July 17, 2020 - Former Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic has been elected to the International Olympic Committee with 86 votes in favor and three against.

Vecernji List reports that former president Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic was confirmed as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Friday through Zoom. Namely, it was originally planned that the ceremony would take place in Switzerland, more precisely in the city of Lausanne, but due to the coronavirus, all trips were postponed, including the ceremony receiving new members.

Grabar-Kitarovic was nominated by IOC President Thomas Bach and was elected by 86 votes to three.

“I am extremely honored to be a member of the IOC. This is not only my personal success but also a recognition of all the achievements of Croatian sport and excellent results of Croatian athletes, who represent our homeland in the world as a nation of great talents and hardworking people, who consistently promote the principles and values ​​of the Olympic Movement," said the former president for Vecernji.

Grabar-Kitarovic added that she has always supported and advocated the values ​​of a positive sports spirit and competition, friendship and Olympism, both in Croatia and on the international scene. “Throughout history, Olympism has played a strong role not only in the development of sport and competition, but also in the field of international peacekeeping and stability. The Olympic truce and Olympic diplomacy have always played an important role and achieved success even where classical diplomacy has failed," she said.

Candidates for membership also included Cuban Marie de la Caridad Colon Ruenes, Saudi Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Battushig Batbold from Mongolia and celebrated athlete Sebastian Coe from the UK, who will take office ex officio as president of the World Athletics Federation.

“I am happy and honored by the nomination! Sport for me is not only a passion but also a great opportunity to promote fundamental human values, positive competitive spirit, but also great athletes - promoters of Our Beautiful," wrote Grabar-Kitarovic on Twitter after the nomination in June.

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

ZAGREB, June 20, 2020 - Homeland Movement leader Miroslav Skoro on Saturday criticised former President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic for launching "a middle-finger coalition" against him, after his statement about raped women and abortion caused an outrage.

Skoro's statement, made during a recent election debate, that if a woman becomes pregnant after being raped, she should agree with her family what to do next, has triggered an avalanche of reactions and comments on social media, especially among women, who showed him their middle finger in protest. Grabar-Kitarovic joined them on Thursday by posting a photograph of herself with a raised middle finger in support of women.

Skoro was in the eastern city of Osijek on Saturday to present the election candidates of the Homeland Movement for Constituency 4. The party's list for this electoral unit is headed by his sister, Vesna Vucemilovic.

Skoro accused Grabar-Kitarovic, Plenkovic and Jandrokovic of ignoring the will of Croatian voters and referendum initiatives. He said that the ruling HDZ was in a coalition with the leftist faction of the European People's Party (EPP) in the European Parliament which includes Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's people.

"That makes it clear why (Croatian Serb MP) Milorad Pupovac supports Plenkovic and why Plenkovic does not want to and cannot renounce him," Skoro said.

"The Homeland Movement advocates traditional Christian Democratic values, protection of life from conception, reforms, and a better life in Croatia. Young people are key to survival and it should be made possible for them to educate themselves, work and start their families here," he added.

Skoro said that his statements were "maliciously taken out of context" to raise a fuss, but that "all masks are off now."

The press conference was also addressed by Tado Juric, the party's expert in demography and youth issues, who said that the Slavonia region was "a demographically scorched country" as far more young people had emigrated than official figures indicated.

"Young people think that this country and this society has morally declined. It is high time we changed that. Unfortunately, right now we don't have patriotic elites to raise the issue of emigration to the EU level," Juric said.

ZAGREB, June 19, 2020 - Former president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic has joined women who have shown their middle finger at statements about abortion made by Homeland Movement leader Miroslav Skoro and some other politicians, making an off the photo of herself with her middle finger extended.

"I am joining all women who with this 'indecent' act are showing their stand and raising their voice against those who are trying to take us centuries back," Grabar-Kitarovic told the Jutarnji List daily, to which she sent her photo.

The former president said the time was gone when men made decisions for women.

"I have always advocated life but I have also advocated a life that has the right to choose. Without pressure, without stigmatisation and without conditions, particularly in the most sensitive situations such as rape," Grabar-Kitarovic said, adding that she had shown her middle finger as a sign of support for "us women and our rights as well as for men who support us."

