By INA VUKIĆ: Croatia: Fight Against Corruption And President’s Important Step In Earnest Protection Of Whistleblowers

 Those who are brave enough to expose corruption, fraud and similar criminal deeds should enjoy a privileged status in any society especially the one where corruption and fraud are seen as major stumbling blocks of economic prosperity and opportunity for individuals to progress in life on their merit and positive contribution to society. In Croatia, whistleblowers have exposed more crimes of corruption, fraud and breaches of laws and regulations oiled by bribery than the police or any government run institution in the fight against corruption/crime but often allegations of corruption have gathered dust in various drawers, unattended. In Croatia, whistleblowers still do not enjoy the protection they deserve and most are ostracised as some kind of “social lepers”, lose their jobs and their families suffer. So it is no wonder that like in many countries of the world whistleblowers in Croatia have been organising themselves into associations, clubs and the like, particularly in the larger cities. Effective whistleblower programs can have a real impact on the quality of corporate governance but there is no doubt that there is a plethora of cases where those who have had the courage to come forward, have suffered adversely because of direct retaliation or lack of action by government and/or regulators.

During her presidential election campaign Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic had announced that she would, if elected, form the Whistleblowers office/unit attached to the Office of the President. Into the second month of her presidency her office has mid-March 2015 announced that the President will soon, within weeks, establish a Whistleblowers unit attached to her office.

President of Croatia
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic

And while organising such an office President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic has, according to news reports, on 24 March 2015 named Vesna Balenovic as her adviser for whistleblowers.

Vesna Balenovic
Croatian Whistleblower Association

Vesna Balenovic is a well-known whistleblower, and fighter for whistleblower rights in Croatia who had suffered terrible ordeals after having exposed corruption in INA, Croatia’s leading oil company some fifteen years ago (the same company in which the former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader had delved corruptly and is currently serving a prison sentence for the corruption). Protection laws and regulations for whistleblowers exist in many countries but Croatia lags far behind. The US Whistleblower protection laws consist of number of Federal and State rules and regulations. They have proved to be effective in most cases in providing legal protection for employees (from both public and private sectors) who call attention to violations, help with enforcement proceedings etc. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Office of the Whistleblower has been formed and appointed to reward those whistleblowers that report violations in relation to breaches of federal securities laws; a similar ‘bounty’ program has been introduced by Internal Revenue service (US taxation office) to reward reporters of tax frauds. This has been done in order to encourage people (employees) to submit their tips – to blow the whistle on violations and violators.
The UK is fortunate to have The Public Interest Disclosure Act, a single, comprehensive Whistleblower protection law that provides protection to both public and private sector whistleblowers. It was introduced in 1998 and amended in 2013. This Act has its origins in the numerous financial scandals that may have been avoided if employees had been provided an opportunity to report wrongdoing.

 Employees in the European Union enjoy some whistleblowing protection as part of the ruling made by The European Court of Human Rights in 2011, but only a handful of European countries have actually introduced laws to protect whistleblowers.

 There is a research based consensus that there is a definite link between the number of whistleblowing reports and the existence of comprehensive and effective whistleblower protections laws in a country. Even without a comprehensive national piece of whistleblower legislation in place, implementing internal whistleblower programs within companies brings about whistleblower protection and minimise damage to the life of the whistleblower while it increases the common good for all employees and the company as a whole.

 Whistleblowers are not protected in Croatia and there is an absolute need for processes that will change the perception towards whistleblowers or those brave enough to point to violations at work wherever they occur but always signify likely practices of corruption, fraud and the like. It’s important to change the perception at levels of society so that whistleblowers are not seen as snitches but rather courageous and respected persons and, equally, they need strong and multifaceted protection from retaliation and revenge. The latter can best be achieved through legislation that includes compulsory practices for employers to include whistleblower protection measures within their own local working environment. That is, in Croatia, a safe reporting channel or process in which the whistleblower is protected from the potentially corrupt surrounds as well as from the media while and until investigations into the alleged violations are completed must be secured.

 It’s a proven fact around the world that successful reports of violations have positive effects and outcomes in that they lead to new reports of violations and raise significantly the level of applied accountability. Hence, it’s not difficult to fathom that a government system open to fighting and reducing corruption also has a strong ally in the “whistleblower”.Besides protecting the whistleblower, legislation and regulations addressing whistleblower protections can and do also serve as agents of perception change and are strong positively motivating forces that tell the citizens that the government expects from them to be conscientious, responsible and vigilant part of the society. On a state level, the proposed bill on whistleblower protection was drafted in Croatia in late 2013 and was to go through the parliament procedure within a year. As far as my research into the matter shows nothing has occurred on this front so far. Although the ex-president of Croatia Ivo Josipovic is reported as having been one of the major initiators to have whistleblower protection regulated by legislation he did nothing apart from the lip service for the cause, which leads one to think there really was no decisive will to see it through. Thankfully, Croatia has a new president in Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic who is not about to wait around for the incompetent government in the parliament to see some serious advancement on the issue of whistleblower protection and/or giving the cause determined support. Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb); B.A., M.A.Ps. (Syd)

APEL AKADEMIKA I BISKUPA - "SPASITE ŽIVOT BRANIMIRU GLAVAŠU I OMOGUĆITE MU OBRANU SA SLOBODE!"

