Politics

ZAGREB, 30 March 2022 - Lawmakers on Wednesday welcomed a ban on the use of pesticides that are hazardous to bees during spring blossoming to avoid a repeat of the situation of June 2020 when millions of bees in Međimurje died. "It turned out that that resulted partially due to the incorrect use of pesticides", state secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Tugomir Majdak said during a debate in the Sabor on a bill on the sustainable use of pesticides.  He added that beekeepers were compensated for the loss without noting the amount involved. Majdak explained that anyone using products for protection during agricultural…

ZAGREB, 30 March 2022 - Croatian Agriculture Minister Marija Vučković met with Albanian Ambassador Riza Poda on Wednesday to discuss common trade issues and ways of expanding bilateral cooperation in agriculture, the Agriculture Ministry said in a statement. It was agreed that Vučković would soon visit Albania as part of efforts by both countries to expand bilateral cooperation in agriculture, and further strengthen trade. The two countries have excellent relations and work together to achieve their common interests through mutual political and technical support. The Croatian Paying Agency for Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development and the Albanian Agency for Rural Development…

ZAGREB, 30 March 2022 - Suad Arnautović was selected as the new president of Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) Central Electoral Commission (SIP) on Wednesday, and said SIP is preparing for elections to be held in October despite the fact that an agreement on changing the election law has not been reached yet.  Arnautović succeeds Željko Bakalar and was selected with the support of six SIP members as part of the regular rotation for that position. SIP comprises two Croats, two Bosniaks, two Serbs and one member from an ethnic minority. Leading Bosniak and Croat political parties have not yet agreed on amendments to the election law which…

ZAGREB, 30 March 2022 - Croatia's Ambassador to Serbia, Hidajet Bišćević, was severely criticised on Wednesday by MPs Miro Bulj (Bridge) and Marijan Pavliček (Croatian Sovereignists). "Ambassador Bišćević's behaviour is scandalous, more than scandalous," Bulj said in Parliament, accusing the ambassador of "harassing Croatian political representatives, obviously on the foreign minister's and the prime minister's orders." Pavliček accused Bišćević of "working on the further fragmentation of the Croatian community" in Serbia and attacking its leaders, notably Tomislav Žigmanov, the head of the Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina (DSHV). "He is harassing a man who stood up against the regime…

ZAGREB, 30 March 2022 - Culture and Media Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek has expressed her satisfaction with the pace of reconstruction of cultural heritage buildings following a devastating earthquake two years ago. "The Ministry of Culture and Media has signed contracts for projects worth HRK 3.5 billion. According to yesterday's data, more than 50 projects have been launched and some have been finished. Six or seven out of 150 buildings have been restored, and those are smaller buildings. Over the next month, structural reconstruction will begin for about 50 buildings," Obuljen Koržinek said in an interview with Croatian Radio on…

ZAGREB, 29 March 2022 - Ruling HDZ party whip Branko Bačić said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković enjoyed the absolute support of the party's parliamentary group and its partners in the ruling coalition for a possible government reshuffle. After a meeting of the ruling coalition, Bačić told reporters that a government reshuffle was not discussed except for the coalition partners having given, at the end of the meeting, their full support to the PM for a possible reshuffle and "its scope". "It was stressed that the Prime Minister enjoys the full support of all coalition partners for a reshuffle,…

ZAGREB, 29 March 2022 - The former head of Sisak-Moslavina County, Marina Lovrić Merzel (SDP), was found guilty of corruption and sentenced to seven years in prison on Tuesday. She has the right to appeal, but since her sentence is longer than five years, she will have to go straight to prison from the courtroom. Three other defendants were also found guilty - Silvijo Kobeščak, former president of the supervisory board of the Ceste Sisak roads company; Bernard Popec, who sold the county a building for emergency medical services above the market price, and Dalibor Rožanković, Lovrić Merzel's nephew who…

ZAGREB, 29 March 2022 - Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Tuesday that "it isn't time for political games," but resolute and responsible politics and that any possible government reshuffle would first be discussed within the ruling party's bodies. "I expect that we will discuss the government's work, the Sabor's activities and topics that interest the public. We will see what the (party leader) will have to say," Jandroković said ahead of a meeting of the Croatian Democratic Union's (HDZ) presidency and national council scheduled for this afternoon in Karlovac. He was responding to questions from Croatian reporters about a possible…

ZAGREB, 29 March 2022 - The European Union should in particular focus on southeastern Europe and monitor the impact of the Ukraine war on the situation in the region as well as the potential growth of Russian influence, Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Tuesday. "We need to follow the potential effect of a spillover of the Ukraine conflict to neighbouring areas as well as to southeastern Europe," Jandroković said in his address on the second day of the conference of EU parliament speakers in Brdo Pri Kranju, Slovenia. "I emphasise that the European Union should in particular focus…

ZAGREB, 29 March 2022 - The USKOK anti-corruption office has indicted former Čakovec mayor and Member of Parliament Stjepan Kovač (SDP), a Međimurje police officer, Mario Sever, and Damir Ledenčan, whom they allegedly hired to make up threatening messages to Kovač ahead of the last local elections. The three indictees were arrested at the same time as Međimurje County Prefect Matija Posavec, who was suspected of bribe taking and influence peddling. That part of the investigation is still underway. Without noting anyone's identity, USKOK reported on Tuesday that Kovač, Sever and Ledenčan had been indicted before Zagreb County Court for influence peddling,…