Croatia News - CroatiaPress.com

Zagreb, March 13 (CP) – Croatian PM Ivo Sanader speaking in Brussels said that by their conduct in parliament during the vote on ZERP, opposition parties had attempted to destabilize the government.

Sanader said that the opposition had voted against the postponement of the Protected Ecology and Fisheries Belt (ZERP) implementation for internal reasons, as its members realized that since one coalition party was against the proposal, they might have a chance to bring down the government if they vote against.

Sanader explained, this ‘the plan’ did not work, as enough votes were captured.

Zagreb, March 13 (CP) — Speaking in Brussels on Thursday, the European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso announced following a meeting with Croatian PM Ivo Sanader that the European Commission would state the goal date for completion of Croatia’s negotiations with the EU in Autumn 2009.

Barosso did say, however, that this would happen if Croatia were to meet the necessary conditions.

PM Sanader said he was convinced Croatia would meet the criteria.

This is the first time that EC had mentioned the setting of a goal date for Croatia’s entry talks to be completed.

Zagreb, March 13 (CP) – Zagreb is among the most boring cities in Europe, claims a British survey published on Wednesday.

In a Trip Advisor poll surveying more than 1,100 travellers Zagreb has come up only in the most boring European destinations category.

Brussels has been picked as the most boring city in Europe, but right behind Brussels Zurich, Oslo, Warsaw and Zagreb are tied.

But judging by the cities leading in some categories, boring is not the worst that can be said for a city, as apart from being the most fun for partying London has also come up as the dirtiest, so the title of one of the most boring cities in Europe for Zagreb might not be the worst that can happen.

The survey results have not disclosed what age bracket those surveyed belonged to, but it is certain that provided it gets hold of this survey result, the Zagreb tourist office should rethink it policy or start marketing Zagreb as a destination for a boring holiday, a niche not many wish to fill.

Zagreb was visited by a total of 606,000 travellers in 2007, resulting in 1.1 overnight stays. 

Zagreb, March 13 (CP) – It has finally been established that insulation mass is to blame for residents of Zagreb’s Vrbani III residential area not being able to drink their water due to high level of pollutants discovered in it.

The search for the culprit has been going on for more than a year after it was found that drinking water in the newly built block of flats at Zagreb’s Vrbani III residential area was a health hazard as it was abundant in mineral oils and other substances dangerous to human health.

The discovery came randomly, during building works in the bathroom in one of the flats. As the workers broke the flooring and opened up the segment housing the insulation a foul smell coming from the insulation mass that was a gooey mass rather than solid as it should have been prompted the residents to call the police.

The reason for the insulation mass not becoming solid is believed to be the construction workers building the block of flats not waiting for the insulation mass to solidify, but rather pressing on with flooring the building before time.

The wrangling over the problem of the residents not being able to drink the water coming from their taps had been going on for more than a year with blame falling on everything from the city waterworks to developers.

Zagreb, March 12 (CP) – Sources close to the government have announced that Croatia will be recognizing Kosovo by the end of next week.

Although there is no official confirmation of the recognition coming about, the source has told a Croatian daily that the recognition would be announced at the regular government session on March 20.

So far some 27 world countries have officially recognized Croatia, 16 of those being EU countries.

Zagreb, March 12 (CP) – Following a 7-month operation  a special Interior Ministry press conference was held in Rijeka, reporting on the results efforts aimed at busting a heroin-dealing ring in the Rijeka area.

The Briskula operation was coordinated with the State Attorney’s Office.

Some 25 people including three gang leaders were arrested and more than two kilos of heroin meant for the Rijeka area confiscated.

Zagreb, March 12 (CP) — The first half 2007report of the central bank (HNB) was criticised by HDZ during the report being presented in parliament on Wednesday.

The HNB and the government have been squabbling and accusing each other over the increase in prices, the measures of monetary and fiscal policies for curbing inflation.

The HDZ parliamentary club said it would only take note of the report which does not represent approval.

It has been said that the local currency kuna exchange rate was good for the import lobby and was making the foreign debt of the county even higher.

HNB officials have stated in their report that if there are no serious increases in the price of food and energy, the inflation rate could drop in the second half to below five percent.

Zagreb, March 12 (CP) — Croatian Parliament is set to discuss the Government Report on activities regarding negotiations with the European Union and the implementation of Croatia’s Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone on EU member states.

The ruling coalition is expected to propose another postpopnement of the zone’s implementation on EU members, until an agreement regarding it has been achieved in.

Following yesterday’s meeting with parliamentary parties Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said that the government coalition and a large majority of parliamentary parties support the proposal.
Noting that it was in Croatia’s national interest to choose the completion of accession negotiations with the European Union over the implementation of the Zone.

One coalition partner, the Croatian Peasant Party, is against a postponement of the zone implementation. Party President, Josip Friščić, said however, that he was aware an agreement in accordance with EU regulations had to be achieved regarding the issue.

Zagreb, March 12 (CP) – A woman, 58,who attempted suicide on Tuesday evening by jumping into the cold Sava River in Zagreb was saved by a coordinated action by brave passers-by.

After the woman jumped, a man jumped after her preventing her to drown, while the other helped get them both out of the river pulling them out from the bank.

Once emergency services arrived on the scene the rescue had already been completed.

The woman was taken to a local hospital.

Zagreb, March 11 (CP) — The president of the commission in charge of monitoring the implementation of the Protected Ecology and Fisheries Zone (ZERP) Tonci Tadic has described the conduct of the Croatian government and the ruling majority regarding the ZERP issue as scandalous and shameful.

Tadic claims that ZERP is not part of the negotiations with the EU, so it can be declared and activated unilaterally, as was earlier done by Italy and Slovenia.

By backing down from ZERP implementation, Croatia is showing that it does not wish to protect the fish stocks in the Adriatic and will gladly let the Italian fishing boats devastate the Adriatic for the sake of joining the EU, claims Tadic.