 OTVORENO PISMO SUDCIMA VRHOVNOG SUDA RH

Poštovani sudci Ustavnog suda RH,

U svezi s mojim otvorenim pismom koje sam Vam poslao 20. 03. 2015. obavještavam vas što  je maloprije javila Hina: Branimir Glavaš hitno prevezen u zatvorsku bolnicu
ZAGREB, 29. ožujka 2015. (Hina) - Branimir Glavaš, koji u istražnom zatvoru u Remetincu već 25 dana štrajka glađu, u nedjelju je zbog vrlo narušenog zdravstvenog stanja hitno prebačen u zatvorsku bolnicu u Svetošimunskoj ulici gdje će biti zadržan, objavljeno je u nedjelju kasno poslijepodne na njegovoj službenoj Facebook stranici. "Nadamo se da će pristati na medicinsku pomoć i izvući se iz situacije opasne po život", stoji u objavi na Glavaševom Facebooku. Glavašev odvjetnik Dražen Matijević izjavio je Hini kako nema nikakve informacije o tome što se dogodilo, ali ocjenjuje da se to moglo očekivati. Dodao je kako je Glavaš u zdravstvenom stanju u kojem svaki trenutak može umrijeti. "Čini se da neki to i žele", dodao je odvjetnik Matijević. Branimir Glavaš je u istražnom zatvoru u Remetincu od 5. ožujka, kada je počeo i štrajk glađu. Ustavni sud prije nekoliko dana djelomično je usvojio ustavnu tužbu Glavaševe obrane, i "cijelu priču o istražnom zatvoru", odnosno o njegovu daljnjem trajanju, vratio na ponovno odlučivanje Vrhovnom sudu, koji odluku o tome mora donijeti do 5. travnja. Ako Vrhovni sud ne odluči drugačije, Glavašu istražni zatvor prestaje 5. travnja. Predsjednik saborskog Kluba zastupnika HDSSB-a Josip Salapić 24. ožujka pozdravio je odluku Ustavnog suda, ali i izrazio zabrinutost za Glavaševo zdravstveno stanje zbog štrajka glađu, istaknuvši kako se Glavašu "do 5. travnja produžava agonija".
(Hina)

U tom otvorenom pismu od 20. 03. 2015. dao sam vam i otvoreno pismo iz 2006. g. Začuđujuće je koliko to pismo korespondira s današnjicom. Mi se stalno vraćamo u lošu povijest. Znači da još nismo subjekt sadašnjosti. Znakovita je tvrdnja odvjetnika Matijevića. Treba je povezati sa zadnjom rečenicom u pismu upučenom vama:
"Glavaš ne bi bio prvi koji je zapravo osuđen na smrt kako smo mi akademici i biskupi upozorili još te 2006. godine, jer je u međuvremenu stradao, bolje reći ubijen general Đuro Brodarac, ali vaša odgovornosti će sigurno biti neupitna." 
Mislite li da ste skinuli odgovornost sa sebe zato što ste odluku prebacili Vrhovnom sudu?

akademik Josip Pečarić 

20.3.2015. u 7:21, Josip Pecaric je napisao/la:

OTVORENO PISMO SUTCIMA USTAVNOG SUDA RH

Poštovani sudci Ustavnog suda RH,

Dražen Boroš u tekstu MORA LI GLAVAŠ ZAISTA UMRIJETI?, dnevno.hr, 19. ožujka 2015, upozorava kako su prošla dva tjedna od kada je Branimir Glavaš stupio u štrajk glađu zahtijevajući da Ustavni sud samo donese odluku o rješenju Vrhovnoga suda RH po kojem je Glavašu ponovno određen pritvor nakon što ga je upravo taj isti Ustavni sud pustio na slobodu, vrativši drugostupanjsku odluku Vrhovnog suda na ponovno odlučivanje. Boroš vas također podsjeća kako je prije osam godina Glavaš također štrajkao glađu. I doista podsjećam vas kako su tada akademici i biskupi poslali apel Vrhovnom i Ustavnom sudu koji vam ponovo šaljem u obliku u kojem je tada hrvatsku javnost izvjestila HINA:

APEL AKADEMIKA I BISKUPA - "SPASITE ŽIVOT BRANIMIRU GLAVAŠU I OMOGUĆITE MU OBRANU SA SLOBODE!"

ZAGREB, 2. prosinca 2006. (Hina) - Skupina hrvatskih akademika i biskupa poslala je danas Apel Ustavnom sudu RH i Vrhovnom sudu RH, naslovljen "Spasite život Branimiru Glavašu i omogućite mu obranu sa slobode!".

"Molimo vas da preispitate odluku suca u predmetu hrvatskoga generala 
i zastupnika u Hrvatskome saboru Branimira Glavaša, koji već 37 dana 
štrajka glađu u zatvorskoj bolnici u Zagrebu, te predložite ukidanje pritvora i njegovu obranu sa slobode", ističe se u Apelu, kojeg je potpisalo 19-oro akademika te četvorica biskupa. 

U Apelu Ustavnom sudu RH i Vrhovnom sudu RH navodi se i kako je "ljudski život iznad svih zakona i sudova. Da nije tako, ne bi se napredno sudstvo danas konačno, nakon stoljeća krvavih egzekucija, odricalo smrtne kazne. Odavno se, bez razlike, svi jednoglasno zaklinjemo o načelo kako nam je čovjek najvažniji. Zašto to ne provodimo u djelo? Smatramo da je čovjek koji dokazuje da mu je ljudsko dostojanstvo vrjednije od života, zaslužio da mu se ono prizna. Priznavanjem dostojanstva osobi, kojoj se optužba tek treba dokazati - iako mu se time ne obustavlja proces - i sud i država čuvaju vlastito dostojanstvo". U Apelu najvišim tijelima sudske vlasti u Republici Hrvatsko akademici i biskupi podsjećaju kako je "štrajkom glađu Branimir Glavaš ušao u dramatičnu fazu, i pitanje je dana kada bi mogao nastupiti njegov kolaps, koji će otvoriti i pitanje odgovornosti za smrt, koju se moglo izbjeći omogućavanjem Glavašu da se brani sa slobode. Tim prije što se čovjek, koji je u istom sudskom predmetu priznao zločine, nalazi na slobodi, a Glavaš koji je odbacio odgovornost za iste zločine, pritvoren je, a da nije završen ni istražni postupak, ni podignuta optužnica".  "A konačno", dodaje se u Apelu, "treba uzeti u obzir i živote građana koji, poput Josipa Kokića, odbijaju i hranu i vodu u znak solidarnosti, pa je netko možda već u kritičnom stanju. 

