News

Zagreb - Vesna Pusić of the Croatian People's Party (HNS) and Milanka Opačić of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) are the new deputy speakers of the Croatian parliament, elected from the ranks of the opposition, deputies decided on Wednesday with a majority vote and without a debate.

Zagreb - Croatia and Germany wish to strengthen their economic relations and an initiative has been launched for cooperation between the German, Austrian and Swiss chambers of commerce with the Croatian Employers' Association, Croatian Parliament Speaker Željko Reiner and German Ambassador to Croatia Erberhard Schultze said on Monday.

Zagreb - Israel's Ambassador to Croatia Zida Kalay Kleitman on Wednesday, on the occasion of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, presented four Croatians with Righteous Among the Nations medals on behalf of the Yad Vashem memorial centre in Jerusalem.

Zagreb - Croatia celebrates the 24th anniversary of international recognition on Friday, remembering January 15, 1992 when the countries of the then European Community (EC) jointly recognised it as an independent state and Germany, which played a key role in that process together with the Holy See, established diplomatic relations with Croatia.

Zagreb - The eighth, 151-member Croatian Parliament was inaugurated on Monday following the November 8 election, and Željko Reiner of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) was appointed Speaker of Parliament.

Zagreb - The Croatian Helsinki Committee on Human Rights (HHO) presented awards for the promotion of human rights and freedoms at a ceremony in Zagreb on Tuesday. The Miko Tripalo Award, which is given to office holders and politicians for their outstanding contribution to the protection and promotion of human rights, was presented to the incumbent Speaker of Parliament, Josip Leko.

Zagreb - Only one candidate for the position of Parliament Speaker was proposed at the parliament's inaugural session on Thursday - 55 deputies of the Social Democratic Party-led Croatia Is Growing coalition proposed that Robert Podolnjak, a deputy of the Bridge reformist party, be appointed to that position - but the Croatian Democratic Union voted against and Podolnjak turned down the nomination.

Beijing - Croatian Parliament Speaker Josip Leko met in Beijing on Friday with his Chinese counterpart, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Zhang Dejiang, who told him that China would encourage Chinese companies to invest in Croatia.

Zagreb - President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović called the inaugural session of the eighth parliament for December 3 and a second round of consultations for appointing a prime minister-designate for December 7.

Zagreb - Some 3.8 million Croatian voters in the country and abroad will go to the polls on Sunday to elect a new, 8th legislature consisting of 151 deputies. Of them, 140 are elected in ten constituencies in Croatia itself, three are elected as deputies of ethnic Croats abroad and expatriates, and eight deputies representing ethnic minorities.

Dubrovnik - The "Comprehensive regionaln defence ministerial – CRM" is hosted in 2015 by the Republic of Croatia and it take place in Dubrovnik on 21-22 October.

Zagreb - A two-day inter-parliamentary conference called "Public Service Media and the Parliaments in the Enlargement Countries" ended in the Croatian parliament on Friday with the adoption of recommendations for the work of parliaments.

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament on Friday unanimously adopted amendments to the Consumer Credit Act and the Credit Institutions Act based on which loans denominated in Swiss francs would be converted into euros.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Josip Leko on Monday congratulated the Jewish community in Croatia on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot. "May the holidays be filled with peace and may they bring you and your dearest ones an abundance of God's mercy and success, happiness and health in the year 5776," Leko said.

New York - Croatia's Parliament Speaker Josip Leko met with his counterparts from Indonesia, Iran and Albania for talks on bilateral cooperation, on the fringes of the 4th world conference of presidents of parliaments in New York.

Zagreb - At the government's request, Parliament Speaker Josip Leko on Tuesday called an extraordinary parliamentary session for September 8-11. Parliament will discuss several important bills - bills of amendments to laws on welfare, excises, and the financing of local government, a consumer bankruptcy bill, and a bill on renewables and highly efficient co-generation.

