ZAGREB, May 8, 2020 - Presidents Zoran Milanović of Croatia and Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany said in a phone conversation on Thursday that cooperation and solidarity among European states were important in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, Milanović's office said in a press release.

Croatia is currently presiding over the EU and Germany will follow it on July 1.

"The two presidents agreed that common European efforts are necessary to overcome this situation and that the success of the fight against the crisis caused by coronavirus will greatly impact Europe's future," the press release said.

After slowing down the spread of infection, both countries are gradually relaxing the restrictions imposed in mid-March. Croatia has confirmed 2,125 COVID-19 cases and 86 deaths, while Germany has confirmed 166,091 infections and 7,119 deaths.

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

ZAGREB, May 5, 2020 - President Zoran Milanović on Tuesday met with the leadership of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (HAZU) for talks on the reconstruction of Zagreb after a magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck the capital on March 22.

The HAZU delegation included President Velimir Neidhardt, Vice-Presidents Davor Miličić and Frano Parać and Secretary-General Dario Vretenar, according to a press release issued by Milanović's office.

Neidhardt presented a document in which HAZU presented their vision of the reconstruction of Zagreb after the March 22 earthquake, proposing a multidisciplinary approach that would take into account both public interest and the common good, as well as excellence.

The academicians also informed the President of the Republic of the damage done to the HAZU buildings and the plans for their reconstruction.

More earthquake news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, May 1, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Friday dismissed the president's claims that the appearance of a few men wearing T-shirts with the salute "For the homeland ready" at the Okučani celebration was intentional provocation, adding that it is Milanović's right to leave, and the obligation of others to stay.

President Zoran Milanović abruptly left the central commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Operation Flash in protest against the salute "For the homeland ready" on T-shirts of some of war veterans who arrived in the town of Okučani on Friday morning to participate in the commemoration. The salute concerned, which was used during the Ustasha regime in the Second World War, was also used by the HOS volunteers during the 1991-1995 Homeland War.

"I have understood. We have held a brief conversation, for a minute. He was obviously informed by someone that some of the participants in the commemorative event had T-shirts with the HOS insignia. It is his decision (to leave). It is his right to leave, and it is our obligation to stay," Plenković said in his comment to Milanovic's behaviour at the Okučani celebration.

Plenković dismissed Milanović's claims that those T-shirts were an intentional act of provocation.

Asked by the press whether such T-shirts bothered him, Plenković answered that "all who gave their lives for Croatia, including the fallen HOS members, have deserved my respect."

"Making differences and what the president has done is not good. We have come here to pay tribute to the fallen defenders. You can see these 51 cubes here (as part of the Okučani monument to the fallen soldiers), we have come here because of those people. There is no place for provocation, we are here also on behalf of the institutions," the premier said.

As for the said salute, the premier recalled that his cabinet had made a clear position.

"The council for dealing with the past, which we have established, has adopted a document which very clearly identifies the moments in which some insignia, used during the Homeland War, can be used and those are commemorations and times when we remember our victims," Plenković said. "We pay our deepest respects to Croatian defenders," said the premier.

Plenković recalled that during the recent commemoration in Jasenovac, Milanović said that a memorial plaque with the names of the fallen HOS soldiers which contains the "For the homeland ready" salute should be thrown away.

"You will never hear any of us saying that a plaque with the names of the fallen soldiers who defended Croatia should be thrown away," he explained.

More politics news can be found in the dedicated section.

ZAGREB, May 1, 2020 - President Zoran Milanović abruptly left the central commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Flash Operation in protest against the salute "For the homeland ready" on T-shirts of some of war veterans who arrived in the town of Okučani on Friday morning to participate in the commemoration.

The salute concerned, which was used during the Ustasha regime in the Second World War, was also used by the HOS volunteers during the 1991-1995 Homeland War.

"I am sorry. I came here to pay tribute to those who gave their lives for Croatia. We had agreed about all elements of the protocol. However, one of the participants who was supposed to lay a wreath before me, appeared in the T-shirt with the message 'Ready for the Homeland'," Milanović said explaining why he had left abruptly the commemorative event and was not among the state officials during the wreath-laying ceremony.

Milanović considers the whole situation as an act of provocation. "I find that this was an act of trampling on the sacrifice and on the memory of this (liberating) operation., Milanović said.

"I will not participate in any commemoration in the future with such events. I understand the prime minister and the parliament speaker. They have to," Milanović said alluding to the fact that the commemoration was held as planned with the PM Andrej Plenković and Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković.

Operation Flash was launched on 1 May 1995, and within 31 hours Croatian military and police forces liberated about 500 square kilometres of territory occupied by Serb insurgents and restored control over the A3 motorway.

More politics news can be found in the dedicated section.

ZAGREB, April 30, 2020 - Marking the 25th anniversary of the Flash military and police operation, President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Zoran Milanović received for talks the army and police commanders who had participated in that operation, noting that it was an excellent operation.

"It will soon be 25 years since Croatia conducted its first major liberation operation and put an end to its four-year agony of being divided territorially and unable to function normally," said Milanović.

He added that the operation was impeccable in the military operational sense as well as in terms of respect for international law.

"That was an excellent military and police operation in every aspect," he said.

"As long as I am president, advancement in the army will be regular. There will not be any daily politicking. A system of values will exist and those are values that made it possible for us to join NATO and later the EU. That is Western democracy, which has various tones and colours and they are not all the same, but what we have in common with the countries with which we share security clauses and the article on mutual security assistance in case of an attack is that we have free elections and respect certain criteria and human rights," the president said.

