Politics

ZAGREB, 25 Feb 2022 - The Croatian parliament on Friday adopted the Agricultural Strategy 2030, which aims to increase the value of agricultural output from the present HRK 20 billion to 30 billion annually. This target is based on average annual growth of between 4.0% and 4.5%, Agriculture Minister Marija Vučković said during a discussion on this strategic document. The document provides for the strategic transformation of agriculture and rural areas until 2030. It will serve as a basis for the preparation, implementation and monitoring of all further strategic documents and plans for agriculture and rural development after 2020.

ZAGREB, 25 Feb 2022 - The Croatian parliament on Friday adopted the Declaration on Ukraine, with 133 votes for and one abstention, which condemns in the strongest terms Russia's unprovoked aggression on Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. The abstaining MP was Katarina Peović of the opposition Workers' Front. The vote was watched from the gallery by Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Kyrylych. MPs applauded the adoption of the Declaration. Before the vote, Speaker Gordan Jandroković reiterated on the behalf of all MPs that Croatia is with the Ukrainian people in these difficult moments. In the Declaration, the Croatian parliament calls on Russia to…

ZAGREB, 24 Feb 2022 - Caritas Croatia said on Thursday it had launched a humanitarian drive to collect relief for Ukraine after Caritas Ukraine's emergency call for help via the Caritas Internationalist solidarity network. National members of Caritas Europa are in daily contact with Caritas Ukraine, following the situation and developing relief plans. Today Caritas Croatia representatives took part in a Caritas Europa virtual meeting. In the next 24 hours, Caritas Europa members will say how much material support in kind is available to meet Caritas Ukraine's needs. Emphasis is on equipment used in crisis situations caused by war, Caritas Croatia said. It will carry out…

ZAGREB, 24 Feb 2022 - The Croatian parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday unanimously adopted a declaration on Ukraine strongly condemning Russia's unprovoked aggression on its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence. The declaration states that the Croatian parliament calls on Russia to immediately stop the military attack and withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory. The parliament also condemns the recognition of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk regions as independent entities because that act represents a gross violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and undermines the foundations of the international order. It is also said that it gives full support to the territorial…

ZAGREB, 24 Feb 2022 - Economy Minister Tomislav Ćorić said on Thursday Croatia's supply with key energy sources was not in question despite the escalation of the Ukraine crisis and that if prices continued to increase over a longer period of time, the government would consider how to respond. Speaking to the press after a cabinet session, Ćorić said the supply with gas and oil "has not been brought into question at all" at the moment and that "everything will be under control." "We hope the war operations will cease and things be brought in order, " he added. "That's…

ZAGREB, 24 Feb 2022 - The Croatian government has adopted a draft decision on deploying up to 10 Croatian soldiers in the NATO Response Force (NRF), the defense ministry stated on Thursday when Russia started invading Ukraine. The draft decision has been forwarded to President Zoran Milanović, the supreme commander of the armed forces, for adoption, the press release reads. According to Defence Minister Mario Banožić, Croatian troops will be part of the "Very High Readiness Joint Task Force" (VJTF) within the alliance's Response Force. That means that they will be ready within a few days. During the Prague summit in 2002, NATO decided on…

ZAGREB, 24 Feb 2022 - Education Minister Radovan Fuchs on Thursday said that students and teachers would no longer be required to wear masks during lessons as of Monday and that restrictions related to excursions and outdoor lessons would be relaxed. "As we announced, as of next week masks will no longer be required during classes," Minister Fuchs told reporters after the cabinet meeting, adding that the decision was coordinated with the Croatian Public Health Institute and epidemiologists. Masks will still be required in public transport and hallways in schools. Wearing protective masks will no longer be mandatory for teachers,…

ZAGREB, 24 Feb 2022 - Prices in Croatia increased by 43.4% from 2001 to 2021 while utility bills were 85% more expensive and inflation affected pensioners and single households the most. In January, inflation accelerated by 5.6% in the European Union and by 5.1% in the euro area. In Croatia, inflation also picked up at the start of this year to 5.5% from December's 5.2%. The highest inflation rates in the EU were registered in the Baltic countries while the majority of countries in central and eastern Europe had inflation rates of above 6% and close to 9%. The prices…

ZAGREB, 24 Feb 2022 - Croatia should work on the political education of its young people because they are not taught enough about the European Union's structure and policies before their school-leaving exam, a panel was told in Zagreb on Thursday. The panel, entitled "The EU and Youth - Communication Noise", was devoted to communication between the EU institutions and citizens, in particular young people. Many citizens are not acquainted with the responsibilities of the European Parliament, European Commission, European Council, and the Council of the European Union, and young people in Croatia are no exception, even though they have…

ZAGREB, 24 Feb 2022 - Croatia will support the sanctions against Russia and is ready to provide Ukraine with humanitarian and technical assistance, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Twitter on Thursday, calling on Russia to halt its military operations. "We will support the sanctions package and are ready to provide humanitarian and technical assistance to Ukraine," the Croatian PM wrote, calling on Russia to immediately stop its military operations that put innocent people in danger. Plenković met with Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Kyrylych on Thursday morning, saying that "the Croatian government condemns in the strongest terms Russia's invasion and aggression on Ukraine."…