Politics

ZAGREB, 22 Nov 2021 - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković on Monday commented on Saturday's protest against COVID certificates and asked what sort of personal freedom it was that "brings death and takes numerous lives that shouldn't have been lost?" "Those who are insisting on their own freedom and avoiding COVID certificates and testing evidently do not think that there are people who pay a high price for this epidemic," Jandroković said in an interview with Croatian Radio. He said that the key issue was not COVID certificates but the fact that more than 10,000 people had died of COVID-19, including a record 73 in the…

ZAGREB, 22 Nov 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Monday that the protest against the COVID-19 certificate mandate on Saturday was predominantly a political protest, described as shameful political profiteering from people's fears, COVID-19 deaths, and COVID-19 patients fighting for their lives. He stressed that he also condemned attacks on reporters during the protest. "I most strongly condemn the attack on your fellow reporter (Goran) Latković, it is a cowardly and brazen act and it is not clear to me why anyone would bring into question the right of reporters and media to report about a public event. I…

ZAGREB, 22 Nov 2021 - An agreement was signed in Dubrovnik on Monday for the procurement of 18 new buses for Dubrovnik's public transportation bus company, worth almost HRK 38.7 million (€5.16 million) of which 85% will be provided by the European Union. The Libertas bus company will, thus, renew its fleet with two articulated low-floor buses, six mini low-floor buses, seven mini urban-suburban buses, and three midi suburban buses. As many old buses will be taken off the roads. Mayor Mato Franković announced that traffic around the historical old town will soon be restricted to vehicles of local residents and public transport. "I believe…

ZAGREB, 22 Nov 2021 - President Zoran Milanović said on Monday his office would summon the Austrian ambassador to convey his concern over "fundamental human freedoms" in that country after the government in Vienna recently summoned the Croatian ambassador over Milanović's comments on COVID rules in Austria. The Croatian diplomat was summoned last week after Milanović recently commented on the Austrian government's anti-epidemic measures, noting that they were reminiscent of Fascism. Asked by the press today about Austria's imposing an all-out lockdown and its plan to introduce mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 as of February 2022, Milanović called it a disaster. "I think the Swedes…

ZAGREB, 22 Nov 2021 - The scars and traces of the 1990s war and Slobodan Milošević's insane policy are felt even today, Croatian PM Andrej Plenković said in Slovenia on Monday, at the unveiling of a memorial to the cooperation of the governments of the two countries at the time of their struggle for independence. The memorial plaque in Otočec Ob Krki was unveiled by the two countries' current prime ministers, Janez Janša and Plenković, and their prime ministers of 30 years ago, Franjo Gregurić of Croatia and Alojz Peterle of Slovenia. "We remember all the horrors that happened during the Great…

ZAGREB, 22 Nov 2021 - Croatia's Embassy in Sarajevo on Monday condemned statements by Bosniak leader Bakir Izetbegović bringing into question the historical identity of the constituent peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The embassy's statement was a response to speeches which Izetbegović, leader of the Bosniak Party of Democratic Action (SDA), made at functions organized by expats in Germany last week. The embassy points to Izetbegović's misuse of historical terms for what it describes as petty political purposes and in a bid to erode the identity of the Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina as the least numerous constituent people in the country. During the…

ZAGREB, 22 Nov 2021 - French President Emmanuel Macron is the first French president to officially visit Croatia, and his visit on Wednesday and Thursday is exceptionally important for Zagreb, which will receive support for entry to the Schengen and euro areas and finalize a contract on the purchase of French fighter jets. "The visit is in line with Croatia's strategic goals for 2022 - entry to the Schengen and euro areas and the strengthening of defense capabilities with the Rafale aircraft," a Croatian government source said on Monday. Croatia expects the legal procedure for the adoption of a formal decision…

ZAGREB, 22 Nov 2021 - President Zoran Milanović on Monday commented on an incident that had occurred during a protest against COVID certificates in Zagreb on Saturday, saying that attacks on journalists were outrageous and that the incident involved "a handful of louts". "There were a lot of people at the protest. There were people who have nothing to do with this madness we have been listening to, who are educated, vaccinated, some of whom I know personally. They didn't come to hear that idiot Francišković or see some parliamentarians," he said. He commented on COVID certificates in army barracks, questioning what can be achieved…

ZAGREB, 22 Nov 2021 - Following an increased demand for Pfizer/BioNtech's COVID-19 vaccine among the unvaccinated population in Croatia in recent weeks, the Slovenian government has decided to approve Croatia's request to lend it 40,950 doses of the vaccine. The vaccine has not yet been delivered to Slovenia. so the operation will be carried out as a double donation. This means that Slovenia will first lend the vaccine to Croatia and then Croatia will return it to Slovenia by 31 December at the latest. The contract for the double donation will be signed by the Health Ministry and the National Public Health…

ZAGREB, 22 Nov 2021 - The 36th 130-strong Croatian Army Contingent, including six servicewomen, is being given a formal send-off on Monday to join NATO's KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. The media and the defence minister are not present at the ceremony. The ceremony is taking place in the barracks of the 132nd Croatian Army Brigade in the eastern city of Našice without the presence of the media. It is being attended by President Zoran Milanović in his capacity as Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces, while Defence Minister Mario Banožić has canceled his attendance. The Defence Ministry said that…