"Thank you for everything you did for Croatia. Thank you for your active contributions. Long live Croatia," said Milanović.

The reception was attended by military and police commanders headed by Chief-of-Staff Admiral Robert Hranj and representatives of the Police Directorate.

More news about the Homeland War can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, April 27, 2020 - President Zoran Milanović met on Monday with a delegation of freelance artists who informed him of the unenviable situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, because a majority of freelancers in creative industries are not covered by any government aid scheme.

According to the delegation, freelancers were left out and were only subsequently able to apply for incentive measures and only a small portion of them are entitled to those measures, while a majority of freelance artists are still not covered by relief measures, the president's office said in a press release.

"We expect unity and solidarity with freelancers in creative industries in an effort to help them survive this crisis, because if we do not invest in their survival, independent culture in Croatia will be left without freelance artists," the delegation said.

Apart from that, the delegation expressed its dissatisfaction with the proposed bill on freelance activities that is in the pipeline and according to which, the delegation said, the community of freelance artists would lose its jurisdiction.

More news about Zoran Milanović can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, April 24, 2020 - President Zoran Milanović on Friday received a delegation of mountain climbers, potholers and altitude workers from Zagreb and thanked them for their selfless volunteer work in helping Zagreb residents in the aftermath of the March 22 earthquake.

"You exposed yourself to a far greater danger than COVID-19. I know how dangerous that is and I thank you for that. Your engagement was extra-institutional. Everything had to be organised quickly and we must be grateful that good and selfless volunteers still exist," Milanovic's office said in a press release.

Speaking on behalf of mountain climbers, potholers and altitude workers, Rene Lisac said that their organisation was on the ground very quickly after the strong earthquake struck Zagreb on March 22.

Lisac said that this was a coordinated action involving about one hundred young people who divided themselves into groups and because they were not that experienced in these feats they were guided and assisted by altitude workers.

He underscored that it was an honour to be involved and to be able to help Zagreb citizens, for their smiles and expressions of gratitude.

A volunteer and member of the initiative, Mak Sedman thanked all the volunteers and altitude workers as well as the public fire brigade and other firefighters who had done a huge job.

This initiative showed that when people are organised everything is possible, the press release said.

More news about the earthquake can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, April 23, 2020) - Croatian President Zoran Milanović on Thursday met with Croatian Journalists' Association (HND) president Hrvoje Zovko and the leader of the Trade Union of Croatian Journalists, Maja Sever, who informed him of their proposals for helping media outlets affected by the coronavirus crisis.

"President Milanovic supported the efforts of the HND and the SNH to help journalists and the media. He believes that it is important to protect and promote the autonomy of the media, especially in crisis situations," the Office of the President emphasised.

The HND and the SNH propose that the government adopt special measures for journalists and the media as they have not been covered by existing measures.

As key measures, they point to the establishment of an emergency fund to help journalists from non-profit and local media outlets, as well as freelance journalists, photo journalists, cameramen and other media workers. The fund would be managed by the Agency for Electronic Media.

They propose that media employees be protected by making state aid to publishers conditional on their not laying off employees or cutting their wages.

They also propose that the state give financial help to freelancers and that local media outlets too be eligible for government benefits.

More news about journalism can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, April 21, 2020 - President Zoran Milanović visited the PPK Meat Industry factory in Karlovac to see how the food supply chain was functioning amid the coronavirus crisis, particularly the Pivac Group which together with PPK generates a turnover of about €500 million.

Milanović told reporters that PPK seemed to be coping well with unexpected risks and that if a similar situation were to ever occur again some lessons have been taught.

PPK CEO Igor Miljak said that they showed the president their daily routine in light of the coronavirus crisis, informing him of the lack of raw materials and the number of animals bred which covers only about a half of PPK's needs for raw materials.

The president was told of the high level of safety in the meat processing industry with regard to viruses and bacteria and that everything was being done in line with veterinary and public health standards.

However, checks have been stepped up at the entrance to the factory where workers are tested for body temperature and if there were to be any anomalies with a worker or their families or friends they would be relieved from the production line. Distance between workers is maintained and shift work has been introduced, Miljak said, stressing that so far not one worker has been infected.

PPK did not record a decrease in production in March and April as households increased their stocks, or at Easter when more meat is traditionally produced, he added. A decrease in production can be expected if the tourism season is affected.

Miljak explained that when the crisis emerged there were some difficulties with the supply of raw materials, yet deliveries were maintained. However, with a threat of the borders being closed, Croatia's lack of self-sufficiency in raw materials became obvious.

PPK has 560 employees. There have not been any lay-offs nor should there be in the foreseeable future. The company exports about 10% of its production, Miljak said.

Milanović said that Croatia needs to start making political decisions and not those based on expertise. At first Croatia responded instinctively to the outbreak of coronavirus, as did most of the world.

"Today we know a lot more about the disease than we did two weeks ago and some decisions need to be made at the political level and not by experts," said Milanović.

More coronavirus news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, April 17, 2020 - President Zoran Milanović supports the initiative to reactivate the Institute of Immunology in Zagreb in its full capacity, saying that it would enable the development of sustainable production and scientific and research infrastructure, scientist Marina Pavković said on Thursday.

"I support the initiative the realisation of which would enable the development of sustainable production and scientific and research infrastructure in all sectors," Milanović said in a letter, adding that the Institute could be a guarantor of public health safety and care.

He expressed hope that he would be able to contribute to the realisation of the initiative.

Pavković has earlier sent letters to Milanović and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković calling for the reactivation of the Institute of Immunology.

More medicine news can be found in the Lifestyle section.