New York - Croatia's Parliament Speaker Josip Leko on Sunday met with representatives of the Croatian community in New Jersey before the start of the fourth world conference of parliament speakers in New York on Monday. Croatian expats showed great interest in Croatia's state of affairs, notably in the country's economic situation.

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament on Wednesday unanimously obliged the Government to institute a procedure to exit the Arbitration Agreement on a border solution with Slovenia.

Zagreb - After concluding its current session the Croatian parliament has released a comprehensive report on its work since being constituted in December 2011 to date which presents figures describing parliament's activities, working bodies and of Speaker Josip Leko.

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament on Wednesday amended the Sports Act at the proposal of the Social Democratic Party and the Croatian People's Party, under which persons sentenced for rioting at sporting events would no longer be able to sit on the management boards of sport clubs or associations.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Josip Leko said on Wednesday, at the end of the parliament's spring-summer sitting, that the parliament had fulfilled its constitutional duties.

Zagreb - Croatia hopes to open an embassy and tourism board in South Korea this year as well as sign an agreement on air traffic with that country, Parliament Speaker Josip Leko announced on Monday after talks with his South Korean counterpart Chung Ui-Hwa.

Zagreb - Croatia supports all Southeast European countries in their efforts to join NATO, Parliament Speaker Josip Leko said at a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Zagreb on Thursday.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament's Committee on the Constitution on Monday endorsed draft amendments to two laws which make it possible to dissolve town councils which refuse to adjust their statutes to legally guaranteed rights of ethnic minorities, however, committee members proposed that the amendments not be adopted under fast-track procedure but be discussed in two readings.

Zagreb - Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Parliament Speaker Josip Leko and Prime Minister Zoran Milanović laid wreaths and lit candles at Zagreb's central Mirogoj Cemetery on Thursday, on the occasion of Statehood Day.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Josip Leko on Tuesday forwarded a message with best wishes on the occasion of Croatia's Statehood Day, observed on 25 June in memory of 25 June 1991 when Croatia's lawmakers adopted the declaration on the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Croatia.

Brezovica - Addressing the commemoration, on the occasion of the Anti-Fascist Struggle Day in the Brezovica forest outside Sisak on Monday, Deputy Parliament Speaker Dragica Zgrebec said that hate speech and neo-fascist incidents in Croatia should be replaced by a language of reason.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Josip Leko on Friday issued a message on the occasion of the Day of the Anti-Fascist Struggle, June 22, saying that marking that day contributed to building a society of peace, tolerance and democracy.

Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Josip Leko on Tuesday received Romania's President Klaus Werner Iohannis who is on a two-day official visit to Croatia and during the talks they underscored the excellent relations between the two parliaments which are soon to be formalised.

Zagreb - Accessibility, employment and quality education were just some of the problems highlighted in the annual report presented to parliament on Friday by the ombudswoman for the disabled Anka Slonjšak, which was upheld unanimously by law-makers.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament on Friday adopted a new Bankruptcy Act which will allow the launching of bankruptcy proceedings by default in companies whose bank accounts have been blocked for more than 120 days.

Zagreb - The parliamentary Committee on agriculture on Friday unanimously upheld the government's opinion that Croatia should remain GMO free. Committee members, however, expressed reservations due to possible complaints that could occur subsequent to certain international agreements like the Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership (TTIP).

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament on Friday adopted the Public Administration Development Strategy 2015-2020, defining long-term goals and guidelines for the modernisation of public administration in Croatia.

Podgorica - Parliament Speakers Josip Leko of Croatia and Ranko Krivokapic of Montenegro said in Podgorica on Thursday that the relations between the two countries were excellent and that parliamentary cooperation was an essential part of them.

Zagreb - Croatian-German relations are traditionally very good, both on the federal and state levels, and North Rhine-Westphalia is a particularly significant economic partner to Croatia, Croatian Parliament Speaker Josip Leko said on Tuesday after meeting with his counterpart from that German state, Carina Goedecke.

