March the 9th, 2023 - The rather remarkable Croatian startup Choncha is set to make life much easier for both people and the plants they buy and might forget to take care of and water once or twice, or... maybe constantly.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Josipa Ban writes, plant selection and care should soon be much easier thanks to the unusual and innovative Croatian startup Choncha, which has created a smart plant pot that should be on the market soon. This clever product, which is based on the application of the Internet of Things (IoT), comes in combination with an associated application that scans the conditions in the room the plant would be situated in through sensors, it then recommends the optimal types of plants to the user.

But that's not all. After planting, Choncha the smart plant pot takes care of the plant when it is there entirely automatically, all based on the collected data from its immediate environment.

A hard-working team of experts of various profiles are behind the Croatian startup Chonca and have been busy working on the development of Choncha the smart plant pot for some time now. Among them are people who have completed their studies in computer science, to those who graduated in mechanical engineering and agronomy, and as Frano Primorac, the originator of the idea and head of the Croatian startup Choncha revealed, they're currently completing their prototype.

"We're now working on the preparation for mass production, which we'll be greatly supported in by a Kickstarter campaign, which is currently in preparation. Further plans are definitely an organised capital collection, and since the interest of the public is huge, we're hoping for good results,'' stated Frano Primorac.

The campaign will be launched this week, more precisely on Wednesday March the 8th, and the plan is to collect six thousand US dollars. The price of the Choncha smart plant pot will be 59 USD on Kickstarter, and it will probably be cheaper here on the domestic market in the end. However, as Primorac noted, it's somewhat difficult to estimate how much they can collect.

"For now, we have a good number of collected emails on our website where people who want a Choncha pot can leave an email to be notified when the Kickstarter sale is launched," he said. As for the profile of the investors, they're targeting a type of profile that would otherwise buy this product.

"Through this viral marketing campaign, we discovered that the people who would purchase one of our smart plant pots are mostly mothers and tech geeks. Through Kickstarter, we hope for a more global reach, but we aren't yet sure in which niche we'll manage to garner the greatest response,'' he explained.

He added that successful and experienced Croatian entrepreneurs Albert Gajsak, the founder and director of CircuitMess, and Domagoj Boljar, co-founder of the well-known ecological tennis brand Miret, are helping them with advice in preparing for their Kickstarter campaign, which should contribute to their overall success. After the campaign, which they hope will end successfully, they are starting the last part of the job – that of mass production of Choncha, that is, their innovative smart plant pots.

Primorac, who graduated from the FOI in Varazdin and worked for an IT company for a year now, was motivated to start his own business because of a problem he had with growing plants.

"The idea itself arose from a problem I had as the worst botanist I know. The logical decision was therefore to spend ten months on automating the process of growing plants, a job that would take me half an hour a week. That's how the Croatian startup Choncha, and the idea of the plant pot, was born," he explained, adding that there are five permanent people working on the team who all knew each other before.

"We're all on the same page and are aware that we can't expect salaries at the start because we're simply bootstrapping, but that's why morale and fun are always paramount," said the initiator of the idea of a smart flower pot. He also pointed out that their biggest challenge has always been financing. They had no problems with the development of the prototype itself, primarily due to the expertise of the mechanical engineers and part of the team that worked on it.

As far as actual production is concerned, it will be based on 3D print technology, and the first prototype will be exhibited at FOI. "The plant pot itself and the application function as one product, is all very simple from the user's side. Choncha itself can scan the surrounding conditions and recommend optimal plants for the space, but the user can place any plant in it they want and in the connected application just tell Choncha which plant it is. Choncha waters the plant perfectly and warns plant owners about other conditions," he explained.

All the user has to do to successfully grow the plant with minimal effort is to turn on the button on the pot. Then they need to download the app, log in and pair the app with the container. The aforementioned institution from Varazdin otherwise played a major role in the creation and development of the Croatian startup Choncha, as this young team gained its first entrepreneurial experiences through their Startup@FOI program.

