Politics

ZAGREB, Oct 26, 2020 - Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic said on Monday that coronavirus and reconstruction following the March 22 earthquake were the priorities for which the City would have money, and he expects the government not to take HRK 900 million (approx. €119 mn) from Zagreb from the Fiscal Equalisation Fund. Given the fact that at tomorrow's session of the City Assembly there will be a discussion on the conclusions on the agreements between the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb and Krapina-Zagorje and Zagreb counties on the establishment of a fund for the reconstruction of those areas, struck by the earthquake,…

ZAGREB, Oct 26, 2020 - Tourism and Sports Minister Nikolina Brnjac, who attended a meeting at the government headquarters on Saturday, is positive for coronavirus, two other ministers who participated in the meeting are self-isolating while other participants are being monitored, a government official said on Sunday. Government spokesman Marko Milic said that Labour, Pension System and Social Policy Minister Josip Aladrovic and Economy and Sustainable Development Minister Tomislav Coric, who sat at the meeting next to Brnjac, were self-isolating. Milic noted that Brnjac had mild symptoms and that her condition was good as well as that she would continue working from home. Members of her…

ZAGREB, Oct 26, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic was tested for coronavirus on Sunday and the test has come back negative, government spokesman Marko Milic confirmed on Monday. The prime minister underwent testing after on Saturday a meeting was held in government offices that was also attended by Tourism and Sports Minister Nikolina Brnjac, who on Sunday tested positive for COVID-19. The meeting focused on the drafting of a national development strategy for the period until 2030 and a national recovery and resilience plan, as well as on the fight against COVID-19. Brnjac decided to get tested after she felt…

ZAGREB, Oct 24, 2020 - On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, and on the occasion of the UN Day, celebrated on 24 October, Croatia's Foreign and European Affairs Ministry stated on Saturday that the UN was seen as a pillar of peace and security, development and human rights. Considering its foreign policy activities, Croatia strongly supports the main activities of this organisation and is committed to the process of strengthening the UN system in addressing important and topical issues, the ministry says in a press release. It recalls that Croatia was admitted to this international organisation 28 years ago. Since…

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 23rd of October, 2020, the Republic of Croatia should be able to withdraw 490 million euros by the end of the year from the SURE programme, which was established by the European Union in the spring with the aim of supporting the preservation of jobs and reducing the risk of unemployment and losses of income across the Union. This was pointed out at the session of the Government by Finance Minister Zdravko Maric, who is authorised on behalf of the Government to sign the Agreement with the EU on a loan for this type…

ZAGREB, Oct 23, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Friday dismissed President Zoran Milanovic's claim that he was in politics only for his own personal gain, noting that he would not tolerate Milanovic's daily attacks on himself. "Unlike him, I have made a huge contribution to Croatia's European path since the start of my career while he did not even lift a finger in that regard," Plenkovic said in a comment on a news conference held by Milanovic earlier in the day. Recalling that as a former opposition leader Milanovic refused to chair the national committee in charge of Croatia's EU accession…

ZAGREB, Oct 23, 2020 - European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson plans to send a letter to Croatia's Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic to ask that allegations of pushbacks of migrants by Croatian police be investigated. The intention is to send a letter to Croatia's interior minister with a question related to the latest report and incidents and to call on Croatian authorities to continue with the implementation of the independent surveillance mechanism that Croatia established with financial support from the European Commission, European Commission spokesman Adalbert Jahnz said on Friday. Jahnz reiterated Johansson's announcement that she would speak in detail about that issue with Croatia's authorities. Commissioner Johansson…

ZAGREB, October 23, 2020 - Social Democratic Party MP Vinko Grgic, who is in custody for involvement in the JANAF corruption case, resigned as Nova Gradiska mayor and is no longer in that office as of today, his deputy Borislav Vidosic said on Friday, Nova Gradiska radio reported. Grgic has been in custody since September 18 due to his involvement in a case in which the chairman of the board of oil pipeline operator JANAF, Dragan Kovacevic, is under investigation for taking a HRK 1.96 million bribe in exchange for contracts in which JANAF is investing. Vidosic will serve as mayor…

ZAGREB, October 23, 2020 - Independent MP Nino Raspudic, who is a member of the parliamentary group of the opposition Bridge party, on Friday dismissed assessments that the Croatian society was frustrated and that there was political extremism in the country. "Conclusions are being made even before the end of the investigation into the tragic attack in St. Mark's Square and its outcome is being prejudged," Raspudic said in reference to the October 12 incident when a 22-year-old man shot and wounded a police officer guarding the government headquarters in Zagreb, killing himself afterwards. Raspudic stressed that there was no organised political…

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 23rd of October, 2020, the ongoing coronavirus crisis could accelerate the integration of capital markets across the European Union in order to encourage the recovery of small and medium-sized enterprises as soon as possible through alternative sources of financing. What does this mean for Croatia and Eurozone entry, exactly? Capital market integration should also make it easier for banks and financial investors to invest in the capital of companies that strive for sustainable operations and in line with the European Union's green agenda. New ideas are constantly being sought during these truly unprecedented times…