According to the Croatian Parliaments Standing Orders, Croatian Parliament is obligated to inform the public of its activities regarding its legislation activities. The Public Relations Department publishes Izvješća Hrvatskog sabora (Croatian Parliament Reports), to which any citizen or institution can subscribe. In this bulletin, the Department informs the public of draft legislation and other acts debated in Parliament and the overall legislative procedure, conducted debates and their outcome through thematic and comprehensive overviews. The Public Relations Department additionally publishes various other materials dealing with the Croatian Parliament and its work.

Contacts with reporters and editors

The Public Relations Department informs the media of announced protocolar events, press conferences and other events as foreseen by the Standing Orders of the Croatian Parliament and it additionally provides details on such events. It maintains records of the reporters who follow the work of Parliament and issues them credentials and provides approvals for daily passes to reporters who temporarily cover the work of the Croatian Parliament. The Department maintains regular contacts with the media and intercedes to obtain responses to various questions posed by reporters.

All visitors are welcome

The Public Relations Department organises receptions for groups of citizens for tours of the Parliament House. It provides professional guidance and the opportunity to learn about the Parliament’s history and work, the legislative procedure, and information on any other questions visitors may ask. The Department also arranges the attendance of citizens at parliamentary plenary sessions.

Everyday problems

According to the Croatian Parliament’s Standing Orders and its Code of Internal Operations, the Public Relations Department has no explicit duty to maintain contacts with citizens. Parliament, as a legislative body, has no executive authority and therefore cannot solve the everyday practical problems faced by citizens that are not under the (operational) jurisdiction of the Petitions and Appeals Committee. However, life imposes its own rules, so the Department nevertheless receives dozens of various queries from citizens every day: questions of whether legislative procedures have commenced for some draft legislation, when a given proposal is scheduled for debate, whether legislative procedures are concluded thereafter and what follows debate, whether enacted legislation has been published in Narodne novine (Croatia’s Official Journal) and in which issue, when enacted laws become effective, and so forth.

More often, though, the Department receives comments on parliamentary sessions: why there are so few deputies attending sessions, is there a ‘fine’ for absentees, when regulations will be introduced to ‘discipline’ deputies, why deputies argue their points as they do and not in the way caller thinks they should, etc. However, most queries are tied to various problems faced by individuals (accompanied by extensive and detailed life stories) and requests for a way to solve these problems.

Phone: +385 1 4569 348; +385 1 4569 722
Fax: +385 1 4569 611; +385 1 6303 018
E-mail: mediji@sabor.hr