Through it, FOI provides financial and operational support to students and young innovators in the development of their various entrepreneurial ideas and product placement on the market. They also get an office in the premises of the Technology Park in Varazdin, as well as help in managing accounting, tax advice and consultation.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated business section.

March the 9th, 2023 - The Croatian-Austrian startup PlanRadar is making waves on the other side of the world, with the digitalisation of the largest infrastructure project in Tasmanian history.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Darko Bicak writes, the Croatian-Austrian startup PlanRadar, a company whose eponymous cloud platform has been designed to digitise construction processes, has been selected as the software supplier for the 786 million Australian dollars (500.45 million euros) Bridgewater Bridge project over the Derwent River in Australia.

The work of building the bridge is being managed by Burbury Consulting, and it is the largest infrastructural transport project in the entire history of Tasmania.

It's interesting to note, as they pointed out from PlanRadar itself, that the Peljesac bridge project right here in Croatia was one of their main references for getting this job in distant Australia. Domagoj Dolinsek, the founder of the Croatian-Austrian startup PlanRadar, explained that this is their biggest project in Australia so far, and also one of the biggest in the world.

A strategic step forward

"We've been present in Australia for a year, and with last year's investment in our company of 69 million US dollars, a stronger exit from the European market to the global market, primarily North America, the Middle East and Australia, was made possible," explained Dolinsek.

The new Bridgewater Bridge project will use PlanRadar to manage all of its various inspections, quality assessments, task management, construction documentation, site audits and other key aspects of construction project management. PlanRadar pointed out that they are a leading player in this particular industry with over 120,000 clients in their global base using their property and construction project management software platform, and this is their first infrastructure mega-project in Australia.

“PlanRadar has previously been used in similar infrastructure projects across Europe, notably in the case of Peljesac Bridge, one of Europe's largest construction projects, along with its surrounding network of roads and tunnels. The Peljesac Bridge project is still one of the largest mega infrastructure projects in southern Croatia, with a total value of 550 million euros,'' they stated.

Bart Crowther, the Croatian-Austrian startup PlanRadar's regional manager for Australia emphasised the importance of this project for their future presence in that part of the world. "The opportunity to work on any infrastructure project of this scale is truly extraordinary, and the positive impact on the Tasmanian community, both for the 22,000 daily users of the future bridge and for the improvement of freight and logistics routes on it, is extremely important to us. We're looking forward to working with the Tasmanian Government and the Burbury Consulting teams and helping guide their day-to-day ongoing site inspection processes,” Crowther said. A Burbury Consulting representative said PlanRadar was chosen for this project because of its data-driven reporting capabilities.

"When it came time to choose our project inspection software, we unanimously chose PlanRadar because of their ease of use and incredibly detailed data-driven reporting capabilities that help us better manage timely reporting, inspections, audits and verifications," it was stated.

Otherwise, this new Bridgewater Bridge will replace the existing 75-year-old cable-span bridge and will have a length of one kilometre in total. The main works on the bridge started last year, and it is estimated that it will be completed in 2024. The river crossing between Bridgewater and Granton in Tasmania has a long history and the first bridge was opened in 1848.

The existing Bridgewater Bridge was built back in 1946 and is the fourth bridge at this location, but the planning to replace this bridge began over 20 years ago, with many different designs and plans developed over that time, and the current project was completed and finally approved in 2018. The Croatian-Austrian startup PlanRadar, born from the idea of builder and founder Domagoj Dolinsek, enables the management of all construction documentation via mobile phones, tablets and computers, and is used in both the construction industry and on the real estate market.

By digitising the workflow, PlanRadar reduces the frequency of what could be costly and frustrating errors, saves time for all parties involved and enables huge efficiency gains: users report saving an average of seven working hours every week.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated business section.

March 8, 2023 - So how does Croatia really work? Meet the Mighty State of Uhljebistan.

Can learning one word of a foreign language change your understanding of that country and your relationships with your local friends?

