February the 28th, 2023 - The Croatian AD Plastik company hasn't been immune to ongoing geopolitical issues causing havoc for the economy, and while figures of 826 million kuna for 2022 sound encouraging, it's a big step down when compared to 2021.

As Marija Brnic/Poslovni Dnevnik writes, according to all announcements, the crisis with the shortage of semiconductors is gradually coming to an end and it is expected that it should end by the end of this year, at least according to Marinko Dosen, the CEO of the Croatian AD Plastik company. Issues following sanctions against Russia owing to their horrific invasion of neighbouring Ukraine have caused issues for just about every company, and AD Plastik hasn't been immune.

The group's operating income fell by 26.6% compared to 2021, to 826 million kuna. Normalised EBITDA amounted to 0.94 million kuna and was also lower by a staggering 99.3%, and with the adjustment values included, the net loss at the group level amounts to almost 80 million kuna in total.

The Croatian AD Plastik company's problems go hand in hand with current geopolitical ones and war in Europe. It has two factories in Russia, which stopped production after their main customers left Russia after the beginning of the aggression against Ukraine in February 2022. In the meantime, production did manage to be established in one of them, but with very significantly reduced capacities.

Back in pandemic-dominated 2021, which wasn't either for most business either, 27% of a grand total of 1.23 billion kuna in revenue was generated in Russia, while in 2022, that share fell to around 14%, with revenue on the EU and Serbian markets falling to 14%, and in Russia - by 61%. The Croatian AD Plastik company therefore focused almost entirely on the European market, and 205 million euros worth of work was contracted in 2022, mostly for Stellantis, with the start of serial production for most of the contracts set for 2024.

The positive thing for the Croatian AD Plastik company's report is the associated company EAPS from nearby Romania, in which it holds 50 percent ownership, and which, thanks to the business it contracted with Dacia Duster, achieved an increase in revenue of 35% (standing at 725 million kuna) and profits of 150% (76 million kuna).

For more, check out our dedicated business section.

January the 16th, 2023 - Croatian citizen support for sanctions imposed by Croatia and the entire European Union (EU) against Russia for its horrific treatment of Ukraine stands at 76%.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, within the European Union, Croatian citizen support for sanctions against the Russian Federation is above the average, as is its unwavering support for Ukraine. This was confirmed by a recent Eurobarometer survey, according to which 76% of respondents in Croatia stated that they fully or mostly support both Croatian and EU policies regarding events regarding Russia and Ukraine.

The average at the level of the European Union stopped at 73% of support, and it is interesting to look into what the obtained data shows for each individual country. Convincingly, the greatest support for sanctions was expressed in Finland and Sweden, where it stands at almost 100%, with both countries standing at 96%.

Those countries are followed by countries that do not border either Russia or Ukraine (Netherlands 93%, Denmark 92%, Ireland 91%, Portugal 90%) in which support for a complete cooling of relations with Russia is even higher than in Poland (89%) and Lithuania ( 88%).

Arguably, the least support for the European Union's policy towards Russia can be found in Greece, where not even half of the respondents were inclined to show full solidarity with the wartorn and devastated Ukraine. Almost the entire number of countries that made up the former Eastern bloc - Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia - are below the European Union average in this regard. Another country showcasing relatively low support (62%) for the sanctions against Russia is also Italy.

Only 8% of citizens within the entire EU stated that they were completely and utterly against the policy of imposing sanctions against the Russian Federation for their abhorrent actions against neighbouring Ukraine which began with a shock invasion in February 2022, while there is a higher percentage of those who are "more in favour" (42%) of such sanctions than there are of those who are completely in favour.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated news section.

ZAGREB, 6 June 2022 - This is no time to sit on two chairs and Serbia must take a side, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Monday in a comment on the cancellation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to Belgrade.

Plenković said that the visit "has nothing to do with Croatia" and is a matter concerning relations between Moscow and Belgrade but stressed that "in the current circumstances Serbia should be very careful about who it sides with."

"If it has the ambition to continue its journey to the EU, one has to know how it stands. This is no time to sit on two chairs," Plenković said at a news conference at which he presented the latest government decision aimed at alleviating the impact of growing energy prices.

