News

Zagreb - The EU regulation about border checks must not jeopardise freedom of movement as one of the fundamental values of the European Union and create major traffic jams at border crossings, Croatian Parliament Speaker Božo Petrov said in Bratislava on Monday.

Zagreb - A negative atmosphere, inconsistent implementation of the bilateral agreement on protection of minorities and inadequate education in the Croatian language were only some of the problems cited by representatives of the Croat minority in Serbia at a round table discussion held by the Croatian Parliament's Committee on Croats Abroad on Thursday.

Zagreb - The seventh anniversary of Croatia's accession to NATO was marked on Thursday by a commemorative event organised in the national parliament at which speakers spoke about unconventional threats faced by today's world to which the alliance should seek suitable and efficient responses.

Zagreb - The government on Thursday forwarded to parliament a mortgage bill aligned with European Union acquis communautaire which brings better consumer protection and tightens up creditors' obligations in informing consumers and introducing other benefits.

Zagreb - Croatia will strongly advocate NATO's enlargement because it believes that the future of Southeast Europe, its stability and progress depend significantly on membership in NATO and the EU, Parliament Speaker Božo Petrov said on Tuesday after meeting NATO Parliamentary Assembly President Paolo Alli on the occasion of the 8th anniversary of Croatia's membership in NATO.

Zagreb - On World Autism Awareness Day, Sunday, April 2, the Croatian Parliament was lit up in blue, joining in the United Nation's campaign for support to autistic persons. Diagnostic data show that around 12,000 people with autism live in Croatia. This year, the day was marked under the slogan "Break barriers together for autism – Let's build an accessible society". (Hina)

Zagreb - Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are two neighbouring, friendly countries and they can resolve their outstanding issues through good will, Croatian Parliament Speaker Željko Reiner said on Tuesday after a meeting with the Chairwoman of the Bosnia and Herzegovina House of Representatives, Borjana Krišto

Zagreb - Meetings of the General Committee on Economy, Infrastructure and Energy and the General Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Security Cooperation were held in the Croatian Parliament on 17 and 18 March within the framework of Croatian Chairmanship-in-Office of the South-East European Cooperation Process.

Zagreb - The prospect of EU membership for Southeast European countries is very important, Croatian Parliament Speaker Božo Petrov said in Rome on Friday, where he was attending a conference of EU parliament speakers on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome.

Zagreb - Croatia's lawmakers on Friday unanimously voted for the ratification of the Paris Agreement, a treaty within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) dealing with greenhouse gas emissions mitigation and climate change responses.

Zagreb - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Wednesday informed the Croatian Parliament about European Council meetings, saying that it was particularly important to Croatia that last week's summit in Brussels had discussed the European Union membership prospects of Southeast Europe and that a message of encouragement had been sent to those countries.

Pristina - Member of the Croatian Parliament Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), Vedran Babić participated on behalf of the President of the SEECP Parliamentary Assembly at the Trans-European Networks Policy and Connectivity Interparliamentary Conference.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Božo Petrov said on Thursday that exporters were the drivers of the Croatian economy and that right and brave policies must be adopted to stimulate export-oriented economic development. Exports have helped Croatia's GDP growth the most, Petrov said at a meeting with representatives of the Lider Club of Exporters, congratulating them on that success.

Zagreb - Most participants in Monday's session of three parliamentary committees on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the European Union and Canada said they expected and wanted the Croatian parliament to be among the first to ratify it, but representatives of unions and Green Action said the public was insufficiently informed about CETA and that a public discussion should be held about it.

Zagreb - There are good prospects for development of economic cooperation between Croatia and the Czech Republic in the fields of energy, tourism, infrastructure, the food industry and retail, Croatian Parliament Speaker Bozo Petrov said on Tuesday opening a Czech-Croatian Economic Forum on investment opportunities in Croatia.

Zagreb - The Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Božo Petrov, met with Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka and the Speaker of the Senate, Milan Stech, at the start of his official visit to Prague on Monday.

