Croatian Government to Replace Jadrolinija Leadership

The news in Croatian

1. vlada (f.)
   organ vlasti koji upravlja državom ↩︎
2. trajekt (m.)
   brod za prijevoz ljudi i vozila na kraće udaljenosti ↩︎
3. posada (f.)
   skupina ljudi koja upravlja brodom, zrakoplovom ili drugim vozilom ↩︎
4. izvješće (n.)
   pisani ili usmeni prikaz činjenica i okolnosti ↩︎
5. propust (m.)
   greška, nedostatak u postupanju ili oprezu ↩︎
6. odgovoran
   koji ima obvezu ili dužnost za nešto ↩︎

Translation

Text Comprehension

Question: Why is the Croatian government changing the leadership of Jadrolinija?

Question: Who agreed to resign after meeting with the Prime Minister?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
vlada (f.)	government
trajekt (m.)	ferry
posada (f.)	crew
izvješće (n.)	report
propust (m.)	error
odgovoran	responsible

Read the full story

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković confirmed the decision after a meeting with Jadrolinija’s board president, David Sopta. Sopta expressed his willingness to step down and abide by the government’s decision, emphasising his moral responsibility in a statement, despite not feeling personally culpable for the accident. The complete management board, including members Goran Frković and Riano Bukša, will be relieved of their duties during the upcoming assembly set for February 11.

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport, and Infrastructure uncovered in its report that the accident was influenced by a systematic failure in safety management within Jadrolinija. Violations by the ship’s captain concerning the safety management procedures were cited. The report recommended a misdemeanour procedure against Jadrolinija and key personnel if no criminal proceedings are initiated.

Deputy Prime Minister Branko Bačić, commenting on the delayed response in taking these actions, stated that the government awaited the results from various investigative bodies to ensure accountability was precisely assigned. “There are no protected individuals in this matter,” Bačić remarked, reinforcing the government’s commitment to acting based on the reports.

Meanwhile, the unions representing Croatian seafarers supported the findings on the management’s failings but dissented on implicating the ship’s captain. Concurrently, the Safety Investigations Agency reported inadequacies in the training and awareness of the crew regarding the equipment that led to the incident. It issued several safety recommendations aimed at preventing a recurrence.

Minister of Tourism and Sport Tonči Glavina, also a member of the Jadrolinija assembly, elaborated that the government’s unanimous decision ensures the company will swiftly appoint an interim board, considering Jadrolinija’s critical role in Croatia’s tourism with the approaching season.

The tragedy highlighted pressing concerns over maritime safety standards in Croatia, prompting a sector-wide call to boost the safety training of maritime professionals. The government has set a three-month timeline for companies, including Jadrolinija, to enhance safety measures and training to prevent future incidents.

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