“We must monetise motorway operators’ debt one way or another”

Zagreb, 18.7.2013.- Dvjestotinjak zaposlenika Hrvatskih autocesta, èlanova Nezavisnog cestarskog sindikata, krenuli su nešto prije 10 sati s Trga bana Jelaèiæa prema Banskim dvorima, prosvjedujuæi protiv monetizacije autocesta. Na slici prosvjednici na Trgu bana Jelaèiæa. foto FaH/ Dario GRZELJ/ ua

Transport Minister Sinisa Hajdas Doncic on Thursday reiterated that the government would not abandon plans to monetise the debt of state motorway operators — the Croatian Motorways (HAC) and the Rijeka-Zagreb (ARZ) –, but the cabinet would only change a model how to do it. The minister said that the government had given up the…

European commission ignores ECIs goal

epa03679776 A general view of the runners during the 36th Madrid's Marathon in Madrid, central Spain, 28 April 2013. Some 26,000 people took part in the event. EPA/Emilio Naranjo

The European Commission today released its review to Council and Parliament of the application of the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), as legally mandated in Regulation 211/2011. As expected, this report takes a primarily formalistic, legalistic and technical approach to examining the first three years of the ECI. It does not explore if the ECI’s current design makes…

Participatory budgeting and good economy – the ways to a “new” democracy

Participatory budgeting is and aid to good economy and can restore the trust of citizens in politics. However, although a powerful tool, it is not a magic wand and also hinges on political will. The key prerequisite is for citizens to realize that they can and should take part in political decision making, with the…

Antifascist League established in Zagreb

The Antifascist League held its founding meeting in Zagreb on Saturday, saying that it would act as an association of independent organisations of civil society in order to define the position of antifascism in present-day Croatia. The systematic denial and demonisation of antifascism and its values in Croatia have compelled us to renew our efforts…

“We would not back out of our demand for a referendum”

The leader of a civil society group heading a campaign against the government’s plan to lease motorways, unionist Mijat Stanic, on Friday welcomed the government’s decision to back down from this idea, adding that the group would not back out of their demand for a referendum as they wanted to ban leasing motorways by law.…

Europe 2020 falling by the wayside of the Juncker recovery plan?

The Juncker plan for the recovery of the European economy and the future of the Europe 2020 Strategy, currently facing revision, were the issues covered at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) plenary session, held in Brussels on February 18 and 19. The open question remains how much the European Commission is committed to…