Politics

ZAGREB, October 12, 2019 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Friday the Conflict of Interest Commission did not make a unanimous decision today that he had breached the principle of conduct, and that it was a decision which damaged the Commission's image. Speaking at a press conference, he said the decision was about the perception of three Commission members without a legal basis. "Since I am deeply convinced that it's a decision which damages the Commission's image, and which also damages me a little in the media sphere, I think it's fair to hear the other side too," he…

ZAGREB, October 11, 2019 - Migrations are one of the greatest challenges of our time and the EU has to deal with them jointly and responsibly, Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović said addressing the Arraiolos Group summit in Athens on Friday and pointed out the huge efforts Croatia has been making to protect the EU's longest external land border. Grabar-Kitarović was addressing the 15th informal meeting of 13 EU heads of state without executive powers, known as the Arraiolos Group, which is being held in Greece this year, the two central topics of the meeting being ways of dealing efficiently with…

ZAGREB, October 11, 2019 - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović said on Friday that there was no danger that the ruling coalition would fall apart, stressing that an early parliamentary election was always possible and that the ruling HDZ party was ready for it. "There is no danger, this government has demonstrated its openness to dialogue. Stopping dialogue at the moment when it starts definitely does not contribute to the settlement of issues bothering anyone," Božinović said, adding that elections were an integral part of politics and were always possible. "The HDZ is ready for…

ZAGREB, October 11, 2019 - Croatia on Thursday received three letters of formal notice from the European Commission for failure to comply with its obligations under EU law. The letters were issued as part of the Commission's monthly package of infringement decisions. Croatia, along with Denmark, Sweden, Greece, Austria, Luxembourg, Portugal and Slovenia, was urged to bring its national legislation into line with the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive, which ensures that the impact on the environment of public and private projects is assessed before they are authorised. New Croatian legislation introduces a specific procedure for authorisation of projects for exploitation…

ZAGREB, October 11, 2019 - Over 80 percent of Croatia's development aid last year was directed at Southeast Europe, primarily Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Croatian parliament heard on Thursday during the presentation of the report on Croatian development aid to foreign countries in 2017 and 2018. Croatia's official development aid amounted to 355.26 million kuna in 2017 and 452.63 million kuna in 2018, with multilateral aid accounting for 72 percent, bilateral aid for 23 percent and humanitarian aid for 5 percent, Zdravka Bušić, state secretary at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, reported. Two-thirds of the funds were contributed…

ZAGREB, October 10, 2019 - The presidency of the European Union is an opportunity for the Croatian economy, but the question is whether the national economy is prepared for it, a conference entitled "Economic aspects of the Croatian presidency of the Council of the EU", organised by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK) and MBA Croatia, was told in Zagreb on Thursday. "During a presidency emphasis is often placed on opportunities to organise events, but that is of secondary importance. ... Much more important is influence on policy, the EU system, especially on the budget," said Marko Jurčić, adviser to…

ZAGREB, October 10, 2019 - Eighty-five percent of secondary school teachers and 89% of teachers in primary schools went on strike on Thursday, the two largest school unions have reported. Secondary schools' union leader Branimir Mihalinec said that this was not the complete data as the Carnet internet service, which provides that information, had collapsed. "Even people who are not union members have joined the strike. Today we have a frontal attack. More than a thousand institutions and virtually all those employed in the education system are on strike," Mihalinec told a press conference. He sent a message to Prime…

ZAGREB, October 10, 2019 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Thursday the strike which began in elementary and high schools today was "absurd and unnecessary" and appealed to unions to be reasonable and return to dialogue. "We talked with the unions, there was conciliation. We offered them a 2% pay rise this year and as much next year. For some unfathomable reason, the unions didn't accept that," he said at the start of a cabinet meeting. Instead of accepting the government's offer, they insisted on changing the job complexity index for teachers, which is regulated by the government, Plenković…

At a government session, PM Andrej Plenković announced a new calendar for public holidays in the Republic of Croatia. As Index writes on the 10th of October, 2019, Plenković announced at the cabinet session a new calendar for the commemoration of Croatia's public holidays and memorial days, expressing his conviction that such a way of commemoration would be more appropriate and would avoid any confusion. Plenković presented a list of proposed new holidays according to which Statehood Day would be May the 30th, and not June the 25th as it has been. That date, back in 1990, was when the…

ZAGREB, October 10, 2019 - The leader of the Croatian People's Party (HNS), Ivan Vrdoljak, said on Wednesday evening that the party's MPs were not going to vote for the 2020 budget unless it provided for a 4.3 percent increase of the job complexity index for teachers. The HNS will not stay in the government unless the job complexity index and teachers' wages are raised because this is the party's priority, Vrdoljak told the press after a meeting of the HNS leadership. After the process of conciliation between the government and teachers' unions has failed, the unions have announced a…