Iako smatramo da je štrajk glađu legitimno pravo svake osobe, molimo vas, ne dopustite da, unatoč tome što je ustavom ukinuta smrtna kazna u Republici Hrvatskoj, Branimir Glavaš bude prvi koji je zapravo osuđen na smrt, jer će ta smrt biti na savjesti čitave Hrvatske", navodi se u Apelu Ustavnom sudu RH i Vrhovnom sudu RH, a koji je danas dostavljen Hini. Apel su potpisali hrvatski akademici Ivan Aralica, Smiljko Ašperger, Stjepan Babić, Zvonimir Baletić, Slaven Barišić, Rafo Bogišić, Dragan Dekaris, Dubravko Jelčić, Mislav Ježić, Ivica Kostović, Slavko Matić, Slobodan Novak, Ivo Padovan, Josip Pečarić Stanko Popović, Zdenko Škrabalo, Josip Tišljar, Nenad Trinajstić i Alica Wertheimer-Baletić, te biskupi mons. dr. Mile Bogović, mons. dr. Valentin Pozaić, mons. dr. Želimir Puljić i mons. dr. Marin Srakić. Žalosno je danas vidjeti da se ni poslije toliko godina ništa nije promijenilo, a još žalosnije je vidjeti iz teksta g. Boroša  čime se Ustavni sud zadnjih tjedana bavio, a nije još našao vremena za Glavaševu tužbu koja doslovce život znači. Život hrvatskog generala koji je nakon trećeg odlaska u pritvor za isti "zločin" napisao: "Ako će me se odreći moja Hrvatska za koju sam prije 25 godina bio spreman život dati, onda idem do kraja!" Istina, Glavaš ne bi bio prvi koji je zapravo osuđen na smrt kako smo mi akademici i biskupi upozorili još te 2006. godine, jer je u međuvremenu stradao, bolje reći ubijen general Đuro Brodarac, ali vaša odgovornosti će sigurno biti neupitna.

Akademik Josip Pečarić,

na dan sv. Josipa zaštitnika našeg sabora i naše domovine

 

STRANKA HRVATSKOG ZAJEDNIŠTVA PODRUŽNICA ZADAR

STRANKA HRVATSKOG ZAJEDNIŠTVA

PODRUŽNICA ZADAR

PRIOPĆENJE ZA JAVNOST

Predstavka građana  za omogućavanje komunalnih priključaka u Novom naselju u Paljuvu u  općini Novigrad

Električna energija, vodovodna mreža, asfaltirane ceste, preduvjeti su to života u 21. stoljeću, no neki na žalost nisu te sreće da ih imaju ispunjene kao što je u Novom naselju u Paljuvu u općini Novigrad.

Predsjednici Republike Hrvatske Kolindi Grabar- Kitarović  predstavkom se obratila Ljiljana i Drago Draženović sa zamolbom za pomoć tražeći da se provedu infrastrukturni radovi te da im se omoguće svi komunalni priključci prema detaljnom planu uređenja za Novo naselje u Paljuvu, općina Novigrad.

Ured predsjednice je dopisom izvjestio o navedenoj predstavci Upravni odjel za prostorne uređenje, zaštitu okoliša i komunalne poslove Zadarske županije pročelnika Olivija Meštrovića na daljnje postupanje ta da o utvrđenom i poduzetom po upućenoj zamolbi za pomoć, u obliku informacije o mogućnostima, uvjetima i postupku rješavanja nastalog problema, obavijeste pošiljateljicu predstavke izravno.

