Politics

ZAGREB, 29 July 2022 - Istria County Prefect Boris Miletić said on Friday that Istria has the government's support for all strategic projects. "It was a constructive meeting. I am pleased that the prime minister expressed support for all strategic projects in Istria," Miletić told reporters after meeting with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković. The meeting also involved Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Oleg Butković, Economy and Sustainable Development Minister Davor Filipović and Health Minister Vili Beroš. The key projects include the completion of the breakwater in Pula and the construction of a breakwater in Rabac and one in Rovinj. Also…

ZAGREB, 29 July 2022 - Deputy Mayor of Zagreb Danijela Dolenec on Friday presented a new proposal for changes to the decision on stay-at-home parent allowances, under which the allowances would be cut and kindergarten capacity expanded to ensure kindergarten care for all children. The new proposal for changes to the said decision will be put to public consultation on Friday, Dolenec said, adding that the public consultation process will last 30 days. Recalling the chronology of events regarding the decision on allowances for stay-at-home parents, which was adopted by the administration led by the late mayor Milan Bandić and which in the…

ZAGREB, 29 July 2022 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković visited the construction site for the second tube of Učka Tunnel on Friday, voicing his satisfaction with the progress in the drilling of this segment of the 5.6-kilometer-long tunnel necessary to complete the dual carriageway of the Istrian Y motorway. The construction of the second tube is worth €200 million. Plenković highlighted the importance of this motorway for connectivity between Istria and Zagreb and for the local tourist industry. The Bina Istra company's CEO Dario Silić said that to date 2.4 kilometres of the second tube had been drilled. So far 1.3 kilometres of the…

ZAGREB, 29 July 2022 - President Zoran Milanović on Friday dismissed the statement by MP Veljko Kajtazi that in his criticism of the government's energy conservation plan he insulted the Roma community. Milanović said he had no ill intentions and would not apologize because he did not offend anyone. "Did I say that Roma were thieves? Did I spread prejudice and stereotypes? It is well known who steals in this country and who steals metal. Did I say that Roma were stealing. What was I supposed to say, that Roma have a PhD? I myself do not. Enough of this affectation and…

ZAGREB, 28 July 2022 - Health Minister Vili Beroš said on Thursday that the experts form Croatia's COVID-19 crisis management team were making all the necessary preparations to ensure the country was ready to address new epidemiological challenges in the autumn. "The expert group from the COVID-19 crisis management team is analysing the current situation and possible scenarios in Croatia and in the European Union and is planning further steps in the preparation of the health care system and the implementation of the vaccination scheme against COVID-19," Beroš tweeted. Croatia has been experiencing a new wave of highly infectious subvariants of coronavirus…

ZAGREB, 28 July 2022 - President Zoran Milanović visited the southern Adriatic island of Korčula on Thursday to attend a ceremonial meeting of the Town Council on the occasion of Town Day. He said that Pelješac Bridge, which was opened on Tuesday, was much more than a transport corridor and more than steel and concrete. "I am very pleased that Pelješac Bridge is here, but I am confident that what you need is an airport. That would work wonders for the island's economy and tourism," the president said. Speaking of Korčula's tradition, development and beauty, Milanović said: "This tradition, this…

ZAGREB, 28 July 2022 - The Croatian government on Thursday adopted energy saving guidelines from 1 August to 31 March next year, recommending the maximum heating temperature of 21 degrees Celsius, the cooling temperature of at least 25 degrees and greater use of LED lighting and public transport. Economy and Sustainable Development Minister Davor Filipović said the guidelines were based on the European Commission's natural gas saving scheme. On 20 July, the European Commission unveiled the "Save Gas for a Safe Winter" scheme to reduce gas demand by 15% between 1 August 2022 and 31 March 2023. The government's guidelines recommend that the maximum…

ZAGREB, 28 July 2022 - The government adopted a decision to accept a letter expressing interest in submitting a request for Croatia's membership of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), which Croatia should join in Q1 next year. The ESM is an intergovernmental organisation established by the euro area member states in 2012. Its mission is to enable the countries of the euro area to avoid and overcome financial crises and to maintain long-term financial stability and prosperity. The ESM provides loans and other types of financial assistance to member states in a difficult financial situations. ESM shareholders are exclusively countries…

ZAGREB, 28 July 2022 - Croatia has registered 1,979 new coronavirus cases and 12 COVID-related deaths in the last 24 hours, the national coronavirus response team reported on Thursday. The number of active cases in the country stands at 11,069, including 660 people being treated in hospital, of whom 19 are placed on ventilators, while 5,630 people are self-isolating. Since 25 February 2020, when the first case was reported in Croatia, 1,182,836 people have been registered as having contracted the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus, of whom 16,277 have died, and 1,155,490 have recovered, including 1,223 in the last 24 hours. To date, 59.57…

ZAGREB, 28 July 2022 - Croatia's Ambassador to Belgrade, Hidajet Biščević, has said that the recent plans for Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić's visit to Jasenovac, the site of a WW2 concentration camp, disrespected diplomatic procedure but that the visit was not banned, contrary to the prevailing perception in Serbia. "Concerning the reportedly planned private visit of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić to Jasenovac, it is important to understand that standard diplomatic procedure were not respected," Biščević explained in an interview with the Belgrade-based NIN weekly newspaper. "Croatia has nothing against (Vučić's) visit to Jasenovac. Croatia defined its attitude towards Jasenovac a long time ago and…