Politics

ZAGREB, Dec 3, 2020 - Health Minister Vili Beros said on Thursday the government was expected to adopt next week a decision on a salary bonus for the medical staff who were on the front line of the fight against the spread of the epidemic and were caring for COVID-19 patients. "The medical staff on the front line are making an extreme contribution to the health of the Croatian nation. That must be adequately validated. The current budget revenues are not optimal but the government will find a possibility and a way to stimulate all who are on the front line,"…

ZAGREB, Dec 3, 2020 - The government has sent a bill in fast track procedure to the parliament for amendments to the law on citizens from countries in the European Economic Area and their families that will regulate residency status for citizens of the United Kingdom (UK) and their families. The bill regulates procedures to apply for temporary/permanent residency for UK citizens and their families and related matters. Amendments are necessary with regard to Brexit considering that the transitional period for UK exit expires on 31 December. "One of the fundamental rights that the agreement guarantees is citizens' rights to residency and…

ZAGREB, Dec 3, 2020 - The government on Thursday gave the state-owned motorways operator HAC consent to take out a loan for the merger of the Rijeka-Zagreb Motorway (ARZ) operator with HAC. The loan will be taken from the state-owned Croatian postal bank HPB, Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) and Zagrebacka Bankaand will be used to refinance two loans with German KfW IPEX Bank in the total amount of €120.9 million. The government also gave a guarantee for the three banks to grant the new loan and preliminary consent for the final draft of the agreement for the merger…

ZAGREB, Dec 1, 2020 - Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said on Tuesday that amendments to the law on the protection of the population from infectious diseases would not give the police new powers, adding that police would not enter anyone's home as the home was protected by the constitution. Speaking to the press, he said the government was amending the law unwillingly. He said the police were already authorised to intervene in certain situation, notably in cases of disorderly conduct. In most cases, citizens cooperate with the police and listen to their instructions, he added. "It is no one's intention to…

ZAGREB, Dec 1, 2020. - Science and Education Minister Radovan Fuchs said on Tuesday that the closure of schools because of the coronavirus pandemic would be the most costly measure for society. "Although it seems that the closure of schools is the cheapest and easiest measure, in the long term it would be the most costly measure for society in general, which would be hard to compensate for," Fuchs said during an online meeting with county prefects. Citing the latest information, he said that 783 schools (57.57%) in Croatia conduct face-to-face classes, 72 schools (5.3%) use a combination of face-to-face and online classes,…

ZAGREB, Dec 1, 2020 - MP Nino Raspudic (Bridge) said on Tuesday the latest anti-COVID measures were "grotesque and contradictory" because they were not based in science and reason, adding that they "won't pass." He said Bridge would agree to even stricter measures if they were based on science and reason. He said people were confused and mistrusting, and that those in power believed that what they would impose on the rest of Croatia did not apply to them. "When it's good, you take the credit, and now that you have messed up, you'd like us all to share the responsibility and…

ZAGREB, Dec 1, 2020 - The green-left caucus in parliament warned on Tuesday that the proposed penalties for violation of epidemiological restrictions were draconian and infringed on human rights, adding that it would request that they be tested for compliance with the Constitution. Inspecting private gatherings and disturbing the inviolability of the home is unconstitutional and if the parliament approves it, we will request that it be tested for compliance with the Constitution, MP Sandra Bencic told a press conference referring to a bill of amendments to the Law on the Protection of the Population Against Infectious Diseases. "The penalties are draconic and should…

ZAGREB, Dec 1, 2020 - After Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Monday tested positive for coronavirus, the government said that his chief of staff Zvonimir Frka-Petesic, his deputy Tena Misetic and government spokesman Marko Milic were not instructed by epidemiologists to self-isolate. Their last working day and meeting with the prime minister was on Friday while Frka-Petesic had a brief meeting with the PM on Saturday and the meeting was held in line with prescribed epidemiological measures (physical distancing, wearing of masks, open windows). The PM on Saturday tested negative for coronavirus and his chief of staff was  tested as well…

ZAGREB, November 30, 2020 - Health Minister Vili Beros wrote on Monday on Facebook that he had recovered from the coronavirus infection and that he was working in his office again, calling on citizens to comply with anti-coronavirus restrictions. In the first week of the new anti-COVID measures, the minister said that no sacrifice was too great to protect health and lives. "We are denying ourselves a lot, but I believe this will result in fewer infections and deaths," Beros wrote, expressing gratitude to health workers for their self-sacrificing work. Beros said on November 19 that he was positive, and two…

ZAGREB, November 30, 2020 - President Zoran Milanovic on Monday received a delegation of associations for mental health to discuss an initiative to adopt a national mental health strategy 2020 - 2030. Speaking on behalf of the delegation Vlatka Rocic Petak informed President Milanovic of the reasons to launch the initiative and warned that the adoption of the strategy is a precondition to provide optimum health care for people with mental disturbances, the president's office said in a press release. In addition to advocating the adoption of the draft national strategy in parliament and its speedy implementation in practice, the delegation underlined the need to…