October the 26th, 2022 - In this edition of How to Croatia, we're going to be looking at pets in Croatia and exploring everything from animal welfare laws, vaccines, dog beaches, and adopting stray animals to Croatian dog breeds (because the list doesn't begin and end with the beloved Dalmatian).

While the City of Zagreb is dominated by well looked-after small ‘apartment dogs’ such as Lhasa Apsos, Pomeranians, Yorkshire Terriers and mongrels consisting of genetic mixes of everything from the Jack Russell to the Pug, the Dalmatian coast is unfortunately dominated by stray cats and the apparent total inability to understand why spaying and neutering one animal can prevent the suffering and disease of litter after litter of kittens who didn’t ask to be born. 

I’ll be frank, you’re going to see many stray cats wandering the streets all along the coast. Dalmatia, at least for the most part, and there are of course exceptions, still hasn’t quite cottoned onto the fact that foreign visitors typically adore cats and do not see them as ravenous pests or walking vectors of disease to be shunned away into dark corners somewhere. I’ll get into that more later as it’s something that I am passionate about as an animal lover and I don’t want this to just be me on my soapbox banging on about fleas and intestinal parasites.

Let’s start with the basics - Can I bring my pet with me into Croatia?

Speaking generally - Absolutely. Yes. There are also opportunities for your pets to have a great time while in Croatia, including swimming, trekking, or doing anything else you and your pet enjoy doing. By ‘pet’, I’m assuming dog here, as I highly doubt your cat enjoys diving off rocks into the sea, but maybe you have an outlier. Or a Bengal tiger.

One thing that does unfortunately seem to bypass some people and which is very dangerous, is bringing your pet to Croatia when it is boiling hot. Croatia can get too hot even for humans who have a choice about turning on the air conditioner, putting it on turbo mode, closing the blinds or having a nap during the particularly harsh afternoon hours. Pets don’t get that choice and the amount of people who continue walking their dogs in 30+ degree heat is infuriating to see. So, a word to the wise: If you plan on bringing your pet to Croatia with you, you’d do well to avoid the peak tourist season (that would be late June, July and August) or at least try to avoid the most popular tourist destinations. It tends to be extremely hot and very crowded here during that wildly busy summer period, and dogs won’t appreciate walkies when their paws are burned and when they succumb to heat stroke which can and does kill them. While this is true for all dogs, if your dog has spent their life in the UK, Norway or indeed anywhere else in Northern Europe, the heat will be an additional shock to their system that they won’t have a chance in hell of knowing how to cope with.

Transporting a pet to and from Croatia

The rules and regulations regarding the entry of pets to the Republic of Croatia are what you'd expect from any European Union (EU) member state. Pets must have a microchip, have a valid pet passport or authorised certificate, and this must confirm their clean bill of health, and they absolutely MUST be vaccinated against rabies.

For pets younger than three months, things are somewhat more complicated, but you shouldn’t really be travelling with an animal that young. All the aforementioned rules are valid for the non-commercial entry of animals to Croatia (under five individual animals), for low-risk countries, and are valid for dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, ferrets and some other species.

There is a bylaw which defines which border crossings are permitted for animals to enter the country, but it includes almost all major border crossings in Croatia, including ports and airports, so you shouldn't worry about that, as it is highly unlikely you'll find yourself crossing the Croatian border at any of the border crossings that aren’t included in that bylaw.

Similar rules apply for when an animal is leaving Croatia and going to a different country. Your pet must be able to be clearly identified through its microchip and be vaccinated against rabies. Please note that these are Croatia’s own rules for animals exiting the country, and it is entirely possible that any country to which you plan to bring your pet might have more stringent rules of its own in place, so if you choose to take your pet with you on your onward travels from Croatia, please make sure you know precisely what the authorities of the country you’re going to need from you in order to make sure your pet has a smooth journey and a safe arrival to their destination.

Attitudes towards pets and domestic animals in Croatia 

I’ll be frank (as I was before), there are people, particularly down in Dalmatia, who for some unknown reason cannot grasp that cats are pets which require our love and care. There are still enormous issues with spay and neuter programmes not being the absolutely obvious thing to implement, and there are sadly situations in which cruel individuals poison cats and allow them to die horrific and drawn out deaths. While this is illegal in Croatia, it is rare that the culprits are ever found or punished.

There is also an awful practice of dumping hunting hounds which are too old to keep up, injured, or aren’t fulfilling their purpose anymore. Tourists coming across confused, dehydrated and frightened hounds which have been abandoned in the middle of nowhere (often in the Dalmatian hinterland) or running in and out of traffic on busy roads isn’t an uncommon occurrence. And while litters of helpless kittens too young to be away from their mother being dumped in bins (yes, seriously) are still very much a reality which is dealt with by selfless animal rescue volunteer organisations and vets, over the past several decades, the situation has gradually improved.

