Politics

ZAGREB, October 9, 2020 - Social Democratic Party parliamentarian Arsen Bauk said on Friday that Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic should step down for many reasons, and one of them is his claim that he did not know that a preliminary probe had been launched in the Janaf case. "I have in particularly noticed President Zoran Milanovic's statement that the premier definitely knew 1000% what was going on and failed to do anything, while the premier is claiming that he did not know anything. That is an even a bigger reason for his resignation," Bauk said. Considering the Opposition's further plans after the ruling…

ZAGREB, October 9, 2020 - MP Tomislav Tomasevic of the We Can! platfom said on Friday, on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, that the number of psychiatric patients in Croatia had been growing due to the coronavirus pandemic and that there was no national strategy to improve medical and social services for those patients. "The number of mental disorders has been growing icreasingly but despite that, since 2016 we have not had a strategy for the improvement of mental health that would envisage implementation instruments and funding for medical and social services," Tomasevic told reporters.   Depression to become most…

ZAGREB, Oct 8, 2020 - President Zoran Milanovic said on Thursday that Independence Day on October 8 should be observed with respect and dignity because it was a debt to all those who voted for Croatia's independence in the referendum and to members of parliament who unanimously supported it. On October 8, 1991, the Croatian parliament made a decision to sever all state and legal ties with the other republics and provinces of the former state, whereby complete and irreversible independence of the Republic of Croatia was declared, Milanovic wrote on Facebook. This was the final confirmation, by the highest…

ZAGREB, Oct 8, 2020 - Prime Minister and HDZ party leader Andrej Plenkovic has said that the Opposition has failed a law exam with its motion to form a parliamentary commission of inquiry because the motion differs from the practice so far and "envisages things that are unlawful." "They have put in the motion things that are unlawful such as MPs inquiring about the work of courts, the work of the State Attorney's Office (DORH), Constitutional Court judges... they have failed the exam as regards law. As for the political aspect of the motion, we had elections only three months ago and citizens voted confidence…

ZAGREB, Oct 7, 2020 - The We Can! political platform has said that the HDZ party is right to fear a proposal to form a parliamentary commission to investigate possible influence by the authorities on investigations and prosecution of corruption, noting that it will not give up until that influence has been investigated. "They are afraid that the commission of inquiry could find answers to the questions of why we do not have convictions for corruption, why after billions of kuna stolen there are no culprits, and why long-term prison sentences are not being served," MPs Sandra Bencic and Tomislav Tomasevic said after the HDZ…

ZAGREB, Oct 7, 2020 - Social Democratic Party whip Arsen Bauk said on Wednesday, following a rift in the SDP parliamentary group, that he hoped this was the last time something like that was happening because party members were fed up with conflicts and that conflicts would not continue. The SDP group in the parliament on Tuesday rejected a proposal by the new SDP leader Pedja Grbin for changes in parliamentary positions held by the SDP. Bauk said speculation about a rift in the party was very dangerous, adding that one such situation happened during the term of the last parliament when…

ZAGREB, Oct 6, 2020 - A monument in tribute to 19 Croatian soldiers who lost their lives while defending the town of Pakrac and nearby villages on 6 October 1991 was unveiled in that city 100 kilometres east of Zagreb on Tuesday. Addressing the monument-unveiling ceremony, War Veterans' Affairs Minister Tomo Medved recalled the suffering of inhabitants in this region of Western Slavonia during the Homeland War. He said that during the first term, the Andrej Plenkovic cabinet had set aside HRK 700 million for the reconstruction of Pakrac.  The monument, which was designed by Tatjana Djuranec, was formally unveiled by Minister Medved and…

ZAGREB, Oct 6, 2020 - Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic said on Tuesday that the downgrading of Zagreb's credit rating is a direct consequence of the coronavirus pandemic, the economic downturn and payment of HRK 900 million to the national cohesion fund, adding however that there will be money for capital projects in the city. If all our money goes to the city's budget, the credit rating would not have been downgraded, said Bandic when asked to comment on the lowering of  Zagreb's credit rating. In this context, he recalled that Zagreb had to pay HRK 900 million into the national cohesion fund for underdeveloped areas.…

October 6, 2020 - Continuing its efforts to protect businesses, the Glas Poduzetnika (Voice of Entrepreneurs) Association turns its attention to parafiscal levies.  Signatures so far: 10.400+ Start date: 30.9.2020. Full text of the petition: Voice of entrepreneurs Association (Glas poduzetnika) is organizing the signing of the petition: STOP unnecessary charges! With this petition we demand the abolition of the mandatory membership fee in the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (Hrvatska gospodarska komora), the Croatian Chamber of Crafts (Hrvatska obrtnička komora) and the Tourist Boards, as well as the abolition or drastic reduction of all other parafiscal charges that burden entrepreneurs,…

ZAGREB, October 5, 2020 - President Zoran Milanovic met on Monday with a delegation of Croats from Serbia who informed him of their activities in protecting and promoting the rights of Croats in that country, the conditions in which they operate and the problems they encounter. According to a press release, President Milanovic received the president of the Croatian National Council (HNV), Jasna Vojnic, the council's vice president for Subotica, Ladislav Suknovic, and the president of the Democratic Alliance  of Croats in Vojvodine (DSHV), Tomislav Zigmanov. "HNV and DSHV representatives informed President Milanovic of their work in the past and activities to protect and promote the rights of Croats in…