vulnerable. The measures enter into force on 1 April, whereby the government is directly helping households and businesses, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said. The measures are aligned with European Commission guidelines which allow for regulating prices in case of need and justifiable circumstances, he added. VAT cuts The government sent amendments to the…

ZAGREB, 9 March 2022 - Referring to International Women's Day on Wednesday Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said that equality between women and men "is a precondition for a modern, successful and healthy society that we are building together." "Equality between women and men is a right and a fundamental value of our constitution and legislative framework," Plenković said in his opening remarks at a cabinet meeting. He mentioned women in Ukraine, saying that their "fundamental rights and security are threatened in these difficult circumstances" of Russian military aggression. Plenković said that International Women's Day is an opportunity to examine women's…

ZAGREB, 9 March 2022 - The cost of adapting the system to introduce the euro currency will cost about two billion kuna, Finance Minister Zdravko Marić revealed during a debate on the euro currency bill in the Sabor on Wednesday, underscoring that the positive aspects of that process outweighed the negative ones. "We need to introduce the euro as soon as possible because Croatia is a highly eurorised country. Introducing the euro will mean a higher credit rating and hence lower interest rates. The business community also supports the euro, and being part of the euro area will better protect us in times of…

ZAGREB, 9 March 2022 - The Croatian parliament on Wednesday adopted the prime minister's report on the situation in Ukraine, which strongly condemned the Russian invasion and praised the Ukrainian military and people for their heroic resistance. Also adopted were government measures relating to the humanitarian, healthcare, financial, banking, energy, transport, defence and other sectors, and the government was called upon to consider the proposals put forward by MPs. In the report, presented last week, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković expressed full support for the Ukrainian people "who are dying for European values". "Supporting Ukraine and respecting the courage of Ukrainians…

ZAGREB, 9 March 2022 - The government's proposal to introduce the euro as the official currency in Croatia on 1 January 2023 divided MPs on Wednesday, with some seeing multiple benefits and others claiming that it will further lower living standards. Darko Klasić of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) said entry to the euro area would give Croatia and its economy a huge geostrategic umbrella in turbulent times. Krešo Beljak of the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) said Croatia was "finally" introducing the euro. Anka Mrak Taritaš of GLAS said entering the euro area was a success for every country and…

March 9, 2022 – Meet Jasna, Tijana, Tamara, and Nevenka, the presidents, administrators, and employees of the Humanitarian Organisation Duga Vukovar, who spoke about those in need in Vukovar, how they provide it, and how we all can do the same. Duga Vukovar was founded back in 2013 to provide help to those who need it the most. This includes people who were marginalised for various reasons, but in most cases due to unemployment which leads to poverty. The elderly who live alone and in poverty are in an especially unfavourable position. Duga Vukovar has had a long tradition of…

March 9th, 2022 - Young artists are reshaping the urban landscape in Croatian tourist hotspots, taking over empty business spaces and delivering them from winter ennui In 2020, Culture Hub Croatia (CHC) launched a project named Voids (Croatian: Praznine) as a reaction to the issues created by mass tourism on the Croatian coast. Empty spaces in the historic centre of Split, typically used for tourism-related business activities in summer, were handed over to artists and citizens to use in the off-season. Spaces to work, to study, to connect - something they’ve been sorely lacking thus far. ‘We used this experiment…