Grabar-Kitarovic's statement was one in a number of reactions prompted by Skoro's statement that "if a woman becomes pregnant after being raped, she should agree with her family what to do next."

Commenting on those reactions, Skoro said that his statements were being taken out of context because there was nothing he or the election candidates of the Homeland Movement could be reproached for.

ZAGREB, April 17, 2020 - Former President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović will not have an office in Zagreb's Visoka Street, where the government has allocated her an office space at her request.

Sources close to the former president say that problems relating to the structural stability of the building, affected by an earthquake that struck Zagreb on March 22, and landslide-prone terrain are the main reasons why the building does not meet the conditions for Grabar-Kitarović to move in.

Grabar-Kitarović is entitled to an office space for five years after the cessation of her presidential duties under the law governing the rights of former presidents of the republic.

The news that she gave up the office was broken by the N1 television channel, and Hina was told by a source close to the former president that in the present situation caused by the coronavirus epidemic she did not need an office and would work from home.

More news about Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, March 19, 2020 - Former President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović said on Twitter on Thursday that she was in self-isolation and observing rules to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Grabar-Kitarovic had recently returned from the United States. She said in a Facebook post on 8 March that she had delivered a speech at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government on the many challenges facing Europe.

More coronavirus news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, February 20, 2020 - The government on Thursday adopted a regulation on the establishment of an office of the former president upon the end of their term and it will most likely allocate a state-owned residence in Zagreb's Visoka Street to house former President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović's office.

The office is being allocated at Grabar-Kitarović's request and it will perform expert, analytical, administrative and technical tasks required by the former president.

Apart from the right to an office, Grabar-Kitarović, also has the right to an official vehicle and driver and two office staff, and the expenses of the office will be covered from the state budget, Public Administration Minister Ivan Malenica said at the cabinet meeting.

State Assets Minister Mario Banožić said that the former president's office would most likely be a building in Visoka Street. "Most probably it will be one section of the building, covering about one hundred square metres, which can be physically separated from the rest of the residence," Banožić explained.

The government also sent a final draft bill on maternity and parental allowances to parliament.

Under the draft bill, as of April 1 the maximum allowance paid for the duration of parental leave to employed and self-employed parents would be raised from the current amount of HRK 3,991 (€537) to HRK 5,654.

The amount would be received for six months if the right is used by one parent, plus an additional two months (a total of eight months) if the right is used by both parents.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković underscored that during the term of his government those allowances had increased by HRK 3,000 in absolute numbers.

More news about Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović can be found in the Politics section.

The conversation with my Uber driver took a familiar turn once he detected my American accent. I was on my way to the inauguration of Zoran Milanović, the fifth president of Croatia. It was my first presidential inauguration.

Of course, he wanted to know what I thought about living in Croatia and my answer was typically positive. But, it’s too bad so many people are leaving. He had traveled the world in his former profession, and assured me that new people, immigrants, would take their place and the country would be even better because of it. Croatia could benefit from some diversity, he suggested.

Uber Driver: Someday Croatia Will Be Like Poland

We agreed that, perhaps, one day Croatia would be more like Poland. In the years following their entry into the EU, hundreds of thousands of Poles left their homeland for more financially rewarding jobs in Western Europe. In the meantime, the Polish economy has strengthened, and people are coming back.

I had applied in advance to attend the event at Pantovčak, the home of the Croatian president. The driver dropped me off at the bottom of a gated sloped lot manned by imposing Croatian servicemen in camouflage uniforms and red berets. One kindly directed me to stand under the eave so as not to get wet, as there was a light drizzle, while they verified my name on the attendance list. Within minutes, I had boarded a blue van with three other journalists which drove us down a winding road into a wooded gulley.

Security check line at the entrance of Pantovčak, the Croatian presidential home.

There were about 30 military band members and press waiting at the entrance to pass through security, which went rather quickly, much like the pre-check line at a US airport. Then we proceeded up a few flights of outdoor stairs to another heavily windowed thick modern building. Several TV journalists were set up in the first room, which featured a dramatic curved staircase. The second room, where the inauguration would take place, had a few dozen chairs. Clearly, we could not all fit into that room. I followed the line of journalists into a third room, with several large round tables and long table where reporters had staked out space for laptops.

