News

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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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.

Zagreb - On the occasion of Croatian Parliament Day, Speaker Gordan Jandroković on Saturday expressed satisfaction with citizens' great interest in visiting the Sabor on Parliament House Open Day.

Zagreb - The parliament on Friday gave its consent for the deployment of Croatian troops as part of the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group as well as in three peace missions in 2023 and 2024.

Zagreb - To mark the Independence Day - 8 October – in memory of the legislators' unanimous decision on 8 October 1991 to sever all ties with the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, with Croatia becoming a free and independent state, Citizens Service of the Croatian Parliament will be organizing the Open Day event. 

Zagreb - In addition to receiving their own personal pension, as of next year, Croatian pensioners will be able to inherit 27% of the family pension of their deceased spouse after the Sabor unanimously, with 123 votes in favour, adopted amendments to the Pension Insurance Act on Friday.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković on Wednesday issued greetings to Jewish believers on the occasion of Yom Kippur and Sukkot.

Zagreb - Chairwoman of the parliamentary Committee for Health and Social Policy, Renata Sabljar-Dračevac, said on Thursday that cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death in the world, with 18.6 million people dying from them each year, and by the 2030s that number could grow to 23 million.

Zagreb - The chairman of the parliamentary committee on defence, Franko Vidović, said on Tuesday that the committee had endorsed the 2026 national programme on mine clearance whereby Croatia is expected to become free of landmines by 2026.

Zagreb - Parliament on Thursday observed a minute's silence on the occasion of the National Day of Combating Violence Against Women in honour of Gordana Oraškić, Hajra Prohić, Ljiljana Hvalec and other women victims of violence.

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament will this week discuss some 60 bills related to the introduction of the euro as legal tender as well as the annual report on the work of the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency (HERA) in 2021, which the government has assessed as unsatisfactory.