Ahead of the presidential elections in the Republic of Croatia, the editorial staff of Croatians Online is launching a series of articles with the aim of bringing the candidates and their election programs closer to Croats in the diaspora.
To all those who have announced their candidacy so far, we asked the same five questions to find out their views on topics of particular interest to Croats abroad, including the right to vote, military service, double taxation and the tax on pensions. We publish the answers we received in alphabetical order according to the last names of the candidates.*
Ph.D. Ivana Kekin, Ph.D. med is a presidential candidate of the political platform "Možemo!" in the upcoming elections. The respected doctor and member of parliament describes herself as a candidate of the green left. Under the slogan "President of the new generation" in his program announces that it will preserve the constitutional values of the welfare state and the public good. Read below what Mrs. Kekin told us about the key topics concerning Croatian emigration.
1. Currently, some Consulates of the Republic of Croatia are overloaded in terms of the amount of work, and it is not possible to get a meeting in them for months. Consequently, do you think that our country has enough consular representations and employees in the Consulates in view of this, but also in view of the increasing interest in the citizenship of the Republic of Croatia?
I believe that the work of our embassies around the world should be reviewed and their capacities adjusted to the needs of a new, active foreign policy. It is necessary to strategically consider the opening of new diplomatic missions in regions of increasing international importance that the previous foreign policy neglected and to strengthen their role in economic, cultural, scientific and development cooperation as well as in migration management processes.
2. If mandatory military service is introduced in the Republic of Croatia, should, in your opinion, the children of Croatian emigrants who live abroad and have received Croatian citizenship, serve military service in Croatia?
My position is that by joining NATO, Croatia has professionalized the army and that Croatia does not need mandatory military service. Croatia also has voluntary military service, so everyone who wants to can serve that way. Investments should be made in equipment, better salaries and promotion of the professional army, given that we know that the conditions in the army are not good enough, and therefore not motivating for people who have an affinity and desire to join the professional army or serve voluntary military service.
3. What is your position on the proposal of Minister Primorc not to tax returnees for a period of five years, and what do you think is the key to (finally) ratifying the Double Tax Treaty? In addition, in your opinion, should returning pensioners be taxed on pensions earned abroad?
A bill has arrived in the Parliament, which proposes to release the obligation to pay tax on income from self-employment for a period of 5 years for those of our fellow citizens who will return to the country after having spent at least 2 years continuously abroad. The government interprets this as an incentive to return to the homeland, i.e. as a demographic measure, but it is very questionable what effect this measure will have in reality. Essential demographic measures are affordable housing, availability of education, especially preschool, availability and quality of public health services, quality of the education system, availability of cultural content, as well as equality of opportunities on the labor market. Exemption from income tax liability for as long as 5 years will only create new inequalities and injustices.
Regarding the ratification of the Double Taxation Treaty with the USA, given that the treaty was signed two years ago, the Croatian Government and Croatian diplomacy in the US should be more agile in bilateral diplomacy so that the American side finally implements the process of confirming the Treaty.
Regarding the taxation of pensions, pensioners who live in Croatia and have acquired a pension abroad are subject to income tax in Croatia, but the collection of tax depends on whether there is a double taxation agreement with the country from which the pension is paid. I believe that the Government of the Republic of Croatia should definitely make a significant effort to reduce to zero the number of third countries with which Croatia does not yet have an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation. As a party, we stand for the systematic raising of all pensions in Croatia, but also the abolition of taxation of pensions that are below the average average Croatian salary.
4. Do you think that Croatian emigrants, even though they do not live in Croatia, should vote in elections. Why?
Considering the huge number of people who have left Croatia since Plenković has been in power, for whom there is still hope that they will return to Croatia, in this sense the changes to the Constitution regarding who, when and where can vote for me are the subject of a wider public debate, and possibly statements of citizens at the referendum.
5. Briefly outline the key points of your program, with special reference to Croatian emigration.
As president of the Republic of Croatia, I will use my visibility and all available tools to raise issues of public interest and changes for the common good to the highest political level. These are the priorities:
A country for a good life: I will oppose policies that deepen inequalities and make sure that we achieve economic, social and legal equality of citizens.