Go to Pantovčak, Watch Live Inauguration on TV Monitors

There were two TV monitors. Those were for us, I concluded disappointedly, and wondered why I was even there. I’d have had better views watching TV from home. There were a few familiar faces: a reporter for a left-leaning portal wore a dashing suit with a silk patterned neck scarf which puffed out of his unbuttoned shirt, resembling a Southern Italian tycoon. And I didn’t realize that one correspondent from a popular news channel was so incredibly tall.

Paul Bradbury, Total Croatia News Editor-in-Chief and my boss, arrived separately, and texted that he had made the 11:00 deadline to get in. Whew. Shortly thereafter, the security officer alerted us that the door to our room would be closed until the end of the event. There were a couple of trays of Turkish coffee in cups with a pitcher of milk and packets of sugar. Those went fast. There were no bathrooms.

Paul getting shots of the inauguration room. That's as close as we could get.

Once Paul arrived, we headed outside to take pictures of the virtually empty terrace in the drizzle. There was a raised platform for selected TV networks, which provided a direct view of the inauguration room, through the floor to ceiling windows. That overlooked an L-shaped red carpet covered by clear plastic. To the left of the platform was a canopy for the small band to play. For whom, I wondered as I scanned the empty wet cement.

Respect for Space and Photo Views Among Journalists

Audis began pulling up alongside the vast cement terrace, and word passed around that soon-to-be former President Kolinda Grabar Kitarović was in one of them. I was pleasantly surprised at how respectful fellow journalists were of everyone’s space. I lost count of the number of times my counterparts turned around to confirm that they were not blocking my view…me with my Android. And it seemed that once I had staked out a place to take pictures, that place was mine. A photographer alerted me to move aside temporarily for a TV reporter. Once she was finished, I returned to my spot upon his encouragement. No elbowing. No clamoring. How civil.

Kolinda Grabar Kitarović entering Pantovčak for the last time as president.

Kolinda, who lost her bid for a second term, arrived looking solemn and resolved. She paused to pay respect to the troops and followed the soaked red L-carpet in spiked heels into the small enclosed ceremony space. Five years ago, by contrast, her inauguration was a major affair held in St. Mark’s Square open to the public and attended by foreign dignitaries.

The security guard herded us back inside to the press room, where we watched the rest of the brief ceremony on two monitors. I had briefed Paul about Josipa Lisac, and had been surprised to find out that she would be performing at Milanović’s swearing in – especially since he had revealed in a Nova TV debate that he was a fan of New Wave music from the early 80s.

Croatian Gay Icon Delivers Curious Rendition of National Anthem

Lisac’s presence and vocals are difficult to characterize. She turned 70 on Valentine’s Day. Since catapulting into her 40s, she has become as well-known for pushing the limits of fashion and her gravity-defying geometric fire-orange hair sculptures, as she is for her “unique” voice. She’s considered an icon in the Croatian gay male community, with one young reporter excitedly revealing in a recent interview that he aimed to impersonate his favorite diva.

Josipa Lisac in concert | Facebook

However, paying homage to Lisac would be a formidable, if not impossible, task. Most gay icons, like Cher or Liza Minnelli, leave drag queens a little material work with. Lisac, by contrast, seems committed to preemptively outdoing her prospective imitators. There simply aren’t many mannerisms or wild outfits left to accent or exaggerate.

Watching reactions to Lisac's rendition of the national anthem on the TV monitor.

While loyal followers might identify with her emotive vocal gymnastics, some critics are inclined to compare her singing to a cross between Cher...and a hound, among other beings. She opened the intimate affair by performing the Croatian national anthem, and while I should have been paying respect to the land of my ancestors, I found myself marveling at Lisac’s unusual delivery and rubbery facial contortions on the TV monitor. And did anyone else see the new president close his eyes during this…rendition? Paul, in typical English fashion, is somewhat restrained in his visible reactions. But even his eyes widened through that molasses-paced otherworldly performance.

