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Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament on Wednesday adopted the new Budget Act which provides for penalties ranging from HRK 10,000 to HRK 50,000 for local government officials failing to present their budget spending transparently.
The law is aimed at improving budget spending and reporting on budget spending at the state, county, and local government levels.
"We are sending a strong message that citizens have the right to know how their money is being spent," Dario Hrebak said on behalf of the Croatian Social Liberal Party and Reformists caucus, expressing satisfaction that the amendments proposed by his group were adopted.
He said that reports on expenditure need to be accessible, searchable and machine-readable, and should contain data on what has been paid, when, the amount, and date of payment.
Also amended was the Excise Act, under which excise taxes will be abolished for small producers of strong spirits for their own purposes, of whom there are about 38,000 in Croatia.