ZAGREB, December 14, 2018 - President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović would not comment on the resignation of her defence and national security adviser Vlado Galić on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters in Velika Gorica, just south of Zagreb, the president said she would accept Galić's resignation, who had given "ethical and moral reasons" for his decision, but she would not say whether his resignation was prompted by the fake text messages scandal.

"According to what Galić told me, he has nothing to do with what he is being accused of," Grabar-Kitarović said, adding that the investigation was being treated as confidential and she could not go into it.

Asked if she would seek clarification of allegations that a coup and the resignation of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković had been demanded in her name, the president said she would request reports from relevant services. "I think that an attempt to replace the prime minister is a very serious matter, which is furthest from my mind. I want to hear if there is any concrete information indicating that attempts were made to create a new scandal," Grabar Kitarović said.

The president does not think Defence Minister Damir Krstičević should step down over problems relating to the delivery of Israeli F-16 Barak fighter jets, saying that she cannot see how he is responsible for that.

She, however, noted that Croatia had no time to waste. "Considering the state of our Air Force fleet, we need to act fast," Grabar-Kitarović said, adding that the 2013 overhaul of the MiGs was poorly done and that "soon we won't have any MiGs that will be able to take off, and we also need to keep the pilots."

Grabar-Kitarović confirmed she had talked with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, adding that he said he was working with the US to resolve the matter. The president said that US officials she had spoken with had expressed their principled support for the project, but she did not go into details of the deal with them.

The deputy speaker of parliament and deputy leader of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party, Milijan Brkić, said on Thursday while commenting on the resignation of presidential defence and national security adviser Vlado Galić, that he did not want to take part in "this circus of lies and fabrications".

"It is regrettable that in this country it is not important who committed crimes and who was convicted, but who met whom and who had a coffee with whom. I don't want to take part in this circus of lies and fabrications," Brkić told Hina.

Presidential defence and national security adviser Vlado Galić stepped down on Thursday, citing "moral and ethical reasons". President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović has accepted his resignation, her office confirmed to Hina.

Galić's name was mentioned by the chief suspect during an investigation into the so-called fake text messages scandal. The scandal concerns the fabrication by former police IT specialist Franjo Varga of false text messages between former chief state prosecutor Dinko Cvitan and a judge in the trial of former Dinamo Football Club boss Zdravko Mamić. The purpose of the false correspondence was to show that Cvitan tried to exert pressure on the judge to convict Mamić.

In his deposition to investigators, Varga also spoke about his cooperation with former HDZ leader Tomislav Karamarko and his deputy Milijan Brkić as well as with former Agrokor owner Ivica Todorić and presidential adviser Vlado Galić, who had introduced Varga to Karamarko.

More news on the national security issues in Croatia can be found in our Politics section.

ZAGREB, December 13, 2018 - President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović's advisor on defence and national security, Vlado Galić, has resigned for moral and ethical reasons, and the President has accepted the resignation of the national security advisor, sources at the Office of the President confirmed to Hina on Thursday.

The resignation comes in the wake of the fake text message scandal in which police have arrested former police IT expert Franjo Varga on the suspicion that during the trial of former Dinamo football club executive Zdravko Mamić, his brother Zoran, former Dinamo director Damir Vrbanović and tax official Milan Pernar at the Osijek County Court, Varga made fake text messages for Zdravko Mamić purportedly showing correspondence between former chief state prosecutor Dinko Cvitan and a judge involved in the trial. The purpose of the fake correspondence was to show that before the non-final ruling in the case, Cvitan tried to pressure the judge into making a sentencing verdict.

In his deposition to USKOK anti-corruption agency investigators, Varga also spoke about his cooperation with former Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) leader Tomislav Karamarko and his deputy Milijan Brkić, as well as former Agrokor owner Ivica Todorić and President Grabar-Kitarović's advisor Galić, who introduced Varga to Karamarko.

Another person who has been in custody in this case is Blaž Curić, a chauffeur for Agriculture Minister Tomislav Tolušić and close friend to HDZ vice-president Milijan Brkić. Curić was arrested on the suspicion that he informed Varga that he was under investigation and was about to be arrested.