Milanović Coasts Through: Reviews Political Campaign Points

Perhaps dazed by his chosen guest’s abstract interpretation of the national hymn, the new president seemed momentarily confused about his next move. Was there something in the brown wooden box? Wait, no. After being prompted, he headed over to another table to sign a very official-looking document. His brief speech touched on familiar campaign themes: anti-corruption, quality education for all, cooperation with neighbor states, the wars are over and minority rights.

A signature makes it official. | Sanja Musić Milanović and Zoran Milanović

"Our republic needs every person and every person in Croatia must be given a chance to find their way and their place, to live in dignity from decent work. This is a home to us all, to us who live here and to the generations to come, as well as to those who are yet to return," Milanović concluded.

As we left the press room for the entry, the band played “Tvoja zemlja” (Your Country), a song which, more than any other (in my opinion), epitomizes the Croatia of yesterday and today. Admittedly, it’s the one Croatian standard that always leaves me a little misty-eyed.

"Here you will always find a home,
A heart that beats for you,
Arms that guide you,
A mother that understands you,
You will know everything you need to know.

You will know the pain of crying
When your country suffers;
But above it all
You’ll surely realize
how much this land means to you.

This is your country, here you build a home,
Here is an old foundation, here beneath your ruins.
Foreigners and storms have ripped her apart,
But she’s still here as long as we’re here.

You'll be blessed just like us.
A king who knows no crown,
But within his soul
Like everyone among us
You'll be as glorious as we are."

‘No photos past the first stair!’

The security guard corralled us through a narrow, roped corridor to the left of the curved grand staircase. Then she announced that no photos were allowed after the former and new president ascended the first stair of the long winding staircase. Everyone protested, but the cameras stopped the second the former president and her victor reached the second step. Limited photo ops ensued as other prominent figures exited the small gathering.

A small cluster of us remained reined in by a blue velvet rope. After some confusion, the security guard released us and we headed back through the entrance, where we awaited more photo ops of politicians getting into cars.

"Are you satisfied (with your performance)?" One reporter called out to Josipa Lisac as she unassumingly entered her ride. She declined to comment.

Paul looked at his phone. It was 12:53. The entire affair had lasted less than an hour. He grabbed some prime footage of Milanović and Kolinda hugging and exiting together. Then, we slowly made our way through the expansive hilly wooded grounds to the gated entrance.

Paul at the entrance of Pantovčak, the home of the Croatian president.

According to reports, the cost of Milanović’s inauguration was one-sixth of that of his predecessor’s. For those enchanted by pomp and circumstance, it was likely a disappointment. But, like most inaugurations, it will soon be forgotten and surpassed by what the president, within the limited scope of his office, can do for the country.

Check out Paul Bradbury's account of the ceremony with some great videos here. Follow the activities of Croatia's new president on Total Croatia News here. 

ZAGREB, February 15, 2020 - Outgoing President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović on Saturday posted on Facebook a farewell to the Croatian public at the end of her five-year term, saying history would speak of her work objectively and that she was proud of what was done.

"I discharged the presidential duty deeply convinced that the political, moral and cultural values which guided us for centuries in the struggle for national freedom and state independence, notably in the Homeland War, are the foundation for building a strong state and a just society. The interests of the Croatian people, state and all citizens I defended and promoted with dignity and responsibility, as stipulated by the Constitution, above anyone's and any partial interests," she said.

Grabar-Kitarović said the situation in society and the state she encountered when stepping into office demanded that she define the priorities of the state policy, including demographic revitalisation, stronger homeland security, alleviating social divisions and stronger international positioning.

"I proposed solutions to decentralisation problems, overall economic development and balanced regional development, branding, education, social justice, emigrants, care for Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina and neighbouring states as well as foreign policy initiatives."

Grabar-Kitarović said she paid special attention to Croatia's international position which "today is better than ever" and that she initiated the Three Seas Initiative to that end. "Thereby I gave our foreign policy a quality tool for strengthening Croatia's position on the international scene, first and foremost within Central Europe and the Mediterranean. Today, Croatia thinks Croatian and acts European and globally."

