Politics

ZAGREB, July 29, 2020 - Of 167 registered political parties in Croatia, as many as 71 failed to report on donations received in the first half of the year, thus facing fines of between HRK 10,000 and 100,000. All registered political parties, independent members of parliament and independent local councillors were required to report donations to the Electoral Commission (DIP) by midnight on July 15. The parties that failed to do so face fines of between HRK 10,000 (€1,333) and 100,000 (€13,333), while independent MPs and councillors face fines of up to HRK 20,000 (€2,666). Whether they will be actually fined…

ZAGREB, July 28, 2020 - The Voice of Entrepreneurs association (UGP) on Tuesday called for lowering of the standard 25% Value Added Tax rate to 13% on services provided by hairdressers and fitness studios, explaining that this would be benefit the state budget in the long run and would also create more jobs. The association presented the findings of an analysis showing that a lower VAT on those services would have multiple positive effects on employment and doing business. The UGP said that hairdressing is one of the few occupations that have survived changes introduced by the Internet. The association…

ZAGREB, July 28 (Hina) - HDZ whip Branko Bacic said on Tuesday the bill on the post-earthquake reconstruction of the Zagreb area was good and that the goal was for the law to stand the test of time. "Our goal is for the law to stand the test of time... and given the length of the reconstruction, to fulfill its purpose," he told reporters ahead of parliamentary debate on the bill. Bacic said opposition MPs too had backed the bill, that it had passed regular procedure, and that it included numerous remarks from citizens and institutions. He said the parliamentary majority…

ZAGREB, July 28, 2020 - Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic said on Tuesday the parliament presidency was agreed today about recommending that all MPs wear masks in the chamber and that he would continue to ask all to do so. Speaking to the press after a presidency meeting, he said wearing masks was, for now, a recommendation and that, depending on developments, "we will see whether to ban those who don't want to or avoid wearing a mask from being in the chamber." "I firmly believe everyone will listen to the recommendation because it doesn't come from us but from experts," said Jandrokovic. He…

ZAGREB, July 27, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Monday responded to President Zoran Milanovic's accusations that the national COVID-19 response team was a counter-constitutional body, calling it repetition and recycling of topics. "We already resolved this story in parliament. A repetition, recycling of topics," he told the press ahead of a meeting of his HDZ party's Presidency when asked to comment on Milanovic's statement. Plenkovic said he did not know what the Constitutional Court would say in assessing if the laws whereby the team has been given powers to restrict fundamental rights and freedoms are in line with the…

ZAGREB, July 27, 2020 - Homeland Movement MP Milan Vrkljan said on Monday the current COVID-19 response team should be dissolved. "We agree with the president of the republic that it's a para-body, a body outside the constitution and the law and that it was established in the interest of a very small, narrow group of people covered by party affiliation," he told press. As for the establishment of a new team, Vrkljan said the parliamentary health committee should discuss the issue and propose to the government how a new team should be established. He said the team should be relieved of any…

ZAGREB, July 27, 2020 - The Homeland Movement parliamentary group asked from the government on Monday a detailed report on the HRK 100,000 from the state budget spent on the commemoration in Srb which it claims celebrates "the genocidal slaughter of Croats in Boricevac and neighbouring villages." "At a time when budgetary revenues are low, when big companies relevant for the system are reducing salaries, when people are being sacked, when we don't know where the drop in the standard of living will stop, the Croatian government is financing a gathering which celebrates the genocidal slaughter of Croats in Boricevac and neighbouring…

ZAGREB, July 26, 2020 - President Zoran Milanovic said on Sunday he would like to see Boris Milosevic, the deputy prime minister from the Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS), and its president Milorad Pupovac at the 25th anniversary of Operation Storm in Knin, which he said should be joy and not gloating over someone's defeat. "It would be good, I'd like to see him there," the president said on N1 television when asked if it would be good for Milosevic to attend the military operation anniversary on August 5. "I think that would be a gesture... Whether he will be capable of it,…

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Jadranka Dozan writes on the 24th of July, 2020, the fifteenth Croatian Government, and the second one under Andrej Plenković, promised to do a lot in its programme by the end of its mandate; from creating the conditions for the bringing to life of as many as 100,000 new jobs, raising the average salary to 7,600 kuna and the minimum one to 4,250 kuna, to ten percent higher pensions and more generous social benefits. The new-old prime minister sees the main lever for achieving these programme goals and economic recovery in the full utilisation of the now somewhat…

ZAGREB, July 24, 2020 - The government on Friday sent to parliament for ratification three loan agreements with international financial institutions worth €660 million to respond to the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, for post-earthquake reconstruction and for strengthening healthcare. One agreement refers to a €275.9 million World Bank loan for crisis response and recovery support and another for a €183.9 million World Bank loan for post-earthquake reconstruction in the Zagreb area and for strengthening public health preparedness. In early June, the government endorsed reports on negotiations on the two agreements, which were approved by the World Bank Board of Executive Directors at…