Croatia News - CroatiaPress.com

Zagreb, April 8 (CP) — Following seven months of wrangling over setting up the Osijek authorities the town is to have its city council formed today, based on a coalition agreement reached last week.

In line with the agreement Party of Rights member Gordan Matkovic is to become the Osijek mayor, while Anto Djapic, Party of Rights leader will become the city council president.

SDP’s Biljana Borzan is to become deputy mayor as well as HNS’ Ivan Vrdoljak.

Zagreb, April 7 (CP) – The Slovene PM Janez Jansa has said that Slovenia may hold a referendum on Croatia’s EU accession, especially if by that time the unresolved border issues between the two countries remain open.
Jansa said this speaking to RTV Slovenija adding that Croatia’s EU entry was in Slovenia’s interest, as many of the unresolved issues between the two countries would be easier to resolve if Croatia were to become a member.
Jansa also said there was a possibility for Slovenia to veto Croatia’s accession agreement if border issues are not resolved or at least close to being resolved and added that a referendum on Croatia’s accession was also a possibility.

Zagreb, April 7 (CP) – Prior to marking the International Roma Day on April 8, a government representative stated that Croatia had increased the finances meant for Roma between 2005 and 2008 by 630 percent.

It was stated that the number of Roma children attending pre-school has doubled during the past three years, while at the same time number of Roma children attending primary school had tripled.

As for employment, some 8,000 Roma had been engaged in information programs and some 50 in self-employment projects.

The government has also donated certain land plots across the eastern and central parts of the country for Roma settlements to be built with money for the PHARE 2005 program being used to finance the efforts.

A representative of the Croatian Roma, Kasum Cana has said that over the past years the position of the Roma in Croatia had improved saying that about 30,000 were living in Croatia.

The Roma MP in Croatian parliament Nazif Memedi said he was pleased with progress made in education, housing and partly in the employment of Roma.

 Zagreb, April 7 (CP) –The trial of Croatian generals Ante Gotovina, Ivan Cermak and Mladen Markac resumed this morning at the International War Crimes Tribunal at the Hague with a closed session to protect the identity of a prosecution witness.

Defence teams for the generals objected to holding a closed session.

The trial of general Gotovin, Cermak and Markac had started on March 11th with opening statements by the prosecution and General Gotovina’s defence.

Defence teams for generals Cermak and Markac will present their opening statements later.

Zagreb, April 7 (CP) – The Tourism Minister Bozidar Kalmeta has ordered that commercial ships in Croatia can be no older than 20 years, while passenger ones should be no older than 25.

Also, ships making it into the fishing vessels register for the first time cannot be older than 15 years.

The measures introduced are part of the action plan for improving the status of the Croatian fleets and creating conditions for EU accession.

Zagreb, April 6 (CP) – Radimir Cacic has been elected to the post of Croatian People’s Party (HNS) president for the second time, the two other hopefuls Antun Kapraljevic and Josip Posavec capturing only a fraction of the vote taken by 1,378 delegates.

Cacic had been at the helm of the party between 1994 and 2000.

Cacic reiterated his well-know views about the party needing to work towards leading the country to become an European, educated and democratic country, which HNS is able to do supported by its 37, 000 members.

Zagreb, April 6 (CP) – The Croatian People’s Party (HNS) is to elect a new leader to replace 8-year leader Vesna Pusic in Zagreb on Sunday.

The electoral convention of the Party is attended by 1,500 delegates who are to choose the new leader from three candidates.

Radimir Cacic the HNS central body president and Varazdin prefect has been named as the HNS leadership favourite.

Antun Kapraljevic, former MP and Josip Posavec Medjimurje prefect have both gathered 200 signatures making them valid presidential candidates.

It yet has to be seen later on Sunday, but Cacic seems the man tipped to become the Party’s leader despite being accused of being brass and in conflict of interest during his mandates as minister and mayor, but supporters put these accusations down to him being a skilled businessman not liked by the less able.

Zagreb, April 5 (CP) – The 10th Croatia Boat Show opened in Split on Saturday morning and is to remain open for the next week. Some 50 vessels from 20 countries are being shown.
 
A Sunseeker yacht measuring some 37 meters which costs some €15 million seems to be the start of this year’s show. The Show is to be accompanied by the Croatia Property Show, which may prove interesting to all visitors.

Zagreb, April 5 (CP) – US President G.W. Bush and his entourage departed Croatia in the afternoon hours of Saturday, ending his 23-hour stay in the Croatian capital Zagreb.

During his stay, Bush met with president Stjepan Mesic and PM Ivo Sanader, had dinner organised in his honour by president Mesic with some 60 important Croats attending from politicians, opera singers to athletes attending.

Bush addressed the Croatian people on Saturday morning in Mark’s Square with several thousand people attending, most of them from the ruling party HDZ’s branches from across the country.

The blue and white Airforce One plane departed around 13:30, local time heading for Russia and the last meeting of the two presidents who are both ending their mandates soon.

Zagreb, April 6 (CP) – During talks with PM Ivo Sanader on Saturday morning in Zagreb, US president G.W. Bush announced that the US coulw continue cooperating with Croatia on relaxing the visa regime for Croats wishing to visit their relatives in the US.

Bush said that he was not making big promises, but said that things were developing towards the visa regime being relaxed.