News

Zagreb - Health Minister Vili Beroš presented the national strategy for cancer prevention in parliament on Thursday, saying that the number of people suffering from malignant diseases was continuously increasing.

Zagreb - Parliament on Friday amended a set of laws by majority vote related to the fifth round of the tax reform which will enter into force on January 1 and bring HRK 2 billion in tax relief.

Zagreb - The social welfare system is burdened by many problems, waiting lists for admission to retirement and nursing homes are too long, and conditions in some of those homes are below minimum standards, MPs warned during a debate on amendments to the Social Welfare Act on Thursday.

Zagreb - The Government on Thursday sent to the Parliament a Draft National Cancer Strategic Framework (NCSF) until 2030, which is aimed at upgrading comprehensive monitoring, prevention, and treatment of malignant diseases.

Zagreb - The Parliament on Wednesday discussed amendments to the Act on the Protection of the Population Against Infectious Diseases introducing penalties for non-compliance with measures designed to protect against COVID-19, which the ruling majority supports and the Opposition considers belated. Health Minister Vili Beroš said that the measures were balanced and were designed to protect citizens' health and lives and that they would be in force as long as it took to respond to the pandemic. He stressed that the measures included the compulsory wearing of protective masks to prevent the transmission of the disease.

Zagreb - A parliamentary debate on the performance of the Office of Chief State Prosecutor (DORH), set for Thursday, will be delayed until the end of the isolation of the Chief State Prosecutor, who tested positive for coronavirus, Deputy Speaker Furio Radin said on Wednesday.

Zagreb - While the ruling HDZ's MPs on Wednesday commended the Government's bills from the fifth tax reform round, the Opposition insisted the amendments were superficial, that they would benefit the rich, and that Croatia needed a new tax model.

Zagreb - Parliament on Friday gave the green light for the deployment of Croatian army personnel to nine international peacekeeping missions in 2021 and 2022. The proposal was put forward under six decisions each of which was put to a vote. They received between 108 and 112 votes in favour.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament on Friday adopted amendments to the Enforcement Act, reducing the costs of enforcement proceedings, introducing electronic communication and exempting Christmas and Easter bonuses, holiday grants, and meal allowances from debt collection. 

Zagreb - Parliament on Friday gave the green light for the deployment of Croatian army personnel to nine international peacekeeping missions in 2021 and 2022. The proposal was put forward under six decisions each of which was put to a vote. They received between 108 and 112 votes in favour.

Zagreb - Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) lawmakers on Wednesday welcomed a provision of the final bill on foreign nationals whereby the Sabor would, at the proposal of the government, define the principles to implement a comprehensive immigration policy for a period of at least five years.

Zagreb - Parliament on Wednesday revised the 2020 state budget for the second time with projections for 2021 and 2022, rejecting all 13 amendments submitted by the opposition. Seventy-six MPs voted for the revision, while 50 voted against.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament on Wednesday adopted the annual report on the work of Government by a majority vote, and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said that the current year was special in many ways, noting that the months ahead of us will be difficult and full of new challenges.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament's Committee on Information, Computerisation and Media on Wednesday called on providers of media services and electronic publications to adopt their own hate speech codes. The Committee also concluded that hate speech should be systematically curbed by promoting media literacy among the public.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament on Wednesday amended its rules of procedure by a majority vote, aligning it with a Constitutional Court decision which quashed a regulation that limited the number of MPs who could participate in sessions, state opinions, and reply due to anti-coronavirus measures.

Berlin - Within the parliamentary dimension of the German Presidency of the Council of the European Union, a meeting was held among the Chairs of the Committees of National Parliaments and the European Parliament on the topic "For a social and fair Europe".

Zagreb - Part of the Parliamentary opposition said on Thursday the 2020 budget rejig was unrealistic and that the ruling coalition lived in "Happyland". Presenting the revised 2020 budget in Parliament, PM Andrej Plenković said the fiscal policy was transparent and that when the Government said the deficit would be HRK 29.5 billion, "then it is so."

Zagreb - The Government on Thursday sent to Parliament four tax reform bills which envisage cutting income tax from 24 to 20% and from 36 to 30% as well as profit tax from 12 to 10% for enterprises which make up to HRK 7.5 million a year.

Zagreb - Croatian opposition parties used the Prime Minister's annual report to Parliament as an opportunity to draw attention to weaknesses in the Government's work, primarily those concerning public healthcare, clientelism, and corruption.

Zagreb - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in Parliament while presenting an annual report on the work of his Government, that this year was extraordinary in many regards, with many unprecedented challenges.

Zagreb - The Croatian Sabor started its new, 4th session on Tuesday adhering to special epidemiological measures. At the beginning of Question Time, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković asked lawmakers to be responsible and show solidarity to each other so that they can do their job properly.

Zagreb - The Fiscal Policy Commission has supported the Government's efforts to consolidate public finance as soon as possible, but it noted that due to high public debt and a low rate of potential growth fiscal policy measures must have specific targets and be temporary and efficient.

Zagreb - The Government has sent the final bill amending the Identity Card Act to the parliament, and a novelty is that biometric identifiers in the form of a facial image and two fingerprints will be stored in the storage medium of the new ID cards.

Zagreb - Croatia's Parliament will convene for a new session in November and the new meeting will begin on 3 November with Question Time and Prime Minister Andrej Plenović's report on European Council sessions.

Zagreb - The Croatian healthcare system needs serious restructuring, but should continue to operate on a basis of solidarity and provide care for all, the chair of the parliamentary Healthcare Committee, Renata Sabljar-Dračevac (SDP), told on Monday after a discussion on the debt in the health sector.

