News

Zagreb - Both the parliamentary opposition and the ruling majority on Tuesday supported a proposal to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance so that it becomes part of the legal order of the Republic of Croatia.

Zagreb - State Secretary at the Ministry of Transport, Tomislav Mihotić, confirmed in Parliament on Thursday that electronic toll collection (ETC) would be introduced throughout Croatia, and the intention is for the system to be unified in the entire European Union.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament on Thursday observed a minute of silence to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković on Tuesday sent condolences to North Macedonia Assembly Speaker, Talat Xhaferi, and the families of the casualties in a bus accident in Bulgaria. 

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković on Monday commented on Saturday's protest against COVID certificates and asked what sort of personal freedom it was that "brings death and takes numerous lives that shouldn't have been lost?"

Zagreb - The fourth edition of the Croatia Rural Parliament and the 19th Mediterranean Fair of Healthy Food, Medicinal Herbs, and Green Entrepreneurship will be held in Šibenik on 25-27 November.

Zagreb - Several tens of thousands of citizens from around Croatia and neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina marched through Vukovar to commemorate the war victims of Vukovar on the 30th anniversary of the city's fall into the hands of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) and Serb paramilitaries.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković on Thursday received the visiting Saudi Minister for Islamic Affairs, Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Sheikh.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković confirmed on Wednesday that as of 15 November, when the measures of the national COVID-19 crisis management team come into force, a COVID certificate or negative test would be needed to enter the Parliament.

Zagreb - Ahead of Homeland War Remembrance Day and Remembrance Day for Vukovar and Škabrnja, to be marked on 18 November, a photographic exhibition called "Vukowar 1991", by Damir Radnić and Viktorin Jurić, was opened in Parliament House on Wednesday.

Zagreb - Croatian lawmakers on Thursday endorsed amendments to the Excise Taxes Act proposing exemption of small spirits producers from excise taxes when these products are used for veterinary-medical purposes or as a food additive.

Zagreb - During Wednesday's debate on a 2021 budget revision, ruling coalition MPs praised the efforts the Finance Ministry was making in difficult times, while the Opposition asked where the money was going and claimed that expenditures were not under control, notably in health.

Zagreb - Finance Minister Zdravko Marić told the Parliament on Wednesday that the total cost of combatting the COVID pandemic has exceeded HRK 40 billion (€5.3 billion) from the state budget alone in just under two years, however, the effect of COVID is a one-off event, regardless of how strong it may be.

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament amended the Reconstruction Act on Friday, paving the way for simplifying and speeding up the post-earthquake reconstruction of Zagreb and surrounding counties and removing the bottlenecks that have emerged in the reconstruction process.

Zagreb - The parliament on Friday discussed amendments to the Farmland Act, which are expected to facilitate the use of state-owned farmland and enable its allocation, as well as a bill on the sustainable use of pesticides.

Zagreb - The Sabor on Friday adopted Prime Minister Andrej Plenković's annual report on the government's work with 76 votes in favour, 41 against and two abstentions, after he submitted the report on Wednesday, announcing an increase in the minimum wage and parental allowance.

Zagreb - A government representative on Friday rejected all opposition amendments to the Minimum Wage Bill, of which most were put forward by MP Katarina Peović of the Workers' Front, and accepted only an amendment by Croatian Pensioners' Party MP Silvano Hrelja, who is part of the parliamentary majority.

Zagreb - Before Prime Minister Andrej Plenković submitted an annual report on the government's work, the parliamentary opposition said on Wednesday what they would like to hear from him, while the ruling HDZ said the government fulfilled its obligations in the challenging past year.

Zagreb - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković announced on Wednesday in the parliament that the minimum net wage would increase by HRK 350 or 10.3% as of January, from HRK 3,400 to HRK 3,750, that is to €500.

Zagreb - The parliamentary majority on Wednesday appointed Robert Šveb the new director-general of the HRT public broadcaster, while the opposition Bridge party would not participate in the vote and walked out of the session.

Zagreb - The parliamentary majority on Wednesday welcomed amendments to the Reconstruction Act as an improvement that would step up post-earthquake reconstruction while the Opposition insisted that they would not expedite the process.

Zagreb - The parliamentary majority on Tuesday supported the appointment of Robert Šveb as director-general of the HRT public broadcaster while the Opposition refused to support him, noting that if he was appointed, the HRT would continue failing to be a public service and serving the ruling party.

Zagreb - Radovan Dobronić, who has been appointed as Supreme Court president, was sworn in on Monday in the presence of Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković and as the chief justice of that court he is by default the president of the State Electoral Commission.

