Politics

ZAGREB, 25 May, 2021 - Croatia's Supreme Court on Tuesday pointed to examples of arbitrary criticism made by some politicians and individuals against the judiciary "which leads to the general inclination to express tendentious extreme views". This may be a consequence of a lack of experience and knowledge that is acquired through work in courts or the absence of a complete understanding of the work of judges, as well as of the wish of protagonists in the public life to gain popularity in their political community, counting on the fact that the professional status of judges requires from them to refrain from conflicts that…

ZAGREB, 25 May, 2021 - The Croatian Employers' Association (HUP) has proposed measures for maintaining liquidity and launching private investments which include retaining jobkeeping measures and covering a portion of fixed costs, ensuring favourable loans and prolonging loan maturity. In expectation of COVID measures and lockdown of businesses being lifted, HUP addressed Finance Minister Zdravko Marić and underscored that maintaining liquidity is not only relevant during the lockdown period but should be extended for a longer period, and that recovery can only be possible if investments are boosted. HUP proposes that jobkeeping measures be extended even after busines restrictions are lifted until such time that …

ZAGREB, 24 May, 2021 - Croatia hopes its entry to the Schengen area of passport-free travel could be put on the agenda during Slovenia's EU presidency in the second half of this year, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Monday. "I believe it is possible. We have excellent overall relations with Slovenia and it would be great if that happened during Slovenia's presidency of the Council of the EU," Plenković told reporters. Plenković discussed Croatia's accession to the Schengen area and the euro area with European Council President Charles Michel and Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson. Both the previous and…

May 24, 2021 - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Monday after a meeting with the President of the European Council Charles Michel that the two condemned the forced landing of a Ryanair civil plane in Belarus and demanded an international investigation. Plenković met with Michel in Brussels ahead of an EU summit. Croatia's Prime Minister wrote on Twitter that he had spoken with Michel about "the fight against COVID-19, the vaccination process, Croatia's entry into the Schengen Area and the euro area and the continuation of enlargement." "We condemn the unacceptable move by the Belarusian authorities and demand an international…

May 24, 2021 - The Mi Možemo and Zagreb je Naš political groups supporting the mayoral candidate have spent 741 598 kunas on Tomašević's campaign of this candidate for the new Zagreb mayor. In contrast, they have collected 250,668 kunas in donations, according to the data they provided last Friday. On 21 May, the We Can party and its coalition partners submitted an updated financial report on the campaign's funding in the run-up to the Zagreb mayor's elections. The report shows that they have received donations from 631 individuals and legal entities. The average amount of a donation is thus HRK 397.25.…

ZAGREB, 23 May, 2021 - The legal obligation to submit financial reports seven days before the second round of local elections has been met by 283 out of 317 candidates, the State Electoral Commission said on Sunday. The reports, including expenses, contributions and media advertising discounts, had to be submitted by midnight Saturday. Reports were submitted by all 30 candidates for county prefects and the mayor of Zagreb as well as their deputies, 98 out of 110 mayoral candidates and 155 out of 177 candidates for municipal heads and their deputes. For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. For…

ZAGREB, 23 May, 2021 - The leaders of the EU-27 will convene for a summit on Monday and Tuesday to discuss the meeting of climate protection targets, foreign policy issues and the COVID-19 situation. This will be the first physical summit in Brussels since December. While in Brussels, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković will hold talks with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson. On the fringes of the European Council, Plenković is expected to talk about Croatia's two strategic goals - entering the eurozone and the Schengen Area. For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.…

ZAGREB, 22 May 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Saturday that his HDZ party was a centre-right, state-building, patriotic, people's, Christian democratic party, calling on voters to vote in the second round of local elections in Zagreb on 30 May according to their conscience. "The party's position has not changed... we know our values and platform. We respect our voters and recommend that they vote according to their conscience in the runoff," Plenković said during a visit to Primorje-Gorski Kotar County. Asked which of the two candidates for the Zagreb mayor, Tomislav Tomašević or Miroslav Škoro, would be easier…

ZAGREB, 22 May 2021 - Croatia is marking the 29th anniversary of joining the United Nations, which occurred on 22 May 1992 and is considered the culmination of the international recognition process and the crowning achievement of Croatian independence and statehood, the Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. The first years of membership were marked by diplomatic efforts to bring the military aggression against Croatia to an end and then to ensure the peaceful reintegration of occupied territories and full territorial integrity and sovereignty, followed by affirmation on the world's political scene. As a young state, Croatia succeeded in ensuring relatively…

May the 22nd, 2021 - The Croatian military and its export-import balance is set to alter quite significantly following the country finally having made a decision on the purchase of fighter jets, ending a saga which seemed to be endless. As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Brnic writes, Croatian military export-import balances are going to undergo changes over the coming years, because after a recent session of the Defense Council, it has now become clear that the Croatian Government will finally make the official final decision on the procurement of a combat squadron next week. This decision will primarily change the current relationship…