May 29, 2021 - Defence and Security Company Saab recognizes and respects the decision of the Croatian government in the fighter aircraft procurement process.

However, Saab is convinced that the offer made by the Swedish government for the 12 new Gripen C/D aircraft, which includes delivery within 2 years, a full logistic support package and training for Croatian Air Force pilots and technicians, as well as a tailor-made strategic cooperation package to be delivered by Saab, would meet and even exceed all the needs of the Croatian Air Force.

"We believe that our proposal is very comprehensive and highly beneficial in many aspects for Croatia and the Croatian Air Force. Gripen is the first of the new generation fighters in operational service, it is a fully NATO interoperable fighter, includes the latest technology and our offer was for new aircraft together with rapid deliveries. We have a strong customer base and a roadmap to keep Gripen technologically and operationally relevant into the 2060s. 

Procuring and operating new Gripen does not raise any additional costs often associated with used aircraft, and we can confirm that the Gripen offer transparently provided a total inclusion of all costs. The proposal also included a very attractive financial scheme for Croatia, which would enable re-payment over a long period of time, in combination with an initial “grace” period between 2023 and 2025. 

Such financing solutions would be delivered through the Swedish government and not through commercial banks, thus leading to exceptionally favourable financial terms. 

Partnering with Sweden and Saab would also have brought much more benefits for Croatia. Such an example is a Regional Aeronautical & Support Centre which would develop long-term cooperation with the local defence industry as well as the academic sector, generating some 500 high-tech, local jobs. We will continue to monitor and follow the process” stated Jonas Hjelm, Senior Vice-President and Head of Business Area Aeronautics.

For more on politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated section.

ZAGREB, 28 May 2021 - At the beginning of his cabinet's meeting on Friday, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković sent a congratulatory message to the armed forces and the ground army on the occasion of Army Day and the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Croatian army.

"In the last three decades, the Croatian army with its origins among the people, gained huge experience during the Homeland War which it won, and it has developed into an efficient and modern armed force prepared to deal with all the tasks assigned to it," Plenković said.

After the the 1991-1995 war, the army underwent a successful process of the peacetime transformation, and only 11 years after the peaceful reintegration of its  Danube egion, Croatia became a member of NATO, the strongest military alliance in the history, the premier underscored.

Croatia's soldiers are highly-esteemed participants in a lot of international missions and operations worldwide, including those run by NATO and those run by the United Nations. All that is conducive to the international security and peace, as preconditions for any development and prosperity, he added.

In the present-day more and more unstable world, Croatia must be able to efficiently safeguard its territory and borders, control its skies and sea and ensure its stability and energy independence, and, if necessary, protect its won freedom, he said.

In this context Plenković noted that his cabinet pursued the course that accomplished the priorities of the defence and security policies.

The government has adopted a new national security strategy and the legislation on homeland security and increased defence outlays and made investments in the miltiary equipment and modernisation, he noted.

At the end of his speech on the modernisation of the army, PM Plenković revealed the decision of his cabinet to purchase 12 used French multipurpose fighter jets Dassault Rafale F3R for €999 million.

For more on politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated section.

ZAGREB, 8 April, 2021 - The government on Thursday made decisions on the implementation of programmes for financing local infrastructure and rural development projects in areas populated by national minorities, for which HRK 20 million was earmarked in this year's budget.

The programmes pertain to areas that are markedly below the national development average in which national minorities make up at least 5% of the population according to the 2011 census.

Regional Development Minister Nataša Tramišak said the programmes would ensure the minimum standards of municipal and social infrastructure as well as financial instruments for family farms.

The government also adopted a regulation on the financing of national minorities' public needs to enhance their rights and protect as well as promote their cultural, national, linguistic and religious identity.

Waters Act amendments

Also today, the government sent to parliament amendments aligning the Waters Act with EU legislation.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 30 March, 2021 - MP Milorad Pupovac has accused President Zoran Milanović of dangerously spreading cultural racism, to which Milanović responded on Monday by saying that Pupovac was denouncing Croatia to Sarajevo and Belgrade media but kept quiet when it came to denouncing corruption in Croatia.

"President Milanović is belittling almost everyone who disagrees with him, from women, minority representatives, representatives of the gay population, representatives of the academic community, to neighbouring peoples and states," Pupovac told the radiosarajevo.ba web portal.