Predstavka građana

Croatia: Communist Yugoslavia Apologetics Get Crossed With President Over Tito

Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic
President of Croatia

As expected, Croatia’s die-hard communists have attempted to cause mayhem among the Croatian public during the past week as their bitter reactions to the eviction of Tito’s bust from the Office of the President clearly signify that Tito’s followers are far from ready to confront the communist crimes and atrocities committed by Tito’s totalitarian regime after WWII and into the 1980’s. They’d rather pull imaginary fascists out of their hats and continue dividing the nation on lies. Truth doesn't fill their pockets, lies do!The first reaction, the day after Tito’s bust was shipped to the museum in the village of his birth, Kumrovec, was the announcement of the Union of antifascists in Croatia (SABA) that they did not want president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic as sponsor of their celebrations of 70th anniversary of WWII victory and said that by removing Tito’s bust from her office (The Presidential Palace) she had renounced the anti-fascist struggle of the Croatian people! President Grabar-Kitarovi responded to this saying that she “is sorry to hear that SABA has made such a choice, but that it is their right and she respects it”.President Grabar-Kitarovic also pointed out that in her work she would continue to represent anti-fascism, but that she would never agree with equating of the entire anti-fascist movement in Croatia with Josip Broz Tito, whom she considered to be a dictator. And the latter stand, of course, is commensurate with the European Council resolution regarding the condemnation of crimes committed by totalitarian regimes, including the communist Yugoslavia totalitarian regime under Tito.Bravo – President Grabar-Kitarovic!Actually, I think SABA did her an enormous favour by saying they do not want her sponsorship at the 70th anniversary of WWII victory for, had they not done that, she may have been placed in a situation where she would herself need to refuse such sponsorship (?), thus creating more room for the die-hard communists to criticise her without any regard to the truth behind her eventual need to refuse the sponsorship. After all, those who will celebrate the 70th anniversary of WWII victory are those who will, undoubtedly, celebrate Josip Broz Tito as their leader at the time and she has already said she considered Tito to have been a dictator. Who wants to celebrate a dictator? Those who do not like nor want democracy, for sure! It’s indisputable that Tito had a strong role during WWII that contributed significantly in the region to the victory SABA aims to celebrate. However, once WWII ended Tito set about creating his personal tyranny, a dictatorship within the communist Yugoslavia, which did not recognise human rights as anything else but an invention of the imperialist West; mass murders of those rejecting his communism during the first three to five years ensued, then communist purges that involved murders, assassinations or imprisonment of innocent people lasted for decades to earn him a place among top ten murders of the20th century in the world! Indeed, president Grabar-Kitarovic seems rather mild to the memory of Tito by calling his merely a dictator.Tito never wanted a Croatian independent state, he fought against it during WWII and he fought against it afterwards – his life’s work was creating and fiercely maintaining Yugoslavia. Hence, the creation of independent Croatia during 1990’s by the will, determination and great sacrifice of the Croatian people, represents the death of socialist communist Yugoslavia and the greatest defeat of Tito’s ideals and his life’s work. Tito’s bust has absolutely no place in the office of the Croatian president.Then came Sunday last and a founding meeting of a new Antifascist league in Croatia headed by Yugo-nostalgics Zoran Pusic (brother of current foreign minister and director of board of NGO Documenta, set up to deal with the past but not communist crimes past) and Vesna Terselic, also from Documenta and if one is to judge by what ensued during that meeting the new antifascist league has one aim and one aim only: to further escalate tensions within the Croatian public by continuing to point fingers at non-existent fascists in Croatia. As expected, they were supported by the ex-president Ivo Josipovic and other few public figures - Tito and communist Yugoslavia lovers, deniers of communist crimes or, better said, justifiers of mass murders and communist purges all in the name of their, false, anti-fascism. True anti-fascism has no history of genocide, of mass murders of mass purges of innocent people from society, from the face of the Earth in multitudes of cases.“They will wage wars against imaginary fascists in Croatia,” said Igor Peternel, vice-president of the Croatian arm of the Helsinki Committee, and hence concoct such grounds on the basis of which the new antifascist league will apply for government funding.“To say that there is an increase of fascism (as the new antifascist league says) just because the president has removed the bust (of Tito) from her office is ludicrous. That is a total idiocy and a sharpening of the situation in society and raising the level of tension, and that is what they want. That is so impertinent,” said Peternel.On Monday 23 March 2015 President Grabar-Kitarovic reiterated her position on Tito and antifascists for a Croatian radio program: “As far as I am concerned, the Office of the President was no longer the place for the bust of Tito, he is a dictator and that is indisputable,” she said, adding that she will always oppose equating Tito with antifascists, that is, with anti-Hitler coalition from WWII, She emphasised that members of her family were antifascists during WWII but that they were not communists nor had they equated their WWII fight with what was happening after 1945.”
And so, with the eviction of his bust from the Office of the President, somewhat renewed waves of vigour the spirit of Josip Broz Tito have made a controversial return to Croatia in the form of new antifascist league, renewed witch hunt against dedication to Croatian freedom and democracy, that lavishes fawning praise by the communist die-hard persons on the late dictator who choose to ignore the horrors of communist crimes committed under his leadership and, after his death in 1980, under the direction of the system he set up until late 1980’s. Perhaps it’s wasn’t just attempting to drum-up business when the Croatian minister for economy headed a 100-member delegation to Russia in February, while the EU and the USA slammed sanctions against it because of Ukraine crisis? Perhaps it was also to check out first hand how Vladimir Putin gets away with moves to rehabilitate Joseph Stalin whose dark legacy was painstakingly removed in the late 1950s along with other pro-Stalin propaganda after then Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev denounced Stalin for his murderous purges and cult of personality?At the end of the day, Croatia can feel blessed for having as it’s president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic who has the courage and know-how to address both the good and the bad, determined to help bring the country onto a path of clear vision and democratic stepping stones towards a better future for all. Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb); B.A., M.A.Ps. (Syd)

CAMPAIGN FOR CROATIA’S HUNGRY CHILDREN – AN UPDATE

Photo source: http://www.croexpress.eu
(Click on photo to enlarge)

IndieGoGo.com – “No Child Left Hungry & No Person Left Powerless” Raising hope, empowering dreams by helping feed Croatian school children.Thank you to everyone who has donated funds to this most worthwhile and needed campaign. The IndieGoGo Campaign “No Child Left Hungry & No Person Left Powerless” has ended successfully - exceeding the target of US$6,161.The organisers Press release of 15 March 2015 includes the following:“This Campaign was set up by Tajci Cameron, Croatian celebrity and HuffPost blogger from Nashville, TN in support of “Da ni jedno dijete u Hrvatskoj ne bude gladno,” (“So that no child in Croatia will be hungry”) organized in Zagreb, Croatia by Portal Dobrote.The beauty and the strength of this campaign is in its message that we are not powerless.As individuals we have joined together to make a difference for the hungry school children in Croatia. Through our action, we have proven that many hands working together can create a force for change. This campaign has been about more than giving money, it is about raising hope, restoring faith and giving someone an opportunity to believe that all is possible – even when you find yourself in despair.
“Over the past few years I've travelled to Croatia regularly and have witnessed how one by one, more and more people are waking up, rolling up their sleeves and moving forward in solidarity and strength, despite the bullies and the system that would still like to shame us into the belief that we are powerless.” – Tajci Cameron, from Huffington Post article: ‘Winning at Life in Croatia...and in Our World’As of Tuesday, 17th March a summary of all the funds received for the campaign was - Direct to Portal dobrote (Croatia) campaign - 195,546 HRK or US$27,140 (These funds also include amounts raised by Portal Dobrote since December 2014) IndieGoGo (American, Canada and Australia) campaign - US$7,614 or 54,935.65 HRK”