There are certain cities, towns and municipalities in different areas of Croatia which now run fully or semi funded spay and neuter programmes, so the owner of the animal in question isn’t charged. Others run ‘actions’ where the owners of dogs kept outside chained up are severely fined. There are even checks for microchips on pet dogs out on the street from time to time. There are vets who will selflessly treat injured strays and many organisations and shelters which will feed, foster and adopt out strays. It would be a lie to say that Croatia has reached ‘Western standards’ of animal care, and the situation is unfortunately somewhat similar in just about all Mediterranean countries, but have things become far better on the whole? Yes.

Pets and the conditions in which they live across Croatia have gotten better. In most places in Croatia now, both dogs and cats live cushy lives as well-fed, fully vaccinated, and sometimes totally spoiled furballs.

While generations of local cats line the old stone walls, sit waiting in harbours for fishermen they have ingratiated themselves with to give them some sardines and laze around in the sun, in most places in Croatia it is against the local bylaws to let dogs roam around freely without being on a leash. This isn’t really enforced in smaller areas, and to be perfectly honest, you’re far more likely to meet a local dog who belongs to so and so who everyone knows taking himself for a quick wander and a swim before going home than you are Cujo. This is especially the case in smaller Dalmatian towns and villages. And, yes, we'll get back to the topic of Dalmatians and their origins a bit later on.

Laws regarding pets in Croatia

We've already mentioned the most important laws regarding pets in Croatia, such as the fact that they should have a microchip and they should have all of the necessary vaccinations and proof of such (for dogs, the most important one of all remains the rabies vaccine). While they are the main things to keep in mind, there are some other national laws regarding pets to consider as well. The most notable one concerns so-called ‘dangerous breeds’. This refers to dogs from the group of breeds discriminated against by many countries solely because of idiots with two legs which fall under the ‘(pit) bull terrier type’ category. Any dog lover will tell you that the idea of a dog breed being inherently ‘dangerous’ is a completely idiotic notion, but unfortunately this breed discrimination does continue.

Opinions aside, there are unfortunately some special conditions for keeping ‘(pit) bull terrier type’ breeds. This includes the provision that the dogs considered to belong to this particular breed type can only enter Croatia if they have a pedigree issued by a member of the International Canine Federation (Fédération cynologique internationale). These dogs should always be on a leash when outdoors and have a muzzle on at all times while in public.

While there are areas and bylaws which prescribe where your dog can be off the leash, you do generally need to keep your dog on a leash in more populated areas (unless it's a dog park). When it comes to taking your dog with you to a restaurant or a cafe, do ask if animals are permitted. Generally (and especially in bars and cafes) the answer will usually be an emphatic ‘Yes’, and your four-legged companion will also likely receive a bowl of water, especially in warm weather.

What about finding accommodation which accepts pets in Croatia?

First things first, don't assume that all accommodation units will be fine about accepting your pet. You do need to check and if you’re booking online through a platform such as Booking.com or Airbnb, you’ll find that whether or not pets are welcome is typically clearly highlighted. On top of that, almost all campsites across Croatia are very pet-friendly. There are only a small handful that have a strict pet-free policy, so they’re very easy to avoid. If you’re going about booking something in a less common or straightforward way, make sure to ask about your dog, cat, bird, hamster, or whatever pet you have.

When it comes to actual hotels, the situation can become a little bit more complex so make sure you explicitly ask, and also let them know if your pet (particularly if the animal in question is a dog) is a large breed. Some hotels have very vague guidelines about ‘smaller pets’ which won’t be made clear unless you ask about them specifically. Although both are technically ‘smaller pets’, there’s still a rather big difference between a guinea pig and a West Highland Terrier. If the answer is no, don’t be put off. Do shop around. You’ll definitely find somewhere more than happy to accommodate your furry family member.

Things to note

There are handy websites that can help you navigate Croatian accommodation facilities and private landlords, so do look for the ones that are happy to house you and your pet: while probably not completely up-to-date, you can certainly get a feel of the number of options there are out there by visiting Povedi me/Take me.

Taking pets on public transport

More often than not, it’s very possible to take your pet on most forms of public transport, but the rules will usually be somewhat vague, not clearly defined and you and your furry (or feathered, or scaled) pal’s success might vary. A lot depends on the size of your pet, the exact time you want to travel with your pet and honestly, the mood of the driver themselves. Less than ideal, I know, but that’s the reality and it’s worth keeping in mind.

