Politics

ZAGREB, 15 June 2022 - President Zoran Milanović said on Wednesday that everyone was somewhat responsible for the record inflation rate in Croatia, which reached 10.8% in May compared to the same month last year, but that he could not blame the government for that. "Who is responsible? Everyone in a way. I think the Croatian government isn't. I can't blame it for that," Milanović said during a visit to Sisak. "Money has never been cheaper, yet there are no goods. Supply chains are disrupted, which was almost expected. If that was the price to rein in and beat COVID, then that’s fine. However, we will always…

ZAGREB, 15 June 2022 - Finance Minister Zdravko Marić said on Wednesday that it was not easy to predict inflation trends for the rest of the year, and that new measures to mitigate its effects would be adopted depending on "developments and possibilities." "The situation is complex and it is really difficult to predict any trends," Marić said after a cabinet meeting, commenting on the latest data from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (DZS) on the increased inflation rate in May of 10.8% on the year, which is the highest inflation rate since the DZS has been collecting data. Marić noted that the European…

ZAGREB, 15 June 2022 - Croatia hopes that the accession talks between the Eurpean Unon and North Macedonia will be opened soon, Croatia's Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlić Radman said in Skopje on Wednesday. Minister Grlić Radman began a two-day visit to North Macedonia on Wednesday. At the start of his tour, he held talks with his North Macedonian counterpart Bujar Osmani. He will also be received by Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European Affairs, Bojan Maričić, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovačevski, Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi and President Stevo Pendarovski. After the talks, FM Osmani told a news conference that Croatia…

ZAGREB, 15 June 2022 - Croatia's prices of goods and services for personal consumption, measured by the consumer price index, this May accelerated to 10.8% compared to May 2021, according to the data released by the national statistical office (DZS) on Wednesday. In April, the inflation rate reached 9.4% year on year. This was a record high since July 2008 when its rate was 8.4%. "Observing the main divisions of the ECOICOP classification, at the annual level, the highest increase on average in consumer prices was recorded in the following divisions: Transport, of 19.0%, Food and non-alcoholic beverages, of 15.2%,…

ZAGREB, 14 June 2022 - The former mayor of Petrinja, Darinko Dumbović, is suspected of giving favourable treatment to companies connected with his son while he was mayor, his lawyer Dražen Ivanić confirmed to Hina on Tuesday. USKOK anti-corruption investigators began searches of the houses, business premises and cars of Darinko and Darko Dumbović on Tuesday morning. They will be interviewed in Zagreb, and if USKOK requests custody for the suspects, that will be decided by a Zagreb County Court investigating judge. The lawyer said Darinko Dumbović is suspected of helping his son win several business contracts from the Petrinja…

ZAGREB, 14 June 2022 - The head of the Croatian Journalists Union, Maja Sever, has been elected President of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) at the organisation's general meeting that is taking place in Izmir, Turkey on 13 and 14 June, the Croatian Journalists Association announced on Tuesday. Sever received 137 votes, while the other candidate for this position, Mariusz Pilis of Poland, gained 7 votes. Sever is the first woman to serve as EFJ President in the organisation's history. She thanked the delegates for their nearly unanimous support. "This election is a great honour to me and a…

June 14th, 2022 - The EU extends COVID certificate regulations, which are intended to facilitate the free movement of people during the pandemic, until June 30th, 2023. Using a QR code, the certificate can be used to prove whether a person has been vaccinated against, tested negative for, or has recovered from COVID-19. The European Parliament and European governments agreed Monday night that the COVID certification rules will remain in place for the next 12 months because the coronavirus disease pandemic is still ongoing, reports Večernji List. Representatives of the European Parliament and EU governments have agreed to extend the regulation until…

ZAGREB, 13 June 2022 - Defence Minister Mario Banožić said at the 27th edition of the Eurosatory fair in Paris on Monday that the Croatian military industry had become a respectable player on the world market, the Defence Ministry said in a press release. Banožić and a Defence Ministry delegation visited the Eurosatory defence and security fair in Paris. In addition to global manufacturers of military equipment and weapons, Banožić toured the exhibition spaces of Croatian defence companies taking part in this year's fair, together with the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, the press release reads. They have confirmed once again…

ZAGREB, 13 June 2022 - The 18th Islands of the World Conference - Islands: Nature and Culture, organised within the International Small Islands Studies Association (ISISA), has opened at the University of Zadar, bringing together 120 scientists and other participants from Croatia and nearly all continents. The programme is extremely rich, University Rector Dijana Vican said in her opening remarks on Monday, noting that small islands would be approached from different scientific points of view. According to most world classifications, all Croatian islands, which are rich in cultural heritage and various archaeological sites, are small islands. These areas are natural-geographical…

ZAGREB, 13 June 20222 - Croatia's Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović spoke with European Football Federation (UEFA) President Aleksander Čeferin in Geneva on Monday about ways to improve safety at football matches. Čeferin underscored the importance of cooperation between federations, clubs, and fans in order to exchange all information that contributes to the smooth organization of football matches during the preparation, planning, and implementation of security measures. The aim is to encourage clubs to develop and maintain proactive and regular communication with fans and their representatives with the aim of forming partnerships and solving problems, the Ministry of the Interior…