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Legal Articles

Law firm Vaić & Dvorničić Ltd. > Legal Articles
16 March
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Energy and real estate: three typical risk situations

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in Construction law, Real estate law

As of 1. 1. 2026., the new Energy Efficiency Act applies, noting that certain provisions will enter into force on 1. 1. 2027. (Art. 43(6)–(8)). Although this is primarily a statute setting public policies, measures and instruments, its practical impact is clear: energy efficiency is increasingly finding its way into your decisions and contracts, whether you are selling, leasing, renovating or financing a property. Energy costs and the predictability of consumption have already become part of value and risk assessments, and documentation that previously passed on trust is now increasingly subject to formal checks. In practice, the risks most often...

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07 March
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Real estate investments after 1 January 2026: key changes under the new ZPU

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in Construction law, News, Real estate law

As of 1 January 2026, the new Spatial Planning Act applies, and the previous act has been repealed. Although at first glance it may seem like a technical statute for planners and public administration, the changes are very concrete for investors and landowners: faster and more digital procedures, clearer deadlines, a stricter regime on the coast and in tourism, and mechanisms that can unblock projects that have been stuck for years due to infrastructure. One of the biggest changes is a full shift towards digital planning. Spatial plans are prepared and adopted in the information system through ePlanove, and the decision...

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22 February
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New Building Act and Faster Permits

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in Construction law, News, Property law, Real estate law

As of 1 January 2026, the new Building Act is in force. In official announcements it has been emphasised that obtaining building permits should be significantly faster, with communication and monitoring of procedures through digital systems (eDozvola). In practice, for years the most time was lost not on design, but on waiting for various statements: special conditions and connection conditions (electricity, water and sewerage, transport, municipal infrastructure, etc.). The new Act is drafted so that this part of the procedure becomes predictable: it introduces deadlines, accountability and, most importantly, clear consequences when deadlines expire. The central novelty is in Article 48 of...

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07 February
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Establishing a Commercial Company in the Republic of Croatia for Non-EU Nationals: Is an “Approval” Required under the Foreign Direct Investment Screening Act?

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in Administrative law, Commercial law

In practice, the term “foreign investment” is often equated with “setting up a company by a foreigner.” However, the legal framework distinguishes between the procedure for establishing a commercial company and the security mechanism for screening foreign investments. Company Formation and the Foreign Investment Screening Act When a person from outside the EU wants to start a company in Croatia, everything is often lumped under the same label of “foreign investment,” creating the impression that every new company must be specially approved. However, the Ministry of Finance clearly states in its information that the Foreign Investment Screening Act does not change the procedure...

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29 January
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Foreign worker recruitment agencies: when are you the employer, and when are you only an intermediary?

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in Labor law, News

In practice, the term “agency for the employment of foreigners” often conflates two different models: 1. The agency employs the worker for the purpose of assigning/seconding them to a user undertaking (temporary-work agency / labour leasing). 2. The agency provides recruitment/intermediation (searching, screening and matching employer and worker), but the employment contract is concluded between the client–employer and the worker. The difference is not merely terminological: it determines what records you must keep, what contracts you enter into, what you may charge, and who must meet the requirements in residence and work permit procedures. When the agency hires directly (temporary-work agency) If the agency hires...

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09 January
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Legal capacity and mental Illness

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in Legal Advice

In the legal system of the Republic of Croatia, there is no direct statutory definition of legal (business) capacity. Instead, the Obligations Act defines legal capacity as a person’s ability to create legal effects through their own declaration of will, and it provides that legal capacity is acquired upon reaching the age of majority. Legal capacity therefore represents the foundation for independent participation in legal transactions. However, in the case of persons with mental illnesses or other impairments affecting their ability to reason, the question arises as to the extent to which they are able to make legally valid decisions. Deprivation...

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22 December
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Voidness of a contract

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in Contract law

Voidness of a Contract Voidness of a contract refers to a situation in which a contract does not produce the legal effects that would arise if it were valid, meaning it contains such defects and violations of legal provisions that it produces no legal effect. According to the Obligations Act (Zakon o obveznim odnosima), a contract is void if it is contrary to the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, mandatory legal provisions, or the morality of society, unless the purpose of the violated rule indicates another legal consequence or the law provides otherwise in a particular case. Any party to a contract...

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14 December
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Statute of Limitations

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in Enforcement law

The statute of limitations is a legal concept that results in the loss of a creditor’s right to seek protection of their claim due to their inactivity over a period of time prescribed by law. In other words, limitation occurs when the creditor does not demand fulfilment of their claim from the debtor within the legally specified period. The Obligations Act stipulates that, once limitation occurs, the creditor loses the right to demand fulfillment of the obligation. In practical terms, when a claim becomes time-barred, the creditor can no longer initiate court proceedings—whether by filing a lawsuit or an enforcement proposal—to require...

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27 November
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Recognition of foreign court decisions

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in Legal Advice

The issue of recognizing foreign court decisions is regulated by the Private International Law Act. A foreign court decision is treated as equivalent to a decision of a court of the Republic of Croatia and has legal effect in the Republic of Croatia only if it is recognized by a Croatian court. This Act applies in cases where none of the European Union regulations governing the recognition of decisions in civil, commercial, family, inheritance and matrimonial matters apply. Procedure The decision on recognition is issued by the court in non-contentious proceedings. The application must be accompanied by proof that the foreign court...

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27 November
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Apostille (legalization)

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in Legal Advice

An apostille is an international certification that confirms the authenticity of public documents for use in countries that are signatories to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents. The apostille certifies the authenticity of the signature, seal, and official stamp on a given document. A document issued in one contracting state can therefore be used in another contracting state without the need for special recognition. The Hague Convention thus simplified the legalisation process between the contracting parties. The Republic of Croatia has also concluded bilateral agreements with a number of other countries...

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