ZAGREB, 22 January, 2021 - Members of the European Parliament on Thursday adopted by a vast majority a resolution on mitigating the consequences of last year's earthquakes in Croatia, asking that all available EU instruments be used to help the country.

The resolution was supported by 677 MEPs while five voted against and one abstained.

Participating in drafting the resolution, initiated by Croatian MEP Valter Flego, were all Croatian members of the European Parliament.

The draft resolution "calls on the Commission, in cooperation with the EU and Croatian institutions, to devise a swift way of distributing the necessary financial and other assistance to ensure a speedy recovery of the affected areas."

In approving financial aid, the Commission is called upon to take account of the fact that Croatia is at the same time also dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

Croatia is called upon to prioritise "renovation in its recovery and resilience plan, devoting particular attention to comprehensive preventative renovations that ensure the highest seismic standards for housing and buildings at greatest risk in its most earthquake-prone regions."

Croatia is called upon to carefully monitor post-earthquake reconstruction to make sure the highest seismic standards are ensured for all buildings and infrastructure. 

The document says that the reconstruction process should be carried out as swiftly as possible, respecting transparency, applying best professional practices and taking account of the demographic aspect. Special focus should be placed on building the basic infrastructure that was lacking prior to the earthquake and access to basic needs and services should be promptly re-established in all parts of the affected areas.

The Commission is called upon to extend the 18-month time limit for the use of funds from the European Solidarity Fund in the event of a devastating earthquake.

The document also stresses the importance of prioritising residents of the affected areas for COVID-19 vaccination and encourages the Croatian government to implement the decision it has announced to redirect a significant proportion of its vaccine supply to Sisak-Moslavina County. 

The resolution also welcomes the decision of EU member states to give part of their vaccination supplies to Croatia.

Last year Croatia was struck by two strong earthquakes that were followed by a number of aftershocks. On 22 March, a 5.5 earthquake shook Zagreb and two adjacent counties, killing a 12-year-old girl and damaging over 26,000 buildings. On 29 December, a 6.2 earthquake struck Sisak-Moslavina County, killing seven people and demolishing over 30,000 buildings.

January 22, 2021 – With near neighbours and far friends answering the call to assist Croatia following the Sisak Moslavina earthquake, you might have expected a unanimous vote to help the country when assistance was debated in the European parliament. But, a 'shameful six' of conservative and anti-EU MEPs voted against Croatia earthquake aid or abstained

Though the world economy is still reeling from almost a year of retraction in response to the pandemic, international support for Croatia following the shattering 29 December earthquake in Sisak Moslavina was still forthcoming. Croatia-based ambassadors from Japan and Canada went to visit the affected area themselves, the latter country organised a significant donation. As did Serbia and other neighbours.

Croatia's partners in the European Union not only responded individually but collectively. The European Parliament passed a resolution to help Croatia after the earthquake. 683 MEPs voted in the resolution, with a magnanimous 677 of them voting in favour. However unbelievable it might be, 5 anti-EU MEPs voted against Croatia earthquake aid and one more abstained. All six were Conservative and Anti-EU/anti-federalist MEPs.

The resolution was introduced in order to help provide aid and to rebuild the area of Sisak, Petrinja and Glina, affected by the 29 December earthquake, but also Zagreb. It proposed that under such extraordinary circumstances that befell Croatia in 2020, the help of the European Union was needed.

Only a 'shameful six' of Conservative and anti-EU MEPs voted against Croatia earthquake aid or abstained. Swedish MEPs Peter Lundgren, Jessica Stegrud and Charlie Weimers, members of the anti-federalist party of European Conservatives and Reformists, were three of the anti-EU MEPs voted against Croatia earthquake aid.

Dutch right-winger Marcel de Graaff – co-president alongside France's Marine Le Pen of the Europe of Nations and Freedom voting block in the EU – was the last of the anti-EU MEPs voted against Croatia earthquake aid. Spanish conservative Isabel Benjumea joined him in voting against the measures. Belgian right-wing and anti-immigration MEP Philip De Man, a member of the Identity and Democracy voting group, abstained.

