Croatian Government

The Government of the Republic of Croatia (Croatian: Vlada Republike Hrvatske), commonly abbreviated to Croatian Government (Croatian: Hrvatska Vlada), is the main executive branch of government in Croatia. It is led by the President of the Government (Croatian: Predsjednik Vlade), informally abbreviated to premier (Croatian: premijer) or prime minister. The prime minister is nominated by the President of the Republic from among those candidates who enjoy majority support in the Croatian Parliament; the candidate is then chosen by the Parliament. There are 20 other government members, serving as deputy prime ministers, government ministers or both; they are chosen by the prime minister and confirmed by the Parliament (Sabor). The Government of the Republic of Croatia exercises its executive powers in conformity with the Croatian Constitution and legislation enacted by the Croatian Parliament. The current government is led by Prime Minister Zoran Milanović.

Following the Croatian–Hungarian Settlement of 1868, the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia and the Government of the Land (Croatian: Zemaljska Vlada)—headed by a crown-appointed ban—were established. This government existed until the Austria-Hungary breakup and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes' creation in 1918. In 1939, the Banovina of Croatia was established and a head of the Banovina of Croatia was appointed by the crown, but no effective government was formed before World War II. In 1943, the ZAVNOH established an executive board to act as a new government. Communist Croatia, while a part of Communist Yugoslavia, had a separate government, with limited powers (excluding defence and foreign relations; this was similar to all the previous governmental forms). Following the first multi-party elections and the adoption of the present Constitution of Croatia in 1990, the present governmental form was adopted and Stjepan Mesić became the first person to hold the title of Prime Minister of Croatia (with Croatia as part of Yugoslavia), while Franjo Gregurić was the first prime minister of an independent Croatia. Since Communist rule's end, the Republic of Croatia has had twelve governments headed by ten different prime ministers. Eight governments have been formed by the Croatian Democratic Union, three by the Social Democratic Party of Croatia and one was a national unity government (formed during the Croatian War of Independence's peak).

Terminology

The term "Government" in Croatia (Vlada) primarily refers to the executive branch, as used by the government itself, the press and colloquially, as that branch of the government (vlast) is responsible for day-to-day governance of the nation (uprava); this sense is intended when it is said that a political party forms the Government. At its widest, the term Croatian Government can refer collectively to all three traditional branches of government, including the legislative branch (the Sabor) and judicial branch (the Judiciary of Croatia), as well as other parts of government and civil services which are part of the state of Croatia.

Governmental powers

See also: Politics of Croatia

Banski dvori, the building of the Government of the Republic of Croatia

The Government, the main executive power of the Croatian state, is headed by the prime minister (PM). The PM currently has four deputies (elected by the Croatian Parliament), three of whom also currently serve as government ministers; there are 17 other ministers, who are appointed by the prime minister with the approval of the Sabor (by majority vote). The government ministers are each in charge of a particular sector of activity such as Foreign Affairs. The prime minister and all the deputies form an inner cabinet, tasked with coordinating and supervising the work of government ministers on behalf of the PM; the inner cabinet also prepares materials for meetings of the full government cabinet (consisting of the inner cabinet and the remaining 16 ministers). The first deputy prime minister also discharges the duties of the prime minister when the latter is incapacitated or absent. The executive branch is responsible for proposing legislation and a budget, executing the laws and guiding the foreign and internal policies of the republic. The government's official residence is at the Banski dvori in Zagreb. Although the cabinet normally meets at the Banski dvori, occasionally its meetings are held elsewhere in the country.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia exercises its executive powers in conformity with the Croatian Constitution and legislation enacted by the Croatian Parliament, the Sabor (Croatian: Hrvatski sabor). Its structure, operational procedures and decision-making processes are defined by the Government of the Republic of Croatia Act and the Government Rules of Procedure. The Constitution mandates that the Government proposes legislation and other documents to the parliament, proposes the budget and gives financial reports, implements Acts and other decisions of the parliament, enacts any regulations required to implement the Acts, defines foreign and internal policies, directs and oversees the operation of state administration, promotes the economic development of the country, directs the activities and development of public services and performs other activities conforming to the provisions of the Constitution and applicable legislation. The Government also passes regulations and administrative acts and orders appointments and removals of appointed officials and civil servants within the scope of its powers. Furthermore, the Government makes rulings in cases of conflicts of jurisdiction between governmental institutions, responds to questions asked parliamentary majority and opposition representatives, prepares proposals of new legislation and other regulations, gives opinions on legislation and other regulations and adopts strategies for the economic and social development of the country.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs building

