News

Zagreb - The Domestic Policy and National Security Committee on Wednesday convened to discuss the 12 October 2020 attack on Government House in Zagreb and the arrests of individuals over their acrimonious and insulting comments on social networks.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament's Committee on the Constitution and Rules of Procedure has decided on the distribution of HRK 54.9 million (€7.32m) for the work of political parties and independent members of Parliament, as provided for in this year's budget.

Zagreb - Despite criticisms from the Opposition, the Croatian Parliament on Friday passed the Social Welfare Act, which is part of a set of seven laws aimed at reforming the system.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament started its session on Thursday with a minute of silence for Holocaust victims, with Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković saying that the Holocaust had begun with hate speech and ended in acts of evil.

Zagreb - Things will have to change and in the future no central bank employee should be allowed to hold or trade-in stocks or bonds of banks supervised by the central bank - this is one of the conclusions of a thematic session of the parliamentary Finance and Central Budget Committee held on Thursday.

Zagreb - The parliamentary Committee on agriculture convened in Osijek on Wednesday to discuss the impact of climate change on food provision and cooperation with the scientific community to adapt the farm sector to that change.

Zagreb - Members of parliament were agreed on the need to protect people reporting irregularities during a debate on a bill on the protection of whistleblowers on Tuesday, with opposition MPs citing the most famous whistleblowers and their fate.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Monday that the parliamentary Committee on the Constitution would probably request the Constitutional Court to check the constitutionality of the referendum questions proposed by the Bridge party in its two referendum petitions.

Zagreb - The parliamentary Opposition on Thursday strongly criticised a reform set of social welfare bills, saying that the opinions of professionals have not been taken into account, that the system is being unnecessarily centralised, and that there might be long-term negative consequences

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković on Tuesday congratulated the newly-elected President of the European Parliament, Maltese Roberta Metsola, whose election was supported by 458 MEPs earlier in the day.

Zagreb - After a month-long recess the Croatian Parliament will convene for its 10th session on Wednesday which will run through mid-March and longer if need be.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković on Saturday congratulated all Croatian citizens and Croats at home and abroad on the 30th anniversary of Croatia's international recognition.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković has extended condolences to the family and colleagues of European Parliament President David Sassoli, who passed away early on Tuesday at the age of 65.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković on Thursday sent Christmas greetings to believers who celebrate it according to the Julian calendar on behalf of lawmakers and on his own, underscoring that the spirit of Christmas encourages people in facing life's challenges.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Wednesday that the Parliament would start its new session on 19 January and that it would be in session for two months, possibly longer.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković issued a Christmas message on Friday, highlighting the importance of dialogue and fostering mutual understanding and unity in society.

Zagreb - Thirty-one years ago the Republic of Croatia got its first Constitution, which was adopted on 21 December and was officially promulgated on the day after that, that is on  22 January 1990, and became known as the Christmas Constitution since its promulgation happened a few days before Christmas.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Wednesday, on the last day of the autumn session, that the Parliament had passed about a hundred laws in that period, and he commented on the protests against epidemiological measures, calling on the silent majority to be the voice of reason.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament on Wednesday adopted the new Conflict of Interest Prevention Act which significantly expands the number of persons to whom it applies, envisaging the submission of declarations of assets once a year and faster proceedings before the Conflict of Interest Commission.

Zagreb - The Act on the Protection of the Population Against Infectious Diseases was amended on Wednesday, with 77 MPs voting in favour and 27 against, while the members of the Bridge party walked out of the Parliament chamber.

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.

Zagreb - Davorko Vidović of the Social Democrats group, the largest opposition group in the Croatian Parliament, was appointed a new, fifth Deputy Parliament Speaker on Wednesday. This decision was made by a majority of MPs - 114 of them, while one abstained, with Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković congratulating Vidović on the appointment and wishing him success.

Zagreb - The Light of Bethlehem, the light of peace and hope, is shining in the Croatian Parliament as of Tuesday, where Scouts Croatia traditionally placed it outside the Parliament Chamber.

Zagreb - Members of the Croatian Parliament on Thursday started a heated debate on a bill on the protection of the population against infectious diseases which envisages fines up to HRK 50,000 for responsible persons not complying with the COVID-19 certificate mandate in bodies governed by public law.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament on Wednesday confirmed a year-long extension of the deadline for the submission of applications for Croatian citizenship under the current law since the coronavirus pandemic has made it more difficult for everyone to apply.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament on Wednesday passed the state budget for 2022 with projections for 2023 and 2024, with 77 MPs voting in favour, one more than the required 76, and 49 against.

Zagreb - The state secretary at the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, Ivo Milatić, said on Tuesday that in addition to HRK 390 million set aside for the energy renovation of family housing, as much money would also be allocated to companies for the same purpose.

Zagreb - The opposition on Monday called the five amendments worth HRK 11 million to the draft 2022 state budget which the government accepted from the opposition "peanuts," announcing that they will not vote for it and that they will demand a property tax.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament will begin next week's session already on Monday after 475 amendments have been submitted to the 2022 budget proposal, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković announced at the start of the Parliament session on Thursday. 

Zagreb - The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah was marked officially in the Croatian Parliament on Thursday, by lighting the Hanukkah candles.

Zagreb - The state secretary at the Defence Ministry said on Thursday, during a parliamentary debate on the sending of Croatian troops to eight peace missions and operations, that "for now" there were no requests that Croatia participates in war operations.

Zagreb - Addressing the impact of the devastating earthquakes, increasing social welfare payments and parental allowances, ensuring the fiscal viability of local government units are the fields to which the Government pays special attention in the 2022 budget, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Wednesday.

Zagreb - During Wednesday's debate on a draft 2022 state budget, opposition MPs said it showed a lack of reforms, no change of direction, and that it did not offer solutions as prices are rising and living standards decreasing.

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 - 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 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 - 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 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 - 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.