Politics

ZAGREB, September 29, 2019 - The president of the Democratic Alliance of National Renewal, Anto Đapić, on Saturday presented his candidacy for head of state, saying he wants to expand the president's powers and draw up a new constitution in which ethnic minorities would not have guaranteed seats in parliament and their rights would be exercised in the equality of all citizens. Đapić believes the president should appoint the leadership of the intelligence community and ambassadors, approve military development plans, state policies and goals, and appoint the head of the public broadcaster nominated by parliament. More news about presidential elections…

ZAGREB, September 28, 2019 - Social Democratic Party (SDP) leader Davor Bernardić told a press conference on Saturday that the only problem in Croatia was its corruption-ridden ruling party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), adding that the country must free itself from the jaws of corruption so that it could move forward. "The prime minister should be more serious in his statements. Today the problem is non-governmental organisations, yesterday it was the Conflict of Interest Commission, before that it was trade unions. In fact, the only problem is the HDZ which is loaded with corruption," Bernardić said in response to…

ZAGREB, September 28, 2019 - The HVIDRA association of disabled war veterans is dissatisfied with the slowness of the State Prosecutor's Office (DORH) in prosecuting war crimes committed during the 1991-1995 Homeland War, the organisation's president and chairman of the parliamentary committee on war veterans, Josip Đakić, said on Saturday. The matter was discussed at a HVIDRA meeting in the southern coastal town of Makarska on Friday evening. "The meeting held yesterday evening voiced dissatisfaction with DORH's slowness in conducting an inquiry in connection with Article 349 of the Criminal Code, and speakers asked if DORH would soon make public…

ZAGREB, September 28, 2019 - The Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) will support the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate and former prime minister Zoran Milanović in the forthcoming presidential election, the IDS Council decided by a majority of votes at a meeting on Friday evening. IDS leader Boris Miletić said that Milanovic offered the strongest guarantees for the victory of the progressive Croatia in the presidential election. "Voters will be choosing between a regressive and a progressive Croatia. With its support, the IDS wishes once again to make a strong contribution to Croatia truly becoming a normal, pro-European, open and modern…

ZAGREB, September 28, 2019 - Chinese-Croatian relations have entered the best period in history, Ambassador Xu Erwen said in Zagreb on Friday at a ceremony marking 70 years of the People's Republic of China. "Over the past 70 years China was a nation with scars from humiliation," she said, adding that China, from a country struck by wars in an almost feudal society, had become "the world's second economy." "As regards China-Croatia relations, they have already entered the best period in history," the ambassador said. "Both our prime ministers said our relations had entered the diamond period," she added, referring…

ZAGREB, September 27, 2019 - The coordinator of Croatia's EU presidency, Gordan Markotić, said on Friday that during the country's chairmanship of the EU 161 events would be organised in the Croatian capital city and that around 35,000 overnight stays and 14,000 official lunches and dinners were expected. "During those six months, we expect around 25,000 delegates. In Zagreb alone, around 35,000 overnight stays are expected. All hotels will be engaged," Markotić said on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the Croatian Society of Conference Interpreters. Markotić stressed that everyone would be provided with accommodation and that all hotels…

ZAGREB, September 27, 2019 - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Friday that if Slovenia decided to block Croatia's Schengen entry, it would not be able to do so indefinitely. "They can't block indefinitely. We are a member state, we have enough mechanisms. That's all I'll say," he told Croatian reporters in Brussels who asked him if Slovenia could stop Croatia's Schengen Area accession for a long time. Plenković is on a three-day visit to Brussels. Today he met European Commission Vice-President for the Euro and Social Dialogue Valdis Dombrovskis and Finnish PM Annti Rinne, whose country is the…

ZAGREB, September 27, 2019 - Social Democratic Party (SDP) MP Peđa Grbin on Friday dismissed Prime Minister Andrej Plenković's accusations that the GONG non-governmental organisation was "a prolonged arm" of the SDP and that they were orchestrating an attack on the Croatian candidate for European Commission Vice-President, Dubravka Šuica, over her declaration of assets. "The answer to the prime minister's accusations is very simple - prove the origin of her assets and everything will be sorted. For years there have been reports circulating in the Croatian media, and quite justifiably so, of a disproportion between Šuica's income and the property…

ZAGREB, September 27, 2019 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Thursday accused the GONG non-governmental organisation of campaigning against the Croatian candidate for European Commission Vice-President, Dubravka Šuica. "Dubravka Šuica got through the hearing before the Croatian Parliament's Committee on European Affairs where members of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) raised these topics which are now, ostensibly accidentally, being recycled by GONG, which always steps in on the SDP's side," Plenković told reporters in Brussels after a working lunch with European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen. Plenković was responding to questions about Croatian media reports on Šuica's personal assets…

ZAGREB, September 27, 2019 - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Thursday that Croatia should become a full Schengen member and that the Commission was finalising its assessment. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković met Juncker in Brussels and they talked about Croatia's Schengen entry, a law on the development of the eastern Croatian town of Vukovar, Croatia's preparations for chairing the Council of the EU next year, and the EU budget for the next seven years. The Commission said after the meeting that Juncker reiterated the Commission's position that Croatia should become a full Schengen member and that the…