Lavrov's visit to Serbia was canceled after neighboring countries Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Montenegro closed their airspace to his aircraft.

The Russian minister is expected to hold an online news conference instead, the RIA Novosti news agency said.

For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB, 31 May 2022 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković rejected in Brussels on Tuesday President Zoran Milanović claim's that sanctions against Russia were ineffective and only did harm to European citizens, accusing him of acting to the advantage of the Russian aggressor.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Croatian president said that the European sanctions against Russia were not working since Moscow could sell oil to others. He made the statement after the EU decided to impose a partial embargo on the import of oil from Russia.

"It is incorrect that the sanctions are not helping, thanks to its energy sources, Russia is financing war operations in which a large number of soldiers and civilians die every day," Plenković said after a EU summit in Brussels, at which the sixth package of sanctions against Russia was hammered out.

Plenković added that sanctions were a moral matter and that one should be on the right side of history and law.

"The government is, I am, and the Croatian public should ask themselves whether mister Milanović is," Plenković said.

"We are pursuing a policy in the interest of Croatia and in the interest of the EU, in the interest of justice and solidarity, and if he's pursuing a policy... to the advantage of the Russian aggressor, he should explain that to citizens, because we aren't. Unfortunately, that has been happening for months and is no longer a coincidence, it's a great pity and shame for Croatia," he added.

Plenković also rejected Milanović's claims that Croatia was no energy hub.

Denying Croatia's strategic role in our neighborhood, all the activities we do, the fact that the LNG terminal was realized during our term of office, and the fact that investments in critical infrastructure would give Croatia a completely different position can be called either ignorance or jealousy. All of that is human and I'm sorry he gives such statements, said Plenković.

During its summit meeting in Brussels on Monday, the European Union agreed on a new set of sanctions whereby seaborne oil imports from Russia would be immediately banned. Two-thirds of the Russian oil imported by the EU comes via tanker and one-third by the Druzhba pipeline. The embargo on seaborne oil imports would therefore apply to two-thirds of all oil imported from Russia. Since Germany and Poland announced that they would completely give up Russian oil by year's end, the import of Russian oil will drop by 90%.

For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB, 27 May 2022 - Moscow has declared five employees of Croatia's embassy in Russia personae non-gratae, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on Friday as carried by the TASS news agency.

"In response to hostile steps taken earlier by Zagreb to reduce the size of Russia's diplomatic mission, (Croatian ambassador) Tomislav Car received a note which declares five employees of the Croatian Embassy in Moscow personae non-gratae," Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reported.

It notes that a "strong protest was expressed to Croatia's ambassador because of unfounded attempts by Croatian authorities to blame Russia for war crimes in Ukraine and provide military assistance to the neo-Nazi regime in Kyiv."

On 11 April Croatia announced that it had expelled 18 Russian diplomats and six administrative staff serving in Zagreb.

A day later the Russian Federation slammed the expulsion of the diplomats and sent a strong protest to Croatia's authorities and threatened to reciprocate.

For more, check out our politics section.

11 April 2022 - Croatia has expelled 18 Russian diplomats and six members of administrative staff, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs said in a statement on Monday.

Croatia notified the Russian ambassador about the reduction of the number of diplomatic and administrative staff at the Russian Embassy on Monday.

"Eighteen diplomats and six members of administrative staff (24 employees in total) at the Embassy of the Russian Federation have been asked to leave the Republic of Croatia," the statement said.

Croatia thus joined other European countries, including Poland, Germany, France, Italy and Spain, in expelling Russian diplomats over the Russian military invasion of Ukraine. Neighbouring Slovenia will expel 33 Russian diplomats.

The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs once again strongly condemned "the brutal aggression on Ukraine and numerous war crimes committed."

Russia was once again called upon to immediately cease its military activities, withdraw its troops from the entire territory of Ukraine, and secure evacuation and aid supply routes.

Croatia also called on Russia to bring those responsible for war crimes to justice.

28 March 2022 - Russia has lodged a strong protest with Croatia after Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman called Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal, the Russian Embassy in Zagreb said in a statement.  

