27 December 2009

Follow our live Croatian Presidential Election news service today on Twitter. There is no need to sign up for Twitter - just click here to see this free service. We will be going into high gear at about 2100 GMT /2200 CET.  

Ivo Josipovic (pictured) is very likely to come first in the vote, thus going to the second round.  The question is, who will come second and join him in the second round? Looks likely to be either the Mayor of Zagreb, Milan Bandic or independent candidate, businessman Nadan Vidosevic. Or will there be an upset? Join us on twitter to find out. 

“I am a fan of transparency  - that is how to explain myself.”

Vesna Skare-Ozbolt (pictured) is a familiar face on the Croatian political scene. She was an adviser to President Franjo Tudjman for a number of years and handled the negotiations over the reintegration of Eastern Slavonia into Croatia, its having been occupied by Serb forces. She won a seat in the Sabor for the Democratic Centre and was Minister of Justice in Ivo Sanader’s cabinet. She is now running for President, in the elections due to be held on 27 December. In our interview, she tells us why she is running, her views on Prime Minister Kosor and the EU. Of particular importance to investors are her views on transparency and corruption in public life.

28 November 2009

The Croatian Presidential race is now well under way. It is an election that is not unlike that for the Mayor of London, in that the public favours outsiders. This has been shown by the entry of Zagreb mayor Milan Bandic into the battle. Much will depend on the factors affecting support for conservative/centre-right candidates.

28 October 2009

The major Croatian brewing firm Zagrebačka Pivovara, producers of the popular Ožujsko beer, is being taken over. Current owners Anheuser-Busch InBev are selling its Central European operations to CVC Capital partners in a deal worth up to approximately USD 3 billion. How will this impact the Croatian brewer? CBR takes a quick look.

20 October 2009

Can Croatia learn from the economic experience of Britain under Margaret Thatcher? Robin Harris, one of her advisers, certainly thinks so.  On 16 October Mr Harris gave a presentation regarding the financial crisis to the Zagreb Stock Exchange Conference which also explored how Croatia could benefit from economic policies pioneered by Lady Thatcher. CBR is delighted to bring his speech to you – essential reading for all those considering how to improve Croatia’s economic future.

Robin Harris (pictured) is a former prime ministerial adviser to Margaret Thatcher, the author of the acclaimed 'Dubrovnik – A History' and is consultant director of Politeia.  For his services to culture he has been awarded Croatia’s Order of the Morning Star.

CBR would like to thank Robin Harris for his kind permission to publish his speech.

21 September 2009

The blockade of Croatia’s EU negotiations by Slovenia has ended with an agreement between Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and her Slovene counterpart Borut Pahor, announced on 11 September. It has been hailed as a breakthrough – but has run into criticism within Croatia. CBR looks at the situation.

Pictured: Jadranka Kosor and Borut Pahor. Photo courtesy of Vlada.hr

15 September 2009

With Croatia in recession, the Croatian government has taken tough economic measures.  Much has depended on this year’s tourist season – a severe drop in tourism this year would be problematic for the economy and could spell the end of the governing coalition. CBR takes a look at the situation.

3 September 2009

The island of Vis is often regarded as a beautiful island to visit, in regards to the usual Croatian offerings such as sun, sea and food. Vis also has a militarily strategic position, and through the ages seen a military presence, including a brief occupation by the British, some of whose forts remain. Much less known is that during the communist period the authorities constructed around 17 secret military complexes. They were built by Yugoslav dictator Tito to withstand nuclear strikes and keep out cruise missiles. Saddam Hussein hired the same builders to construct his own such complexes.

CBR editor Brian Gallagher was shown around some of these facilities and considers that the Vis authorities are perhaps missing an economic development opportunity.

27 August 2009

We briefly update the case of Milan Spanovic. Mr Spanovic has been the subject of an extradition process from the UK, due to his having been convicted of war crimes in Croatia.  

21 August 2009

CBR contributor, and frequent traveller to Croatia and other ex-communist states John Pindar, gives his view on Croatia and Hungary.

This summer I travelled to Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Hungary. Luckily for me, I had three weeks at my disposal. Croatia Business Report readers, of course, might appreciate some comments from me concerning where Croatia and Bosnia currently 'are'. But there is a different journalistic opportunity: making some observations about EU member Hungary compared with neighbouring current non-EU member Croatia.

7 August 2009

How has the recession affected the views of the Croatian public towards their finances and the economy? CBR takes a look at a recent opinion survey.

15 July 2009

“She (Jadranka Kosor)has the chance to become the Iron Lady of Croatia.”

“This misuse of EU membership by Slovenia is a scandal.”

"...Slovenia would never stand up against negotiations only on its own. There must be somebody in the background, but I do not know who."

Bernd Posselt MEP is Bavarian Christian Social Union foreign affairs spokesman in the European Parliament and President of the Paneuroepan Movement in Germany. He is the group rapporteur on Croatia for the European People’s Party.

He has been outspoken about the recent resignation of Prime Minister Ivo Sanader. CBR asks him some questions on the resignation - and he gives us his considerable insight. 

13 July 2009

As many who do business with Croatia have found out, local politics are an important factor there. Top Australian Croatian columnist Slavica Habjanovic gives her personal view on the results of the recent local elections in Croatia, with a particular focus on Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić and the newly elected independent mayor of Split, the businessman Željko Kerum.

1 July 2009

In a shock move, Ivo Sanader has resigned. At a press conference this morning, he announced he was stepping down from politics altogether. He told the media that “My job has been done, my political life ends now.”

10 June 2009

We talk to Dr Zlatan Frohlich, Dean of the International Graduate Business School (IGBS) Zagreb. It is one of Croatia’s leading business education institutions.  Dr Frohlich is also a senior research fellow at Zagreb’s Institute of Economics as well as being President of the Zagreb Chamber of the Economy. We ask him about the development of business schools in Croatia, the establishment of IGBS, business education in the state sector, bureaucracy and corruption in Croatia and more.

30 May 2009

CBR’s recent article ‘ What the BBC could tell Croatia about crime - in Britain’ has received coverage in the Croatian media as can be seen here (English)  and here (Croatian). Further, another opinion has been raised similar to that of CBR’s – essentially that crime and corruption in Croatia is no worse than in much of the EU.

20 May 2009

We provide updates on previous stories – The Operation Maestro corruption case regarding the Croatian Privatisation Fund and the extradition progress from the UK of Milan Spanovic, wanted in Croatia on war crimes charges.

16 April 2008

Why should Charles Tannock, a British member of the European Parliament, read this book? Why would the use of 'Serbo-Croat'  for Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro when they join the European Union create practical difficulties for the EU? CBR's editor answers these questions in his review of 'A Historical Outline of Literary Croatian/The Glagolitic Heritage of Croatian Culture by Branko Franolic and Mateo Zagar'

Originally featured in issue 2 of Most/The Bridge, published by the Croatian Chaplaincy, London.

1 April 2009

Croatia is not only a desirable destination for tourists. It’s an attractive place to hold conference, business seminars and so on. We talk to Marin Rinčić (pictured), the CEO of Rina Travel, one of Croatia’s leading destination management companies. We ask him about the events organisation sector in Croatia, and what it offers overseas business.