Pets on trains

Small animals which are 30 centimetres or less in height are permitted on Croatian trains as long as they spend the duration of their travel time in the safety of their pet transporters. This is also true for dogs of that size, as they can sit calmly on their owner's lap. The great news is that both of those options are usually free. Service dogs of all breeds, sizes and weights are more than welcome everywhere and also travel for free. For larger dogs, owners will often need to have their veterinary booklet with them to prove a clean bill of health, their list of completed vaccinations and proof that they’re microchipped. They will need to be kept on a short leash and will usually need to wear a muzzle (although this isn’t always checked) for the duration of their time spent aboard the train. You’ll also need to pay for their train ride. If you want to take your dog on a sleeping coach, you’ll also have to pay for all the beds in the section.

Pets on buses

For bus travel between cities in Croatia, the rules are more vague owing to the fact that there are a great many companies providing all sorts of bus services. The rules naturally differ from company to company. Because of that, it is very difficult to say with certainty that you will or won’t be allowed to board a bus with your dog or other pet. Your safest bet would be to go with the presumption that you can’t board any bus with any type of dog during the height of the summer tourist season, and during the off-season, your best chance to get a dog on the bus are if it's a smaller breed which can either sit comfortably on your knee or be in a pet transporter.

Pets on ferries

Dogs and animals of all kinds (okay, maybe not lions or crocodiles, although there was a tiger travelling on a Croatian ferry to Hvar once, don’t ask) are more than welcome on ferries, with similar conditions as on the trains: either in pet transporters (smaller dog breeds, birds, cats, guinea pigs, rats, rabbits, and what have you) or on a short leash and with muzzle (bigger dogs). Be aware that there are many larger dogs not wearing muzzles on Croatian ferries and I’ve honestly never personally seen any dog owner asked to produce one, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a muzzle on you, just in case. Often, pets may not enter certain areas on ferries, such as saloons, restaurants and cabins. That said, I’ve taken my cat, Newton, in his pet transporter on the ferry between Split and Supetar many times and nobody has batted an eyelid.

When it comes to public transport in individual cities within Croatia, such as in Zagreb, Split and Rijeka, the whole ‘pet on board’ situation also varies significantly. I know, it wouldn’t kill anyone to just have one single set of rules in place, would it? One can dream...

In Split and Rijeka, your dog or other pet is welcome on public transportation if they can fit inside a pet transporter (meaning that bigger dogs aren’t really allowed), and in the City of Zagreb, you have the option of taking your pet with you and they can board the tram or bus on a short leash (in the case of dogs) or inside their pet transporter. 

As always, it's the owner's full responsibility to make sure animals don't destroy, damage or soil the vehicle in which they’re travelling. Make sure to have water and plenty of bags and tissues with you, and if the animal in question is a dog, it might be wise to take them for a walk or an outdoor play session before getting on any type of public transport, you know, to get things moving and out where they need to be as opposed to on a vehicle’s seat.

Strays in Croatia - What should I do if I come across one?

You’re not likely to see that many stray dogs wandering the streets. Cats? Yes. Especially on the coast. While some of these free roaming felines do actually either belong to someone or are street cats who are looked after and fed by people, others are strays living very difficult lives. Only recently has there been an increased level of awareness of their poor quality of life, and many good-hearted people often get involved to provide them with medical help, spaying and neutering them, and of course - feeding them. Over more recent years, many towns, municipalities and local communities have launched various Catch, Spay and Release programmes specifically for street cats. This has resulted in 1) less cats roaming around and suffering 2) a far better quality of life for the cats which are there 3) more tolerance from locals who are perhaps not exactly cat lovers as they cannot breed so numbers don’t keep on spiralling out of control.

Animal shelters

There are many selfless volunteers running animal rights groups all over Croatia, rescuing animals from the harsh reality of life out on the streets and providing them with shelter, medical care, sterilisation and then finding them suitable homes even outside of Croatian borders. Other kind-hearted people often volunteer to give animals adopted by people in different cities or indeed outside of Croatia lifts in their cars to their new homes. Since 2017, all animal shelters have been no-kill shelters. Before that, sometimes it was difficult for decent people to even think of taking stray animals to shelters, because although they would be cared for and fed, their days there were unfortunately numbered, but thankfully that isn’t the case anymore.

Stray dogs

As I already explained, most dogs in Croatia that have owners are microchipped, so if you do happen to come across a dog in Croatia that looks like a stray (do ask around first, especially in smaller coastal areas where people’s very much loved pet dogs do often take themselves out for a wander and a quick dip in the Adriatic) your first course of action is to take the dog to the local vet.

Once there, the vet will be able to see if the dog is microchipped and scan them to get the owner’s details. They’ll then start the process of returning them to their owners. Although microchipping is mandatory for dogs in Croatia, not everyone does it, and if you come across a dog without a microchip or one that is out of date or cannot be scanned and read by the vet for some reason, there's no way to quickly find out who the dog belongs to. 

