Politics

After the first planned presidential debate between the two candidates in Croatia hasn't happened on N1 television on Sunday, on Monday evening, their first debate in the runoff round of the presidential elections was held on RTL Television. Incumbent Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, HDZ candidate, and Zoran Milanović, former Prime Minister and SDP candidate, met in a presidental debate hosted by Damira Gregoret and Ivan Vrdoljak. They were not given the questions and topics to be discussed in advance, so they were not able to rehearse their answers and reactions. The debate ended up lasting well over two hours, and…

ZAGREB, December 30, 2019 - The 2nd Croatian 188-strong contingent was seen off from the Knin-based barracks to NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence mission in Lithuania on Monday. The ceremony was attended by Defence Minister Damir Krstičević as the president's envoy, as well as Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Mirko Šundov, Lithuania's Ambassador to Croatia Jurate Raguckiene, France's military attache Brigadier Fabrice Duda along with family members and the local community. In his address at the ceremony, Krstičević said that he was convinced the Croatian troops would conduct their duties in Lithuania successfully and show all their military know-how. General…

ZAGREB, December 30, 2019 - The Veterans' Affairs Ministry on Monday issued a statement in which it said that President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović's husband Jakov has been given the status of war veteran as an employee of the Defence Ministry (MORH) from 1994 to 1996, however, he has not exercised his right to use any benefit he is entitled to by law. The ministry was replying to media enquiries following a statement by Grabar-Kitarović for the N1 television station when she said that her husband was offered veteran status because during the war, he had worked for the Defence Ministry but…

ZAGREB, December 30, 2019 - The opposition Social Democratic Party's presidential candidate Zoran Milanović spent 1.5 million kuna on his campaign by December 27 while the ruling Croatian Democratic Union's candidate, incumbent Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, spent 5.4 million kuna, according to financial statements released on Monday. The statements, posted on the State Election Commission's website, contain data on expenses, contributions and advertising. The total costs will be known after the two candidates submit final financial statements by February 4, a month after the January 5 second round of the presidential election. Under the law, each can spend 9.6 million kuna on…

ZAGREB, December 30, 2019 - Presidential candidate Zoran Milanović said on Sunday wars were over and that there should be no more trading in hate at the expense of those who had given the most yet received the least, and called for fighting for "civilised peace." Speaking at an election rally, he also called "for tolerance and normal relations between people, for what we lost in the privatisation plunder... for what made up the backbone, the core of this society - work, creation, the harder path." "We can't be a state which lives off rent, natural resources" and membership in…

ZAGREB, December 30, 2019 - President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović called at an election rally in Split on Sunday for coming together and unity, saying that in the January 5 second round of the presidential election the people would define Croatia's course and future. This is not an election for Kolinda or (Zoran) Milanović, this is the people's election, she said, adding that she wanted January 5 to be the day when people voted for a strong and better Croatia. "Let's vote for new patriotism in 2020." "My ethical, moral values, my work habits, my relationship with you, my respect for the…

ZAGREB, December 30, 2019 - After 11 years Sunday work is being regulated again, the public broadcaster said on Sunday, adding that the government had announced it would amend the Labour Act in 2020 so that shops worked several Sundays a year. "We are closest... to the Austrian model," Economy Minister Darko Horvat told HTV. "We are currently discussing how many Sundays employers could define as working Sundays." The amendments could be adopted in the first half of next year, the government has said. The Austrian model means shops could work only several Sundays a year, those in tourist resorts…

Police officers from the Zagreb Police Department are conducting a criminal investigation involving a 34-year-old Turkish national, who attempted to smuggle 15 migrants, after he disobeyed police orders, hit a police vehicle with his van and attempted to flee. The suspect has been detained on charges of committing the criminal offenses of "Illegal entry, movement and stay in the Republic of Croatia, another EU Member State or signatories to the Schengen Agreement", "Coercion against an official" and "Damage to someone else's property," according to Laura Vuckovic/Zagreb Info on December 28, 2019. On Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at 12:45am, police officers…

ZAGREB, December 29, 2019 - In 2019 Croatian officials had to defend the country's foreign policy from criticisms that Croatia was unlawfully returning migrants to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the country prepared for presidency over the EU in 2020, hosted a conference of the 16+1 initiative and lobbied for the appointment of Croatian women to important international positions, with the usual tensions in relations with neighbouring countries falling into the background. Croatia will take over the chairmanship of the Council of the European Union on 1 January 2020, and that will be the most important foreign policy event for the country…

ZAGREB, December 29, 2019 - The European Commission has warned Croatia that it has not eradicated corruption and that it should reform the system of public salaries, stimulate a longer working life and bring order in healthcare, Jutarnji List daily reports on Sunday. Fighting corruption, notably locally and in public companies, reforming the public pay system, reducing healthcare budget risks, stimulating a longer working life and improving the welfare system are the main reform measures totally lacking in Croatia, the Commission says in its annual review of progress made in public policy measures to correct macroeconomic imbalances, the daily reports.…