Politics

ZAGREB, June 10, 2019 - Science and Education Minister Blaženka Divjak said on Monday the results of her work were the curricular reform, the reforms in general and vocational education, relevant higher education and encouraging excellence in science, adding that she planned to see through all four reform processes together with her team. The experimental curricular reform programme School for Life is being implemented in 74 elementary and high schools and, as of next autumn, in all schools, Divjak told reporters. She said 2 billion kuna was secured for the curricular reform from EU funds, the national budget and the…

It was supposed to be a nice event, a get-together of a group of like-minded people in early summer on a Dalmatian island, a celebration of the football club they've loved for their entire lives. It was never supposed to attract any national attention, let alone a swift reaction by the Supetar mayor, Ivana Marković. The Torcida Cup is an amateur futsal tournament, in which fans of the Hajduk football club participate (the supporters of Hajduk call themselves Torcida, thus the name of the cup). After the games were played at the Supetar football field in the centre of town, an…

What can Croatia learn from Portugal's dramatic turnaround? Quite a bit, as it happens. As Novac/Nikola Mijatovic writes on the 9th of June, 2019, most European countries have faced a demographic crisis over the past decade or so, with the exceptions of rich EU nations like the UK and Germany, who have seen an influx of immigrants from other EU states. The number of deaths significantly exceeds the number of births in Croatia, which is also what happened in Portugal, affecting the proportion of the working-active population (employed) and even just state service users negatively. This is negatively reflected in…

ZAGREB, June 9, 2019 - Showing Croatian territory in a false historical context or promoting past failed aspirations is unacceptable to Croatia, the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry told the Večernji List daily when asked about an illustration showing a "historical" map of Hungary being torn up by hands grabbing at its territory, including parts of Croatia, which was published by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's international communications office, reports the Sunday issue of Večernji List. A few days ago, Hungary marked its Day of National Unity, a memorial Day introduced in 2010 to commemorate the 1920 Treaty of Trianon, signed…

ZAGREB, June 8, 2019 - Friday's meeting of six European leaders, representatives of the three strongest groups in the European Parliament, dedicated to new appointments to top posts in the EU was constructive and led to a rapprochement of positions on common challenges, according to a press release issued after the meeting in Brussels. The six leaders met for an informal dinner. Prime Ministers Andrej Plenković of Croatia and Krisjanis Karins of Latvia negotiated on behalf of the European People's Party, Dutch PM Mark Rutte and Belgian PM Charles Michel represented the Liberals, and Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez and Portuguese…

ZAGREB, June 8, 2019 - President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović on Friday held a working lunch with outgoing European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who was on his first official visit to Croatia. The two officials discussed the recent elections for the European Parliament, Croatia's priorities during its chairmanship of the European Council and the negative demographic trends in the EU, the president's office said in a press release. "The President reflected on analysts’ conclusions stating that voter turnout for this year’s elections was higher... the President pointed out that voter turnout at the EU level was the highest in 20 years –…

ZAGREB, June 7, 2019 - The ruling HDZ party's whip, Branko Bačić, said on Friday Andrej Plenković would complete his term as prime minister and remain the HDZ's president and prime minister also after the next parliamentary election. Bačić was dismissing Hrast MP Hrvoje Zekanović's claim in parliament that Plenković would soon leave the office of prime minister and go to Brussels. "Numerous opposition politicians in Croatia would like Andrej Plenković to go to Brussels to a high office in the European Union. I must disappoint them because Plenković will complete the term in Croatia and lead the HDZ to…

ZAGREB, June 7, 2019 - Parliamentary deputy Branimir Bunjac on Friday said that he had left the opposition Živi Zid party and that he would leave the parliament in the coming eight days. He explained at a news conference that eight days is the period during which Vladimira Palfi could reactivate her term as a Živi Zid representative in the parliament, recalling that he has so far served as a parliamentarian as Palfi's deputy. Bunjac said that he would give back the term to the Živi Zid as it was one of the seats which the Živi Zid won in…

ZAGREB, June 7, 2019 - The local community has a key role in integrating refugees, according to an international conference organised on Friday by civil society organisations on the occasion of the start of REFUGEE weeks which will see several events during June to inform citizens about the new members in their society. Croatia is included in the relocation and resettlement programme for refugees from Turkey and Greece and, in addition to providing accommodation, it is necessary to actively include them in society, heard the conference organised by the Coordination for Integration. Dragana Knezić of the Stress and Trauma Rehabilitation…

ZAGREB, June 7, 2019 - Outgoing European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Friday expressed support for Croatia's aspirations to enter the Schengen Area and the eurozone, saying that he hoped a positive recommendation for Croatia to join the area of passport-free travel would be sent to the European Council before his term in office ends on October 31. I want us to make a recommendation to the Council for Croatia to join the Schengen Area during the term of this European Commission, Juncker told a press conference in Zagreb which he addressed with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković. Juncker arrived in…