Croatia Plans Affordable Housing Policy Consultation

The news in Croatian

1. nacionalan
   odnosi se na naciju ili zemlju ↩︎
2. ruralan
   koji se odnosi na selo ili život izvan grada ↩︎
3. olakšica (f.)
   olakšavajući uvjet ili pogodnost, posebno u kontekstu financija ↩︎
4. pravedan
   koji se odnosi na pravdu ili pravičnost ↩︎
5. poboljšanje (n.)
   činiti nešto boljim ili unaprijediti ↩︎

Translation

Text Comprehension

Question: When is the public consultation for Croatia’s national housing policy planned?

Question: Which group is the affordable housing plan especially aimed at?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
nacionalan	national
povoljan	favourable
ruralan	rural
olakšica (f.)	relief
pravedan	fair
poboljšanje (n.)	improvement

Read the full story

During a parliamentary session, opposition member Sanja Radolović from the Social Democrats (SDP) questioned the government’s transparency regarding real estate taxation. She accused Finance Minister Marko Primorac and the administration of misleading the public by previously stating there were no plans to introduce a real estate tax, a point allegedly absent from the government’s programme for the 2024-2028 period.

Bačić outlined that the policy aims to facilitate young people, particularly in rural areas, by making housing more affordable and providing measures such as tax refunds or partial refunds on real estate transactions. These initiatives are expected to encourage both new construction and the adaptation of existing properties. The inclusion of affordable housing options within new buildings is also a primary focus.

In an exchange marked by sharp retorts, Primorac accused Radolović of misrepresentations, emphasizing that future discussions on tax reforms aimed to redistribute the tax burden from labour to property, which he argues will benefit lower-income individuals. Furthermore, the government claims to have addressed issues such as bank overdrafts and savings concerns, significantly impacting the national economy.

Meanwhile, in a related discussion, Viktorija Knežević of the Centre party highlighted challenges faced by Dubrovnik’s residents, including traffic congestion and lack of affordable housing. She queried Prime Minister Andrej Plenković about the potential for constructing an underground tunnel to alleviate these issues, contingent upon her election as mayor in upcoming local elections. While Plenković expressed openness to considering the proposal, he stressed that technical feasibility and municipal council discussions would precede any firm decisions.

These discussions underline the ongoing debate over housing policy and economic reforms in Croatia, reflecting broader tensions between government pledges and opposition scrutiny.

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