Politics

October the 1st, 2022 - Relics of the former Yugoslavia still stand despite the fact that that era has long since been over, one of those relics is the luxurious former Yugoslavian Consulate building in New York City, which has now been sold off. Croatia, as a former socialist Yugoslav republic turned independent state, is owed a cut. As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, a luxurious villa on sparkling Fifth Avenue in the heart of New York that once served as the embassy of the former Yugoslavia has now been sold, Dnevnik reports. The sale of the former Yugoslavian Consulate building on Fifth…

September the 30th, 2022 - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has given its improved prognosis for Croatian GDP growth. The global coronavirus pandemic which halted tourism and created unprecedented circumstances across the board had tremendously negative effects on the domestic economy. Tourism, being the strongest economic branch this country has, making up 20 percent of Croatian GDP, took a hit like no other as planes stopped arriving. Things, however, seem to be on the up despite ongoing spiralling inflation and the horrific situation still unfolding in Ukraine following Russian invasion earlier this year. As Poslovni Dnevnik writes,…

September the 29th, 2022 - The Croatian position on this year's digital competitiveness ranking has improved somewhat, but it is still lagging quite significantly behind many countries. As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the main finding of the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2022 published by the World Competitiveness Centre (WCC) places Denmark in first place, the USA in second place, and the Republic o Croatia in 43rd place out of 63 observed countries. "Governments and the private sector must invest in all areas – in talent, training and education, scientific concentration and research and development – ​​to protect their digital infrastructure from…

September the 23rd, 2022 - The final Croatian 2021 Census results have finally been published by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), which shows that there are less inhabitants, less men, and less people who identify as Catholic. As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Central Bureau of Statistics has now published the final results of the Croatian 2021 Census on the total population by gender and age, as well as by ethnicity, religion, citizenship and mother tongue. According to the Croatian 2021 Census, the Republic of Croatia currently has 3,871,833 inhabitants, of which 1,865,129 are men (48.17%) and 2,006,704 are women…

September the 21st, 2022 - There are a shocking 30,000+ illegally constructed buildings in Istria, and Labin Mayor Valter Glavicic has announced measures to combat such ''wild'' construction practices. As Morski writes, the topic of the illegal felling of as many as six hectares of forest which stretches across the protected Labin-Rabac-Prtlog area by a private company called Mari Top from Zagreb has opened pandora's box when it comes to illegality in Istria. The subject was broached by not only the Labin Mayor, but also by the director of the Natura Histrica Public Institution, Silvia Buttignoni. This led to discussions…

September the 21st, 2022 - The over-inflated Croatian public sector has become richer for a massive 5000 new employees in a relatively short period of just two years. Many people refer to the public sector in this country as being bloated, with others considering that the vast majority of the jobs people are employed for within the sector no longer necessary. Hopes were high that the digital era that Croatia has been more or less forced into by the coronavirus pandemic would see enormous changes to this, but it doesn't seem as if things have gone quite as digital with…

September the 20th, 2022 - Could larger Croatian Christmas bonuses, gifts for children and other such benefits be on the horizon? The Ministry of Finance has a proposal which will interest many, especially during these difficult economic times fuelled by spiralling inflation and the fear of energy crises. As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, last week, the Ministry of Finance submitted a proposal to amend the Income Tax Ordinance to increase the payment thresholds for six non-taxable items with which Croatian employers, in addition to paying out regular monthly wages, can further stimulate their staff, as tportal reports. The limit for non-taxable…

September the 20th, 2022 - Despite the fact that the horrendous earthquakes of 2020 which rocked Zagreb in March and then Petrinja, Glina and the wider Sisak-Moslavina County area in December, things are still moving at a snail's pace. Many Croatian earthquake victims are still living in limbo. As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, on Friday last week, Minister of Regional Development Natasa Tramisak signed the decision on the financing of a project entitled "The removal and construction of replacement housing units under the ownership of the Republic of Croatia in the areas affected by the earthquake", which provided grants in the amount…

September the 9th, 2022 - Former Croatian Finance Minister Zdravko Maric has been questioned by USKOK (Croatian State Prosecutor's Office for the Suppression of Organised Crime and Corruption), but seemingly only as a witness. As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, ex Finance Minister Zdravko Maric was the chairman of the supervisory board of HBOR (Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development), and a month and a half before a certain loan was granted, he had a meeting with the investor Milenko Basic from the company C.E.M.P. Basic had otherwise asked for a loan of 130 million euros to finance an investment, and in…

September the 9th, 2022 - Ongoing inflation is continuing to spiral, and with countries across Europe making various arrangements and creating measures to help citizens and companies through this extremely difficult period, Croatia's PM Plenkovic has now spoken out, confirming that the Croatian Government will cap electricity prices as energy bills are set to soar. The Croatian Government was very quick in stepping in with a package of various measures when the global coronavirus pandemic reached the country and began disrupting life as we've never known it before. Many sectors across the economy are hoping for the same rapid response…