More news on the text messages scandal can be found in the Politics section.

December 11, 2018 — Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitavorić continued her rambunctious 2018 with a ear-scorching duet accompanying singer Mato Bulić at "Širokobriješj večer", a Hercegovina-loving bacchanal in Zagreb.

#eurovision #zemljootvorise pic.twitter.com/QiCuRIzwkz

— Surf Panda (@Cvrle1977) December 8, 2018

Grabar-Kitarović’s bubbly nature and flamboyant national pride has become the subject of a debate, amongst the media if not the people. Is it “becoming” for a Head of State and politician of her stature to behave this way?

While the President sings, once-proud industries flounder and the government openly questions checks meant to curtail its hubris. Worst of all, Croats continue to leave the country in droves. Even the sweetest Siren’s song may not pull them back.

Is now the best time to sign? Even as a release valve for tense times?

Who could forget her memorable showing at the World Cup in Russia? Oh, those rain-soaked hugs and hop-along locker room celebrations.

Grabar-Kitarović's passionate support of the Croatian national team made her a media sensation. And Head of State most often confused for Ice T’s wife, Cocoa.

Is she substantively raising her country's profile, or simply making a spectacle of herself? Shouldn't the president be doing something — anything — other than singing and serving as the nation's de facto sports mascot? Well... not really.

Few were surprised to discover the president belted another tune, least of all the Croatian public. The Croatian president has showed her penchant for sing-alongs, though being named after a song didn’t give her an angelic voice. Within hours of winning her first election, the President wailed along to the chorus of "Oj, Hrvatska Mati".

(The second verse of the song gives a shoutout to parts of modern-day Bosnia and Serbia... But that’s neither here nor there.)

If it it’s hard to remember Grabar-Kitarović taking unilateral, decisive action on matters foreign or domestic, it's because she can’t. The Croatian president's immense passion and seemingly-perpetual charm offensive reveals an uncomfortable truth: she doesn't have much else to do.

The government and Prime Minister hold sway over all legislative matters, domestic and most foreign. It executes laws, sets economic policy, oversees the administration of government duties… The list goes on. The office Grabar-Kitarović holds was rendered toothless long before she occupied it. What else is there to do but sing?

Following the death of Croatia's first president Franjo Tudman, who weilded enviable power during his time in office, the Croatian Constitution was ammended, transferring a sizable list of duties to the government and parliament.

The remaining piecemeal list of presidential duties often includes the caveat “with the countersignature of the Prime Minister” or requires some form of Parliamentary involvement. The changes mean Croats can elect a president, but not a dictator. Even the few exclusive duties afforded the president have been rendered moot by international treaties and alliances.

Grabar-Kitarović has chaffed at the binds placed upon the office, trying hard to come into direct contact with the electorate via a roving office, often settling far away from Zagreb and the long shadow of the Prime Minister.

It's the Prime Minister who’s hounded by policy-related questions, which Andrej Plenković handles in a manner so matter-of-fact one wonders if his heart rate is somehow fixed between “Snooze” and “Out to lunch.” (Grabar-Kitarović's outsized personality seems to offer a counterweight.) 

Grabar-Kitarović, then, is hemmed in by the country’s guiding document in all but a few areas: Matters of national security and the hiring and firing of generals remains the office’s singular domain.

In states of emergency or natural disasters, she can declare martial law and curtail constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms — only if Parliament cannot convene to vote. The president can also dissolve Parliament — upon the government’s request.

Otherwise, Grabar-Kitarović has largely been relegated to ceremonial events, such as the unveiling of statues that hardly the resemble the person memorialized. And homespun outreach to locals, which she's been known to botch in unusual ways.

Grabar-Kitarović’s foreign policy clout, although ostensibly substantial on paper, remains as a figurehead. In practice, she serves as chief diplomat to multinational bodies such as the United Nations, as well as Croatia’s immediate neighbors who aren’t in the European Union. But she's not the first person either German Chancellor Angela Merkel or European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker will call. Meanwhile, she hasn’t engratiated herself to Croatia’s neighbors either.