Zagreb - The Constitutional Court on Wednesday abolished the "epidemiological" amendments to parliament's rules of procedure, concluding that there were technical solutions to protect health while at the same time not restricting the rights and obligations of lawmakers to participate in debates.

Zagreb - Parliament on Friday unanimously elected Social Democratic Party (SDP) MP Sabina Glasovac as a Deputy Parliament Speaker.

Zagreb - The Croatian Sabor has sat for 21 days this autumn in conditions of the coronavirus pandemic and that is a lot more than the parliaments of Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia. The only parliament that is sitting longer this autumn than Croatia's is Hungary's National Assembly.

Zagreb - Parliament, which is expected to complete its first session on Friday, will discuss a report by Children's Ombudsman Helenca Pirnat Dragičević for 2019 on Thursday.

Zagreb - Deputy Speaker Ante Sanader said on Thursday that when the Croatian Parliament had decided 29 years ago to sever all state and legal ties with the then Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), it had again proven that it was the true guardian of the Croatian people's sovereignity and legal order.

Zagreb - A part of the parliamentary Opposition said on Wednesday that the government-sponsored bill on the rehabilitation of credit institutions and investment companies made life easier for Croatian citizens and should therefore be supported.

Zagreb - The parliamentary media committee on Thursday supported, with 12 votes in favour and one abstention, by Homeland Movement MP Karolina Vidović Krišto, changes to Hina's statute that will enable the national news agency to use drones.

Zagreb - On the occasion of  National Day of combating violence against women, the parliamentary Gender Equality Committee chair, Marija Selak Raspudic of the Bridge party, underscored on Tuesday that domestic violence was one of the worst forms of violence against women.

Zagreb - Several bills were sent on Friday to the Croatian Parliament for a second reading, including the bill on foreign nationals, under which there will no longer be an annual quota for the employment of foreigners.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament on Friday adopted the act on post-earthquake reconstruction of Zagreb and of Krapina-Zagorje and Zagreb Counties, with 124 parliamentary deputies supporting the legislation.

Zagreb - Lawmakers on Wednesday debated a bill on workers posted to Croatia as well as the implementation of a cross-border agreement on money fines in an attempt to protect their rights, and the Opposition also warned about the status of Croatian workers and that Croatia does not have a sensible industrial policy.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament resumed its extraordinary session on Wednesday  with a discussion on amendments to the Protection Against Noise Act proposing measures to prevent excessive noise emissions, reduce the existing noise levels to the permissible levels, and align with EU law.

Zagreb - The Chair of the Health and Social Policy Committee Renata Sabljar-Dračevac participated in the Conference of Chairpersons of committees on health of the EU Member States. The Conference, entitled "Europe in the pandemic: research and innovation for a more resilient health system", organized by the Bundestag as part of the parliamentary dimension of the German Presidency of the European Union, was held via videoconference.

Zagreb - The first Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Žarko Domljan, died on Saturday aged 86. In Croatia's first democratic election in 1990, he was elected to Parliament on the slate of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). As an HDZ member, Domljan was the Speaker of the first Parliament from 1990 to 1992. In the second Parliament, from 1992 to 1996, he was the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. During his parliamentary term, the Christmas Constitution was passed on 22 December 1990.

Zagreb - Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Head of the Croatian Parliament Delegation, Gari Cappelli together with the Chair of the Defence Committee, Franko Vidović participated in the 17th Inter-Parliamentary Conference for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defence Policy (IPC CFSP/CSDP) of the European Union, within the parliamentary dimension of the German Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Zagreb - Parliamentary opposition parties on Wednesday strongly criticised the bill on the reconstruction of buildings in Zagreb and its environs damaged by a March 22 earthquake. "The Government will be open to as many suggestions as possible from MPs and parliamentary groups during a debate on the bill on the reconstruction of earthquake-damaged buildings in the City of Zagreb, Zagreb County and Krapina-Zagorje County", Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said.

Zagreb - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković presented the final text of the bill on the post-earthquake reconstruction of Zagreb and its environs to Parliament on Wednesday, saying that people who were left homeless should be ensured a roof over their heads and that Zagreb should again be a pleasant place to live and work.

Zagreb - Wearing face masks in the Parliament chamber will be mandatory as of Wednesday, and not more than 41 MPs will be allowed to attend per session, Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Tuesday after a meeting of the Parliament Presidency.

Zagreb - The Government asked that Parliament be convened for the extraordinary sitting in order to debate the final bill on the reconstruction of Zagreb and two neighbouring counties affected by the March 22 earthquake.

Zagreb - The Government on Thursday sent to the Parliament a bill on the execution of prison sentence, which should speed up the process of sending convicts to serve their prison term and create conditions for parole under electronic surveillance.

Zagreb - The Government on Thursday sent the bill on the post-quake reconstruction of Zagreb and its environs to Parliament for second reading, and the document has incorporated social criteria for co-financing the reconstruction of buildings damaged in the March 22 earthquake.

Zagreb - The Government on Thursday sent to the Parliament a bill of amendments to the Law on Identification Cards and the Law on Foreigners which should also regulate the temporary residence of digital nomads.

Barban - 34-year-old Antonio Osip from Draguzeti has won the 45th Prstenac Race tournament, held in the Istrian town of Barban on Sunday.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of Operation Storm in Knin on Wednesday that the Croatian people are celebrating with respect and pride, and called for building a Croatia based on social justice, solidarity and inclusion.

Zagreb - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Wednesday reported to the Croatian Parliament on the recent EU summit at which Croatia was granted access to €22 billion over the next seven years, which he said was a strong lever for economic recovery.