Zagreb - Croatia's Parliament Speaker Božo Petrov and the visiting Albanian Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati on Thursday held talks in Zagreb and underscored that Croatia and Albania were strengthening their cooperation in many spheres, notably in regional infrastructure projects, according to a press release issued by the Office of the Sabor Speaker.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Božo Petrov announced in Sarajevo on Tuesday the continuation of Croatia's full support for Bosnia and Herzegovina's efforts to preserve its stability and territorial integrity as well as its aspirations to joint Euro-Atlantic associations.

Zagreb - European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis, who was on a working visit to Croatia, on Thursday met with representatives of the parliamentary committees on health and social welfare, on agriculture, and on European affairs, to notify them about European Commission activities in the field of public healthcare, disease prevention and food safety.

Zagreb – Croatia's Parliament Speaker Bozo Petrov and delegation of MP´s on Friday laid wreaths at the Jewish section of the Mirogoj cemetery in Zagreb to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Zagreb - Lawmakers on Wednesday held a debate on a domestic violence protection bill with the intention of warning the public that domestic violence was on the rise and that society was not doing enough to prevent it, to protect the victims and in particular, to protect women.

Zagreb - Prime Minister-designate Tihomir Orešković presented his programme in parliament on Friday, saying that the main goal of his government would be to improve the economic and social situation in Croatia and increase living standards.

Zagreb - The 25th anniversary of the international recognition of the Republic of Croatia was celebrated on Monday at the Croatian parliament solemn session which was attended by the highest Croatian state officials, numerous dignitaries of political, religious and academic life and by the European Council President Donald Tusk.

Zagreb - Croatia's parliament (Sabor) is scheduled to convene for a regular sitting next week and this year the 9th 151-seat legislature is expected to transpose European Union acquis communautaire into new 71 laws, including the law restricting the use of tobacco products. All of this is in line with the 2017 Plan on Aligning Croatia's Legislation with the EU Acquis Communautaire, drafted by the government, which sent it to parliament for adoption.

Zagreb - First meeting of the Standing Committee of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Parliamentary Assembly, within the framework of Croatian Chairmanship-in-Office, was held in the Croatian Parliament on Saturday, 3rd December.

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament on Friday adopted the tax reform package with a majority vote and the new bills should enter into force on January 1, however, unsatisfied because their amendments were rejected, the Opposition led by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) walked out during the vote.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Božo Petrov on Thursday received US Ambassador Julieta Valls Noyes, their first meeting since he stepped into office in mid-October. The focus of the meeting was on cooperation within NATO and on strengthening bilateral cooperation, notably in the energy sector.

Belgrade - 48th plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) was held in Belgrade from 29 November to 1 December within the framework of the Serbian Chairmanship-in-office. Parliamentary Assembly of the South-East European Cooperation Process was represented, with an observer status, by a member of the Croatian Parliamentary Delegation to SEECP PA, Vedran Babić, MP.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Božo Petrov on Tuesday received the ambassadors of Ukraine, Hungary and China with whom he discussed bilateral relations, and the strengthening of both political and economic cooperation.

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament ratified Montenegro's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) on Friday. The law ratifying the Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty on the Accession of Montenegro was carried by 96 votes in favour, three against and two abstentions. Present during the vote was the Speaker of the Montenegrin parliament, Ivan Brajović.

Zagreb - Most political groups in the Croatian parliament on Wednesday endorsed ratification of Montenegro's NATO accession treaty saying that the alliance's further expansion was of great importance to long-term stability in Southeast Europe and that it would also strengthen the security of Croatia.

Vukovar - The eastern Croatian town of Vukovar as well as the whole of Croatia on Friday observed Vukovar Remembrance Day in memory of 18 November 1991 when Vukovar fell into the hands of more numerous forces of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) and Serb paramilitaries, after which around 22,000 Croats and members of other non-Serbs were expelled and several thousand Croatian soldiers and civilians interned in Serb-run prison camps.

Zagreb - After a three-day debate on a set of tax bills, the 9th Croatian parliament on Thursday forwarded into second reading all 15 tax bills, thus ending its first session, with Speaker Božo Petrov calling the second session for November 23.