Safe from violence, free to decide, equal in rights: I will insist on the topic of protection and safety of women and their rights. Women who report violence must not be sanctioned for it.
A country that protects its common and public resources: I will advocate for the preservation of public goods - from the health and education system to the protection of maritime assets.
A country of safe citizens and safe communities: In addition to strategic investment in the military, I will emphasize the protection of our people: investment in flood prevention systems, urban torrents, better firefighting equipment and a stronger civil protection system.
Croatia, a country with a clear and consistent position: I will focus on the stabilization of our neighborhood, by helping the countries of the region enter the European Union. I will affirm Croatia as a peace-building country, advocate for an end to the brutal killing of civilians in Gaza, the activation of international institutions in punishing those responsible for war crimes, and a ban on arms exports to Israel.
About Ivana Kekin
Ivana Kekin was born in 1984 as the second child in the family. Already in the third grade of elementary school, she knew she wanted to study medicine. She grew up in Sveti Ivan Zelina in a family of eight, where only the father was employed, while the mother took care of the family. In Zelina, he finishes elementary school and general high school, which he attends with a scholarship based on excellent results and a difficult socioeconomic situation. During her education, she worked various summer jobs, and on the family farm, together with her brothers and sisters, she worked on the land.
She didn't change her mind until the end of high school, so in 2002 she moved to Zagreb and enrolled in a course, which she finished in 2008. In 2005, he met Mila Kekin, with whom he began a relationship. At the time, he was still studying, and the only time he missed an exam was because Mile changed their date at the last minute. A year later, they got married, and in 2007, Ivana gave birth to a son, Vito. In the fifth and sixth years of college, he does not take a break, but attends regularly and finishes with excellent results. In 2012, Ivana gave birth to a daughter, Miša.
After the internship, he takes the state exam and, while waiting for the specialization competition, he gets a job in a clinical trials company. In 2011, he is competing for specialization in neurology and psychiatry. At KBC Zagreb (Rebro), she received both, and decided to specialize in psychiatry. In 2016, she passed the specialist exam and has been leading group and individual psychotherapy since then, and in 2020 she will become a subspecialist in psychotherapy at Rebro.
In 2013, Ivana and Mile, five-year-old Vito and eight-month-old Miša are going to Canada for three months, where Ivana is engaged in scientific research at the University of Toronto. In 2018, Ivana completed her doctorate, and her work was declared the best doctoral work of that year at the Faculty of Medicine in Zagreb.
In January 2016, after the parliamentary elections, he joined the New Left and in the same year participated in the protest for curriculum reform, Croatia can do better. In 2020, she is formally engaged in politics for the first time - as a candidate in the parliamentary elections in the 7th constituency. The list in the 7th constituency won one seat in the Parliament, and Ivana won 5% of the preferential votes.
Enters the parliament in 2021 as a replacement for Rada Borić. She is most engaged in the topic of healthcare: she fights against privatization, for an accessible and solidary healthcare system, where all citizens have the necessary healthcare. She especially dealt with the topic of mental health, focusing on children and young people. She spoke loudly about gambling addiction and pointed to the need for stronger regulation of casinos, as well as the need to ban gambling advertising at all levels. She actively spoke about femicide and violence against women, she emphasized the necessity of full equality for women, which is realized through the right to abortion, the right to adequate health care, equality in the labor market and equal representation of men and women in political life.
She led the campaign "It's not good for maritime property", which opposed HDZ's proposal for the Law on Maritime Property and Sea Ports. Due to public pressure and the highlighting of the shortcomings of that proposal, along with the active struggle of civil society and the rebellion of numerous citizens who signed a petition against this Law, a version was finally adopted that prevents the exploitation of maritime property for private purposes.
She participated in the local elections in Zagreb in 2021, when she was elected as a representative in the City Assembly and became its vice-president. In the 2024 parliamentary elections, this time in the 1st constituency, she was elected as a member of the Croatian Parliament, and a few months later, in the European Parliament elections, she won the largest number of preferential votes on the We Can list. Due to his commitment to national politics, he leaves his place to Gordan Bosanac.
*At the time of sending the questions to the presidential candidates, eleven people announced their candidacy. Candidates who joined later will receive the questions later.
Photos: Ivana Kekin/Facebook
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