A total of 458 school students from the following schools have already received help thanks to the campaign: “Mate Lovrak” Primary School, Petrinja – 53 children; Lovas Primary School – 10 children; Primary School Julija Besenica in Ilok – 99 children; Primary School “Ivana Brlic Mazuranic” Strizivojna – 34 children; Primary School “Vladimir Vidric” Kutina – 13 children; Primary School Jasenovac – 25 children; Primary School Sunja – 83 children; Primary School “King Tomislav” Udbina – 14 children; Primary School Tovarnik – 20 children; Primary School Mikleus – 35 children; Primary School “Davorin Trestenjak” Hrvatska Kostajnica – 46 children; Primary School “Vladimir Nazor” Komletinci – 26 children.Portal Dobrote is constantly researching schools that may need help. Any funds left over from the IndieGoGo campaign will go to new schools, or saved for the following school year starting August 31, 2015. All amounts will be documented on Portal Dobrote website.Although the IndieGoGo campaign has closed, Portal dobrote's Croatian bank account can still receive donations at: Erste bank IBAN: HR5924020061500035096 Account name: Humanitarna udruga Portal dobrote, Bank address: Trakošćanska 21, 10000 Zagreb. Please state reason for deposit as – “za akciju Da niti jedno dijete u Hrvatskoj ne bude gladno”.

“OUR FUNDERS AND SPONSORS

The campaign has been a success on many levels; the number of donations received, shares, thoughts and offers for help have been amazing. We are grateful for the Croatian National Television becoming the media sponsor for the #DaNeBuduGladni campaign in Croatia. Thanks to their support, the issue of child hunger has finally gained the attention it deserves! There are many, many people to thank. We would like to make a special mention of the following organizations who have contributed to the campaign since the launch of IndieGoGo extension on February 3, 2015: Adria Building Consultants, Toronto, Canada; Australsko Hrvatsko Žensko Društvo Katarina Zrinski, Melbourne, Australia; Blessed Aloysius Stepinac Parish, Chicago, USA; Blue Chip Manufacturing, Cleveland, USA; Dalmi Inc, Toronto, Canada; Dandenong City Hajduk Soccer Club, Melbourne, Australia; F.A. Hrvatska Zora, Melbourne, Australia; Grgich Hills Estate, Napa Valley, USA; Hrvatski Vjesnik, Croatian Herald, Australia; Ilirija Hotels, Biograd, Croatia; Melbourne Croatia Social Club, Australia; Melbourne Knights Soccer Club, Australia; Ragusa Restaurant, Melbourne, Australia; St Jerome Croatian Parish, Chicago, USA; TWO-M Precision, Cleveland, USA; Victorian Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Australia; Vinoklet Winery, Cincinnati, USA.We would also to like to thank our individual donors from all over Australia, including Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, the USA including Texas and Virginia, and in Canada, in particular Ontario!

A STORY OF MORALE

As part of the campaign, the Jasenovac Elementary School took part in an Art competition judged by Elizabeth Hardin-Klink, Associate Educator of Family and School Programs, Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati USA. The winners and final submissions are shown on the gallery section of the IndieGoGo campaign 'No Child Left Hungry & No Person Left Powerless'.School Director of Jasenovac Elementary School, Mr Šepović - “Morale in our school was low. When the students learned that someone from an Art museum in the United States would look at their work and decide a winner, and that they might be published, the students of the school were transformed. The hope of just their drawing being shown in America, encouraged a greater effort, careful approach and thorough work plan. Of course, not to mention the plan how they will boast to their friends!”Several winners will receive art supplies provided by Cincinnati’s Contemporary Art Center and through generosity of an anonymous donor.Elizabeth Hardin-Klink says: “I found it very hard to pick a winner because all of the students did such a fantastic job. I could tell a lot of thought went into your work. The staff really responded to the use of bold, beautiful color and the story that each picture told. What I love about art is that it’s a universal language for everyone to share and appreciate from all over the world.”There is still much work to be done. Please join 'Wakingupforgood' group on Facebook so that we can continue Winning at Life in Croatia....and in Our World”.

(Update collated from Press Release by Ina Vukic, Prof. [Zgb]; B.A., M.A.Ps. [Syd])

  http://wp.me/p1Vqu6-1R1

POVJERENIK ZA INFORMIRANJE: Nalaže Općini Ražanac da riješi zahtjev „ Koliko je Općina Ražanac platila Odvjetnički ured Jajaš iz Rijeke“

STRANKA HRVATSKOG ZAJEDNIŠTVA

PODRUŽNICA ZADAR

PRIOPĆENJE ZA JAVNOST

POVJERENIK ZA INFORMIRANJE: Nalaže Općini Ražanac da riješi zahtjev „ Koliko je Općina Ražanac platila Odvjetnički ured Jajaš  iz Rijeke“

Povjerenik za informiranje RH zbog nepostupanja Općine Ražanac po zahtjevu SHZ-a za ostvarivanjem prava na pristup informacijama „ Koliko je Općina Ražanac ukupno platila do danas Odvjetnički ured Jajaš  iz Rijeke“, naložio je Općini Ražanac da u roku od 15 dana od zaprimanja  zaključka riješi zahtjev za pristup informacijama.

S obzirom da je Općina Ražanac zaprimila sve navedene dopise i da unatoč tome nije Povjerenici za informiranje dostavila zatraženu obavijest ili bilo koju obavijest o rješavanju predmetnog zahtjeva za pristup informacijama, Povjerenica za informiranje zaključuje da razlozi za neodlučivanje o  zahtjevu za pristup informacijama žalitelja nisu opravdani.