The Government manages state property of the Republic of Croatia unless special legislation provides otherwise. It may appoint special committees to manage the property on its behalf; this process is implemented through appointed members of supervisory boards and managing boards of companies partially or wholly owned by the Republic of Croatia. (The Government also determines these appointees' salaries.) The Government maintains specialized bodies, agencies and offices—including the Legislation Office, the Public Relations Office and the Office for National Minorities—that are required by the Government Act of 1998, as well as committees to decide administrative matters. Various branches of government may establish joint services. There are further entities established by the government as companies designed to support the aims of the Government, such as the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development that strives to fund the reconstruction and development of the economy of Croatia. Local governments are separate from the central government; the latter maintains a State Administration Office in each county, under the Ministry of Administration.

The Government is responsible to the Croatian Parliament; the parliament may recall the Government as a whole or any member of the Government in particular by a simple majority vote following a request for a confidence vote by one fifth of the parliament members or by the prime minister. The prime minister and other members of the Government are jointly responsible for decisions passed by the Government and individually responsible for their respective portfolios (areas of responsibility). The President of the Republic appoints the prime minister, who must then secure a vote of confidence from the Croatian Parliament; the appointment is therefore counter-signed by the speaker of the parliament to signify this. Appointments of members of the Government are done by the prime minister with the approval of the Croatian Parliament (again signified via a counter-signature by the speaker of the parliament). The rules of procedure and regulations enacted by the Government must be published in Narodne Novine—the official gazette of Croatia—to be binding.

Offices of the Croatian Government
Name	Responsibilities
Office of the President of the Government	Advisory, analytical and administrative services for the President of the Government (prime minister)
Legislation Office	Furnishes opinions on the compliance of proposed legislation with the Constitution
Public Relations Office	Informs the public about the activities of the Government
Office for Protocol	Organisational and technical tasks required by the Government or the President of Croatia related to preparation for official visits of Croatian government officials abroad and foreign officials in Croatia; planning and control of expenditures related to these visits and other related tasks
General Administration Office of the Croatian Government and Parliament	Administrative, analytical, financial and other tasks required by the Government or the Parliament
Office for National Minorities	Implements policies for national minority rights
Office for Cooperation with NGOs	Cooperates with Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
Office for Human Rights	Develops, implements and monitors human rights protection and promotion systems
Office for Internal Supervision	Internal audit services for Government bodies and offices (and other entities financed through the budget)
Office for Social Partnership	Supervises, coordinates and reports social partnership activities at the national and local levels through promotion and facilitation of discussion and coordination as well as mediating in disputes between workers, trade unions, private sector employers and the government
Office for Mine Action	Providing expert analyses and advice for demining
Office for Combating Narcotic Drug Abuse	Activities defined by the Intoxicating Drugs Abuse Act
Office for Gender Equality	Administrative tasks promoting gender equality

Central State Administrative Offices
Name	Responsibilities
Central Procurement Office	Purchases for the central Government
State Property Management Administration	Manages state property
State Office for Croats Abroad
State Office for Reconstruction and Housing

State Administration Bodies
Name	Responsibilities
Central Bureau of Statistics	Surveys, statistical analysis, and publication of survey data and analysis
State Office for Radiological and Nuclear Safety	Radiation safety, including nuclear safety
State Office for Metrology	Metrological administrative services, testing and supervision
State Intellectual Property Office	Protects intellectual property rights
State Inspector’s Office	Inspects implementation of legislation and regulations
Meteorological and Hydrological Service	Meteorological and hydrological services
National Protection and Rescue Directorate	Search and rescue and other emergency responses
State Geodetic Directorate	Geodetic survey, cartography (mapmaking), cadastral and photogrammetric services