He said he was especially concerned about Milanović's "cultural racism speech which can be felt in communication towards Bosnia and Herzegovina (...) and Serbia."

"That's very, very dangerous," said the Serb minority MP and president of the Independent Democratic Serb Party, which is part of the ruling coalition. "We are peoples and states that still haven't healed the horrors of war we went through."

"The rhetoric of cultural racism towards peoples who are east of Croatia, and in that sense religiously, culturally or partly culturally different from the Croatian people or the Croatian state, is an act of verbal insulting and verbal humiliation."

That is not good for Croatia and its democracy, which is fragile, but it can't ben good for the Croats living in BiH or Serbia either, Pupovac said.

"And I'm quite sure it can't be good for the president either. Because if this continues, it won't reverberate only in Croatia and across the borders of the neighbouring states which are mentioned in his speeches with derogatory and frequently racist language, it will certainly spread wider."

Milanović urges Pupovac to do something for Croatia

Milanović responded in a Facebook post, writing that Pupovac "is raising his price on the international market again."

"As his currency loses value at home, he is spreading his constitutional concern for Croatia in the region via Sarajevo media. It's not news that, if necessary, he bargains for himself internationally as well."

Milanović said Pupovac was denouncing Croatia for Sarajevo media today and would probably do so for Belgrade media tomorrow.

He asked Pupovac when he intended "to denounce the corrupt work of the government you sit in" and urged him to "do something for your country" on that front.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

March 19, 2021 - The Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Andrej Plenković, received the President of the European Football Federation, Aleksandar Čeferin, and the President of the Croatian Football Federation, Davor Šuker, at Banski dvori in Zagreb to discuss football infrastructure in Croatia. 

HNS reports that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković was accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Zdravko Marić and the Minister of Tourism and Sports Nikolina Brnjac. The HNS delegation was accompanied by the Executive Director Marijan Kustić and the Head of the International Department and Licensing Ivančica Sudac.

HNS

The meeting topic was primarily further investments in the development of football infrastructure in Croatia, and support for plans for the construction of a national stadium and the renovation of existing football stadiums in Croatia was also emphasized.

Prime Minister Plenković reminded that his Government in the last term adopted the National Sports Program 2019-2026, increased allocations for sports by more than 100%, and several projects were launched in the sports sector. He also added that the Government had launched investments in local sports infrastructure for the first time, and 15 football infrastructure projects in the total amount of HRK 5.7 million were co-financed through a public tender for co-financing the renovation and construction of sports infrastructure in 2019.

In addition to job preservation measures, the government has expanded support measures to mitigate the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that have also affected the sports sector.

"I thank Prime Minister Plenković for organizing this meeting with Minister Brnjac and Minister Marić, which I consider extremely important for the further development of football, especially football infrastructure in Croatia. I am glad that the Government of the Republic of Croatia has shown an understanding of many economic, health, and other benefits that football brings to society and interest in the challenges we face as the most massive sports organization in the country. With the support of UEFA and FIFA, HNS has done a lot in the development of infrastructure in recent years, and of course, we wish more state assistance in this segment," said HNS President Davor Suker, adding:

"I have the impression that the current government led by Prime Minister Plenković, despite all the current challenges, has the hearing, desire, will, and strength to return to football what football, as the most successful Croatian 'product,' deserves. I am proud that in UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, we have a great friend of Croatian football, and I thank him for showing today with concrete examples and figures that any investment in football is many times more profitable; for society as a whole."

Šuker also expressed satisfaction with the agreement reached on the establishment of a joint body of the Government, UEFA, and HNS:

"I believe in the effectiveness of a joint body composed of representatives of the Government and the Ministries of Finance, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, HNS and UEFA's independent experts, and the city of Zagreb to jointly prepare a sustainable project to build a new stadium."

UEFA president Čeferin also reported on UEFA's plans to organize the European Football Championship, given the epidemiological situation in Europe.