Prilog:

1.    Zaključak Povjerenika za informiranje

U Zadru, 23. ožujka  2015. godine

mr.sc. Miljenko Marić

predsjednik  podružnice SHZ-a Zadar

HRVATSKA AKADEMIJA ZNANOSTI I UMJETNOSTI I HRVATSKO KULTURNO DRUŠTVO „Napredak“ u Mostaru

HRVATSKA AKADEMIJA ZNANOSTI I UMJETNOSTI

I

HRVATSKO KULTURNO DRUŠTVO „Napredak“ u Mostaru

priređuju Susret – tribinu pvodom knjige:

DR.TOMISLAVA ĐURASOVIĆA, Svjedok olovnih vremena, Zagreb, 2011.

„Dvadesetak godina života provedoh u bivšoj državi, tamnici moga naroda, dvadeset godina u tuđini, željan moga naroda, a evo, poslije 20-godišnje punoljetnosti države Hrvatske obznanjujem ovu knjigu mome narodu...», piše  Tomislav u ovoj svojoj bogatoj kronici

Susret će se održati u dvorani Hrvatskog kulturnog društva Napredak u Mostaru

u ponedjeljak, 23. ožujka 2015. u 19 sati.

Predstavljači su:

fra Andrija Nikić,

Željko Raguž,

fra Mića Stojić

i
autor.

Voditeljica: Anita Martinac, književnica

Radujemo se Vašem dolasku.

Ulaz je slobodan!

fra Andrija Nikić, predsjednik

Mostar, ožujka 2015.

 

STRANKA HRVATSKOG ZAJEDNIŠTVA PODRUŽNICA ZADAR PRIOPĆENJE ZA JAVNOST

STRANKA HRVATSKOG ZAJEDNIŠTVA

PODRUŽNICA ZADAR

PRIOPĆENJE ZA JAVNOST

ŽDO ZADAR: Nisu utvrđene nezakonitosti pretvorbe i privatizacije „Zadranke“ d.d.

Udruga malih dioničara Zadranka d.d. Zadar zatražila je od Županijskog državnog odvjetništva Zadar državnoodvjetničku odluku povodom podnesenih kaznenih prijava u vezi pretvorbe i privatizacije Zadranke d.d. Zadar. Kao što je poznato poduzeće Zadranka je bilo je jedno od najjačih trgovačkih poduzeća u RH te je zapošljavalo 1500 radnika. Isto je uništeno zbog atraktivnih i vrijednih poslovnih prostora po gradu Zadru.

U odgovoru Žpanijsko državno odvjetništvo Zadar navodi da je ovo državno odvjetništvo i nadležna policijska uprava, proveli brojne izvide radi utvrđivanja svih spornih činjenica u svezi sa pretvorbom i privatizacijom „Zadranke“ d.d., pa tijekom tako opsežne kriminalističke obrade nisu utvrđene nezakonitosti koje bi bile dostatne za postojanje osnovane sumnje u počinjenje nekog kaznenog djela za koje bi se progon poduzimao po službenoj dužnosti.

Postavlje se pitanje tko je onda odgovoran za uništenje Zadranke d.d.?

Prilog:

1.    Odgovor Županijskog državnog odvjetništva Zadar

Zadar, 21. ožujka  2015. godine

 

