Zoran Milanović

The governing centre-left SDP has decided to focus on what it says are the progressive reforms it has made since it came to power as the centrepiece of its campaign for the forthcoming parliamentary elections, Croatian media reported on Monday.

Croatia's rightist President has demanded the resignation of the leftist Prime Minister, Zoran Milanovic, as political feuding between the two leaders hit a new low point.

Milanovic already had dire relations with President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic, having pointedly failed to congratulate her on her narrow electoral victory over her leftist predecessor, Ivo Josipovic.

Grabar Kitarovic urged Croatians to unite to solve the country's problems as she was inaugurated on Sunday at a ceremony on St Mark's Square in Zagreb's old town.

"There is nothing we cannot achieve when we are united. I believe in you, my country Croatia," she said in her speech at the inauguration.

ZAGREB - Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic has wrapped up his visit to the Croatian capital Zagreb, where he came to attend the inauguration of the country's new president, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, by meeting with representatives of the Croatian Serbs.

Rejected genocide claims provide chance for Croatia, Serbia to boost relations

60,000 low-income Croatians living on $233 per onth received debt forgiveness. “People should pay their bills, but if they find themselves in deep trouble this measure can help,” said Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic.

Croatia has stepped in to help borrowers with increasingly expensive loans in Swiss francs by freezing the exchange rate for a year.

Since last Thursday, the exchange rate of the franc to Croatian kuna has risen by about 20 per cent.

Croatia's cenre-left Prime Minister, Zoran Milanovic, belatedly congratulated the newly elected Croatian President, Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic - after a fashion - on Thursday.

"We want to once more express our gratitude to the former President, Ivo Josipovic, who in our opinion served with honour and as a role model as Croatian President," he said.

BELGRADE - The president of the Coalition of Refugee Associations in Serbia, Miodrag Linta, on Monday urged new Croatian President Kolinda Grabar Kitarevic to demand that Zoran Milanovic's government honour the rights of ethnic Serbs that are guaranteed by the constitution, the law and international agreements signed by Croatia.

BELGRADE - President of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) Sanda Raskovic Ivic said on Monday that in it scontacts with Croatia's new president, Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic, Serbia should insist on protecting the rights of the Croatian Serbs and solutions to the the problem of Serb refugees and missing persons from the 1991-1995 conlfict.