Ivan Vrdoljak

Amid an ongoing crisis in the ruling coalition in Croatia, with the junior coalition partner, the Croatian People's Party, HNS, threatening the senior Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, that it will vote against the draft budget for 2020, speculation grows about about the coalition collapsing.

After visiting Croatia in June 2016, a European delegation is back in the country for a two-day visit.

The delegation comprises the South East Europe Media Organisation, the European Broadcasting Union, the European Federation of Journalists, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, Reporters Without Borders and the Association of European Journalists.

With the centre-right Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, losing potential partners for forming a new governing majority in the Croatian parliament, new general elections seem to be a realistic scenario in the coming months, an analyst told BIRN.

Croatian Finance Minister Zdravko Maric could become the subject of an investigation by the Commission for Conflict of Interest Prevention after being reported for his ties with Croatia's biggest private company Agrokor, which is currently going through a financial crisis.

The likely result of an upcoming non-confidence vote on Croatia's Science and Education Minister Pavo Barisic is still unclear as both governing and opposition parties voice conflicting views.

Two state projects to explore and exploit gas and oil in Croatia are on hold until the new government prepares everything for the signing of contracts with foreign companies.

Months before the next parliamentary elections at the end of the year, Croatia's centre-left government on Thursday unveiled a new package of measures aimed at helping the poor.

Economy Minister Ivan Vrdoljak announced that a category of "vulnerable customers" will be created in terms of the energy system who will be protected from having their heating and lights cut off.

Croatian economy minister Ivan Vrdoljak confirmed on Tuesday that Austrian energy company OMV and US firm Marathon Oil Corporation have decided not to sign contracts for to search for and extract gas and oil from Croatia's Adriatic Sea, one of the country's major energy projects.

Croatia still has not signed the contract for oil and gas exploration on the Adriatic seabed with five companies that obtained licences in January.

The initial deadline to sign the agreement, set for April, has already been moved.

Sustainable Growth of Croatia, ORaH launched its campaign on Sunday under the banner "Say NO to Oil in the Adriatic, Say YES to sustainable growth", hoping to prevent the start of oil and gas exploration and exploitation in the Adriatic Sea, which it considers environmentally risky.