Croatia: Present Actions For Future and From Past: A Disquieting Mismatch

Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic visited Germany on Tuesday 17 March on a mission that adds warmth to recently cooled ties between the two countries.Welcoming the Croatian leader to Berlin, President Joachim Gauck emphasised that Germany was home to least 240,000 Croats who had enriched German society. Gauck affirmed that Croatia is an example and link for all South-Eastern European countries in their path to the EU. He stated that Croatia needs to deal with its past, just as Germany has done.Noting that Croatia has to undertake important reforms, he added that Germany could help Croatia deal with them - and deal with unsolved issues from the past. Grabar=Kitarovic, for her part, stated that Croatia had undergone a double transition: from the conflicts of the 1990s as well as the transition from a state-run to a market-run economy.Good partner relations, political and economic, especially in areas of tourism, science and culture are have also been affirmed during this visit, which should send the message of strong partnership, said Grabar-Kitarovic.After her talks with President Gauck, President Grabar-Kitarovic met with Chancellor Angela Merkel and held a lecture at the European Academy in Berlin on Croatia and the European Union. She said that Germany’s support for Croatia in her battles for independence as well as entry into the EU had been very worthwhile.Germany played a major role in the independence of Croatia, advocating successfully for the other EU countries to recognise its independence from former Yugoslavia. It also played a mentoring role in the country's EU accession process.However, a dispute over the indictment of a former Communist-era Yugoslav intelligence chief, Josip Perkovic for “communist Crimes”, i.e. alleged participation in 1983 in the murder in Germany of Croatian emigrant Stjepan Djurekovic by agents of Yugoslav Secret Police UDBA, had caused a diplomatic upset. Perkovic was indicted in 2005 for the assassination in Germany in 1983 of a Croatian emigrant. He continued to live freely in Croatia, however, and just as Croatia joined the EU in July 2013, the Croatian parliament, led by former communists? Social Democrats hastily amended the country's extradition law to ensure that Croatian compliance with European arrest warrants would only apply to alleged crimes committed after 2002. The decision caused annoyance in Germany and, after the European Commission threatened Croatia with sanctions the government in Zagreb was forced to back down. Perkovic was duly extradited to face trial in Germany in January 2014. Former Croatian president Ivo Josipovic also sided with Social Democrats in efforts to avoid the extradition of indicted Perkovic to Germany. After Perkovic, Zdravko Mustac was also extradited to Germany on associated charges and both are currently on trial in Germany.“I was disappointed when after joining the Union [EU] there were different viewpoints in the case of the European arrest warrant and the Perkovic case," the Croatian President said, before leaving for Berlin."It was unnecessary. Croatia has to prove its credibility by keeping to what it has signed,” she added.Dealing with the past to which Germany’s President Gauck referred in his speech would inevitably involve WWII, post-WWII communist Yugoslavia era as well as the 1990’s Homeland War whose veterans are still having to fight for their rights under the Social Democratic government especially.Grabar-Kitarovic’s mandate is going to be a hard one especially given that not much effort has been invested in dealing with communist crimes and corruption that has its roots in political elitism that thrived under communist Yugoslavia and continued noticeably strongly since Croatia’s independence. Many former highly positioned communists, who held strong powers on account of communist party lines and many of whom were either agents of or collaborated with the communist totalitarian regime and its purges, found high positions of power within independent Croatia. Widespread lustration – removing from high positions the former communists associated with communist totalitarian regimes intelligence and secret service – has not been carried out. If Croatia is to move forward as a truly democratic nation lustration is a condition and not a choice.Undoubtedly a noticeable allegiance to former communist Yugoslavia still exists in various sectors of the Croatian social, political and economic life. Those that hold this allegiance are included among those who find it difficult to accept that their fathers, mothers, grandfathers, uncles, aunties…had not during the times of communist Yugoslavia acted towards their countrymen with respect of human rights or human life. Many crimes were committed against innocent people who stood against communism or simply did not accept it as the only political orientation a country should have. Hence, one the ways of dealing with such a past is to deny its nature and keep on expressing nostalgia for Yugoslavia. And so I come to the event that occurred in Zagreb, Croatia, last weekend about which I do not know whether to laugh or to cry! A group of people, evidently stuck in the past, met in Zagreb on Sunday March 15, as the Coordinating Committee of Communist and Workers’ Parties of the Former Yugoslavia at which they reportedly delivered the foundations of their program that strives towards a classless society!The meeting debated the current position of the parties, their experiences and programs with the aim of finding common positive experiences, which need to be joined and implemented into practice, reported the Socialist Workers’ Party of Croatia (SRP)! The Coordinating committee was formed in 2009 and its members, besides the Croatian SRP, are Yugoslav Communist Party of Montenegro, Cultural Political Society the Communist from Slovenia, Communist Alliance from Bosnia and Herzegovina, The Party of Communists Serbia and the Communist Party of Macedonia.Currently the group is not large but it has decided to work more widely and noticeably! Their aim is to push for a classless society based on Socialism-Marxism.“We are fighting for immediate and long-term interests of all workers who live off their work. Idealistically we are committed to Socialism as a transitional social system from a class to a classless society,” said Vladimir Kapularin, president of the Croatian arm of this alliance, to HINA Croatian news agency. “ Theoretical foundations of implementing measures towards achieving this aim are also in the progressive science of humanities about society and man liberated from exploitation, humiliation and all forms of enslavement/lack of freedom.”Oh dear! These people are stuck in the Socialist Yugoslavia and are wearing rosy glasses to avoid seeing the class society, the tycoons and the struggling poor workers that Yugoslavia was made into through human greed and corruption.What can anyone who participated in making Socialism a scourge and a mockery of the intended classless society in former Yugoslavia do in that avenue today! Nothing! Nothing except keep misguided and politically destabilising nostalgia for Yugoslavia breathing, at least a little – just enough to get up people’s noses and maintain divisions in society. What are the civilised achievements this group of former Yugoslavia communists come socialists is basing its program on? Those from former Yugoslavia under Josip Broz Tito, those of the USSR under Joseph Stalin, those in China under Mao Tse Tung or those in Cambodia under Pol Pot – or perhaps all?If I was at the helm of Croatia I would ban the activities of any such group or any such activities – and the reasons are very clear! Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb); B.A., M.A.Ps. (S

I PETAR BOGOVIĆ PREDSJEDNIK OPĆINSKOG VIJEĆA OPĆINE POLIČNIK NIJE IZGRADIO POSLOVNI OBJEKT

STRANKA HRVATSKOG ZAJEDNIŠTVA

PODRUŽNICA ZADAR

Priopćenje za javnost

I PETAR BOGOVIĆ PREDSJEDNIK OPĆINSKOG VIJEĆA OPĆINE POLIČNIK NIJE IZGRADIO POSLOVNI OBJEKT

Općina Poličnik zastupana po općinskom načelniku Davoru Lončaru iz Poličnika prodala je na području Poslovne zone Grabi  Petru Bogoviću iz Poličnika, Poličnik 23, vlasniku graditeljskog obrta BOGOVIĆ GRADNJA,  2007. godine neizgrađeno građevinsko zemljište kat. oznake čestice zem. 481/38 u površini od 7.589 m2,  upisane u zk. ul. 654 k.o. Poličnik, u  ukupnom iznosu od 53.123,00 EUR-a.

U vrijeme kupoprodaje  Petar Bogović  je bio općinski vijećnik Općine Poličnik, a sada je  predsjednik Općinskog vijeća Općine Poličnik.

Prema zaključenom kupoprodajnom Ugovoru br.02/07, 15. veljače 2007. godine u članku 7. Ugovora kupac se obavezuje započeti s izgradnjom poslovne građevine u roku od 6 (šest) mjeseci od dana isplate kupoprodajne cijene te dovršiti građevinu i staviti je u poslovnu funkciju najkasnije u daljnjem roku od 12 (dvanaest) mjeseci.

Poštivanje ugovorenih rokova je bitan sastojak Ugovora te za slučaj neispunjenja obaveza kupca, prodavatelj ima pravo pismenom izjavom raskinuti Ugovor, a uplaćena sredstva vratiti kupcu umanjena za 10% i za iznos uplaćene jamčevine po javnom natječaju.

Prema članku 8., Ugovorne strane suglasno utvrđuju da kupac ne može trećim pravnim i fizičkim osobama prodati neizgrađeno niti djelomično izgrađeno građevinsko zemljište koje je predmet ovog Ugovora, osim sa izgrađenom poslovnom građevinom za koju je izdana uporabna dozvola.