Insulting language and unfounded accusations against the President of the Russian Federation are absolutely unacceptable, the statement said.

Russia also protested because Grlić Radman had referred to the Russian government as a regime and wished that it would not stay in power for long.

Such irresponsible behaviour of a representative of the Croatian leadership is destroying the tissue of Russian-Croatian relations, which are marking 30 years this year, the statement said.

The government in Zagreb was called upon to refrain from triggering negative consequences for relations between the two countries.

In conclusion, the Embassy stressed the need for adherence to the universal rules of international communication and diplomatic etiquette.

Last Wednesday, speaking in an interview with Croatian Radio, Grlić Radman said Putin was a war criminal and expressed hope that "the Russian autocratic regime" would not last for long.

March the 22nd, 2022 - Former Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic has claimed that she and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is currently waging an unjustified and utterly bizarre war on neighbouring Ukraine, would ''talk for hours''.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the former Norwegian Prime Minister will leave his position in the Defense Alliance next autumn after serving a period of eight years and become the governor of the Norwegian Central Bank, and it is speculated that he will be succeeded by a woman from an Eastern European country.

Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic didn't want to comment on a possible new position in NATO

In an interview with Dagens Nyheter, Index reports, former President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic didn't want to comment on any of the circulating media speculations that she could become NATO Secretary General, the competition for which includes former British Prime Minister Theresa May, Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid and former Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini, but she did make sure to point out that she enjoyed working as Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy from 2011 to 2014.

"Most of the employees there weren't used to having a woman as an associate, but they didn't treat me differently because of my gender. Congratulations to those generals and others who worked hard and didn't protest when we worked hard to empower women,'' the former Croatian president told a Swedish daily.

Former NATO Secretary General and former Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, to whom Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic was an assistant in NATO until the end of his term back in 2014, commented on the upcoming election of a leading civilian official in the defense alliance:

"I think it would be good to choose a strong secretary general with good connections. What's happening in the world now means that NATO will play an even bigger role in the coming years. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic is one of the possible candidates, but there are other rumours. I can't say anything more about it at the moment.''

They described her as a conservative Croat

Two Dagens Nyhetera journalists interviewed Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic back on March the 8th after her lecture was held at the Stockholm Business School, a prestigious economic higher education institution, at which Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson completed her education.

Apart from speculating on whether "a conservative Croat would step up to the position in the footsteps of a social-democratic, peaceful and wealthy Norwegian", and stories about growing up in Yugoslavia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic's remarks about Russian President Vladimir Putin were particularly interesting given current times.

The former Croatian president immediately emphasised that she had been pointing out Russia's aggression against Ukraine for a long time and had previously warned of the possibility of a global crisis: "Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened. I think there was a certain naivety in people's thinking. What Putin wanted was quite clear in his 2000 political manifesto, which mentioned the restoration of Russia's economic power and position in the world. The events in Georgia and Crimea later made it known what would happen.''

However, unlike many international leaders who have described Vladimir Putin as a war criminal and lunatic because of his ongoing invasion of Ukraine; US President Joe Biden wondered if his Russian counterpart even had a soul; Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic chose her words carefully in response, Dagens Nyheter points out.

"He was normal and respectful"

“During my meetings with him, he was normal and respectful. We discussed bilateral issues, but also the regional situation across Southeastern Europe. We talked, among other things, about Agrokor, a company that was majority owned by Russian banks and was threatened with collapse and the creation of a crisis in Croatia. In that, but also in some other regional issues, Putin was constructive and provided a solution.

But there were areas in which we didn't agree, and on a very deep level, and that included, of course, NATO enlargement,'' said Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, adding that during numerous meetings with Putin, they'd talk for hours about various topics, including sport.

However, Dagens Nyheter didn't fail to mention that Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, while she was the Croatian president, during her visit to Moscow in 2018 during the World Cup, handed Putin a jersey of the Croatian national team with his name on it. The photos show them both smiling with the red and white jersey in between them, writes the Swedish daily, and reports Index.

For more, make sure to check out our politics section.