Zagreb - The parliamentary Finance Committee on Monday adopted a set of tax reform bills, with an abstained vote by the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Finance Minister Zdravko Marić presented the main aspects of the reform during which he did not reject the possibility of lowering the overall Value Added Tax (VAT) rate, even though this has not been envisaged for the time being.

Zagreb - Parliament on Friday amended its agenda with 19 items, including a tax reform legislative package and a protocol on Montenegro's NATO accession.

Zagreb - The planned increase in the VAT rate on hospitality services will negatively affect investment and employment and it threatens the survival of restaurant and bar owners, with differing rates for hotels and for restaurants and bars being contrary to global trends, it was said at a session of the parliamentary Tourism Committee on Thursday.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Božo Petrov on Monday held talks with Bosnian Presidency Croat member Dragan Čović about the recent arrest of former members of Bosnian Croat forces on suspicion of war crimes, saying Croatia would try to help and support the solving of the status of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), and that Croats embodied a deviation from both a separatist and a unitarist vision of BiH.

Zagreb - Croatia and Finland are friendly countries with good political relations that have a lot in common but their cooperation should be additionally strengthened on the economic front, Croatian Parliament Speaker Božo Petrov and his guest, Finnish Parliament Speaker Maria Lohela, said on Thursday.

Riga - Delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the South-East European Cooperation Process participated, with observer status, in the 35th plenary session of the Baltic Assembly and 22nd session of the Baltic Council which took place in the capital of Latvia on 27 and 28 October. Parliamentary Assembly of the SEECP was represented by the Senate of the Romanian Parliament, MP Nicolae Vlad Popa and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, MP Hakan Çavuşoglu.

Zagreb - It is critical to have a comprehensive approach towards the migrations policy, starting with true migration causes to dialogue with countries of their origin and transit about the management of migration routes, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in parliament on Wednesday while presenting a report on the European Council meeting held in Brussels on October 20 and 21 which focused on migrations, the trade policy, the relationship with Russia and Brexit.

Zagreb - After a debate that lasted the whole day, the Croatian parliament on Wednesday evening voted confidence in Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and his government. Of 139 MPs attending the session, 91 voted for the new government, 45 voted against and three abstained.

Zagreb - The newly-appointed Parliament Speaker Bozo Petrov said in his first address to the Parliament as Speaker that his priority would be to make the Parliament and its bodies as efficient as possible, announcing the adoption of a code of conduct for members of Parliament.

Zagreb - The sixth Parliament Open Door Day was held on Sunday and among the questions visitors asked outgoing Speaker Željko Reiner was whether the new MPs would attend sessions more regularly and if politics was a good choice for young people.

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament gave a reception on Friday to mark Independence Day, remembering 8 October 1991 when it adopted a historic resolution declaring Croatia's independence from the Yugoslav federation.

Zagreb - The Fr. Mladen Hrkać charity organisation was officially presented with the European Citizen's Prize on Friday during a special ceremony in parliament.

Zagreb - The State Election Commission (DIP) on Monday established the official results of the September 11 early parliamentary election and sent them to the Constitutional Court.

Zagreb - Croatia's 9th parliament will include only 12.5% of women deputies or 19 in all, which is the lowest number of women in the Sabor in the past fifteen years.

Zagreb - The preliminary results which the State Electoral Commission (DIP) made public at 22:00 hrs Sunday showed that the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) was in the lead with 62 seats in the 151-seat legislature, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP)-led coalition came second in the early parliamentary election, gaining 52 seats.

Zagreb - President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović decided on Saturday that early parliamentary elections will be held on Sunday, September 11. Elections in Croatia will be held on Sunday, September 11 and in Croatian diplomatic and consular officers abroad on Saturday, September 10 and Sunday, September 11.

Zagreb - Statehood Day was celebrated on Saturday with a special session of the Croatian Parliament at which President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Parliament Speaker Željko Reiner and Prime Minister Tihomir Oresković said that over the past quarter of a century Croatia had achieved a lot, calling for consensus on fundamental national interests and determination to realise that.