Petar   Bogović  do  danas  još  nije  počeo  izgradnjom  bilo kakvog (poslovnog)  objekta  na  kupljenom  zemljištu, a  već je  prošlo  skoro  8

(osam) godina.  Vidljivo je da se ne drže odredaba Ugovora da moraju u poslovnoj zoni Grabi izgraditi poslovni objekt. Na sve navedeno evidentno je da načelnik Općine Davor Lončar kao službena osoba nije reagirao u vezi toga da je poštivanje ugovornih rokova bitan sastojak navedenog Ugovora.

Osim ovjere kod javnog bilježnika, ugovor je ovjerila i Porezna uprava, Područni ured Zadar, Ispostava Zadar gdje je navedeno da je temeljem članka 13.st.1. Zakona  o područjima posebne državne skrbi, ugovor ne podliježe razrezu poreza.

Članak 13. Zakona  o područjima posebne državne skrbi iz 2003 godine navodi:

(1) Iznimno od odredbi Zakona o porezu na promet nekretnina, na promet i stjecanje nekretnina koje se nalaze na područjima posebne državne skrbi, ne plaća se porez na promet nekretninama kad fizička osoba kupovinom nekretnine prijavljuje ili mijenja prebivalište unutar tog područja.

(2) Porez iz stavka 1. ovoga članka ne plaćaju ni pravne osobe koje prodaju nekretnine na području posebne državne skrbi a koje će kupcu i dalje služiti za obavljanje djelatnosti.

(3) Porez iz stavka 1. i 2. ovoga članka plaća se ako se nekretnina otuđi ili se djelatnost prestane obavljati, ili korisnik promijeni prebivalište izvan područja posebne državne skrbi u roku 10 godina od dana nabave nekretnina.

Članak 5. Zakona  o područjima posebne državne skrbi iz 2003 godine navodi:

(1) U drugoj skupini su područja gradova, općina i naselja koja su bila okupirana za vrijeme Domovinskog rata, a nisu određena u prvoj skupini iz članka 4. ovoga Zakona.

(2) Drugoj skupini pripadaju u cijelosti područja gradova i općina:

Barilović, Benkovac, Biskupija, Brestovac, Čačinci, Drniš, Đulovac, Ervenik, Glina, Gornji Bogićevci, Gospić, Gračac, Grubišno Polje, Hrvace, Jasenice, Josipdol, Kistanje, Knin, Konavle, Krnjak, Lasinja, Lipik, Lišane Ostrovičke, Lovinac, Mikleuš, Novigrad, Novska, Obrovac, Okučani, Otočac, Pakrac, Petrinja, Plaški, Polača, Poličnik, Posedarje, Promina, Ružić, Saborsko, Sirač, Skradin, Stankovci, Ston, Sunja, Škabrnja, Tounj, Udbina, Velika, Velika Pisanica, Veliki Grđevac, Voćin, Vrhovine i Zemunik Donji.

Općina Poličnik, Općinsko Poglavarstvo je 12. veljače 2008. godine (prošlo godinu dana od zaključenja ugovora) izdalo TABULARNU IZJAVU, kojom se dozvoljava uknjižba pravo vlasništva nekretnine čest.zem. 481/38 u površini od 7.589 m2,  upisane u zk. ul. 654 k.o. Poličnik na ime i vlasništvo PETAR BOGOVIĆ, Poličnik 23, vlasnik graditeljskog obrta BOGOVIĆ GRADNJA. Tabularnu izjavu je potpisao Davor Lončar, predsjednik Općinskog poglavarstva. U to vrijeme član Općinskog poglavarstva Općine Poličnik je bio i Željko Lončar, sadašnji predsjednik skupštine Zadarske županije zadužen za resor gospodarstva, malog i srednjeg poduzetništva.

U TABULARNOJ IZJAVI nigdje ne navodi da je kupac  isplatio ukupnu kupoprodajnu cijenu u cijelosti, već samo da se izjava temelji na Ugovoru br.02/07 o kupoprodaji građevinskog zemljišta sklopljenog između  prodavatelja Općine Poličnik i kupca PETRA BOGOVIĆA.

Dosadašnja ulaganja u poduzetničke zone nisu dovoljno učinkovita, utvrdila je i Državna revizija. Nanesena je velika šteta, država je u 348 zone utukla dvije milijarde kuna, a rezultat je porazan.

Koji su to sudski vještaci koji određuju cijenu četvornog metra? U poslovnim zonama općine Poličnik određivali su cijenu 6, 7, 23, 39 eura , kako kome. PETAR BOGOVIĆ je dobro prošao po 7 eura, a još oslobođen i razreza poreza na nekretnini. Čeka se rok od 10 godina s ciljem da se neizgrađeno građevinsko zemljište preproda po višestrukoj cijeni. Evo zbog čega se u hrvatskim sredstvima informiranja  Davor Lončar hvali da je zbog sličnih stvari "pedeset puta prijavljen", te da je "policija svaki put provjeravala dokumentaciju i nikada nije utvrđena nikakva zlopotreba".

Evidentno je da Općina Poličnik prodala neizgrađeno građevinsko zemljište gdje je po ugovoru koji je ovjeren i kod javnog bilježnika trebao biti izgrađen poslovni objekti u zadanim rokovima koji su bitni sastojci Ugovora. Međutim, prošao je veliki vremenski period od   8 godina, a ništa se nije izgradilo. Sredstva od prodaje Općina Poličnik je potrošila, umjesto da pismenom izjavom raskini Ugovor i da uplaćena sredstva vrati kupcima umanjena za 10% i za iznos uplaćene jamčevine po javnom natječaju, bez prava kupca na kamate na uplaćena sredstva.