March the 12th, 2022 - The remarkable Vodnjan-based Croatian company Infobip, which has made quite the name for itself not only here in Croatia but across the rest of Europe and indeed the world, has suspended its operations in Russia following that country's unjustified invasion of neighbouring Ukraine a couple of weeks ago.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the well known Croatian company Infobip has offices in both Ukraine and Russia, which are now two countries at war. In Russia, they have offices in Moscow and St. Petersburg, where they employ about 200 people.

They issued a statement on Wednesday given the escalation of the conflict in which Ukraine continues to suffer horrendous attacks from hostile Russian aggressors.

"We are appalled by the suffering and humanitarian catastrophe taking place in Ukraine and our hearts are with all those affected by these horrific events," they wrote from the Croatian company Infobip.

They noted that they have been closely monitoring the unfolding situation from the very beginning in order to help their people as much as they can and attempt to ensure uninterrupted business.

"We stand by our people"

''During this time of destructive violence and destruction, we are witnessing courage, solidarity and an unsurpassed desire for peaceful solutions. All of our efforts have been focused on the safety of our colleagues in Ukraine, as well as the safety of their families and their friends. We first supported them by assisting in the evacuation and providing accommodation here in the Republic of Croatia or in other parts of the world, thus providing them with financial, physical and emotional security,'' they said in a statement.

"We are always committed to all our colleagues wherever they are in the world. This includes our employees in Russia, whose lives have also been negatively affected by the consequences of recent events,'' they added.

"We'd like to thank all the Bippers (Infobip employees) who offered up their homes as shelters and donated to the Infobip Foundation for Humanitarian Aid in Ukraine. Infobip will triple each donation made by the Foundation's employees to try to help alleviate some of this unimaginable suffering, '' the statement said.

Infobip's business in Russia has now been suspended. 

"We have restricted our business operations in Russia and suspended business with companies under sanctions," they stated from the Croatian company Infobip, adding that they are closely monitoring the situation as we go forward.

"We hope for an end to this war as soon as possible and for the restoration of peace in Ukraine," they concluded from Infobip.

For more, check out our business section.

ZAGREB, 1 Feb 2022 - There is no European, Western European or EU stability without Russia and it is necessary to reach an agreement with it, Croatian President Zoran Milanović said on Tuesday, accusing the West of inciting a war that he hopes will not break out.

"I don't even want one Ukrainian to be killed, even one Russian. As for Croats, not a chance," he told the press.

"There is no European stability, no Western European stability or European Union stability without Russia in the equation, and it's necessary to reach an agreement with Russia."

After telling a female journalist that a head of state does not meet with visiting defence ministers, including the British defence secretary who was in Zagreb today, Milanović speculated that she wanted to ask him for a comment on Great Britain's stand on Ukraine.

"Everything he is doing is mostly motivated by his political situation at home," he said about Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

In Great Britain, there are more and more calls on Johnson to resign over Downing Street parties during a strict COVID lockdown.

Milanović accused Britain of "mongering" and said that pushing Ukraine towards a confrontation with Russia was "irresponsible."

"Ukraine will not make itself happy if it listens to London. They are pushing them into a very dangerous adventure and President (Volodymyr) Zelensky has realised this. What I have been hearing from Kyiv in the past few days is very sensible and responsible towards one's own state."

Milanović has been criticised after saying recently that Ukraine does not belong in NATO, that it is corrupt and that Croatian soldiers will not be killed there. The Croatian ambassador in Kyiv was summoned for talks after those statements.

Ukraine's friend

Milanović said today that he was Ukraine's friend and that it was very irresponsible to mislead a state. He spoke of difficult problems Ukraine faced as it was not progressing towards EU membership and was stagnating, whilst being held hostage by London and Washington.

He also said that the EU was sending Ukraine confusing messages. "To stand in solidarity with Ukraine and say 'we support you, clash with Russia' is irresponsible, villainous."

Milanović said one should not foment arguments that Russia will attack Ukraine tomorrow. "If it attacks them, one should ask who is responsible for that."

"The Croatian soldier will not move from here," he added.

For more, check out our politics section.