Public Sector Bodies
Name	Responsibilities
State Institute for Nature Protection	Nature conservation
Central Depository & Clearing Company	Manages the central depository of securities, clearing system and transaction settlement—coordinates scheduled executions of transactions between banks and maintains the registry of company stock ownership
Central Finance and Contracting Agency	Purchases using money from EU funded programmes: Budgeting, tendering, contracting, payments, accounting and financial reporting
Central Registry of Insured Persons (REGOS)	Tracks individuals and their funds for pensions
Croatian Institute for Health Insurance	Health insurance
Croatian Employment Service	Employment mediation, unemployment benefits, vocational guidance and training
Croatian Standards Institute	National standards body; promotes safety, quality, and interoperability of products, services and processes
Croatian Pension Insurance Institute	Pension insurance fund
Hydrographic Institute of the Republic of Croatia	Safety of water navigation and development of the maritime economy
Croatian Geodetic Institute	Surveying and geodesy: Plans and performs basic services, research and development, quality control, expert assistance, and maintains a geographic name database
Croatian Mine Action Centre	Demining surveys and planning, cleared area acceptance, mined area marking, quality assurance, demining research and development, and mine victim assistance
Croatian Information Documentation Referral Agency (HIDRA)	Information, documentation and referral services—provides government published materials to the Croatian State Archives and maintains an index of the published material
Croatian Accreditation Agency	Accredits inspectors to keep European and international standards
Croatian Academic and Research Network (CARNet)	Manages internet services, promotes online development, and educates
Croatian Financial Services Supervisory Agency (HANFA)	Maintains financial system stability and supervises trade transactions for legality
Croatian Agency for Small Business (HAMAG)	Develops the economy of Croatia via entrepreneurship, supports small and medium enterprises, guarantees entrepreneurial loans, and educates and develops an advisory service for small businesses
Fund for the Compensation of Expropriated Property	Compensates for property seized during Communist rule
Financial Agency (FINA)	Financial administrative and technical services
State Audit Office	Financial audits of the state and local governments (and other entities with majority government ownership)
State Agency for Deposit Insurance and Bank Rehabilitation	Bank deposit insurance
Human Rights Centre	Arranges for human rights-related public events, education, volunteer programmes and implementation of human rights projects
Croatian Competition Agency	Antitrust and merger control; monitors competition regarding agricultural and fisheries aid
Personal Data Protection Agency	Supervises personal data protection, reports personal data protection status recorded in the country and abroad, and maintains the central register of personal data
Croatian Environment Agency	Collects, integrates and processes environmental data; promotes sustainable development
Agency for Transactions and Mediation in Immovable Properties	Supervises the purchase and trading of real estate in Croatia, except where legislation defines the authority of another body; subsidizes real estate development

Government operations

Government meetings are public; however, the government may decide to close any part of its sessions (or entire sessions) to the public. The prime minister may authorise any deputy to represent the PM and otherwise take over any particular task assigned to the PM. The quorum for government sessions is a majority of government members. Most decisions are reached by a simple majority vote; a two-thirds majority vote is required for decisions about changes to the Croatian Constitution, uniting with other states or transferring any part of Croatian sovereignty to supranational organisations, changes to Croatian borders, dissolution of the parliament, or calling a referendum.

The inner or core cabinet (the prime minister and the PM's deputies) monitors and discusses the operation of the government, and may hold preliminary discussions on any matter performed by the government. The core cabinet may act as the government in emergencies when the government is unable to meet; however, its decisions must be verified at the next government session to remain in force. The Government Secretary coordinates agencies, offices and other services subordinated to the government.

Current government

Main articles: Cabinet of Zoran Milanović and Croatian parliamentary election, 2011

Prime Minister Zoran Milanović

Since 23 December 2011, the President of the government (prime minister) has been Zoran Milanović. There are four deputy prime ministers: Vesna Pusić, Neven Mimica, Branko Grčić, and Milanka Opačić. All the deputy prime ministers are also government ministers except Neven Mimica, whose portfolio overlaps with those of the minister of the interior and the minister of foreign and European affairs. The government ministers are from the Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP), the Croatian People's Party - Liberal Democrats (HNS), the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) and two are independent politicians.

Portfolio	Minister		Party	Budget 2015
Prime Minister's Office
Prime Minister		Zoran Milanović	SDP	8,645,200 kn
First Deputy Prime Minister
Foreign and European Affairs		Vesna Pusić	HNS-LD	613,286,024 kn
Deputy Prime Ministers
Social Politics and Youth		Milanka Opačić	SDP	4,574,084,341 kn
Regional Development and EU funds		Branko Grčić	SDP	805,285,678 kn
Interior		Ranko Ostojić	SDP	4,818,850,880 kn
Ministers
Finance		Boris Lalovac	SDP	43,337,768,228 kn
Defence		Ante Kotromanović	SDP	4,272,934,500 kn
Health		Siniša Varga	SDP	7,395,980,629 kn
Justice		Orsat Miljenić	Independent	2,401,977,000 kn
Public Administration		Arsen Bauk	SDP	323,066,200 kn
Economy		Ivan Vrdoljak	HNS-LD	1,567,199,469 kn
Entrepreneurship and Crafts		Gordan Maras	SDP	1,250,412,031 kn
Labour and Pension System		Mirando Mrsić	SDP	41,684,382,900 kn
Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure		Siniša Hajdaš Dončić	SDP	5,927,981,649 kn
Science, Education and Sport		Vedran Mornar	Independent	13,091,500,470 kn
Agriculture		Tihomir Jakovina	SDP	6,387,173,416 kn
Tourism		Darko Lorencin	IDS-DDI	205,739,000 kn
Environmental and Nature Protection		Mihael Zmajlović	SDP	974,004,172 kn
Construction and Physical Planning		Anka Mrak - Taritaš	HNS-LD	871,100,000 kn
Veterans' Affairs		Predrag Matić	Independent	984,370,602 kn
Culture		Berislav Šipuš	Independent	867,953,039 kn

