Politics

ZAGREB, 21 June 2022 - The Croatian government on Tuesday sent an opinion to the parliament proposing that it should reject a motion by 32 opposition MPs to discuss giving Health Minister Vili Beroš a vote of no confidence. In its opinion the government comments on allegations from the motion, describing them as unfounded and noting that there was no ground to vote no confidence in the health minister. The government also sent the parliament a final bill on cultural councils and on the financing of public needs in culture, which envisages combining the laws on cultural councils, financing of public needs in…

ZAGREB, 21 June 2022 - Representatives of the Alliance of anti-Fascist Fighters and Anti-Fascists of Croatia (SABA RH) laid a wreath at the National Heroes' Monument at Zagreb's Mirogoj cemetery on Tuesday, on the occasion of Anti-Fascist Struggle Day, which is observed in Croatia on 22 June as a bank holiday. During the wreath-laying ceremony, the association's leader, Franjo Habulin, said that Croatia and Europe as a union of nations as well as the European Union were founded on the struggle of anti-Fascists and their victory over Nazis and Fascists in the Second World War. Habulin highlighted 22 June 1941 as an extremely important…

ZAGREB, 20 June 2022 - Croatia will expand the capacity of its LNG terminal off Krk Island from 2.9 billion to 6.1 billion cubic metres, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in Riga on Monday while attending the Three Seas Initiative summit meeting. The Three Seas Initiative, launched by Croatia and Poland, is an informal political platform of 12 countries located between the three seas -- Baltic, Adriatic and Black -- with the aim of boosting their energy, transport and infrastructure connectivity. Addressing the meeting in the Latvian capital city, PM Plenković said that the increased capacity of the LNG terminal to 6.1 billion cubic…

ZAGREB, 20 June 2022 - Croatia's ombudsman for children, Helenca Pirnat Dragičević and the UNHCR said on Monday that there had been headway in the protection of children asylum seekers lately in the country, however there were more and more unaccompanied minors arriving in Croatia. During a round table discussion, held on World Refugee Day, Pirnat Dragičević ad UNHCR representatives highlighted the adoption of the protocol on the treatment of unaccompanied children migrants in 2018 and the recent amendments to the Foster Parenthood Law as positive things. They also praised Croatian hosts for their heartfelt reception of Ukrainian refugees, including unaccompanied minors.…

ZAGREB, 20 June 2022 - A former minister Tomislav Tolusic of the Croatian Democratic Movement (HDZ) was questioned on Monday by the USKOK anti-corruption office as a suspect in an alleged case of corruption while another former minister Josip Aladrović of the HDZ party is due to give his deposition on Monday afternoon. Tolušić was accompanied by his defence attorney Ilija Stanić. Before Tolušić was questioned, a former state secretary in the Ministry for Regional Development Velimir Žunac was also questioned whose defence attorney Fran Olujić said that Žunac had said he did not feel guilty however, he refrained from answering any of…

ZAGREB, 20 June 2022 - Croatia's refugee policies are full of violence and human rights violations, Sara Kekuš of the Centre for Peace Studies (CMS) nongovernmental organisation said on Monday, World Refugee Day, recalling the need to build a more open, solidary and inclusive society.  "World Refugee Day is a reminder that we can make this society more open, more solidary and more inclusive," Kekuš told a news conference outside the government and parliament buildings. She noted that state policies towards refugees should be solidary but were currently not and were actually full of violence and violations of human rights, including those of…

ZAGREB, 20 June 2022 - A parliamentary delegation on Monday laid wreaths and lit candles at Zagreb's central Mirogoj cemetery to commemorate the 1928 killing of two Croatian deputies and the fatal wounding of Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) founder Stjepan Radić in the parliament of the then Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The Croatian parliament in 2015 proclaimed Stjepan Radić and the June Victims Memorial Day in tribute to HSS founder and MP Stjepan Radić and Croatian MPs Pavle Radić, Đuro Basariček, Ivan Pernar and Ivan Granđa. Pavle Radić and Đuro Basariček were killed in the parliament of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes on 20 June 1928 by Serbian Radical Party…

ZAGREB, 20 June 2022 - The government has decided to cap fuel prices at petrol stations that are not located on highways, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Monday after a government conference call meeting. Thus one litre of Eurodiesel at petrol stations that are not located on highways will cost HRK 13.08 while a litre of Eurosuper 95 petrol will be sold at HRK 13.50. Blue-dyed diesel will cost a maximum HRK 9.45 per litre. The government decree capping fuel prices, to go into force on Tuesday, refers to 94% of petrol stations in the country. It will be in force for…

June the 19th, 2022 - At a recently held session, the Commission for Deciding on Conflict of Interest passed a unanimous decision according to which Croatian PM Plenkovic was fined 3,000 kuna for incompatibilities when listing his assets and income, which he can pay in three equal installments. As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, this was confirmed by the President of the Commission, Natasa Novakovic, as reported by Dnevnik.hr, and the aforementioned commission launched proceedings against Croatian PM Plenkovic back in early October last year. In the period from 2016 to 2018, he reported higher income for his wife than what was…

ZAGREB, 18 June 2022 - Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in Sarajevo on Saturday that Ankara would not allow new tension in Bosnia and Herzegovina, advocating a meeting of leaders of Croatia, Turkey, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina to help preserve the country's stability. For the sake of Bosnia and Herzegovina's stability and development we are willing to support and participate in any bilateral and multilateral political, economic and other initiatives that are acceptable to all sides, and we constantly encourage them in that sense, the Turkish official said at a news conference he held together with his BiH…