Demographics and Immigration Minister Ivan Šipić visits Split Hospital's maternity ward on New Year's Day. New act forcing banks to offer citizen's free bank accounts has taken effect. Digital novelties in 2026 include the Fiscalization 2.0 program and the Population Register. New EU energy savings dictats take force. Cyprus assumes the EU's six month rotating presidency. Croatia's Tomislav Novosel and Kenya's Valentine Benedek-Jebet win the 47th Varaždin New Year's Race.