It did with me.

The day I learned the word Uhljeb and its effect on Croatian society, Croatia changed for me, and so did my relationships with many of my Croatian friends.

Find out how Croatia really works be entering insides the walls of the Mighty State of Uhljebistan, a country within a country in Croatia.

****

You can subscribe to the Paul Bradbury Croatia Expert YouTube channel here.

What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning - Business and Dalmatia.

Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn.

Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners is now available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.

March the 8th, 2023 - In this article, I'll take you through what you need to do to obtain permanent Croatian residence as a European Union/European Economic Area citizen. A bit of good news is that EU law makes this your right to have after five years of lawful, uninterrupted temporary residence. Let's dive in.

I've already written extensively about what you need to do to secure temporary Croatian residence as an EU/EEA citizen in this article, so make sure to click on that and read through it if it applies to you, because you won't get permanent Croatian residence without completing those five years (and one day) first.

Once you've racked up your five years of temporary residence, you can get permanent Croatian residence. As an EEA citizen, unlike a third country national, this is your right, even if the clerk you’re met with makes you feel like it isn't. You might get lucky and be dealt with by a friendly face, but if you aren't, remember it's them and not you. Just provide what they ask for and you'll be fine.

Typically, you'll need to prove your five years of continuous, legal residence, this is done simply by presenting your temporary residence card. All of the information MUP needs will be on it, or stored in it. 

You may be asked to provide proof of enough funds to sustain yourself, proof of address, proof of health insurance (again, you might not even be asked for this), and proof of your identity.

The key requirement is that you have held residency for a continuous period of five years in Croatia, absences of six months or less every year are permitted. As opposed to third country nationals, permanent residence for an EEA citizen is an automatic right under EU law. You're simply asking MUP for a confirmation of those rights. You therefore do not need a valid temporary residence permit when registering your permanent residence, unlike third country nationals. EEA nationals apply after five years and one day.

EEA citizens do not need to take an exam in Croatian language and the Latin script, this was confirmed by MUP here in Zagreb via email correspondence. Despite this, some EEA nationals report being told they need to do so, and some portals and websites with outdated or confusing information claiming they need to. If you need to be certain, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the question, stating that you are an EEA citizen and are unsure. You can present that email if you end up being wrongly asked to take a test.

As stated just above, some officials claim that you must submit this application before the validity of your five-year permit runs out, however, this is not the case for EEA citizens as your right to permanent residence is automatic under EU law, meaning that you actually seek confirmation of your rights after five years and one day. Make sure to ask about your situation. The same rules apply to family members of Croatian nationals who are not nationals of an EEA country.

You'll be given the correct form to fill in once you go in person to apply at the police station.

As opposed to the case with third-country nationals, MUP is required to provide a decision on the permanent residence application of an EEA national in the shortest time period possible, so you'll likely hear of your approval quite quickly. Once again, if you don't hear anything or have questions, make sure to call your case worker (ask for a contact number when you make your application!) or send them an email.

Once your permanent Croatian residence is approved, you'll go to pick up a new biometric permit with a typical validity of ten years. As stated previously, permanent residence provides almost all of the rights a Croatian citizen enjoys and when granted, you are no longer subject to any conditions as long as you do not leave Croatia for longer than you're allowed to, and you can read about that here.

You can access the state's social security system, you can work and carry out services freely, in any manner citizens do without needing any type of special permit or permission for foreigners, and you can leave the country as often as you'd like to. You simply renew it as you would a passport every decade. You will not be subject to any more conditions or questions.

If you commit a crime that lands you with six months or more in jail, or you're deemed and proven to be a threat to national security, then your permanent Croatian residence can be revoked and you can, in some very rare cases, face deportation.

For more on moving to and living in Croatia, make sure to keep up with our dedicated lifestyle section. An article dedicated to certain practical and/or administrative procedures for life in Croatia is published every Wednesday.

