Croatia adopts new laws amid ugly scenes in Parliament

Croatian parliament has adopted the new Budget Act, which includes penalties ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 kuna (€1,333 to €6,666) for local government officials failing to present their budget spending transparently.

The law aims to improve budget spending and report it at the state, county, and local government levels.

The new Conflict of Interest Prevention Act, which significantly expands the number of persons to whom it applies, requires the submission of declarations of assets once a year, and increases proceedings before the Conflict of Interest Commission, was also adopted.

The Contagious Diseases Act was also amended while the members of the Bridge party (radical right) walked out of the parliamentary chamber in protest. The amended law provides fines of up to 50,000 kuna (€6,666) for people not complying with the COVID-19 certificate mandate in public institutions.

The run-up to the vote was marked by incidents between members of the Bridge party and other opposition MPs.

The row came to a head when Social Democrat (SDP) leader Peđa Grbin accused the right-wing party’s lawmakers of ‘acting like parasites’.

Grbin urged the Bridge MPs to call on people to get vaccinated against coronavirus, after which the SDP would, in return, support Bridge’s referendum initiative against COVID certificates.

Bridge MPs Nino Raspudić, Miro Bulj and Marin Miletić approached Grbin and circled him, accusing Grbin of cowardice.

(Željko Trkanjec | EURACTIV.hr)