Even her recent duet is laced with shadow populism. Herecegovina native Bulić has made a name with sugary pseudo-nationalism celebrating the ethno-Croatian bit of Bosnia. It’s an awkward moment to share a mic with the man — while Bosnia is complaining about Croatia meddling in its affairs.

Grabar-Kitarović may be using the wrong instrument. Because every jersey-clad cheer and song reminds us the office of Croatian president's office isn't so much vox populi as it is "Vox et praeterea nihil." Plutarch’s description of a nightingale: A voice and nothing more.

ZAGREB, December 3, 2018 – Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović warned on Monday that despite reforms, Croatia was the least competitive of all countries of the so-called New Europe, and called for amalgamating economic and demographic policies to curb emigration.

Speaking at an event at which awards were presented to the best business people and business events of 2018, the president said that there was no doubt that the numerous positive economic indicators, recorded this years and in previous years, were owing to economic policies that had successfully launched positive trends, visible in public finance sustainability, macroeconomic and fiscal stability and the growth of export, consumption and employment.

"Given the estimates that 2019 will also be a year of growth, we have reason to be moderately optimistic," she said, but warned that there was no room for complacency because "not all citizens have felt the economic growth nor have we successfully responded to the challenges that lie ahead."

She said the first challenge was insufficient intensity of work on reforms designed to step up productivity growth and create a favourable business environment. "Even though work on reforms has been ongoing, we are still lagging behind comparable peers in the EU and in Central and Eastern Europe," she said, noting that the World Bank and the World Economic Forum "consider Croatia the least competitive country, with worst business conditions in the so-called New Europe club," said Grabar-Kitarović.

She called for stepping up reforms that can secure long-term, higher rates of growth and the growth of living standards. "We all want a growth rate of more than 2.8%," she said.

Grabar-Kitarović said the second challenge was the unfavourable structure of the national economy, relying mostly on tourism, and added that the third challenge was the lack of a clear vision and strategy of economic development.

She reiterated that Croatia had to start developing those economic sectors in which it had a comparative advantage and decide where it wanted to be in 5, 10 or 20 years.

She identified as the fourth challenge external negative risks, such as an increasingly insecure environment caused by tensions in international trade, oil price oscillations, possible interest growth, uncertainties related to Brexit, migrations, etc.

The president particularly underlined the challenge of a growing labour shortage caused by increased emigration and depopulation.

If the current disastrous demographic trends are not reversed, by 2051 Croatia will lose more than 1.1 million inhabitants in relation to the 2011 census. The working contingent will shrink to 1.8 million, the number of young people under the age of 14 will drop by 49.1%, the number of working-age people will shrink by 36.5% while the number of elderly people will grow by 24.4%, Grabar-Kitarović said, calling for focusing on the implementation of population-boosting measures.

She noted that depopulation trends were economically motivated to a significant extent and called for amalgamating economic and demographic policies to stop emigration and reverse the extremely unfavourable internal migration trends.

Addressing the event, Economy Minister Darko Horvat said that investments, innovations and digitisation were crucial for enabling economic growth.

Investments this year are expected to amount to two billion euro, which will make 2018 the most successful year in terms of investment in Croatia's history, the minister said.

Investments mean investing into economic security, Horvat said, adding that 2019 should be a year of digital transformation.

At the ceremony, awards were presented to the companies Geni-i, Solvis, Agrimatco and Zagreb's international airport.

For more on the Croatian economy, click here.

ZAGREB, November 30, 2018 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Thursday that he did not see the statement by President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović as an attack on him, and announced that the National Security Council would be convened in December.

"No, why would I see it as an attack? The only thing I can see as an attack is what happened a few months ago, that text messages are fabricated and attempts are made to confuse the public in Croatia and to implicate me in something that is on the other side of the law. That is an attack," Plenković told the press after a meeting of the parliamentary group of his HDZ party.