At the initiative of UEFA President Čeferin and HNS President Šuker, a humanitarian match between Slovenia and Croatia was played in Petrinja on 13 March. On that occasion, President Čeferin, on behalf of UEFA, handed over a donation of 50,000 euros to the Croatian Red Cross. At the same time, HNS donated 200,000 kuna to the Sisak-Moslavina County Football Association to reconstruct football infrastructure.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 9 March, 2021 - The Croatian government on Monday adopted a conclusion authorising Health Minister Vili Beroš to sign an order for the procurement of the Pfizer Inc./BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

The conclusion was adopted in line with an agreement signed between the European Commission and Pfizer Inc./BioNTech Manufacturing GmbH on 17 February 2021.

The funds for the procurement of the vaccine will be secured by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund.

The EC has so far signed six agreements on the upfront purchase of vaccines against COVID-19 on behalf of EU member states. The February 17 agreement between the EC and Pfizer refers to the purchase of an additional 200 million doses.

 For more about COVID-19 in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 4 March, 2021 - The government on Thursday endorsed a bill on the establishment of a defence and security university which will be sent to parliament, with Defence Minister Mario Banožić saying the university would produce leaders for the Croatian army and other components of the homeland security system.

"In the year when the Croatian army is marking its 30th anniversary, a legislative framework is being created to transform the Croatian Military Academy into the University of Defence and Security, which is of special state interest," Banožić said, according to a ministry press release.

The university will facilitate the development of a teaching staff for military, defense, security and intelligence sciences and skills, and it will also be able to apply for EU funding, Banožić said, adding that the university would also develop and conduct scientific research in support of military, defense, security and intelligence activities.

"Working together, we will create an organisation which will be ready to produce leaders for the Croatian army and other components of the homeland security system," said the minister.

February 26, 2021 – The consequences of the coronavirus pandemic has brought travel agencies to the brink of collapse. The Association of Croatian Travel Agencies has asked the Croatian Government to make an urgent decision on extending measures to preserve their jobs and reimburse fixed costs.

With the entire tourism sector struggling with unprecedented losses for nearly a year, travel agencies are among the biggest losers in this crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Cancellations of travel and various events and restrictions on people's movement due to special epidemiological measures have left a significant mark on the travel agencies' business.

Tomislav Fain, the president of the Association of Croatian Travel Agencies (UHPA), has previously sent numerous requests to the Government to help and support travel agencies. They recently even asked the Croatian Civil Protection Headquarters to close them formally so they can withdraw much-needed financial resources for survival. However, unsuccessfully. This time, like all the times before, their demand has only one goal: the survival of travel agencies.

"Countless times we have been called upon to understand the situation and with uncertainty found out at the last minute whether we will be able to keep employees for the next month or two or we will have to thank them for their cooperation. As our understanding did not lead to a boomerang effect and came back to us in the same way, we were put in a situation where the survival of most travel agencies in the Republic of Croatia is extremely endangered," Fain points out in the UHPA statement.

According to the Tax Administration and the Central Bureau of Statistics data, the average decline in the travel agencies' activity in 2020 was continuously above 85 percent. These truly devastating results carry even more weight if we take into account the fact that these are mostly small and medium-sized family businesses that, to ensure the liquidity of the business, among other things, sold their own assets.

"In a country that depends so much on tourism, it is unacceptable that on the threshold of the tourist season on which we have high expectations, the tourism industry survives day by day and hopes for a miracle. As if this is not more than enough, the situation is further aggravated by the lack of understanding of service providers, especially public institutions, which, despite the recommendations of relevant ministries, increase their services' prices at the last minute.

It is high time that all relevant stakeholders understand the seriousness of the situation and provide us with the key prerequisites so that we can dedicate ourselves to what we know best – creating tourist products for a memorable holiday. Otherwise, all promotional campaigns and slogans will go to waste because we will not protect the most important thing – a man – who, as we like to be proud of, is the key to success in tourism," concludes Fain.

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February the 25th, 2021 - Petrinja home restoration efforts, which are unfortunately happening only very slowly, might have had another blow in the financial form as a huge donation is scrutinised.

As Jutarnji list/Goran Penic writes, enormous funds of more than 100 million kuna in total were paid out to the state treasury in an initiative called "Assistance for reconstruction after the earthquake" by numerous citizens and companies from across Croatia and indeed from abroad, as well as international organisations and foreign governments. As has unfortunately since been found out, it seems that it is likely that only a small part of that massive amount will be spent on Petrinja home restoration efforts, and the remaining 60 percent of the money should apparently be allocated to some other ''earthquake-related'' purposes.

