Politics

ZAGREB, 23 April 2022 - Croatia has begun to block the assets of Russian nationals who are under sanctions, the Večernji List said on Saturday, adding that Russian-owned holiday homes, forests and companies have been seized. Based on the EU sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, Croatia has blocked the property of the wife and sister of Alisher Usmanov, one of the richest Russians, on the southern peninsula of Pelješac, the newspaper said, citing documents from public registers. It appears that in locating Russian-owned properties in Croatia the Croatian authorities have largely relied on the findings of the…

ZAGREB, 23 April 2022- Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković issued messages on Saturday offering their best wishes to the Christian Orthodox faithful who celebrate Easter according to the Julian calendar. "May Easter, a symbol of hope, peace and faith, be an inspiration and encouragement to you in overcoming the challenges and tests that lie ahead," the prime minister said in his message, noting that this oldest Christian holiday is a reminder of the universal human values of kindness, solidarity and tolerance. "May the spirit of this great holiday further strengthen us in our efforts to make…

April the 23rd, 2022 - Can the Croatian financial sector withstand the consequences of the war in Ukraine following the Russian invasion? Experts say yes. As Tomislav Pili/Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Croatian financial sector isn't immune to the consequences of the ongoing war in Ukraine, but there will be no big problems because it is strong enough to withstand whatever the outcome may be, according to the Macroprudential Risk Scanner of the Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency (Hanfa). The growth of geopolitical risks caused by the Ukraine-Russian war increased systemic risks in the financial services sector back in February by increasing…

ZAGREB, 22 April (2022) - The State Attorney's Office (DORH) said on Friday it was conducting inquiries into Construction, Physical Planning and State Assets Minister Ivan Paladina and examining criminal complaints filed against him. DORH said Paladina confirmed that complaints had been filed against him and that, after examining some of them, it decided to dismiss them. DORH said it requested that the remaining complaints be examined. According to the Index web portal, prosecutors are looking into Paladina's acquisition of bonds in the IGH construction company. Paladina says nothing new in report on inquiries Responding to DORH's press release, the minister said it…

ZAGREB, 22 April (2022) - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Friday the possibility of increasing penalties for the use of the Ustasha salute "For the homeland ready" was being considered in talks with national minorities and antifascists, but not legislative amendments that would ban its use. "I have underlined once again that the existing regulations and Constitutional Court rulings are very clear about the salute. I think only the practice should be standardised. We can see if the penalties might be increased, so that we can act preventively in that way too, but also punish those breaking the law," Plenković told the…

ZAGREB, 22 April (2022) - Croatia's oil pipeline operator JANAF said on Friday it was allowed to resume the delivery of crude oil to the Serbian oil company NIS, adding that it had concluded storage contracts with the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency and the Delta Oil International company. JANAF reported on 29 March that its contract with NIS was covered by EU sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić then said that the problem of oil delivery would be addressed together with Croatia and the European Union. JANAF said on Friday that the EU Council regulation…

ZAGREB, 22 April (2022) - President Zoran Milanović on Friday held a separate commemoration at the Jasenovac concentration camp site on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of Jasenovac Breakout Day. The breakout was made on the morning of 22 April 1945 by the last 600 prisoners and about 100 survived. The Jasenovac Memorial Centre has documented the names and details of 83,145 people killed at Jasenovac where the Nazi-style Ustasha regime had run the camp for 1,337 days during the Second World War. Most of victims were ethnic Serbs (47.627), Roma (16.173) and Jews (13.116). During his commemorative event held…

April 22, 2022 - Croatia 1991 - Ukraine 2022: The Road to Freedom. Meet Vukovar 365, full of compassion. The city that is still recovering over 30 years later knows the pain. Its people have been through hell and back. They would not wish this upon anyone, yet it's happening. Ukrainian people have always been Vukovar's friends, their culture enriching the area that this minority has historically been a part of. Not that we should seek reasons to help, but the people of Vukovar have got plenty and they are always willing to step up. Hrv reports on a conference…

April the 22nd, 2022 - With Croatian Schengen entry looming and changes at the nation's border crossings being mulled, we also need to look at what the new ETIAS system will mean for quick trips in and out of Croatia will mean for residents of neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as for other neighbouring non-EEA countries, such as Montenegro and Serbia. Seven euros will need to be paid by citizens and residents of Bosnia and Herzegovina when entering Croatia across the Croatian-BiH border as of 2023. As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, due to the upcoming introduction of the ETIAS system,…

ZAGREB, 21 April 2022 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković met separately with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Teodora Genchovska during her visit to Zagreb on Thursday. Genchovska, a historian, military academy graduate, and expert on security and defense issues, and Plenković discussed the situation in Ukraine, emphasizing that the two countries shared views on the war in Ukraine and the need to continue providing assistance to that country, according to a government press release. Plenković informed Genchovska about Croatia's final preparations for accession to the Schengen area and euro area, as well as about its bid to join…