ZAGREB, June 20 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament wrapped up Thursday's session by debating a bill on foreigners which envisages three status categories - a 90-day sojourn, temporary and permanent residence.
ZAGREB, June 20 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament wrapped up
Thursday's session by debating a bill on foreigners which envisages
three status categories - a 90-day sojourn, temporary and permanent
residence. #L#
Deputy Interior Minister Josip Vresk said the 90-day sojourn would
refer to foreigners with and without a visa, or with a border pass.
Temporary residence would be approved to foreigners wishing to stay
in Croatia for a specific period of time and for a specific purpose,
for example for studying or receiving medical treatment.
Permanent residence would be approved to foreigners who spent five
years in Croatia as temporary residents or had two years of marriage
with a Croatian citizen or with a foreigner with permanent resident
status.
Foreigners may work in Croatia based on a work or business permit.
An annual work permit quota would be introduced. It would be
determined by the government by Oct. 31 of the current year for the
following year.
Work permits would be issued by the Interior Ministry instead of the
Labour Ministry and the Employment Bureau. This would require the
employment of 45 people.
The whole implementation of the law on foreigners would cost 5.1
million kuna (EUR695,770) annually.
The bill was opposed by MPs of the strongest opposition party, the
Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), whose Ivan Penic described it as
too liberal. Liberalising work permit issuance is unnecessary when
other countries are introducing stricter immigration regimes, he
said, adding that the proposed solutions harmed state security.
Business permits should not be issued and renewed automatically but
business supervised and permits extended based on that, said
Penic.
(hina) ha sb