Government history

See also: Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia and Socialist Republic of Croatia

Ban Pavao Rauch at St. Mark's Square in Zagreb, with Banski dvori in the background

Ban's Council (Croatian: Bansko Vijeće) of 1848–1850 was the first executive council established in Croatia. It acted as an administrative body governing Croatia within the Austrian Empire as a government. Following the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 and the subsequent Croatian–Hungarian Settlement of 1868, the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia was established, along with the Government of the Land (Croatian: Zemaljska Vlada) headed by a crown-appointed ban. The establishment was carried out during the administration of Ban Levin Rauch. This government form continued until the breakup of Austria-Hungary and creation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918. In total, 15 Bans acted as heads of the government in this period. The Cvetković–Maček Agreement was made in 1939; it established the Banovina of Croatia and appointed Ivan Šubašić as ban to head the Croatian government. Still, an effective government was not formed before the onset of World War II. In June 1943, the National Anti-Fascist Council of the People's Liberation of Croatia established an 11-member executive board to act as the new government of Croatia. Communist-ruled Croatia, a part of Yugoslavia, maintained its own government (of limited powers, excluding defence and foreign relations). The government was appointed by and responsible to the Sabor. During the Communist era, there were 14 governments of Croatia. The official name of the government was the Executive Council of the Sabor (Croatian: Izvršno vijeće Sabora). Following the parliamentary elections and the adoption of the present Constitution of Croatia in 1990, the present form of government was begun. On 30 May 1990, Stjepan Mesić became the first person to hold the title of Prime Minister of Croatia, and Franjo Gregurić was the first prime minister of an independent Croatia, as he held the office on 8 October 1991 when the declaration of independence came into effect.

List of governments of the Republic of Croatia

See also: Prime Minister of Croatia and List of cabinets of Croatia

Since 30 May 1990 (the first multi-party parliamentary election held following the 45-year Communist rule), the Republic of Croatia has had a total of twelve governments headed by ten different prime ministers. The prime minister in the first government after the first multi-party election was Stjepan Mesić, who would later go on to become the President of Croatia. That government was formed by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), as were seven other governments of Croatia. Three governments have been formed by the Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP), and one was a national unity government (representing a wide coalition of political parties) formed during the Croatian War of Independence's peak, between July 1991 and August 1992, with Franjo Gregurić as the prime minister.

Assumed office	Prime Minister	(Leading) Party in Office	Cabinet
30 May 1990	Stjepan Mesić	Croatian Democratic Union	Cabinet of Stjepan Mesić
24 August 1990	Josip Manolić	Croatian Democratic Union	Cabinet of Josip Manolić
17 July 1991	Franjo Gregurić	national unity government	Cabinet of Franjo Gregurić
12 August 1992	Hrvoje Šarinić	Croatian Democratic Union	Cabinet of Hrvoje Šarinić
3 April 1993	Nikica Valentić	Croatian Democratic Union	Cabinet of Nikica Valentić
7 November 1995	Zlatko Mateša	Croatian Democratic Union	Cabinet of Zlatko Mateša
27 January 2000	Ivica Račan	Social Democratic Party of Croatia	Cabinet of Ivica Račan I
30 July 2002	Ivica Račan	Social Democratic Party of Croatia	Cabinet of Ivica Račan II
23 December 2003	Ivo Sanader	Croatian Democratic Union	Cabinet of Ivo Sanader I
12 January 2008	Ivo Sanader	Croatian Democratic Union	Cabinet of Ivo Sanader II
6 July 2009	Jadranka Kosor	Croatian Democratic Union	Cabinet of Jadranka Kosor
23 December 2011	Zoran Milanović	Social Democratic Party of Croatia	Cabinet of Zoran Milanović
Sources: Croatian Government; HIDRA.

See also

• Elections in Croatia

External links

• Official Government web site in English