ZAGREB, 17 January, 2021 - Members of the European Parliament will vote next week on the reconstruction of earthquake-hit Croatia and call on the Commission to define, in cooperation with European and Croatian institutions, how to quickly distribute the necessary financial and other aid for a swift recovery of the areas affected.

At a plenary on Thursday, the European Parliament will also debate and vote on a resolution on alleviating the aftermath of the two quakes that struck Croatia last year - the one on 22 March in Zagreb and parts of Krapina-Zagorje County which damaged over 26,000 buildings, and the one on 29 December which devastated Petrinja, Sisak, Glina, Hrvatska Kostajnica, Majske Poljane and other villages, killing seven, injuring 26 and demolishing over 30,000 buildings.

Croatian MEPs from all parliamentary groups took part in drafting the resolution.

The draft resolution calls on the Commission to define, in cooperation with European and Croatian institutions, how to quickly distribute the necessary financial and other aid for a swift recovery of the areas affected.

The Commission is also called upon, in approving financial aid, to take account of the fact that Croatia is also dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and a series of aftershocks.

Croatia is called upon to prioritise in its recovery and resilience plan, a key document for drawing funds from the Next Generation EU instrument, the reconstruction of houses and buildings, seeing to it that they are earthquake-resistant

The Croatian authorities are called upon to closely supervise post-earthquake reconstruction so that the highest seismic standards are ensured for all buildings and infrastructure.

The draft resolution says the reconstruction and construction process should be carried out as quickly as possible, transparently and under expert supervision, and that it should take account of the demographic aspect so that the area affected could have development prospects.

The document recommends paying special attention to building the infrastructure that was missing even before the earthquake and to making sure that all the basic needs are met and services provided in every part of the area affected.

The Commission is called upon to extend the 18-month deadline for utilising funds from the European Solidarity Fund in the event of a devastating earthquake.

The draft resolution praises the efforts of the rescue forces, Civil Protection, the Croatian army, volunteers, civil society organisations, international organisations as well as the local, regional and national authorities in saving lives and alleviating the effects of the tremor.

The text also recommends giving priority in COVID-19 vaccination to the quake-hit area and encourages the government to carry out its announcement that it will direct a significant number of doses to Sisak-Moslavina County.

ZAGREB, 15 January, 2021 - At its plenary session next week, the European Parliament will discuss aid to Croatia to alleviate the consequences of a devastating earthquake that struck the country, Croatian MEPs announced on Friday at an online press conference organised by the European Parliament Office in Zagreb.

MEPs Valter Flego, Predrag Fred Matić and Željana Zovko announced the agenda of the plenary session due to take place in Brussels from 18 to 21 January.

One of the topics on the agenda is the provision of relief to the areas of Croatia that were devastated by a 6.2 magnitude earthquake that struck on 29 December.

The basic idea of the proposed resolution on the alleviation of the consequences, initiated by Valter Flego (IDS, Renew), is to draw attention to the fact that recovery from the earthquake will be a long process. The document will be put to a vote on Thursday.

The resolution will bring the Commission's attention to the importance of reducing and overcoming bureaucratic obstacles, monitoring the state of the public and private sectors, the need to revitalise the economy and provide maximum support for the reconstruction of the affected areas. It will also invite the Commission to ensure maximum support for the Croatian government in addressing the consequences of the earthquake, Flego said.

"I am pleased that on Thursday we will get a strong resolution representing the European Parliament's position on aid to Croatia," Flego said, thanking his colleagues for their cooperation.

Željana Zovko (HDZ, EPP) also said that the resolution was a sign of strong parliamentary support for Croatia.

ZAGREB, Dec 18, 2020 - The European Parliament on Thursday endorsed a motion to extend the status of European Capital status for the period 2020-2023 which enables Rijeka to present all the programmes it had planned but was thwarted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

With 689 votes in favour MEPs adopted a report by Croatian MEP Zeljana Zovko (HDZ/EPP) to extend the status of European Capitals of Culture in the 2020-2023 period, which gives Rijeka and the Irish city of Galway the "green light" until April 2021 to present their programmes while the next capitals will be deferred from 2021 to 2022 and from 2022 to 2023.

Rijeka and Galway were the European Capitals of Culture for 2020 however the COVID-19 pandemic thwarted them from presenting their planned projects.

