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ZAGREB, 16 Feb 2022 - MPs on Wednesday criticised Social Democratic Party (SDP) leader Peđa Grbin after it transpired that he and his party colleague Arsen Bauk had used the most benefits as MPs. "Everyone answers for themselves but how can Grbin claim that he can run the country if he can't say where he lives," said Stephen Nikola Bartulica of the Homeland Movement after Grbin said that by using his living away from home allowance (LAFHA), he had not violated any law. "In principle, politicians in Croatia are divorced from reality, they live in a parallel world", said Bartulica. Marijan…

ZAGREB, 16 Feb 2022 - Opposition MPs on Wednesday welcomed the government's measures to alleviate the impact of rising inflation on citizens, VAT reduction and its aid scheme, but noted that measures for the business sector were insufficient and belated and warned that margins could grow and prices stay the same. SDP MP and former finance minister Boris Lalovac welcomed the scheme, noting that it was comprehensive and generous. "These measures will definitely alleviate the impact of inflation, the market will stabilise and there are instruments to alleviate emergency situations," he said, adding that it would be good if the…

ZAGREB, 16 Feb 2022 - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković met with Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, on Wednesday the government said in a press release. The two officials reaffirmed the good relations between Croatia and Saudi Arabia, which the opening of embassies in Zagreb and Riyadh is expected to intensify. Plenković and Prince Faisal expressed readiness to organise a Croatian-Saudi business forum. They also discussed the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Plenković saying that key for its prosperity and European future was that it was a stable country where the equality of the three constituent peoples was honoured. The two officials…

ZAGREB, 16 Feb 2022 - Financial stability risks remain increased compared to the period before the crisis due to uncertainties surrounding the end of the pandemic, rising inflation, residential real estate price hikes, and geopolitical risks, the Croatian National Bank (HNB) Council concluded on Wednesday. The economy continued to grow in the last quarter of 2021, albeit at lesser intensity than previously in the year, with industrial production increasing, while the real retail turnover and construction stayed at Q3 levels, the HNB said in a press release. In Q4 2021, employment continued to increase while the unemployment rate dropped, making their levels better…

February 16, 2022 - Sting at Arena Zagreb has been postponed until autumn this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The official date should be announced soon.  Due to the current restrictions caused by the pandemic, Sting's concert at Zagreb Arena, which was supposed to take place this spring, has been postponed until autumn. Sting was scheduled to perform at the Arena Zagreb on March 21, as part of his acclaimed My Songs tour, where he performs his favorite songs, written during the 17-time Grammy winner's glorious career, both with The Police and as a solo artist. The new concert…

February 16th, 2022 - The gallery is named after Zoja Dumengjić, the architect who designed the hospital complex in Firule It’s not every day that you hear about public medical institutions introducing art into their spaces, but the Clinical Hospital Center (KBC) in Firule, Split did just that by establishing a gallery in its central building. The Zoja Dumengjić Gallery, named after the architect who designed the hospital complex in Firule, was opened at the ground floor of the central building of KBC Split on February 14th. As reported by Vizkultura, this was a joint project of the Croatian Association…

February 16th, 2022 - In Croatia, after Christmas and New Year's, February is usually reserved for the Carnival, which is tightly connected with the Masquerade tradition that leads to the Carnival as an intro to Lent and later, to Easter. Each region has its own tradition that has been maintained for centuries. A look into Carnival in Eastern Slavonia. The Carnival (Poklade) is a calendar custom between the Epiphany (January 6) and Lent (Korizma). It is marked by masked processions and parties, merriment, madness and debauchery, and an abundance of food and drink. The highlight of the event is the…

ZAGREB, 16 Feb (Hina) - Social Democratic Party (SDP) leader Peđa Grbin said on Wednesday that he did not breach any law for receiving a Living Away from Home Allowance (LAFHA), and rejected the claim that all politicians are the same when it comes to utilising perks. "I am being accused today of using something that I have a right to by law. This is not an issue of whether I violated the law but whether my conduct was ethical and moral," Grbin said in the national parliament, reacting to an article in the daily press that he has been paid…

ZAGREB, 16 Feb 2022 - The Croatian government on Wednesday launched an HRK 4.8 billion (€640 million) package of measures aimed at shielding consumers from rising energy prices. The package includes the capping of the growth of electricity prices to 9.6% and the growth in prices of gas to 20%. Furthermore, the Value Added Tax (VAT) rate on gas supplies and some agricultural products will be lowered. The package also provides a rebate on domestic energy bills. Unveiling the set of measures, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said today that the package had been prepared in a systematic manner, and is "timely…

ZAGREB, 16 Feb 2022 - The Državne Nekretnine state property management company on Tuesday said that the renovation of the state-owned basement used by Prime Minister's chief-of-staff Zvonimir Frka-Petešić, had been conducted in line with law and regulations. "The renovation of the pertaining basement space in Zagreb was planned within the company's regular business activities and the project was also made public within the company's public procurement operations' plan for 2021", Državne Nekretnine stated in a press release in response to media reports that that the 83-square-metre large basement was renovated and refurbished at a price of 417,000 kuna. "During the advertised public procurement tender for…