Latest News from Croatia

Expert Doubts Croatia Can Restore Conscript Army

Current discussion in Croatia on re-introducing military conscription is "not serious" and shows a lack of proper analysis and preparation, a military analyst, Igor Tabak, told BIRN.

"The military doesn't serve itself and is financed from the state budget by the citizens - so starting such a debate without taking into account the basis for such a decision is frivolous," he said.

Vienna meeting concludes with agreement for ‘close alliance’ to reduce refugee flows

The foreign and interior ministers of the nine countries along Western Balkan Route, excluding Greece, that participated in Vienna meeting on refugee issue called by Austria agreed to forge a “close alliance” so as to drastically reduce refugee flows,

Balkan States Unite to Curb Rate of Migration

Foreign and Interior Ministers of Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia met in Vienna on Wednesday to coordinate moves on reducing the flow of the migrants along the so-called Balkan route.

Croatian Minister’s ‘Pro-Nazi’ Video Sparks Anger

A rediscovered video of culture minister Zlatko Hasanbegovic expressing sympathy for Croatia’s WWII Nazi puppet state is yet another embarrassment for the government, critics said.

"Serbs and Roma still discriminated in Croatia," says AI

Discrimination against Serbs and Roma continues in Croatia, according to the annual report of the Amnesty International NGO.

According to the report, Croatia last year dealt with the problem of a large number of refugees and migrants, while authorities are criticized for not paying enough attention to vulnerable persons.

Bosnia Readies for Potential Refugee Influx

Bosnia's Defence Ministry is ready to make available five military facilities to accommodate refugees from the Middle East if their nomal route through the region changes to include Bosnia, the ministry told BIRN on Tuesday.

Croatia Fined for Violating Same-Sex Rights

The European Court of Human Rights, ECHR, on Tuesday fined Croatia for discriminating against same-sex couples by not granting residence permits to couples in which one partner comes from abroad.

There is a risk of humanitarian crisis in Greece, EU says

The European Commission spokesperson Natasha Bertaud stated that EU was informed about the meeting to take place in Vienna among the countries of the Western Balkans route, but it was not invited.

Slovenia Authorises the Army to Tackle Border Refugee Flow

The Slovenian parliament issued a new bill on Monday that authorises the army to deploy military personnel on the border to help the police manage the flow of migrants crossing the country's checkpoints, DW News announced on Tuesday.

Balkan Leaders Discuss Energy, Transport at Summit

The Western Balkans Investment Summit in London on Monday brought together the prime ministers of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia with investors to discuss the development of transport links, energy projects and privatisation.

Macedonia's Tighter Border Traps Refugees in Greece

Macedonia arrested two Afghans who tried to jump the fence on the border with Greece as authorities stuck firm behind their recent decision to bar entry to Afghans and other migrants apart from Syrians and Iraqis.

The Macedonian decision has created a refugee "bottleneck' in northern Greece, where thousands of migrants have gathered hoping to pass through to the European Union.

Adriatic Sea Oil Pollution Worries Croatian Experts

The traces of oil on the surface of the central and southern parts of the Adriatic Sea near the Croatian island of Kornati should raise concerns regarding the pollution of the sea along the country's coast, said Vjeran Pirsic, an environmental activist from the NGO Eko Kvarner.