Jutarnji list is in possession of a proposal for a decision prepared for the Croatian Government by the Ministry of Finance, which defines how the money collected through donations will be distributed. According to the proposal, 40 percent of the money, or about 40 million kuna, would go to the Central State Office for Reconstruction and Housing, for the removal of now destroyed family houses and for the construction of their replacements.

Up to 20 percent of the donated money, equal to about 20 million kuna, would go to the account of the Ministry of the Interior (MUP) to cover the payment of the costs of individuals and legal entities which were mobilised by order of the National Civil Protection Directorate/Headquarters.

These include companies that set up tents, for example, as well as the transport companies that transported mobile homes, construction companies that worked on repairing chimneys and roofs or for hired cranes. On top of that, the state-owned company Pleter will more than likely be in for a cut. Pleter was engaged in preparing food for the victims in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake after it had been being done for days anyway by good-hearted volunteers, as well the owners and employees of famous Croatian restaurants who had already faced huge financial issues due to having to be closed during the pandemic.

Citizens and companies, in addition to money intended for Petrinja home restoration and the covering of the costs of mobiliaation, seem to have donated money for commodity stocks without even being aware of it. As such, 10 million kuna, or up to 10 percent of the donated money, should be paid to the Ministry of the Economy, more precisely to the Directorate for Commodity Stocks to cover the costs of purchasing goods in accordance with the decisions of the National Civil Protection Headquarters.

It should be recalled that it was the Commodity Stocks that were most criticised following the earthquake in central Croatia back in December 2020 for delays in the delivery of aid, as living containers and tents ended up arriving from some of the most remote places in Europe rather than from commodity reserves.

The Ministry of Labour should not be left without any money either. They could allegedly get their hands on as much as 15 million kuna for the reconstruction of buildings that were damaged in the earthquake. Specifically, up to 15 percent of the donated funds would be spent on the construction/reconstruction and equipping of institutions operating within the social welfare system. Institutions in the social welfare system are social welfare centres, homes for the elderly and infirm, homes for children, Caritas, the Red Cross, foster families and the like.

According to reports, three buildings operating within the social welfare system were completely destroyed in the earthquake, and two are temporarily unusable, including homes for the elderly and infirm in Petrinja and Sisak. According to this decision, the Ministry of Agriculture should receive 15 percent of the funds, ie 15 million kuna for support to agricultural producers, which includes measures for preventive vaccination and the treatment of animals in the area.

Jutarnji list asked the Ministry of Finance to clarify this decision, but they didn't answer their specific inquiry, but simply said that the Croatian Government would soon make a decision on the redistribution of funds.

"The Croatian Government opened an official account of the State Treasury for donations of funds in the action ''Assistance for reconstruction after the earthquake''. By the 22nd of February 2021, 100.1 million kuna had been paid into this account (this is preliminary data). These funds will be used according to the decision of the Government, which should be made soon. To date, payments have been made from the state budget, ie redistributions within the users of the state budget,'' the Ministry of Finance said in its response to Jutarnji's query.

The Government claims that this was one of the proposals, that more than 100 million kuna was collected, but that the distribution model, which is being presented to the Government today, will still be different in the end.

For more on Petrinja home restoration, donations and the Petrinja earthquake in general, follow our dedicated section.

ZAGREB, 18 January, 2021 - The chairman of the parliamentary group of the opposition Homeland Movement party, Stephen Nikola Bartulica, said on Monday that the government was living in a parallel world, the government's earthquake response was late and coronavirus vaccination was going too slow.

"The public administration, headed by the government, is living in a parallel world, as shown by the response to the earthquake in Petrinja and Sisak. Everyone could see that citizens privately organised themselves faster and better than many of the state services," Bartulica told a press conference in the parliament building.

"The services were late and the entire response by the government was lame, while reproaching volunteers was insane," he added.

Substantiating his claim that the government was detached from reality, he cited the case of Zagreb where owners of properties damaged in the 22 March 2020 earthquake were required to submit over 90 documents. 

Bartulica went on to say that vaccination against coronavirus was going too slow and that MPs should not be given a priority during the vaccination process.

"We do not think that the MPs are a vulnerable group compared, for example, to health workers," he said, adding that the Homeland Movement lawmakers would not undergo vaccination today.