Politics
Friday, 5 November 2021
Zdravko Maric Reveals Staggering Cost of Croatian Fight Against Covid
November the 5th, 2021 - The Croatian fight against the spread of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, and the economic/job preservation measures which were introduced, have cost the country a pretty penny. Finance Minister Zdravko Maric revealed the exact, eye-watering figures. As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, most of the costs relate to government measures which were introduced in an attempt to preserve jobs, both directly and indirectly, and these are taxes, contributions, everything that the state decided to take into its own hands, said Finance Minister Zdravko Maric, who presented to Croatian Parliament the rebalance of this year's state budget. The supplementary…
Thursday, 4 November 2021
Beroš Announces Wider Use of COVID Certificates
ZAGREB, 4 Nov 2021 - Health Minister Vili Beroš announced on Thursday that the national COVID-19 crisis management team would introduce a new package of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, including wider use of COVID certificates, but there would not be a new lockdown. "We are completely clear that we must react. A new package of measures is being hammered out and it will be presented at a press conference tomorrow. Epidemiologists will this time again put forward measures which will be agreed on with the goal of preventing the spread of the infection, a further rise in the…
Thursday, 4 November 2021
Milanović Reiterates Idea to Mediate in Bosnia with Vučić and Erdogan
ZAGREB, 4 Nov 2021 - Croatian President Zoran Milanović on Thursday reiterated the idea for representatives of the three constituent peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina to sit down together with him and the presidents of Serbia and Turkey "because in such a setting a satisfactory solution can be found" to the crisis in that country. "I would like to see Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan as some sort of guarantors. There will be misunderstandings, but let's see what can be done for Bosnia and Herzegovina to remain whole," Milanović told the press in Zagreb. He believes that "only in such a setting can…
Thursday, 4 November 2021
Five Members of Govt Scientific Council Say Epidemiological Measures Insufficient
ZAGREB, 4 Nov 2021 - Five members of the government's scientific council - Andreja Ambriović Ristov, Nenad Ban, Petra Klepac, Branko Kolarić, and Igor Rudan - warned on Thursday that measures against the COVID-19 epidemic are not sufficiently effective and should be adjusted to prevent the further rise in new infections. "Croatia is faced with the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with a relatively low rate of vaccination compared to other EU countries. This wave is dominated by the Delta variant of the virus which is significantly more contagious than the variants in the preceding three waves, and somewhat more dangerous for all age groups.…
Thursday, 4 November 2021
Beroš: Statements by Individuals About Deterioration of Health System Untrue
ZAGREB, 4 Nov 2021 - Health Minister Vili Beroš said on Thursday that statements by individuals about the deterioration of the health system were not true and that all COVID and non-COVID patients were being taken care of without delay. "I wish to appeal to the media that statements by individuals about the deterioration of the health system are simply not true. Indeed, large resources are being redirected towards the treatment of COVID patients, which could have been avoided by timely vaccination. However, all COVID and non-COVID patients are being taken care of without delay," Beroš told a cabinet meeting.…
Thursday, 4 November 2021
PM: Government Firmly Opposed to Politicization of the Military
ZAGREB, 4 Nov 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Thursday that the government was firmly opposed to any politicization of the Croatian armed forces, stressing that the position of Defence Minister Mario Banožić in his cabinet was absolutely stable. Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Plenković said that the matter would be discussed by the Defence Council on Tuesday and that the meeting would be preceded by a preparatory meeting on Monday with the college of military commanders so that he could "hear first-hand what problems are facing the military and see how the government can help resolve them."…
Thursday, 4 November 2021
Opposition MP Calls for Restrictions on Unvaccinated Persons
ZAGREB, 4 Nov 2021 - After Croatia saw a record high daily number of new coronavirus cases, GLAS parliamentary deputy Anka Mrak Taritaš on Thursday called on the government to ramp up the vaccination campaign, saying it was high time for restrictions to be imposed on the unvaccinated. "The campaign should be further intensified, but that will not suffice. Now is the right time to tell people that they cannot get to work or to cafes and restaurants and shops if they are not vaccinated." She criticized the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and the government for being lenient and…
Thursday, 4 November 2021
President Writes to PM About Defence Minister's Unlawful Conduct
ZAGREB, 4 Nov 2021 - President Zoran Milanović on Thursday sent a letter to Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, warning him of "unacceptable and unlawful conduct by Defence Minister Mario Banožić" and calling on him to take action to enable the normal functioning and development of the Armed Forces. In the letter, sent to Plenković on 28 October, the president claims that Banožić abused his powers by sending into early retirement the commander of the Honorary and Protection Battalion, Colonel Elvis Burčul. Minister harassing, discriminating HV officer Milanović says that Burčul's case is extremely important because it shows the minister's behavior pattern, notably…
Thursday, 4 November 2021
State Secretary: Epidemiological Situation Can Affect Preparations for Tourist Season
ZAGREB, 4 Nov 2021 - This year, Croatia's tourist industry has achieved excellent results, however, the fact that Croatia is currently red on the ECDC map could adversely affect preparations for the next season, Tourism Ministry State Secretary Tonči Glavina told the parliament on Thursday. "This year's tourist turnover has reached about 75% of the turnover in the record-high year 2019. We are preparing for the next tourist season, however, the fact that we are red on the ECDC epidemiological map causes concern," Glavina said during a discussion on amending legislation regulating the hospitality industry. He explained that preparations and bookings for organized…
Thursday, 4 November 2021
PM Says Motion to Vote No Confidence in FinMin Bizarre
ZAGREB, 4 Nov 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Wednesday evening defended Finance Minister Zdravko Marić from yet another attempt by the parliamentary Opposition to have the minister replaced, calling the opposition motion bizarre and the group of MPs who supported it as ridiculous. "The parliamentary majority rejects the motion and Minister Marić will continue doing his job to the benefit of the Croatian economy," Plenković said in a debate on a motion by 34 opposition MPs for the parliament to give Marić a vote of no confidence. He then described independent MP Karolina Vidović Krišto's presentation in which…
Thursday, 4 November 2021
Opposition Says to Vote Against 2021 Budget Revision
ZAGREB, 4 Nov 2021 - Opposition MPs said on Wednesday, in a debate about a draft budget revision for 2021, that they would not support it because the expenditure was not transparent and the budget revision did not envisage the reconstruction of areas hit by last year's earthquakes or reforms. Sandra Benčić of the Green-Left Bloc said the budget revision was an act of capitulation by the government to the post-earthquake reconstruction of Zagreb and Banovina. There were no plans for reconstruction, not even public buildings with unproblematic property-rights relations have been reconstructed, she warned. We do not know if an extension…