Plenković said that "phenomena" such as the fake text messages scandal should be investigated and cleared up by relevant authorities. "I don't see anything new here because things like this happen in our political and media arena every week."

Asked to comment on the president's claim that he had not responded to her invitation to call a National Security Council meeting, Plenković said that these meetings needed to be well prepared, and the Council needs to adopt a document concerning the work of the security services next year.

He said that the National Security Council would convene some time in December, when the timing is deemed right.

Asked if Grabar-Kitarović should have temporarily suspended her national security adviser Vlado Galić until the scandal was discussed, Plenković said that this was for her to decide.

The President's Office said earlier that President Grabar-Kitarović most resolutely dismissed any insinuations of her alleged involvement in an alleged attempt to topple the government of Prime Minister Plenković and that she considered this insinuation as a direct political attack on the state institutions, especially the institution of the President of the Republic.

Speaker of Parliament Gordan Jandroković said on Thursday that a meeting of the National Security Council would be convened "when it becomes necessary."

Asked why Prime Minister Andrej Plenković hasn't replied to President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović's request to convene the National Security Council, Jandroković said that he didn't have any information about that.

"I believe that the Council will be convened when that becomes necessary," he said, and when pressed to say whether it was necessary now, he said, "It's hard for me to say. I would have to see the reasons for the President's stance. I saw that it was pretty dramatic. I am not quite sure which part of Mr Varga's deposition the president is referring to but it is certainly necessary to discuss and resolve the problem, if it exists," Jandroković said ahead of a meeting of the parliamentary group of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party.

Asked to comment on the statement by president that the political institutions in the country were currently under the strongest attack and the prime minister was not reacting, Jandroković said he didn't think the president's calling out the government was that dramatic. "A warning of an ongoing attack on the institutions is indeed dramatic but mentioning the prime minister isn't as dramatic as is being made out."

Asked whether he agreed with the president's claim that the institutions were currently under attack, Jandroković said it was necessary to determine what had actually happened. "As soon as the fake text messages scandal emerged and when information leaked from the security system, it was something that needed investigating to see what happened. Who did that, what their intentions were and was there a wider group of people involved, should be determined. Perhaps that wasn't the first time. That act indicates that it's necessary to take action. I'm not sure though that that's a reason to convene the National Security Council and to escalate tensions," Jandroković said on the statement by president.

For more on Croatia’s president, click here.

ZAGREB, November 29, 2018 - Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović on Thursday most resolutely denied any possibility of her "alleged involvement in an alleged plan" to topple Prime Minister Andrej Plenković's government and said that it would be a political coup against state institutions, particularly the institution of the President, Grabar-Kitarović's office said in a press release.

"Croatian President most resolutely denies any fabrication of her alleged involvement in the alleged attempts to topple the Andrej Plenković government. The President believes that that fabrications alone, based on statements that have not been verified by the relevant institutions, amounts to a direct political coup against Croatian state institutions and in particular against the institution of the President," the press release said.

Due to unverified information released in certain media outlets, President Grabar-Kitarović on 26 October made a proposal to Prime Minister Plenković to convene the National Security Council "however, to this date, she has not received a reply to that proposal."

"Croatian President believes that it is impermissible that the relevant state institutions have failed to react to the release of information which is being the subject matter of a confidential investigation. Therefore, the President expects all the relevant bodies to inform the National Security Council about the activities undertaken to clear up this affair and to identify the masterminds and the objectives of that scandal, but without undermining the confidentiality of the investigation," the press release said.

For more on the president’s activities, click here.

ZAGREB, November 19, 2018 - The friendly and positive relations between Croatia and Qatar are accompanied by a rise in bilateral trade and it can be further enhanced, a process in which a prominent role can be played by the Croatian community in that Arab country, Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović and Qatari Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, said after their meeting in Zagreb on Monday.

Sheikh Al Thani arrived in the Croatian capital for a two-day return visit after Croatia's head of state visited that Persian Gulf country in April 2017.