March 8, 2023 - The introduction of the euro in Croatia only affected the prices in January and February relatively mildly, by 0.4 percentage points. This is similar to the experiences of other countries that introduced the euro, shows the Preliminary analysis of the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Croatian National Bank (CNB).

As Index writes, the analysis was published in a blog post titled Has the Euro Changeover Caused Extra Inflation in Croatia?

The blog authors Matteo Falagiarda, Christine Gartner, Ivan Muzic, and Andreja Pufnik found that the January increase rates of the price of goods were in accordance with historical patterns in the past ten years. In contrast, service prices have on average, increased more than in the past years in January 2023. In February, however, none of the components of inflation deviated significantly from the historical average, the CNB reported today.

"65 percent of prices remained unchanged"

The authors point out that the official increase rate of the Harmonized Consumer Price Index in January compared to the previous month was only 0.3 percent. In February, it was 0.2 percent compared to January, classifying Croatia among the countries with the lowest monthly price increase rate in the Eurozone.

From the analysis of microdata on retail prices, it has been observed that the proportion of attractive prices (such as "0.99") decreased significantly, with about 98 percent in kuna to about 45 percent in euros, as a direct reflection of the fact that in January, prices have not changed much, so expressed in euros they were no longer at attractive levels (e.g. "0.99").

Specifically, as many as 65 percent of prices remained unchanged in January compared to December, and out of the remaining 35 percent - 25 percent of prices was reduced, as some retailers rounded off prices at lower levels when remodeling from kuna to euros, they say in the CNB.

The perception of inflation lowered after the introduction of the euro

The impact of introducing the euro on the perception of inflation and inflation expectations was also analysed. Contrary to the previous experiences of members of the eurozone, where the perception of inflation increased the most during the introduction of the euro, in Croatia, this perception decreased in January compared to December and remained stable in February, while inflation expectations have significantly reduced in both months.

The reduction of the perceived inflation was most influenced by the decrease in energy prices, which outweighed the possible negative effect of the introduction of the euro on the perception of inflation, they say in the Central Bank.

The authors conclude that despite the more challenging inflationary environment, the impact of the introduction of the euro on consumer prices in Croatia has so far been relatively gentle and in accordance with the experiences of other countries that have already introduced the euro as an official currency.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated News section.

March 8, 2023 - The main limiting factors in business in Croatia have been inflation and growing energy costs, and a lack of appropriate workforce, according to AmCham Croatia.

“Despite the good business results in 2022 and optimistic business plans, the caution of companies is observed in anticipation of possible negative effects on business. The main limiting factors in business are inflation and increasing energy costs and lack of appropriate workforce,” said Andrea Doko Jelusic, executive director of AmCham, presenting the results of a study on the business environment in Croatia, which was conducted in the period from December 12, 2022 to January 25, 2023, on a sample of 162 members of domestic and international companies in Croatia, reports Poslovni. 

Doko Jelusic added that more than 67% of respondents found 2022 better for business than the previous year, while for 13% of them, business in 2022 was worse than in 2021. If 2020 is omitted, marked mainly by the pandemic, in 2022, an increasing number of companies recorded a slowdown in business. Most respondents (51%) have increased the number of employees, while a third of the companies have maintained the same number of employees, similar to last year's results. On the other hand, a considerable number of respondents (59%) evaluated the experience of doing business in Croatia as good or very good, and 53% of respondents noticed the improvement in business conditions in the last five years.

The most significant improvements in the five-year period were seen in the conditions of financing and increased demand for goods and services, as well as trade exchange opportunities and payment conditions, while the most significant limiting factors, according to the study subjects, were the availability and quality of the workforce, the price of work and the quality of the legal framework.

“The expansion of business is planned by 73% of respondents compared with 82% in last year's study. In planned employment, the percentage is identical to last year - 66%; however, the proportion of those who plan to hire more than 20 employees is reduced, while the proportion of those who plan to reduce the number of employees is growing,” said Doko Jelusic.

