News

Zagreb - The Sabor on Friday unanimously voted for free meals for elementary school students as of the second semester of this school year which will cover 311,000 pupils who will have at least one free meal at school financed by the state budget and the total allocation for this purpose is € 72.5 million.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament on Friday, by a majority of votes, with 77 in favor and 54 against, amended the Labor Act (ZOR), which introduces a number of novelties in the regulation of individual rights and obligations in employment relations.

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament on Friday adopted two strategies, passed several laws, accepted reports by different agencies and thus concluded the extraordinary session and this year's work.

Zagreb - MPs of the ruling majority on Thursday spoke of positive steps in domestic agriculture, while the opposition complained about import growth, saying Croatia is importing even grass, sawdust and cereals for rodents.

Zagreb - The Croatian IT sector is growing and has proved to be less vulnerable to the negative impact of the crisis in 2020 and 2021, the state secretary of the Central State Office for the Development of the Digital Society, Bernard Gršić, said during discussion on the proposed Digital Croatia Strategy 2032 in Parliament on Thursday.

Zagreb - At the beginning of a debate on the package of healthcare laws that are crucial for the implementation of the healthcare reform, Opposition MPs claimed that there was no healthcare reform, only the introduction of "crawling privatisation," while the HDZ members say that it is a step forward.

Zagreb - The parliamentary physical planning committee on Wednesday endorsed reports on the effects of the Reconstruction Act, which say progress has been made in the adoption of decisions, while the opposition remarked they contained too many numbers and too few projects realised.

Zagreb - Strengthening the public healtcare system, improving preventive healthcare, reorganising the hospital system, investing in human resources and, above all, making the system sustainable and placing the patient in the focus are the aims of the reform, Health Minister Vili Beroš said on Wednesday.

Zagreb - During a parliamentary debate on the final bill to amend the Income Tax Act on Tuesday,  both the ruling majority and opposition welcomed the rise from HRK 15,000 to HRK 24,000 that a dependent family member can earn in a year and still qualify as a dependent.

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament will hold an extraordinary session on Friday at the government's request, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković announced on Monday, December 16.

Zagreb - The parliamentary committee on the Constitution, Standing Orders and political system on Wednesday decided on the distribution of allocations for the parliamentary parties in 2023 when the total disbursement for this purpose amounts to €8.3 million.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Friday that the Croatian national legislature would continue giving its contribution to all the initiatives aimed at improving the status of ethnic minorities.

Zagreb - Agriculture Minister Marija Vučković on Friday informed the parliament about good results in Croatia's marine and freshwater fisheries and significant investments in this sector.

Zagreb - The 2030 draft strategy for the development of sustainable tourism was commended on Thursday by MPs from the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), while the opposition ironically wondered where continental tourism had "disappeared", especially tourist industry in Slavonia.

Zagreb - Croatian lawmakers on Wednesday were debating the government's proposal to allow Ukrainian soldiers to train in Croatia as part of the EUMAM mission.

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament on Tuesday adopted the state budget for 2023, the state's most important financial document geared towards alleviating the consequences of the economic crisis, maintaining economic growth and development and preserving social security.

Zagreb - The parliamentary Committee on the Constitution, Standing Orders and Political System on Tuesday agreed draft changes to the Constitution regarding referenda and related amendments to the constitutional law on the Constitutional Court, which will be sent to parliament for a plenary.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković received Slovenia's outgoing President Borut Pahor for the talks on energy, the war in Ukraine, and economic cooperation. Jandroković and Pahor recalled their cooperation, including the period of unblocking Croatia's accession negotiations for membership to the European Union.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Friday, on the occasion of  the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, that there must be zero tolerance towards all forms of violence against women.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković met with visiting Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer on Wednesday.

Zagreb - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković presented the proposed 2023 budget to Parliament on Wednesday, saying that the government's measures will make Croatia even more resilient to crises.

Zagreb - Unlike the ruling HDZ, opposition parties in parliament on Thursday had little positive to say about the draft budget for 2023, claiming that the government is playing it safe and the budget is unrealistic and inflated, not good for anyone except the state and the government.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković and Spanish King Felipe VI on Thursday described the bilateral relations as excellent and friendly, and agreed that they can be boosted in the IT, pharmaceutical and defence industries. 

Zagreb - The parliament's Committee on the Constitution, Standing Orders and Political System on Wednesday supported by a majority vote a draft code of ethics for members of parliament and forwarded it to be discussed at a plenary session.

Zagreb - Agriculture Minister Marija Vučković said on Wednesday Croatia's agricultural productivity was among the fastest growing and that the export-import ratio in agriculture was 68.8%, more than the ratio for non-agricultural and non-food products.

Zagreb - In order to facilitate filling positions in state bodies to ensure the timely performance of their duties, the government on Thursday moved amendments to the Civil Servants Act to be put on a fast track in the Parliament.