During their meeting in Zagreb, the two state officials also discussed regional policies and issues that make the present-day world unstable. "Our bilateral political relations are friendly and positive, but for them to be enhanced and strengthened, it is necessary to intensify the contacts in all fields of cooperation," the Croatian president said. "I firmly believe that the development of bilateral relations with the countries of the Persian Gulf will be of great importance for Croatia," she added.

Qatari Emir Al Thani agreed with her and commended the presence of Croatian businesses in Qatar. I would like to point out that Croatian companies doing business in Qatar give a great contribution, he said.

The 500-strong Croatian community in Qatar can serve as a link between the two nations and a bridge between our two countries, Grabar-Kitarović said.

The two officials cited energy, food production, construction industry, health industry, tourism and high technology as sectors where bilateral cooperation could be boosted. Croatia is set to attract Qatari investments in tourism, notably medical tourism, and in food production as well as in the defence industry, urban development, infrastructure and the petrochemical industry.

Croatia-Qatar trade increasing

In 2017, the Croatia-Qatar trade totalled 63.9 million dollars, up 3.4% from 2016. Croatia's exports increased by 16.39% to 62.9 million dollars, and imports from that Gulf country to Croatia soared by 80.87% to a million dollars. When it comes to tourist trade, in 2017 a total of 4,957 Qataris visited Croatia, a rise of 365% year on year.

Grabar-Kitarović expressed hope that Qatari citizens would perceive Croatia as an increasingly desirable tourist destination. In this context, she underscored that a great number of Croatian hotels, restaurants and food companies had halal certificates.

Emir Al Thani agreed with the president, expressing hope that the number of Qataris visiting Croatia would increase. In the first ten months of 2018, the number of Qatari guests rose by 49.4% to 5,963.

The emir congratulated Croatia on having won the silver medal at the Football World Cup in Russia this summer, and expressed hope that he would welcome Croatia's president in Qatar in 2022 when his country hosts that tournament.

Qatar is in principle interested in investments and cooperation regarding the future LNG terminal off the Croatian island of Krk, but the two officials did not elaborate on this topic after today's talks.

The wealthy Persian Gulf emirate has the world's third biggest gas reserves.

Agreements and memorandums

After the talks between the two leaders and the two countries' official delegations, eight agreements and memorandums were signed – an agreement on cultural cooperation, an agreement on the cancellation of visa requirements for bearers of diplomatic and special passports, and memorandums of understanding between the Universities of Zagreb and Qatar, the two countries' defence ministries, on cooperation in education and scientific research, and on cooperation in sports and agriculture.

An agreement on cooperation and mutual exchange of news reports between the Croatian and Qatari news agencies was signed by Hina director Branka Gabrijela Vojvodić and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.

President Grabar-Kitarovic said that she was very pleased that her office had donated a collection of books to the National Library of Qatar, officially opened on 16 April 2018. It is one of the biggest libraries in the Arab world, with more than a million books, rare manuscripts, and written cultural and historical heritage.

She wished Qatar success in organising the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

During his reciprocal visit to Croatia, Al Thani is also expected to meet with Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

For more on relations between Qatar and Croatia, click here.

Croatian President Kolinda Grabar Kitarović attended the recent football match between Croatia and Spain in Zagreb. Croatia scored in the last moments of the game, winning the match against the Spaniards, and the president was in a great mood after the game, reports Index.hr on November 18, 2018.

“It was a lot of stress, but I told you we would win. I congratulate all the players and manager Dalić. It was a good match and the outcome was uncertain until the very end,” said the president.

She watched the match among the fans. “Congratulations to all the supporters, they were great today,” said Grabar-Kitarović, adding that she was sitting next to the family of Jean Michael Nicolier, a Frenchman who died during the Homeland War while defending Vukovar.

On Sunday, Croatia will play the decisive match in the UEFA Nations League against England in London. The president said she would like to go, but was not sure whether she would have enough money.

“I do not know whether I will manage. The match is decisive, but I will attend the finals of the Davis Cup tennis competition, so I am not sure whether I will have financial resources to go to Wembley this year too,” the president told reporters.

