Politics

ZAGREB, March 5, 2020 - Investing in the European defence industry is an investment in the security of citizens and that requires appropriate funding, Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Damir Krstičević said on Wednesday, the second day of an inter-parliamentary conference in Zagreb. "I would like to stress how important it is to have adequate resources for research and development in defence. Investing in the European defence industry is an investment in the security of our citizens, European cooperation, economic development and employment," Krstičević said at a meeting on strengthening Europe's defence cooperation and industry. That meeting opened…

ZAGREB, March 5, 2020 - The Centre for Peace Studies and Are You Syrious NGOs sent an open letter to Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Wednesday, asking him to push for a reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) and better cooperation with third countries. The two NGOs sent the letter on behalf of Forum 2020 over the current migrant crisis on the Greek border and the announcement that Croatia will use all available means to help protect the EU's external borders, which could result in the army being deployed on the Croatian border. That, Forum 2020 believes, is…

ZAGREB, March 4, 2020 - The current migrant flow from Turkey to Europe is not the same as in 2015 when Germany said refugees and migrants were welcome, Croatian President Zoran Milanović said on Tuesday, recalling that Ankara then was not as involved in the war in Syria. Speaking on RTL television, the president said he was confident the situation would calm down and that he saw the latest developments as a consequence of a rushed decision of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who, because of the death of over 30 Turkish troops in conflicts in Idlib, Syria, "reacted impulsively".…

ZAGREB, March 4, 2020 - The EU's credibility depends on the European Council's decision in March and on the date for opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania, an inter-parliamentary conference in Zagreb agreed on Tuesday. Blocking the opening of negotiations for these two aspirants in October last year, "seriously shook the Union's credibility in the Western Balkans," said MEP Tonino Picula, (SDP/S&D), who is the rapporteur for the Western Balkans and member of the European Parliament's (EP) Foreign Affairs Committee, at the meeting on the European prospects for Balkan countries. Picula believes that the European Council has to…

ZAGREB, March 4, 2020 - The Croatian army and police are and have been cooperating and the police are controlling the border and the situation, Interior Minister Davor Božinović said on Tuesday, commenting on the military chief of staff's statement that the army was ready to help the police in case of a migrant wave. "They exchanged all the data they should and it was never in question whether the army would be engaged if necessary. However, it wasn't necessary and I hope it won't be, Božinović said. The EU policy is to protect the external borders from illegal entry,…

ZAGREB, March 3, 2020 - The European Union and each member state support and stand in solidarity with Greece, which is facing a wave of illegal migrants, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in Kastanies near the Greek-Turkish border on Tuesday. As chairman of the Council of the EU, he visited the border together with Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel and European Parliament President Davide Sassoli. They arrived to support Greece given its efforts to protect its own and thereby the external EU border, preventing illegal migration. "We have…

A modern and transparent Bjelovar is a shining example for the rest of Croatia. From lowering surtax to making the city administration actually work for the residents, what this continental Croatian city has done should be looked upon as a drawing board for the entire country - which is lagging behind severely. As Vecernji list/Poslovni Dnevnik/Lucija Spiljak writes on the 3rd of March, 2020, the now transparent Bjelovar has reduced surtax, the city government is fast, efficient and more clear, has nothing to hide, and wants citizens to know what they are paying into the city budget, why, and exactly where…

ZAGREB, March 3, 2020 - Vice Admiral Robert Hranj on Tuesday assumed the duties of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces from General Mirko Šundov, saying he would do the utmost to discharge them as best he could. Until now, Hranj was the General Staff director. Speaking at the ceremony at the Defence Ministry, he said the Croatian army was one of the pillars of the Croatian state and that he would insist on the safety of all military personnel as well as on work and discipline. Hranj said he would work on the development of…

ZAGREB, March 3, 2020 - The Croatian Army (HV) is ready to help the police in guarding the Croatian borders against a new wave of migrants, Defence Minister Damir Krstičević said on Tuesday. "The HV is ready to help our police if necessary. Our task is to ensure that the border is secure and to protect our national interests. I have ordered the Chief of the General Staff to make all the necessary plans. We are ready," Krstičević told reporters at a ceremony at which Vice Admiral Robert Hranj assumed the duties of the Chief of the General Staff of…

ZAGREB, March 3, 2020 - President Zoran Milanović said on Monday afternoon that he had agreed with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković to soon convene a meeting of the National Security Council over the potential new migrant influx in the coming weeks. However, Milanović said that he did not expect a huge tide of migrants soon, but the council would be convened "for the purpose of decision-making, if necessary." "It may turn out to be unnecessary, however, who knows what can still happen," Milanović said during his visit to the Croat community in the Austrian city of Eisenstadt. Earlier in the…