Politics

ZAGREB, 28 April 2022 - Since the start of Russia's aggression against Ukraine, a total of 15,879 displaced persons have entered Croatia, including 215 unaccompanied children, state secretaries told a thematic meeting of the parliamentary Gender Equality Committee on Thursday. The meeting dealt with the reception, needs and treatment of Ukrainian refugees, most of whom are women and children as exceptionally vulnerable groups with specific needs. Croatia has the capacity to receive more refugees and displaced persons from Ukraine than the initial estimate of 20,000, it was said. The state secretary for immigration, citizenship and administration at the Ministry of the Interior (MUP), Žarko Katić,…

ZAGREB, 28 April 2022 - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković issued a message on the occasion of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom HaShoah, on Thursday. "On the occasion of Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day we show our respect for the victims of the Holocaust and the Ustasha regime. We are not forgetting, we must not forget," Plenković said in a Twitter post. "By promoting a culture of remembrance we are building a future in which tolerance and respect will be the foundation of peace," the PM said.   For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB, 28 April 2022 - Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Thursday that Hungary and Croatia pursued their minority policies based on the principle of protection of ethnic minorities and that they could serve as an example to the whole of the EU. Speaking to reporters after meeting with representatives of the Democratic Union of Hungarians of Croatia (DZMH), Szijjártó said that the Hungarian community in Baranja enjoyed steady and constantly growing support by the Croatian government and that the Hungarian government was doing the same with regard to the Croat community in Hungary. Mutual respect between our nations and minorities makes it…

ZAGREB, 28 April 2022 - The president of the Croatian Catholic charity Caritas and Varaždin Bishop, Bože Radoš, announced on Thursday that the Vatican's Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, would visit Croatia on 10-12 May. The Croatian Bishops Conference (HBK) in August 2021 invited Cardinal Parolin to visit Croatia on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the ratification of agreements signed between the Holy See and Croatia, and the 30th anniversary of Croatia's recognition. Speaking at a news conference after the 64th plenary session of the HBK, Radoš said that Parolin's visit had been confirmed by the Apostolic Nunciature in Croatia.…

ZAGREB, 28 April 2022 - Croatia has registered 850 new coronavirus cases and nine COVID-related deaths in the last 24 hours, the national coronavirus response team reported on Thursday. Currently, 425 infected persons are being treated in hospitals, including 20 placed on ventilators, while 3,512 persons are self-isolating. Since 25 February 2020, when the first case was confirmed in Croatia, 1,120,766 people have been registered as having contracted the SARS-CoV-2 virus, of whom 15,817 have died. A total of 4,780,298 people have tested for COVID-19 to date, including 3,956 in the last 24 hours. By Wednesday, 5,242,249 vaccine doses had been administered,…

ZAGREB, 28 April 2022 - Three parliamentary committees on Thursday supported by majority vote Marin Piletić as the new minister of labour, pension system, family and social policy. At a joint session of the family, youth and sport committee, the labour, pension system and social partnership committee, and the health and social welfare committee, Piletić said the priorities included the government's strategic plan goals, 100,000 new jobs by 2024, a 70% employment rate, unemployment below 5% and youth unemployment below 10%. The goals include an average net salary of HRK 7,600, a minimum wage of HRK 4,250, 10% higher pensions, increasing…

ZAGREB, 28 April 2022 - The parliamentary Committee on the Constitution, Standing Orders and Political System on Thursday supported by majority vote Anja Šimpraga for deputy prime minister, amidst criticism from the right and praises from the left, which nonetheless withdrew its support. Šimpraga, an MP of the Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS), received seven votes for and three against. It is expected that the parliamentary majority will support her tomorrow as deputy PM for social activities and human rights. The committee's right-wing members called her out for not respecting the fact of the Serbian military aggression on Croatia or the legitimate 1995 Operation…

ZAGREB, 28 April 2022 - Justice Minister Ivan Malenica said on Thursday that last year Croatian courts received 1.3 million cases, 158,000 more than in 2020, and that in terms of cases per 100,000 population, Croatia was near the top in the EU. Last year, the courts closed 98,000 more cases, he said in parliament, presenting amendments to the Civil Procedure Act aimed at stepping up, simplifying and modernising proceedings. The amendments are part of a set so that our judiciary becomes more efficient and so that citizens can solve their disputes as quickly as possible, the minister said. The amendments stipulate…

ZAGREB, 28 April 2022 - Croatia supports Finland's and Sweden's potential NATO membership, which would strengthen Croatia's security and defence, Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman said on Thursday. "We feel that the NATO membership of Finland and Sweden will only strengthen our security and our defence," he told the press at Zagreb airport after talks with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto, adding that all NATO member states have the same stand on that. Grlić Radman said that his Finnish counterpart called him two days ago and his Swedish counterpart yesterday, and that he told them he supported "their future application as…

ZAGREB, 27 April 2022 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Wednesday that net wages had risen by 32% since 2016 when he became Prime Minister, increasing from HRK 5,642 to HRK 7,352. Commenting on Tuesday's meeting with trade unions, Plenković emphasised the government's commitment to social dialogue and recalled that the base pay in the public sector had not been raised from 2012 to 2016. The increase is a consistent policy of our cabinet, Plenković said during today's meeting of the government. Thus, the base pay has been increased on several occasions during the terms of his cabinets, or 18.31% on the aggregate.…