Zagreb - Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă on Tuesday received Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković and they said Romania-Croatia ties were strong and based on bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković will be in Romania on Tuesday and Wednesday for an official visit, during which he will meet with senior Romanian officials and visit the Croatian community in several villages in the west of the country.

Zagreb - Croatia and Romania's political journeys have many similarities - from transition from Communism to democracy to Euro-Atlantic integration - and today the two countries cooperate closely and have similar views as to where they belong, Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Tuesday.

Zagreb - The Sabor on Friday revised the 2022 State Budget for the second time this year, with 77 lawmakers of the majority voting in favour of the revision and 46 opposition MPs voting against.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament on Friday marked the World Day of Romani Language, observed on 5 November, and on this occasion Speaker Gordan Jandroković was presented with a memorial scroll with Romani insignia, flag and anthem commemorating the 10th anniversary of the declaration of this day.

Zagreb - HDZ MPs on Thursday commended the government's proposal to increase the annual non-taxable receipts of dependents from HRK 15,000 to HRK 24,000, and the opposition also supported it, but noted that the increase was not sufficient considering inflation and proposed that they be increased to HRK 30,000.

Zagreb - Ministry of Finance State Secretary Zdravko Zrinušić said on Thursday that the planned increase in the annual amount of non-taxable receipts for dependents from HRK 15,000 to HRK 24,000 would encompass 93,000 people.

Zagreb - A draft bill on theatres was commended by MPs of the ruling HDZ party on Wednesday, while the opposition criticised it, noting that it gave enormous powers to theatre managers and directors and objecting that managers would be appointed by executive and not by representative bodies, as is the case now.

Zagreb - Parliament will vote for a revised budget for this year on Friday after discussing about 100 amendments submitted to the draft revision on Wednesday.

Zagreb - The latest draft of the 2022 budget revision proves that also in challenging times the government is capable of managing public finances, Finance Minister Marko Primorac told the Croatian parliament on Thursday.

Zagreb - The opposition on Thursday criticised the draft 2022 budget revision, saying it shows that the government is using inflation to fill the state budget while giving citizens scraps, but the ruling HDZ said the government was rationally managing finances.

Zagreb - The Ukrainian people are fighting for democracy for all of us, said Speaker of the House of Representatives of the US Congress Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday in Zagreb.

Zagreb - The First Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimea Platform started in Zagreb on Wednesday with the opening remarks of Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković and his Ukrainian counterpart Ruslan Stefanchuk with the message highlighting the commitment to providing help to Ukraine.

Zagreb - 43 delegations attending the parliamentary dimension of the International Crimea Platform in Zagreb today adopted a Joint Declaration.

Zagreb - The world did not repeat the mistakes of 30 years ago when Croatia did not have a general expression of solidarity like Ukraine, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Tuesday at the opening of the First Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimea Platform.

Zagreb - At the request of the Ukrainian Parliament (Verkhovna Rada), due to the war in Ukraine, the Croatian Parliament accepted to co-host the First Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimea Platform. Thus, on 25 October 2022, the parliamentary dimension of the International Crimea Platform will be inaugurated here in Croatia.

Zagreb - The parliamentary Elections, Appointments and Administration Committee has unanimously determined a list of 13 candidates who meet the requirements to be members of the Conflict of Interest Commission.

Zagreb - Minister of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy Marin Piletić said on Thursday that the amendments to the Labor Act (ZOR) are aimed at creating a modern labour market and responding to the challenges and changes in the market while protecting workers and entrepreneurs.

Zagreb - The parliamentary Committee on Defence on Thursday adopted by a majority vote the Annual Report on Defence for 2021 by Minister Mario Banožić, which underlines the importance of investing in defence so as to respond to the new security environment resulting from geopolitical and geostrategic changes.

Zagreb - Opposition parties listed a number of objections to the proposed amendments to the Labor Act on Thursday, while the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) claimed they were a step forward that would boost employment, and wage and pension growth.

Zagreb - Left and liberal opposition MPs said on Tuesday they boycotted the prime minister's state-of-the-nation report because he evaded questions about the INA corruption affair, adding that his successes are "nonexistent" and his government is "marked by theft and corruption."

Zagreb - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković announced an increase in the average net wage to HRK 8,200 or €1,088 by the end of this government's term and an increase in the minimum wage to around HRK 4,220 as of next week, as well as regulating Sunday trading.

Zagreb - The bill on sports was on the agenda of the parliament on Thursday and Opposition MPs called for making it possible for every child to have free-of-charge access to sporting activities, while Minister Nikolina Brnjac said the aim of the law is to increase the number of children in such activities.

Zagreb - Debating amendments to consumer and housing loans on Wednesday, the parliamentary opposition said the sale of debts and consumer loans to third parties constituted a grey market and the loan sharking of citizens.