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament passed two agriculture-related laws on Friday - the Farmland Consolidation Act and the Croatian Chamber of Agriculture Act. The Farmland Consolidation Act will enable expansion of farms and plots of farmland, putting road and canal networks in order, irrigation and the regulation of ownership relations.

Tirana - Closer regional cooperation and contacts between the countries of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) are of great importance in dealing with current security challenges, terrorism and organised crime, as well as in implementing joint economic projects and stepping up integration with the EU, it was said at the 2nd session of the SEECP Parliamentary Assembly in Tirana on Saturday.

Zagreb - Democracy is our world, our decision and future, Croatian Parliament Speaker Josip Leko said on Wednesday to law students participating in a parliament simulation project organised by the Croatian branch of the European Law Students' Association. Croatian democracy "envisages the responsibility of everyone in society," Leko said, reminding the students that under the Constitution and the principles of democracy, government came from and belonged to the people and that in Croatia it was divided into the legislative, executive and judicial authorities.

Zagreb - The Croatian Parliament on Wednesday resumed its session with a debate on a bill on the rights of victims of sexual violence in the Homeland War, with Veterans' Minister Predrag Matić underscoring that the law is a clear condemnation of the culture of non-punishment of sexual crimes committed during the war and that victims would receive recognition and compensation as a response to omissions the state had committed over the past 20 years.

Jasenovac - Surviving former inmates, top Croatian officials, foreign ambassadors in Croatia, and many other delegations on Sunday attended a ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of the break-out of inmates from the Ustasha-run Jasenovac camp on 22 April 1945, paying tribute to 83,000 victims of this WW2 camp.

Rome - The Croatian Parliament positively assesses the European Commission's policy on strengthening dialogue with national parliaments, however, it believes that that dialogue should not be reduced to mere reporting but should serve as a platform for consultations on the making of European policies, Parliament Speaker Josip Leko said at an annual conference of speakers of EU parliaments in Rome on Tuesday.

Zagreb - Strengthening the trust of citizens in state institutions, fighting lethargy and attracting investments are just some of the benefits of involving citizens when preparing the budget, heard a round table discussion organised on Tuesday in parliament by the parliamentary finance and local government committee and the GONG civil society organisation.

Zagreb - Speaking on the occasion of International Roma Day, April 8, the Roma minority member of the Croatian Parliament, Veljko Kajtazi, said that the status of Roma in Croatia was satisfactory but not excellent and called on the majority population not to regard Roma as second-class citizens.

Sofia - Croatian Parliament Speaker Josip Leko on Wednesday wrapped up his trip to Bulgaria by visiting the "St. Kliment Ohridski" University of Sofia, meeting with the prorector and Croatian language students, with both sides expressing a wish to strengthen cultural and academic ties.

Zagreb - Common values that NATO member countries share like peace and security, respect of human rights and democracy must not be taken for granted, President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic agreed in their addresses to the parliament on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of Croatia's accession to NATO.

Sofia - Croatia and Bulgaria have several common interests over which they are in complete agreement - energy, the entry of both countries into the Schengen passport-free zone and the support of Croatia and Bulgaria for the accession of Southeast European countries to the European Union (EU) as the only guarantee of lasting peace in Europe, Croatian Parliament Speaker Josip Leko said after meeting with Bulgaria's senior officials in Sofia on Monday.

Mostar - Croatian Parliament Speaker Josip Leko on Thursday visited the Franciscan Monastery in Mostar, southern Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he met with the guardian, Fra Iko Skoko, and visited the building site of a future student dormitory and a soup kitchen, whose construction is co-financed by the Croatian government.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Josip Leko on Wednesday extended condolences to his counterparts in Germany, Spain and Turkey on the death of 150 passengers and crew members of a plane operated by Lufthansa's Germanwings that crashed in France on Tuesday.

Zagreb - Croatian Parliament Speaker Josip Leko on Wednesday received Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić and they welcomed the intensifying of the bilateral relations that were characterised by mutual visits by senior officials.