Zagreb - The Croatian parliament on Monday increased maternity and parental allowances by unanimously adopting a law to that effect, with 122 votes in favour. The government has secured HRK 156.6 million for the implementation of the law for this year, HRK 313 million for next year, and HRK 346.5 million for 2019. The law is to go into force on July 1.
Under the law, the maximum allowance for the second half of the year-long maternity leave for employed parents will rise from HRK 2,660 to HRK 3,991. For unemployed parents who do not meet the criterion of 12 or 18 months of service, the parental allowance will increase from HRK 1,663 to 2,328.
The parental allowance for parents with twins and for a third and every subsequent child until the age of three will be increased from HRK 1,663 to 2,328. The parliament also amended laws on civil servants, air quality, hunting, copyright and related rights and marine fisheries and adopted a law ratifying an agreement between the Croatian and Ukrainian governments on cooperation in the prevention of natural disasters and removal of their consequences.
It also decided that March 16 would be marked as a national obesity awareness day. (Hina)