After the motion was upheld at a plenary of the parliament in Brussels the Council is expected to confirm the decision next week so that it can take effect before the end of the year.

Ahead of the plenary meeting, Zovko underlined that extending Rijeka's status "in this turbulent time of the pandemic, Rijeka will have another significant opportunity to show that the culture sector has adapted to new circumstances and that creative power during the corona crisis can show what is most important in the creative industry and cultural heritage in promoting European values."

ZAGREB, October 30, 2020 - Croatian independent MEP Mislav Kolakusic has sent a letter to his colleagues in the European Parliament, complaining about the closure of the EU House due to the new COVID-19 outbreak claiming that COVID-19 is just a cold.

"Tens of millions of our citizens fought numerous wars to preserve democracy. Millions of our citizens sacrificed their lives for the freedom of speech and movement, and we are closing the doors of the Parliament due to the fear of a possible cold," Kolakusic said in his letter which was carried by the Euractiv web portal.

In his letter Kolakusic says that despite the "indisputable fact" that although he knows "several thousand people, I do not know one single person who has Covid-19."

Since the outbreak of the pandemic in Croatia more than 45,000 people have been infected with coronavirus and 530 people have died.

For Kolakusic, this is just about a "cold", which by the way has cost the lives of more than one million people worldwide, says Euroactive.

Many MEPs are unhappy because they cannot temporarily access the European Parliament both in Brussels or Strasbourg.

The cause of their disgruntlement is a possible decision by the parliament's leaders to temporarily close the central attendance register throughout November. That means that MEPs will not receive daily allowances which amount to €323 for each day spent in Brussels or Strasbourg. They can receive that allowance only if they confirm their attendance in the central register.

ZAGREB, April 15, 2020 - Croatian MEPs Karlo Ressler, Tonino Picula and Valter Flego said on Wednesday they were dissatisfied with European institutions' weak response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ressler (HDZ/EPP) said at a video press conference this was the EU's "biggest crisis" since its establishment. "This is, in a way, the moment of truth for Europe because swift action and swift aid are needed now. Concrete solidarity is needed."

He regretted the absence of a response by all member states at the beginning. "Attempts are being made to change that now."

Flego (IDS/Renew Europe) said the EU "was again surprised by snow in January," adding that Italy especially, the European country hit the hardest by the virus, had criticised the lack of European solidarity.

France and Germany were among the first to ban the export of medical equipment, which resulted in a rise in euroscepticism in Italy, with as many as 49% of Italians in favour of leaving the EU.

Picula (SDP/S&D) said European institutions were "slowly catching up."

The measures to help the European economy will show that "the EU is coming out of the initially passive, insufficiently active phase into a proactive phase of dealing with the consequences of the pandemic," he said, adding that the EU had suffered a "certain damage to its reputation" because of the initially absent common response to the crisis.

The three MEPs said a common European policy was needed for an adequate exit from the crisis.

"We should act together. It's clear that the European measures are complementary. It's clear we need to use every euro from the funds and programmes," said Ressler, the EPP rapporteur on the European budget for 2021.

Picula hopes for a more resolute and Flego a more aligned response in the second stage.

The three MEPs agreed that the crisis is showing that it is important Croatia enter the euro area given that its member states will have more money at their disposal.

"This too shows how important it is that Croatia enter the euro area," said Ressler.

"It's indeed good that we are in the European Union and it's a pity we are not in the euro area so we can use more money," said Picula.

More news about Croatia and the EU can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, March 20, 2020 - Croatian member of the European Parliament Željana Zovko has asked the European Commission to use funding from the EU Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Western Balkan countries in the fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The European People's Party (EPP) group said in a statement that Zovko, a member of the HDZ party and deputy EPP coordinator on the Foreign Affairs Committee, on Thursday welcomed the EC's proposal for changing existing rules on the use of the EU Solidarity Fund but also asked that it be expanded to include the Western Balkans because of the coronavirus pandemic.

As a rapporteur on IPA III pre-accession assistance funds, Zovko called for using available funding to fight the crisis.

It is our duty to send Western Balkan partner countries an important message - that they are not alone in the fight against the pandemic. Reallocating available funds will make it possible for those countries to buy medical equipment to help fight the virus, she said.

Zovko also proposed that the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism be expanded to include the entire Western Balkans.