Zagreb - Croatian parliamentary parties on Friday welcomed the adoption of the law ratifying the Croatian-German Visiting Forces Agreement, with some expressing concern about the article on criminal jurisdiction and coercive measures.

Zagreb - Despite consistently criticising the way the coronavirus crisis is being managed and health policies in general, opposition lawmakers on Friday stood in defense of Health Minister Vili Beroš, criticising protestors who rallied outside his home and disturbed his family.

Zagreb - The parliament on Friday adopted a law regulating an institutional framework for the use of EU funds until 2027 and amended the Law on the Croatia's National Centre for the External Evaluation of Education (NCVVO).

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament on Friday held a special session to commemorate its day, 8 October, when in 1991 it made a decision to sever all state and legal ties with the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), whereby Croatia was declared an independent state.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Friday, Parliament Day and the 30th anniversary of the decision on independence, that the Sabor had fulfilled all its key tasks.

Zagreb - The parliamentary Judiciary Committee on Wednesday gave a positive opinion on judges Radovan Dobronić and Marin Mrčela as candidates for Supreme Court president while Dobronić, whom the President already announced as his recommendation to the Sabor, received unanimous support from the committee.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković on Wednesday received Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who was on an official visit, parliament said in a press release.

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament on Friday passed the amendments to the Electronic Media Act and the Copyright and Related Rights Act.

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament on Friday adopted the Electricity Market Act, under which Croatian households will be able to buy electricity from EU suppliers, and EU consumers will be able to choose power providers from Croatia.

Zagreb - Croatia's Fiscal Policy Commission has called on the government to use the expected recovery and the lifting of coronavirus-related restrictions next year to ensure stronger consolidation of public finance and full application of fiscal rules as of 2023.

Zagreb - Croatian MPs on Friday endorsed the ratification of investment protection agreements between EU member states and Vietnam and Singapore, which are aimed at improving the investment climate.

Zagreb - Culture and Media Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek said on Thursday the new copyright law would protect copyrights in the digital sphere and result in a stronger and more secure environment for cultural and creative industries.

Zagreb - The government on Thursday sent a referendum bill to parliament with the aim to improve the vague referendum legislation, notably concerning referendum petitions by people's initiatives.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković on Thursday received outgoing Chinese Ambassador Xu Erwen and they said the Pelješac Bridge would remain a symbol of the friendly Chinese-Croatian relations. 

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament on Wednesday observed a minute's silence for all women victims of violence on the National Day of combating violence against women.

Zagreb - A closing conference for the project "Infrastructure Development of the Ljubešćica Enterprise Zone" was held in this municipality in northern Varaždin County on Tuesday. The aim of this project, launched in 2011, was to build municipal and electricity infrastructure for enterprise development and to attract investment. Nearly 6,000 square metres of roads, several thousand metres of storm drains, and public lighting was built.

Zagreb - Parliament on Friday debated a bill on settlements which should improve and harmonise methods for determining their boundaries, marking the names of settlements, streets and squares and numbering houses, with the opposition saying the bill "resolves some issues but not the most important ones."

Zagreb - A final bill on seeds, propagating/reproductive material and acceptance of varieties of agricultural plant species was sent by the government to the parliament on Thursday.

Zagreb - The parliamentary Opposition said on Thursday that the minimum wage of HRK 3,400 (€453) was not sufficient for a decent life and should be raised, which was supported by members of the parliamentary majority.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković on Wednesday extended greetings to the Jewish faithful in Croatia on the occasion of Yom Kippur and Sukkot, wishing that they spend the holidays in peace and joy with their families.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament's Information and Media Committee on Tuesday endorsed the Copyright and Related Rights Bill and the Electronic Media Bill after debating copyright protection and user comments.

Zagreb - The parliamentary Judiciary Committee will vote at a later date on candidates for the Supreme Court president due to a dispute over disciplinary proceedings launched before the State Judicial Council against President Zoran Milanović's candidate for the post, Judge Radovan Dobronić.

Zagreb - The Croats in Austria are extremely important to Croatia, which wants to develop the best relations possible with them, notably the younger generation, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said in Vienna on Wednesday.

Zagreb - Stability in Croatia's neighbourhood is important for an effective response to a possible migrant wave, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Tuesday. The issue of migration is one of the key security issues of our two countries, Jandroković told reporters after a meeting with Wolfgang Sobotka, President of the Austrian National Council.

Zagreb - Protecting the environment contributes to prosperity, particularly in tourist countries like Croatia, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said in Vienna on Tuesday.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković on Tuesday issued message offering his best wishes to the Jewish community on the occasion of the holiday of Rosh Hashanah.

Zagreb - Parliament will begin its autumn session on 15 September, Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Monday after a meeting of parliament's Presidency.