The Law on Family Farms Adopted

The Croatian Parliament on Friday adopted the Law on Family Farms, which is expected to be a step towards improving the state of agriculture, allowing family farms to differentiate themselves from other economic entities, and assisting in the regulation of the market for agricultural and food products.

The law passed with 77 votes in favor, while members of the HSS and Most parties, outraged by the government’s rejection of all 30 opposition amendments, left the parliament before the vote, while the remaining opposition members who stayed in the parliament did not vote.

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The aim of the Law on Family Farms is to appropriately motivate families to manage their farms and to discourage the fragmentation of production resources.

The law stipulates that the production resources of family farms are essential for conducting agricultural economic activities and are the main source of livelihood protected from foreclosure, as well as property necessary for the family life and housing of family farm members.

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It allows members of the extended family to assist in seasonal and occasional work performed on family farms without the obligation of establishing an employment relationship, and it also enables further reduction of administrative and fiscal barriers.

HSS and Most left the parliament

It is prescribed that the Payment Agency maintains a register of family farms as an integral part of the Register of Farmers, and it is established as a public official record with reliable and up-to-date data.

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“We see that you accept nothing and that your goal is not the development of family farms and agriculture in Croatia. There is no point in participating in the vote; we are leaving the session,” said HSS member Davor Vlaović to the ruling party during the voting on the amendments.

Members of Most joined their HSS colleagues a bit later, just before the vote on the law itself.

“After the rejection of all amendments, I cannot participate in the voting process for the law, and you are sufficient for yourselves. There is no need for the opposition to be involved in the work because we are not sufficiently qualified,” ironically stated Most member Tomislav Panenić, and together with his party colleagues, left the parliament.