The Croatian Journalists Association (HND) requested that the Justice Ministry and the government strike defamation from a bill of amendments to the Penal Code. Justice Minister Orsat Miljenic said that amendments to the Penal Code regarding defamation were aimed at preventing the abuse of imprecise legal provisions to restrict freedom of opinion and speech. The…
Education is worth any cost!
“Education spending is an investment in our future and should not be part of the government’s fiscal balance”, said the Nobel Laureate Economist Christopher Pissarides, Regius Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics. Primary role of education is its contribution to longer-run economic growth. It has a big role to play in the…
Juncker elected European Commission president
Former Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker was elected president of the European Commission by a majority vote in the European Parliament on Tuesday. Juncker received the votes of 422 MEPs, while 250 voted against. Upon forming his European Commission, he will have to receive the support of the European Parliament for it, with voting due…
European parliament constituted, Schulz re-elected president
The new, eighth European Parliament was constituted on Tuesday and its first decision was to choose Martin Schulz as its president for another two and half years, backing a combative social democrat who has fought for more power for the EU legislature. German center-left politician Schulz has been elected president after centre-left group S&D made…
The European Union and the Open Government Partnership
We recommend that the new EU leadership commits the EU institutions to close engagement with and eventual membership of the Open Government Partnership (OGP). OGP participation will encourage the EU institutions to uphold the same inclusion, transparency and accountability standards that they ask of others both inside and outside the EU. It will help bridge…
What has marked Croatia’s first year in EU?
The first anniversary of Croatia’s European Union membership will be marked in two days, and contrary to many expectations, membership has not brought about progress in Croatia’s economic recovery. Croatia joined the EU on 1 July 2013. Over the past year, Croatia’s representatives have adjusted well to the work of European institutions, but the first…