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ZAGREB, 28 Oct 2021 - The Croatian government has projected growth for this year at 9.0 percent, while budget revenue for 2022 is forecast at HRK 164.5 billion, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said at a cabinet meeting on Thursday. "Based on macroeconomic indicators for the national economy and external environment, and prevailing expectations, real GDP growth for 2021 is projected at 9 percent, which surpasses the real GDP level from 2019," Plenković said. Under the amended budget for 2021, revenue has been increased by HRK 3.3 billion to HRK 153.6 billion and expenditure by HRK 6 billion to HRK 173.3…

ZAGREB, 28 Oct 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Thursday that 56% of the adult population in Croatia had received the first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine and warned that in the past week 750 of 1,000 hospitalized patients were people who had not been vaccinated. Today we have reached the vaccination rate of 56% of the adult population who have received the first dose, which is close to 1.9 million citizens, Plenković said at a government session, calling once again on citizens who are fully vaccinated to have themselves vaccinated with the third shot and on those who have…

ZAGREB, 28 Oct 2021 - Independent MP Karolina Vidović Krišto has sent a letter to European Commissioner for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová, warning her about "systematic disregard for laws to which Croatian citizens have been exposed", which, she says, causes poverty and injustice in society. "Croatian citizens' rights are constantly violated by the ruling structures, and politicians and the judiciary openly and publicly demonstrate arrogance and them being untouchable. Such conduct is not possible in stable democracies because it causes social chaos, which, in turn, causes poverty and injustice," Vidović Krišto said at a news conference. In her letter to the…

ZAGREB, 28 Oct 2021 - The Croatian government will extend the deadline for the completion of the population census, which should have been finished by 29 October, until 14 November because of difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said at a cabinet meeting on Thursday. "Considering the present circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic, where our census-takers are encountering certain difficulties on the ground, and following consultations with the director of the National Bureau of Statistics, the government will today extend the deadline for the completion of the census until 14 November," the prime minister said. Plenković said…

ZAGREB, 28 Oct 2021- The Croatian Chamber of Nurses (HKMS) on Thursday asked the Ministry of the Interior to deploy police patrols around medical institutions more often and the Ministry of Justice to amend the criminal code and grant health workers the status of officials. That would increase security for health workers and provide them with a safe working environment, the HKMS said in a statement prompted by a recent assault on patients in the accident and emergency area of the KBC Zagreb hospital. "The incident at KBC Zagreb is not an isolated case of attack on nurses in the course…

ZAGREB, 28 Oct 2021 - The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control's (ECDC) latest COVID map shows that Croatia is entirely dark red as are large parts of Eastern Europe. Dark red signifies a very high risk of COVID-19 incidence. Last week the capital Zagreb and Pannonian Croatia were dark red on the ECDC map, while Adriatic Croatia and North Croatia were red. The ECDC estimates COVID-19 risk according to the bigger statistical regions within a country (NUTS 2). NUTS 2 regions must have a minimum of 800,000 inhabitants and a maximum of three million. There are only four NUTS2 regions in…

ZAGREB, 28 Oct 2021 - Opposition MPs said on Thursday, ahead of a debate on changes to the Minimum Wage Act, that nobody was against the minimum wage being raised but not in such a way to make employers cover the cost.  Marin Lerotić of the Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) said his party was against employers covering the cost of a higher minimum wage, wondering when the serious discussion would begin about tax reliefs and stimulation of industries, notably export-oriented ones. Davor Bernardić of the Social Democrats said PM Andrej Plenković's announcement of a HRK 350 increase in the minimum wage…

ZAGREB, 28 Oct 2021 - President Zoran Milanović said on Wednesday that Croatia would have more benefits than disadvantages from the euro adoption and that Malta could help Zagreb with its experience in the euro area. Malta has been in the euro area since 1 January 2008, and today when Milanović met with his Maltese counterpart George Vella, he said that he believes that country can help Croatia with its experience. "This is a country which has been inside for a long time, it has the experience and that experience is good," said Milanović and added that the Maltese economy is…

October 28, 2021 - Adria Business Network's 3rd season was opened with a lecture by Dražen Oreščanin, a partner in the company Poslovna inteligencija and the Executive Director of the Voice of Entrepreneurs Association. The event was organized by entrepreneurs Željka Barišić, owner of Forca Digital Agency (www.forcadigitalagency.com), and Lee Kosović, owner of LOL Event Management (www.lol.hr) at Aspira High School, which is a partner of the event. The event's goal is business networking in Croatia and the region, creating business opportunities, and encouraging continuous education. In addition, the event offers the opportunity for all participants to get to know each…

ZAGREB, 28 Oct 2021 - Fertilizer manufacturer Petrokemija generated a net profit of HRK 19 million in the first nine months of 2021, down from HRK 315 million in the same period of 2020, the company's financial statement shows. Petrokemija's result for the first nine months of this year was affected by increased prices of natural gas, higher carbon emission allowance prices, and lower demand. The negative effects were partly offset by higher selling prices of mineral fertilizers and the efficiency measures implemented, CEO Davor Žmegač said in a comment. Operating revenue totaled HRK 1.5 billion, up by 7.0% over…