Politics

ZAGREB, February 7, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Thursday congratulated Rijeka on a recent ceremony inaugurating the city as the European Capital of Culture, saying that over the past few years the government had strongly supported the project and there was therefore no room for speculation that the government had any reservations about that. "There have been many bizarre comments in the media. Over the past few years the government has not only provided strong financial support for the European Capital of Culture project but has been quite involved in the project and supported its activities," Plenković said…

ZAGREB, February 7, 2020 - The Defence Ministry's financial plan for 2020 envisages the purchase of multipurpose combat aircraft and Black Hawk helicopters, the construction of a coastal patrol vessel and the purchase of Bradley fighting vehicles. Under the plan, the Military Academy will be transformed into a defence and security university to be named after Croatia's first president, Franjo Tuđman. Defence Minister Damir Krstičević said at a government session on Thursday that the value of the financial plan was 5.3 billion kuna, an increase of 264 million from 2019. Slightly less than 1.5 billion kuna of the funds is…

ZAGREB, February 6, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Thursday invited Pope Francis to visit Croatia, expressing hope the visit would happen at the right time even though the pope usually visits smaller European countries without a Catholic majority, and as for the canonization of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, the pope's key message was "patience". "I'm glad that we were received by Pope Francis today... I hope that he will visit Croatia at the right time," Plenković told reporters after meeting with the pontiff and the Holy See's Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. After the audience, which lasted about…

ZAGREB, February 6, 2020 - The parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs and National Security on Thursday adopted a report on the work of the Council for the Civilian Oversight of Security and Intelligence Agencies in 2019 and the Council's 2020 work programme, and decided to conduct direct oversight of the treatment of migrants by border police. The Committee unanimously decided to conduct direct oversight of police work following complaints about the police treatment of migrants, Committee Chairman Ranko Ostojić (SDP) told the press after the Committee meeting. He said that oversight would most likely include Committee members inspecting police work…

ZAGREB, February 6, 2020 - Outgoing President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović said in Zagreb on Wednesday that she was proud of Croatia's achievements on the home and foreign policy fronts during her five-year term, underlining the importance of the Three Seas Initiative. Speaking at a reception for the heads of diplomatic missions and international organisations in Croatia, Grabar-Kitarović said that she had worked to fulfil her constitutional role of a foreign policy co-creator. "I dedicated my term to promoting relations between Croatia and your countries, of which I visited many or met for talks with your heads of state and other senior…

ZAGREB, February 6, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Wednesday opened an exhibition on the suffering of Jews in WWII in the French Pavilion of the Zagreb Student Centre (SC), the building in front of which Jews were rounded up to be deported in railway wagons to death camps during the Second World War. Addressing the opening ceremony of the exhibition, entitled "If I forget you... The Holocaust in Croatia 1941-1945/Final destination Auschwitz", which has been prepared by the Croatian History Museum, the premier recalled that during the recent commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau…

ZAGREB, February 6, 2020 - A total of 39 guests have been invited to Zoran Milanović's presidential inauguration, set for 18 February in the President's Palace on Pantovčak Hill in Zagreb, and the guests are divided in three categories: state officials including two ex-presidents, Milanovic's family members, and the members of his campaign staff. Informing the press about the list of guests, the head of the President-Elect's Office, Orsat Miljenić said on Wednesday that the presidential transition ceremony will be held immediately after the official part of the inauguration, that will start at noon.. "The inauguration will be held on…

ZAGREB, February 5, 2020 - Social Democrat parliamentarian Sabina Glasovac, who on Wednesday outlined the SDP-sponsored bill on medically assisted pregnancy termination procedures, said that in Croatia abortion was legal but it was neither accessible nor free. Insisting that the proposal made by this strongest opposition party did not promote abortion, Glasovac said that abortion was often the last solution for women, and therefore the state should do everything to provide necessary health protection for women opting for abortion. She criticised the government for not doing anything about this topic, although a two-year deadline to upgrade the abortion legislation had…

ZAGREB, February 5. 2020 - President-elect Zoran Milanovic has transferred his EuroAlba Advisory consulting company to the Biro Kvaka accounting service owned by Ankica Bajić-Lukačević, Zagreb Commercial Court has informed. Milanovic has suspended his position as the director of EuroAlba Advisory as of February 3 ahead of his presidential inauguration, transferring the management rights to the Kvaka accounting service, however, he is still registered as the sole owner of the consulting company. EuroAlba Advisory was entered in the companies register in 2016 as a limited liability company with management consultancy as its sole line of business. Milanović is registered as…

ZAGREB, February 5, 2020 - Outgoing President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović spent 9.57 million kuna on her presidential campaign, while President-elect Zoran Milanović spent 3.75 million kuna, their campaign financing reports show. Milanović ran a deficit of one million kuna; he had received 1.28 million kuna from his Social Democratic Party (SDP) and 1.44 million kuna in donations. However, under a government decision, he is entitled to 1.2 million kuna to cover his campaign costs. Milanović spent most of the money on advertising - slightly over 2 million kuna. Grabar-Kitarović, the candidate of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), spent 9.57 million…