Journalists writing for Index.hr, Croatia’s most popular news website, have decided to help the president travel to London. While it is not a secret that Index.hr is not a great supporter of President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, the journalists decided not to allow mere poverty to prevent the president from enjoying the football match.

The journalists searched their pockets and wallets and found 40 euro needed to pay for a flight to London. However, the flight is from Salzburg, Austria, since flights from Zagreb are terribly expensive. But when you do not have a lot of money, you cannot be too choosy. Index.hr says it would be best if the president were to collect the tickets this morning at its offices. The journalists will even drive the president to Salzburg, and in London, she will certainly be provided with a seat in the stadium’s main box.

As for spending the night in London, Index has a couple of friends in London where she can sleep.

Unfortunately, it is just a one-way ticket. Index says that, if the president really has to come back, perhaps some of her supporters might foot the bill.

For more on Croatia's president, click here.

ZAGREB, November 15, 2018 - Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović met with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić in Berlin on Tuesday and assessed the meeting as excellent.

Grabar-Kitarović said that during an official dinner given on the occasion of an Economic Summit in Berlin on Tuesday, apart from talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, she also had the opportunity to speak with Iceland Prime Minister Katrin Jakobdottir and Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić.

"Our first encounter, I have to say regardless of what anyone will say in Croatia, was excellent. Ana Brnabić is quite concerned with the future of Serbia-Croatia relations and I hope that we will continue in that direction so that we can resolve burning issues in Southeast Europe," Grabar-Kitarović said.

She added that she had discussed the project of reconstructing the railway tracks between Zagreb and Belgrade with Brnabić.

Grabar-Kitarović mentioned today's meeting with representatives of German SMEs that account for the major part of Germany's economy. "We agreed some activities. They are happy to be included in the work of my economic council and I invited them to give us some ideas on how to improve the investment climate," Grabar-Kitarović said.

The president said that she was in two-minds about the idea of a joint European army that is supported by French President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Merkel. "I don't know what that would look like considering that the majority of EU member states are also NATO members. An I'm afraid of the USA's reaction," Grabar-Kitarović said.

For more on Croatia’s relations with Serbia, click here.

ZAGREB, November 14, 2018 - Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, who is attending the Economic Summit organised by the Sueddenutsche Zeitung daily in Berlin, on Wednesday presented her vision of Croatia's economic growth, underlining the need for improving the investment climate, 're-branding' Croatia, implementing tax reform and reducing labour costs.

"We want to improve the investment climate to help Croatia become competitive within the European Union. I believe Croatia could be one of the most developed countries in the world," Grabar-Kitarović said at the end of the three-day conference.

She also mentioned the success the Croatian national football team achieved at the World Cup in Russia, saying that Croatia could benefit from that. "This had an impact on Croatia's image in the world. You can work as a politician for years and then suddenly, because of a World Cup, you become famous," Grabar-Kitarović said.

She also said she wanted to re-brand Croatia so that it could be recognised as an investment-worthy country. As one of the main objectives, the Croatian president underscored tax reform and lower labour costs, saying this would help prevent brain drain.

"That is our problem because we are losing people who are leaving to places that offer better conditions," Grabar-Kitarović said and concluded that reforms should be aimed at increasing salaries, expressing confidence that higher wages would keep the workforce in Croatia.

Grabar-Kitarović also mentioned the Three Seas Initiative which, according to her, is aimed at reducing wealth gaps between east and west European Union countries. "This initiative was misinterpreted as an initiative of discord, when in fact it is aimed at achieving cohesion within the European Union," the Croatian president said.

With more than 60 speakers, the 2018 Economic Summit is focusing on the major issues moving today’s economy, politics and society. The participants are discussing where Germany and Europe are headed, what the future of money holds and whether the breakthrough in artificial intelligence will cost people jobs as well as how leaders can master these challenges.

The event, which was opened on Monday evening with a speech by European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker, was also attended by the prime ministers of Iceland, Estonia and Serbia. Ahead of the summit, Grabar-Kitarović attended a dinner reception during which she spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

For more on Croatia’s president, click here.