“Compared to the previous (2021) year, in 2022, AmCham members recorded similar business results. Mild employment growth and satisfaction are recorded in business conditions over the previous five-year period. On the other hand, the proportion of respondents who record better business results is reduced. Inflation and growing energy costs were not at all in the focus of business owners in 2021, and in this year's study, they took the central place as the main limiting factors. The lack of an appropriate workforce, which was in the first place in the previous year, has now taken third place,” said John Mathias Gasparac, the first Vice President of the AmCham manager.

Research areas include business in 2022, business environment, the impact of institutions on a business environment, comparison with the region, business expectations and attitudes to Schengen, and introduction of the euro and EU funds.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Business section.

March 11, 2023 - For World Wild species Day, March 3, the leading Technology Company Huawei officially launched the Tech4All project in cooperation with the Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences in Osijek (FAZOS). The project aims to preserve the biosystem in Kopacki Rit. It has been realized with Rainforest Connection, a global partner of Huawei from the USA, and FAZOS.

As SiB writes, the Tech4all project, with the help of state-of-the-art technologies and artificial intelligence, Huawei, along with partners Rainforest Connection, FAZOS, and Nature Park Kopacki Rit, will help protect the endangered species of plants and animals and in protecting and preserving their natural habitats. With the help of acoustic technologies, Croatian scientists will be assisted by artificial intelligence, collecting and processing the sounds of wild animal species of Kopacki rit in real-time. They expect this will help form a clearer picture of their migration, the abundance, and the state of the total ecosystem known as one of Europe's most preserved natural habitats.

“We are extremely excited to expand our partnership with Huawei on the Tech4All project in Croatia. Together with FAZOS and Huawei technologies Croatia, we look forward to applying artificial intelligence techniques to facilitate the monitoring of species in this important wetland area. Acoustic monitoring will allow us to see how the wealth of species and community structure are changing in the face of climate change, but also to successfully plan further steps in response to changes," said Chrissy Durkin, Vice President for Growth and Development in Rainforest Connection.

Rainforest Connection is a global non-profit organization that deals with preserving the environment and will convey its knowledge and experience of using Huawei's technology in the protected area of the Kopacki Rit Nature Park. Scientists at the Faculty of Osijek Agrobiotechnical Sciences (FAZOS) will thus have the opportunity to observe numerous wild animal species with the help of state-of-the-art technologies as part of their own "WatchOut" project (Wetland & Wildlife Monitoring Using Technology & Acoustics "), which is part of the Tech4ll roof program.

“The Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences has been working closely with the Kopacki rit Nature Park for many years to protect plant and animal species. As a scientific institution, it is of great importance to develop scientific work, support the development of future scientists, and raise awareness of how important the stability of this ecosystem is. Through the Tech4All project, with the help of acoustic Huawei technology and artificial intelligence, we will have a clearer insight into migrations of migratory birds, their abundance, movements, and long-term trends we need to be aware of, ”said Prof. Dr. Ivana Majic, Vice-Dean for International Cooperation and Studies in English (FAZOS).

The program will also significantly help the local community and raise awareness of the protection of wild and endangered species, and Kopacki Rit is classified as one of the few eco-areas that use advanced technology to protect endangered habitats. Scientists are thus given the opportunity to predict and prevent the occurrences of negative trends already threatening a delicate natural balance of the nature park.

“The Kopacki Rit Nature Park is one of Europe's best preserved natural habitats. It is home to hundreds of bird species and other biological types of flora and fauna. Protecting such wetlands and the natural balance must be our priority because we indirectly depend on them. Therefore, programs such as Tech4All are extremely important because they help us preserve our natural habitats by giving us specific scientific data based on which we can act. I would like to thank Huawei for making this valuable research work possible. I am sure this cooperation will be positive and fruitful,” said Ivo Basic, director of the Kopacki Rit Nature Park.

With this move, Huawei is putting Croatia on the global map of countries that recognize the importance and power of modern technology in solving the problem of today, and Croatian scientists will obtain knowledge that will direct the entire community.

