Continued positive developments in the economy, real GDP growth of 3.1 percent compared to the first six months of 2018

The government on Thursday forwarded to parliament amendments to 61 laws to align them with the new Public Administration Act which abolishes the position of assistant minister and introduces the position of department head as well as merges state administration offices at the county level with counties.

These measures implement the government's reform measures - decentralisation, rationalisation and depoliticisation, State Secretary Darko Nekic said at the cabinet meeting.

The measures envisage shutting down state administration offices at the county level and transferring 98% of their tasks to counties as well as rationalising the number of employees.

"One more government reform measure has been enabled and that is depoliticisation, which refers to assistant ministers," Nekic underscored.

Amendments aligning 61 laws with state administration law sent to parliament

The government on Thursday forwarded to parliament amendments to 61 laws to align them with the new Public Administration Act which abolishes the position of assistant minister and introduces the position of department head as well as merges state administration offices at the county level with counties.

These measures implement the government's reform measures - decentralisation, rationalisation and depoliticisation, State Secretary Darko Nekic said at the cabinet meeting.

The measures envisage shutting down state administration offices at the county level and transferring 98% of their tasks to counties as well as rationalising the number of employees.

"One more government reform measure has been enabled and that is depoliticisation, which refers to assistant ministers," Nekic underscored.

Gov't puts forward bill promoting education for trades and crafts

The Croatian government on Thursday forwarded to the parliament draft amendments to the Trades and Crafts Act, one of the goals being to promote traineeship-based education for trades and crafts and to simplify trades and crafts-related administrative procedures.

The trades and crafts in question are those whose performance, aside from general conditions, requires an examination on acquired competencies, appropriate high school qualifications or a master craftsman's certificate examination.

Under the government-sponsored amendments, after training is completed, a student takes, as part of their master's diploma, an examination to check and prove their competencies and evaluate their education and skills, Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts Minister Darko Horvat said.

The government has also proposed a programme for the education of business mentors.

Science and Education Minister Blazenka Divjak said the amendments on trades and crafts has been aligned with the law on education and the law on vocational education.

€6 mn for national three-year beekeeping programme

The government on Thursday adopted the HRK 44.5 million National Beekeeping Programme for the period 2020 - 2022, and Agriculture Minister Marija Vuckovic said that 50% of funds for this purpose would be obtained from the European Agriculture Guarantee Fund and 50% from the state budget.

The annual value of the eight-measure programme will be HRK 14.8 million.

According to data by beekeepers records, Croatia has 8,000 apiarists and more than 415,000 bee communities with an annual production of honey and other bee products of more than 8,000 tonnes.

The average consumption of honey per capita in Croatia is 2 kilogrammes.

Gov't gives consent to Jadrolinija for loan to refinance passenger ferry purchase

The government on Thursday gave its consent to the Jadrolinija passenger ferry company to borrow HRK 51.3 million from Privredna Banka Zagreb (PBZ) for the purpose of refinancing the purchase of a new catamaran for passenger transport.

The offer made by the PBZ lender refers to the ten-year loan in the amount of HRK 51.3 million (approximately €7 million) with a fixed annual interest rate of 1.50%.

"The aim is to refinance the purchase of the Jelena catamaran which was already bought by (the company's) own funds at a price of €9.25 million. The catamaran was put into operation on 24 October 2018, and it provides services most frequently from Split to Lastovo or from Dubrovnik via Korcula, Hvar to Bol," Maritime Affairs and Transport Minister Oleg Butkovic said at the government's meeting.

The consent issued by the government does not mean collateral for the loan and presents no burden for the state budget.

Text: Hina

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