News

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 - 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 - 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 parliamentary Committee on the Economy on Tuesday rejected the annual report by the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency (HERA) for 2021, which has been assessed as unsatisfactory by the government.

Zagreb - Despite criticism from the opposition, the Parliamentary Committee on the Constitution, Standing Orders and Political System on Tuesday decided by a majority vote to put draft Constitutional amendments regarding referenda and the Constitutional Court Act to a month-long public consultation.

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.

Zagreb - The government sent a proposal to amend the Credit Institutions Act to Parliament on Monday ahead of the changeover to the euro, extending the catalogue of crimes being taken into consideration in assessing the suitability of shareholders and board members of credit institutions.

Zagreb - All sixteen parliamentary caucuses agreed on Wednesday that due to the inability of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković to attend, Question Time would be held on Wednesday, 28 September instead of Thursday, 15 September.

Zagreb - The Croatian and Ukrainian parliament speakers, Gordan Jandroković and Ruslan Stefanchuk, on Monday held a video conference on plans for the first parliamentary summit of the International Crimea Platform to be held in Zagreb in October.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said in Knin on Friday that Croatians had made great sacrifices for their freedom, values and way of life, and that commemorating Operation Storm was a way to remember and to teach younger generations about the importance of peace, democracy and human rights protection.

Zagreb- Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Tuesday that Pelješac bridge could serve as a symbol of all-Croatian unity and a symbol of Croatian strength and pride.

Zagreb - Apart from their regular monthly wages, Croatia's lawmakers are also entitled to perks, such as the coverage of transport and accommodation costs, and in the first half of 2022, they were paid HRK 4.7 million for such expenses, almost close to the amount in the pre-pandemic 2019 H1 (HRK 5 million).

Zagreb - Parliament on Friday amended the Road Safety Act, endorsing the government's amendments which acknowledged doctors' arguments.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament ratified, by a majority vote, the NATO accession protocols for Finland and Sweden on Friday.

Zagreb - Parliament decided on Friday to change the Constitution and the Constitutional Law on the Constitutional Court regarding referenda, with 80 MPs voting for, while 19 were against and 11 abstained.

Zagreb - The Sabor on Friday confirmed Marko Primorc as the new Minister of Finance with 77 votes in favour and 55 against, after former minister Zdravko Marić left the government at his own request.

Zagreb - The parliamentary Constitution, Standing Orders, and Political System Committee on Thursday gave a vote of confidence in Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure Minister Oleg Butković for the office of deputy prime minister after the resignation of Finance Minister Zdravko Marić.

Zagreb - The entry of Finland and Sweden into NATO was supported on Thursday by all the Croatian parliamentary groups except the group of Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) and the Workers' Front (RF) who wanted this matter to be tied to the resolution of the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Zagreb - Katarina Peović, the sole MP for the Workers' Front (RF) party, said that the reasons why her party would not vote in favour of the NATO accession of Finland and Sweden were not the same as those of the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), even though the two parties are in the same parliamentary group.

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament's Committee on the Constitution, Standing Orders and Political System and Legislation Committee on Tuesday decided by a majority vote to start the process of amending the Constitution.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković on Saturday extended Kurban Bayram greetings to the head of the Islamic Community in Croatia, Mufti Aziz Hasanović, and all Islamic believers, adding that this religious holiday highlights the importance of understanding and solidarity.

Zagreb - The war in Ukraine has caused tectonic changes in the global economy with a massive negative impact, notably in Europe due to the sanctions against Russia, Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said at the Dubrovnik Forum on Saturday.

Zagreb - The Sabor adopted the Law on Cultural Councils and Financing Public Needs in Culture on Friday by a majority vote. The law regulates the financing of public needs in culture, the allocation of premises for cultural and artistic activities, the establishment and role of cultural councils and the work of the national council for culture, as well as the issue of decision-making on financial resources.

Zagreb - A commemoration was held in the Croatian Parliament on Wednesday on the occasion of 11 July, Srebrenica Genocide Remembrance Day, and the 27th anniversary of the atrocity, with the unanimous message that it must never happen again to anyone.

Zagreb - The Sabor on Friday by a majority vote amended the Government Act as well as the State Attorneys Council Act (DOV) and the State Judicial Council Act (DSV).

Zagreb - Croatian lawmakers on Friday endorsed the report on the work of the Petitions and Complaints Committee for 2021, warning that the question of the slowness of court proceedings has been the constant in these reports.