“The Tech4All program was created for one purpose: the use of technology to resolve many global challenges. Protecting endangered habitats and, thus, the fight against climate change is at the center of Huawei's global development strategy. The cooperation between Huawei, Rainforest Connection, and Croatian partners is a bright example of what can be done when technology and expertise are combined, and we hope to further continue our cooperation. We wish all scientists great success in their work,” said Xiaoou Wang, Public Affairs & Communication Manager at Huawei.

The Global Huawei Tech4All program is a long-term program that aims to use the power of advanced technology to help develop society in four key areas: education, health, environmental protection, and reducing the gap between urban and rural areas around the world. Huawei, along with Tech4All and Seeds for the Future, continues to cooperate with a series of scientific institutions to allow young, promising, and talented students to develop ICT skills with the help of their experts.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Lifestyle section.

March 10, 2023 - The ZagrebDox International Documentary Film Festival is finishing preparations for its nineteenth edition. It will traditionally open the Croatian Film Festival season at the Kaptol Boutique cinemas from March 26 to April 2.

As Journal writes, the last publicly spoken sentence at the end of each film festival is the first of the new season: preparations began last year, with the last day of the last festival. The details may vary, but at the core, it is always the same: the preparations for the festival last all year. There is only enough time for the final moves in the months leading up to the festival. ZagrebDox is no exception; on the contrary, it brilliantly demonstrates how accurate the previous sentence is.

Less than a year ago, the European Film Academy of Zagreb included ZagrebDox in the narrowest circle of elite world festivals, whose films compete for the annual award of this umbrella film institution in the documentary category. Thirty-seven festivals from all over the world, ZagrebDox being a proud member, greatly define the documentary scene, and therefore it should not be surprising that as many as fifteen films competed for one place in ZagrebDox in 2023. Numerous quality film applications (almost 1500 of them!) have caused sweet sorrows for the selection team, with the founder and director of ZagrebDox Nenad Puhovski, leading it since the first day.

“Since in the recent period, due to the pandemic, the completion of documentaries has been slightly slower, this year we faced the wealth of truly great Doxes, so the selection process was long and complex. The fact that we have decided to return the extremely popular 'Music Globe' and 'Happy Dox' programs may be the best witness to this. On the other hand, the increasing popularity of documentaries is probably best demonstrated by the fact of 'overcrowding' of the Masters Program with the films of Herzog, Ivory, Schlöndorff ... As always, we are showing the most awarded documentaries of last season, such as the winner of the Golden Lion from Venice, 'All Beauty and Blood' by Laura Poitras. The latest films are, of course, there as well, which will only have their world premiere at ZagrebDox, such as the 'Eastern Front' by Vitaly Manski, which is eagerly expected at Berlinale. Last but not least, ZagrebDox continues its commitment to the Croatian documentary this year with as many as twenty latest films," said Nenad Puhovski.

The nineteenth edition of ZagrebDox will be scheduled at the five halls of Kaptol Boutique Cinema & Bar from March 26 to April 2. In addition to more than a hundred excellent films, numerous guests, accompanying events, and talks are expected, in short, a documentary film festival in all its colours, durations, thematic focus, and artistic achievements. This year's edition of ZagrebDox will primarily focus on the audience who demonstrated last year that it loves documentaries on the big screen despite all the changes brought on by the era of streaming services.

The ZagrebDox documentary selection in 2023 is receiving its final contours, but its visual identity has been ready for some time, this year signed by Studio Sesnic & Turkovic. This year, the designer creatives have reached out to the festival's very foundations in designing its visual identity. The colour is recognizable, and the key element is highlighted and anchored in the unmissable ZagrebDox Rubik's Cube for announcements. The nineteenth Zagrebdox is just around the corner, burdened only with the desire to show the best documentaries in the world!

All news and information about ZagrebDox are available on the official website and the social networks of the festival.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Lifestyle section.