The outgoing president said this was a jubilee year for Croatia's democracy and victory in the Homeland War. "We have achieved the fundamental historical goals, but new, perhaps bigger challenges lie ahead. How much we progress depends on the goals we set and the will to achieve them."

She said she wanted "a Croatia which lives, not dies, a Croatia which cares for every Croat and every citizen, a Croatia which is safe and stands firmly in the world."

She said national reconciliation and unity must remain the signposts in building the state and that the challenges faced, notably demography, would require "a high degree of political agreement and national unity."

"Croatia wasn't created incidentally, it has historical reasons to exist. Croatia isn't a small, powerless or unsuccessful state. It's a privilege to live in it," Grabar-Kitarović said.

She went on to say that children and young people "deserve our biggest attention and care... let's give them an opportunity for the best education possible, for a family life and parenthood, for work and professional success."

Education and science, political administration, the political system, welfare and healthcare "demand resolute reforms," she said. "We must build a state which is more accountable to citizens, with as little administration and political arbitration as possible, which is the biggest generator of corruption. The state should be a service to its citizens, not a repressive apparatus which hinders life and development. We must promote a modern, stable state which bravely deals with challenges and actively participates in international processes."

She said she would continue to "encourage the spirit of unity, social accountability, optimism and national pride."

Speaking of President-elect Zoran Milanović, she said, "I hope he will continue to strengthen the constitutional status and social reputation of the institute of president of the republic... I wish him all the success and that will be Croatia's success."

Grabar-Kitarović concluded by saying that she was confident of a good future for Croatia and its people.

More news about Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, February 14, 2020 - Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović on Friday posthumously bestowed the Grand Order of President of the Republic Franjo Tuđman with Sash and Morning Star on the former Archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Franjo Kuharić, for his role as a moral authority in the Croatian nation.

Addressing the ceremony, President Grabar-Kitarović said that Kuharić had deserved this award for his efforts in the promotion of the Croatian cause and the state and national unity.

In this context, the president underscored the exemplary roles played by both Cardinal Kuharić and President Tuđman whom she described as two great men.

The decision on awarding this new grand order to Kuharić was announced on 10 December when Croatia observed the 20th anniversary of Tuđman's death.

"A country that respects and honours and can promote the legacy of its political and spiritual great men can have a safe future," the president said.

She recalled that Cardinal Kuharić was fully committed to the well-being of Catholic believers and every man as well as to the well-being of his people and homeland.

She praised the dignitary for his dedication to inter-ethnic reconciliation and ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.

At the ceremony held in the office of the president, the award was received by Kuharić's successor, Cardinal Josip Bozanić.

Kuharić was born in Gornji Pribić in 1919 and died in Zagreb on 12 March 2002. He was an honorary member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts. He was ordained a bishop in 1964 and was named the Archbishop of Zagreb in 1970. In 1983, Pope John Paul II named him a cardinal.

Kuharić is venerated as a Servant of God. In 2012, ten years after his death, the current Archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Bozanić, launched a procedure required by the Church to investigate the possibility of beatifying Cardinal Kuharić.

More news about Catholic Church can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, February 11, 2020 - The last country that outgoing President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović will visit will be Slovenia where she will meet with her counterpart Borut Pahor, the president's office confirmed on Tuesday.

The president's office did not confirm the place nor time of the meeting between the two presidents, however, Pahor's office has said that this would be an informal and working meeting as "the culmination of the pair's intense dialogue", said Pahor's office, according to the Slovenian STA news agency.

Pahor's office notes that this will be their 39th meeting and that they will conduct a working lunch and brief walk through Ljubljana.

Pahor and Grabar-Kitarović "preserved their dialogue and good relations in all areas with the exception of respecting the arbitration ruling," Pahor's office said and added that their encounters were very important after Croatia abandoned the arbitration procedure.

Slovenia's STA news agency reported that according to unofficial sources, the meeting will take place at the end of this week.

The term of Grabar-Kitarović ends on 18 February when the inauguration of her successor, Zoran Milanović, is scheduled.

More news about relations between Croatia and Slovenia can be found in the Politics section.