Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic

Croatia is now the youngest member of the European Union and has established itself as one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. Its cultural specificities, sports icons and young people who constantly push the boundaries of innovation in business and technology represent its most recognisable signs of progress.

Heating Up

Grabar-Kitarovic had the full backing of the conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), which has led the governing coalition since 2016 and boasts a powerful party machine across the country.

Even so, Milanovic beat her soundly in the second round in early January, scooping 52.66 per cent of votes compared with 47.34 per cent for Grabar-Kitarovic.

According to him, President of the European Council Charles Michel announced the gathering of Western Balkans leaders in February.
"I expect Michel to soon organize some kind of rally in February that will bring together all the leaders in the Western Balkans, so that we can continue dialogue", Vucic told Television Pink.

The ceremony will be opened tonight with a concert at the Croatian National Theater, and Milanovic will not be attending, it was confirmed from his office, Zagreb-based N1 television reports.

Former Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic won the presidential election in Croatia, according to official results based on counted ballots from almost all polling stations.

Milanovic receives 52.73% of the vote. 47,267 percent voted in favour of Milanovic, outpacing Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic, Croatia's now former president.

Croatia's next president will be elected in a second round of voting on Jan. 5, according to the unofficial results of the State Election Commission (DIP) on Dec. 23.

No candidate passed the 50 percent threshold after nearly all of the votes were counted in the election, in which 11 candidates competed.

Incumbent President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic said that Croatia would insist on Serbia's meeting all criteria, which, as she said, "must face its past", instead of returning to World War II, in order to "experience the catharsis of what they did to Croatia and to other neighbouring countries".

Thousands of people from all over Croatia gathered in Vukovar on Monday to commemorate the 28th anniversary of the town's fall after a devastating siege by Yugoslav People's Army troops and Serb paramilitaries.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said that they had come to express their respect for those who defended the town.

Why has the ruling Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, that has run the country for 20 of these 28 years, waited so long to promote Vukovar Remembrance Day, a de-facto date of national suffering, to a national holiday?