The EU Solidarity Fund was set up in 2002 and so far it has been used only in cases of major natural disasters such as floods, storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, wildfires or droughts.

It was announced on Thursday that the EC would start forming a medical equipment reserve as part of its RescEU programme. The equipment will be allocated to EU member-countries and countries-signatories to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

More coronavirus news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

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 give the green light to Balkan countries at the end of this months because that will "show the EU's credibility." "Enlargement means removing the black hole in the heart of Europe," said MEP Željana Zovko (HDZ/EPP) and a member of the EP's foreign affairs committee.

Zovko said that the "Zagreb summit in May should provide an impetus for EU enlargement." She believes that it is in Croatia's interest to move the Union's borders and that "a new voice of Europe is necessary, a voice that is not selfish and one that cares for European interests."

Genoveva Ruiz Calavera, the Director for Western Balkans at the Directorate General for European Neighbourhood Policy, said that the Union's executive body wishes to revive the process of enlargement which has left its mark on the credibility of European institutions.

I am absolutely optimistic and convinced that we will open negotiations with the two Balkan countries, Calavera said. The EU's credibility depends on that decision, she added.

In February the European Commission released a new methodology for enlargement and Calavera recalled that drawing closer to the Union is primarily based on merits.

The revised methodology is one thing while assessing a country's progress is another matter, she underscored.

Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are still waiting to be given candidate status. North Macedonia and Albania are waiting for accession negotiations to be opened while Serbia and Montenegro are in the process of those negotiations and can decide for themselves if they wish the new methodology to apply to them.

We are all pleased with a common European future but we wish everyone to adhere to the same values and rules, Dutch MEP Sven Koopmans said.

He believes that there is some doubt about the rule of law in those countries, which sometimes is not respected in some EU members at that.

Belgian MEP Mark Demesmaeker believes that if those countries regress the process should be stopped.

MEP Nathalie Loiseau from France, which was in October outspokenly critical of Europe's enlargement in the near future, said that one should not speak of enlargement but of consolidation with the inclusion Western Balkan countries which she described as European countries.

More news about Croatia and the EU can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, February 10, 2020 - The European Commission has decided to withdraw its draft measure that should have introduced quotas for small pelagic fish in the Adriatic Sea, and some of the credit for that goes to MEP Ruža Tomašić, the Zagreb-based daily Večernji List reported on Monday.

Ruža Tomašić was the European Parliament's rapporteur for that matter in 2017 when she pushed for a report with draft amendments she sponsored which eventually changed the European Commission's initial plan.

The new European Commission led by President Ursula von der Leyen has recently decided to withdraw the draft regulation about the small pelagic fish quota in the Adriatic Sea from the procedure. The reason for dropping the planned quotas is that the EC does not expect agreement on the issue.

In mid-November 2018, the European Parliament adopted a report which Croatian MEP Ruža Tomašić submitted on the Multiannual plan for small pelagic stocks in the Adriatic Sea and the fisheries exploiting those stocks, whereby measures for replenishing the stocks in the Adriatic are suggested, instead of the imposition of quotas for the catch as proposed by the European Commission, which would seriously affect the fishing industry in Croatia.

At that time, Tomašić explained that the imposed quota would have restricted the catch in the whole of the Adriatic Sea to 50,000 tonnes of small pelagic fish annually, whereas Croatia's catch was about 60,000 tonnes and the amount in the region now stood at 100,000 tonnes. Another Croatian MEP, Ivan Jakovčić, endorsed Tomašić's report and called on the EC to pursue a policy that would be beneficial to the Adriatic fishermen. He explained that the introduction of the quotas as proposed by the EC would have been detrimental to the blue growth in the Adriatic region.

Dubravka Šuica, who was also one Croatia's 11 MEPs in 2018, reported that she supported Tomašić's reports and that she had not endorsed the EC's proposal for incorporating a set of measures into a multi-annual plan for the Adriatic Sea that would manage the fisheries in the Adriatic Sea based on the Biomass Escapement Strategy and a quota system.

Tomašić told the Večernji List daily on Monday that she was satisfied that there would be no prescribed quotas for small pelagic fish in the Adriatic.

More news about European Parliament can be found in the Politics section.