Politics

ZAGREB, 14 July 2022 - The adoption of the law on the ratification of the protocol for the entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO is Croatia's contribution to the further strengthening of the alliance and collective defence, Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman said in the parliament on Thursday. The foreign minister said in his address he hoped that the Sabor would be among the first ones to give its approval for this "historic enlargement". On behalf of the government, the pertaining protocol adopted in Brussels on 5 July, was signed by Croatia's permanent representative to NATO, Mario Nobilo. "Croatia actively participates in all…

ZAGREB, 14 July 2022 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Thursday he was confident that as the new minister of finance, Marko Primorac would contribute to the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and to maintaining macroeconomic stability, among other things. Plenković was speaking at the start of a session of the parliamentary Finance and State Budget Committee on the government's nomination of Primorac for minister of finance. Plenković said he was also confident that Primorac "will continue the good trajectories that are already visible, namely that we are again rapidly reducing the public debt after meeting all the criteria for euro…

ZAGREB, 14 July 2022 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Thursday that Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Oleg Butković had been in the government the longest and that he was more than competent to assume the role of a deputy prime minister. Presenting Butković at the parliamentary Constitution, Standing Orders and Political System Committee as a candidate for deputy prime minister, Plenković said he had extensive political experience, knew well how the government worked and would need no major adjustment. Butković is a vice president of the HDZ party, the president of its Primorje-Gorski Kotar branch and runs a ministry in…

ZAGREB, 14 July 2022 - Fitch Ratings on Wednesday upgraded Croatia's Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating to 'BBB+ from 'BBB', with a stable outlook, after the European Council's Economic and Financial Affairs Council approved on 12 July Croatia's application to join the euro on 1 January 2023. The next scheduled review date for Fitch's sovereign rating on Croatia will be 28 October "but Fitch believes that developments in the country warrant such a deviation from the calendar." "Fitch believes that euro adoption is positive for the rating, as it would provide the sovereign with reserve-currency status, reduce transaction costs and limit exchange-rate risk…

ZAGREB, 14 July 2022 - In the past 24 hours, 1,763 coronavirus cases, out of 4,617 tests and five related deaths have been registered in Croatia, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Thursday. There are 9,587 active cases, including 471 hospitalised patients, 17 of whom are on ventilators, while 4,389 persons are self-isolating. To date, Croatia has registered 1,163,824 coronavirus cases, the death toll is 16,135 and 70.83% of the adult population has been vaccinated.   For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, make sure to bookmark our dedicated section and select your preferred language if it isn't English.

ZAGREB, 13 July 2022 - Real GDP growth could be 5.5% this year and 2.5% in 2023, while inflation could slow down from this year's 9.4% to 4.6% in 2023, the Croatian National Bank (HNB) said on Wednesday. According to the HNB's summary of macroeconomic trends and estimates, the economic repercussions of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the continued rise in energy and raw material prices, and the disruption of global supply chains have not seriously affected Croatia's economic growth outlook. However, unfavourable global circumstances and pronounced inflationary pressures could have a bigger impact on domestic economic trends in 2023, when real…

ZAGREB, 13 July 2022 - The European Commission recommended to Croatia in its annual rule of law report on Wednesday to reconsider security checks on judges, to regulate lobbying, to increase the transparency of state advertising in the media, and to address the issue of lawsuits against journalists. "The process for appointing the President of the Croatian Supreme Court, a challenge raised in the 2021 Rule of Law Report, was concluded," the report says. "Responding to findings of the past Rule of Law Reports, amendments strengthened the State Judicial Council’s and State Attorney’s Council’s role in the selection of judges and state attorneys, and,…

ZAGREB, 13 July 2022 - MP Ivana Kekin of the Green-Left Bloc said on Wednesday the heating season was three months away, yet the government was not taking any action. She said in parliament that while all of Europe was talking about energy supply in the coming autumn and winter, the Croatian government was avoiding the topic. At the beginning of the year, the EU decided that all gas storage facilities must be 80% full by 1 November, while Croatia has only one storage which is barely 20% full now, less than at the same time last year, Kekin said, adding that the…

ZAGREB, 13 July 2022 - During his visit to the mechanized armored brigade (GOMBR) at the Vinkovci barracks on Wednesday, Defence Minister Mario Banožić said that the heavy infantry battalion will be equipped with Bradley fighting vehicles which will be maintained by the Đuro Đaković Special Vehicles company. "We will carry out the reorganization and equipping of one mechanized battalion into a heavy infantry battalion that will be part of the medium infantry brigade," specified Banožić. The minister recalled that at the beginning of this year the Government decided to accept a donation of 89 Bradley vehicles, to bring 62 vehicles into the operational condition…

ZAGREB, 13 July 2022 - The Croatian Journalists' Association (HND) on Wednesday warned about new threats to free journalism, highlighting politicians' inappropriate communication with the media and the disappearance of released articles from the media. Speaking at a press conference, HND president Hrvoje Zovko mentioned President Zoran Milanović's recent inappropriate statement about the Hanza Media company. He also mentioned the "disappearance" of articles on MP Sandra Benčić's warning about a possible conflict of interest in private deals between the Security and Intelligence Agency (SOA) and the PPD gas supplier. We are not investigators, but articles should not disappear from any media in Croatia, Zovko…