Politics

ZAGREB, February 21, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković would not say on Friday morning whether the ongoing EU summit would result in a compromise on the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). The extraordinary summit, which began on Thursday afternoon in Brussels, continued for several hours until late Thursday evening and resumed on Friday morning. On Thursday afternoon, European Council President Charles Michel held a series of bilateral meetings with heads of state or government of the 27 EU member states. Commenting on his talks with Michel, Plenković said that he had highlighted the matters important for Croatia, such as…

ZAGREB, February 21, 2020 - Participants in a two-day conference on fascism and anti-fascism in present-day Europe, which started in Zagreb on Thursday, condemned the strengthening of extreme right politics and cases of undermining democratic values in Europe. Addressing the event, which brought together some 50 participants from 15 European Union member states and a some countries in Croatia's neighbourhood, the leader of the SABA RH antifascist association in Croatia, Franjo Habulin, said that the re-emergence of fascism is being seen and systematic attempts to subjugate the values of anti-fascism, under the pretext of stepping-up condemnation of communism and equating…

ZAGREB, February 20, 2020 - An informal initiative of associations and individuals Survivor2020 on Thursday observed the World Day of Social Justice staging a protest rally in Saint Mark's Square in Zagreb to raise awareness about disabled people's disadvantageous status. The protesters also called on the government to adopt a National Strategy for Civil Society Development as soon as possible. Senada Halilčević of the Association for Self-Advocacy warned about the social deprivation of disabled people, condemned to a life of poverty, about poorly implemented deinstitutionalisation and about the practice of encouraging adult foster care, which does not exist anywhere in…

ZAGREB, February 20, 2020 - The parliamentary Credentials and Privileges Commission (MIP) on Thursday unanimously additionally stripped former minister Lovro Kuščević of immunity at the request of the Office of the Chief State Prosecutor (DORH), which has decided to expand its investigation into him. The decision paves the way for the USKOK anti-corruption office to launch criminal proceedings against Kuščević on the suspicion that he committed the crimes of taking a bribe, abuse of position and authority, incitement to abuse of trust in business activities, and incitement to causing a business to go bankrupt, MIP chairman Žarko Tušek explained. In…

ZAGREB, February 20, 2020 - Science and Education Minister Blaženka Divjak said on Thursday that she did not have "anything particularly good to say" about Jadranka Žarković, whom President Zoran Milanović chose to be his advisor on education, and that it would be better to wait for Žarković's first moves. "If I don't have anything good to say about people, I rather wait for them to make their first moves," Divjak told reporters in Brussels, where she attended a meeting of the Council of the EU on education. Milanovic has confirmed that Žarković, a psychologist and former head of the…

Attorney Boško Županović has submitted a criminal complaint against Croatian diva Josipa Lisac for performing and intoning the national anthem of Croatia in a derogatory way during the inauguration of President Zoran Milanovic on February 18, 2020. Criminal Complaint Filed at Zagreb State Attorney’s Office Yesterday Županović submitted his complaint against the beloved diva and gay icon to the Criminal Division of the Zagreb County State's Attorney's Office for the criminal offense referred to in Article 349 of the Criminal Code, which pertains to the reputation of Croatia. His criminal complaint against Josipa Lisac is translated below in its entirety:…

ZAGREB, February 20, 2020 - The government on Thursday adopted a regulation on the establishment of an office of the former president upon the end of their term and it will most likely allocate a state-owned residence in Zagreb's Visoka Street to house former President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović's office. The office is being allocated at Grabar-Kitarović's request and it will perform expert, analytical, administrative and technical tasks required by the former president. Apart from the right to an office, Grabar-Kitarović, also has the right to an official vehicle and driver and two office staff, and the expenses of the office will…

ZAGREB, February 20, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Wednesday afternoon that he had already held talks with the newly inaugurated president Zoran Milanović on the appointment of the new chief-of-staff of the armed forces and the engagement of Croatian troops in the peace mission in Afghanistan. "Yes, we discussed some of those topics this morning. One of them being the appointment of the new chief-of-staff of the Croatian Armed Forces. The government will tomorrow nominate Mr Hranj and the new president has agreed with that," Plenković told reporters ahead of a meeting of the Croatian Democratic Union…

ZAGREB, February 20, 2020 - Chief State Prosecutor Dražen Jelenić, who was appointed to this post on 24 April 2018, on Wednesday sent a request to the government for his resignation, after his membership of the Masonic organisation elicited strong criticism. Jelenić issued a press release in which he underscores that since the first day of his appointment as the chief state prosecutor he had performed his duty "with pride, unfailing commitment, professionally and in a fair manner," as well in compliance with the Croatian Constitution and laws, preserving the independence of the state prosecutorial authorities. He also comments on…

February 20 - A look behind the scenes at the Zoran Milanovic inauguration of the office of the Croatian Presidency through the eyes of one of the few foreigners to attend.  As I had never been to the Presidential compound on Pantovcak, I thought I would try and take advantage of the Zoran Milanovic inauguration to see the place, as well as to observe the swearing in ceremony up close. It was bound to be a rather curious affair, given the tension between the SDP man and the HDZ government, who would be in attendance. And the fact that Milanovic…