In such cases, the vet will take care of the dog while they get in contact with the local shelter in charge of caring for stray or abandoned dogs in the area. Dogs are given the necessary vaccinations, such as that against rabies, when arriving at these shelters. They’re also treated for any obvious diseases (unfortunately, they are usually not spayed or neutered at the expense of the local government unit at this moment in time) and microchipped, so they're ready for adoption. Many tourists who have either found kittens or stray dogs have taken them home with them, so if you're an animal lover, there’s a chance you could head home with a new furry pal in tow. I rescued my cat six years ago after finding him abandoned by his mother as a tiny kitten with his eyes barely open under a bush in Dubrovnik. No regrets. I absolutely recommend it!

Veterinary services

Nobody wants to think of their pet becoming unwell or injured, but it happens, especially if your cat is practising their ‘nine lives’ theory or if your dog has decided to try and make friends with a bee. The Croatian Chamber of Veterinary Medicine has a list of veterinary practices on their website, although, as with most things in Croatia, you shouldn’t count on the list being fully up to date. Google is your friend here, and a quick search of the word ‘veterinar’ (vet) or ‘veterinarska ambulanta’ (vet clinic/practice) and your location will give you the results you’re looking for, as well as reviews and opening times.

In larger veterinary practices, such as at Zagreb’s famous Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, which is part of the historic Zagreb University, you'll be able to have blood tests, ultrasounds, scans and an array of other diagnostic workups done for your pet if necessary. The prices for basic veterinary services and medicines are quite affordable in Croatia, especially when compared to Western Europe, where even pet insurance usually doesn’t get your bank account off the hook completely.

Rabies and other serious transmittable diseases in Croatia

Rabies (Lyssavirus)

Rabies is a death sentence for all those who are infected and not vaccinated with a post-exposure vaccine as soon as possible. There is no cure once symptoms begin to show. Post-exposure treatment (ironically known as PET) using a rabies vaccine with or without human rabies immunoglobulin (HRIG) is extremely effective in preventing rabies from developing in humans if given correctly and as quickly as possible after exposure to the virus.

Animals exposed to rabies, even if they are already vaccinated against it, require revaccination as soon as possible. As diabolical as rabies is, it is very easy to prevent.

Luckily, there is no terrestrial rabies (known as dog rabies) in Croatia. This is primarily thanks to vaccination against rabies being mandatory and good controls on animals entering the country. Contrary to popular (and mistaken) belief, that does not mean that rabies may not be present in other animal species, this is especially true of wildlife that could be reservoirs of rabies. This is particularly the case with bats, as it is all over the world. Croatia is an EU country and as such has numerous protocols in place for the prevention and control of rabies, but it does border non-EEA countries, and a case of rabies was confirmed in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2020. So, while one can never be too careful when it comes to something as dangerous as rabies, the risk of coming into contact with it in Croatia is very, very low indeed.

Dog beaches

Croatia has several dog beaches, and they are a fantastic way of bonding with your furry friend while also keeping them active and cool at the same time in the hot weather. Most dogs adore playing in water and swimming, and the calm Adriatic waves (if you can even call them that, coming from the UK and watching the North Sea in action, I struggle) are the perfect and safe watery playground for dogs of all abilities. There is even a dog beach bar up in Kvarner! 

The concept of dog beaches has become a hot topic, as it highlights the need people have to spend time with their dogs having fun on the beach, and that while to some they’re ‘just’ animals, for the vast majority of people - they’re family members and deserve to be treated as such. You can also take your cat of course, although I highly doubt they’d be appreciative of the idea.

Most dog beaches are located further north up the coast, and in Kvaner and on the gorgeous Istrian peninsula there are several of them. Here’s a list of just some of them:

Punta Kolova (Opatija)

Zaton Holiday Resort (close to Zadar)

Cvitačka beach (Makarska)

Šimuni beach (Pag)

Portić and Premantura beaches (Istria)

Zaraće beach (Hvar)

Podvorska beach (Crikvenica)

Privlaka’s dog friendly beach (near Zadar)

Foša beach (Zadar)

Stara škola (Šibenik)

Supetar’s plaža za pse (dog beach) - Brač

Brajdica, Mikulova, Igralište - Kostrena, Rijeka

Duilovo beach (Split)

Kašjuni beach (Split)

Kaštela beach (near Trogir)

Vartalac beach (Vis)

Danče beach (Dubrovnik)

Bi Dog beach (Fažana)

Hidrobaza beach (Štinjan near Pula)

Bol’s plaža za pse (dog beach) - Brač

These are just some of the main dog-friendly beaches along the Croatian coast and on the islands. It’s worth noting that all of the beaches in Slano near Dubrovnik are dog-friendly, and all campsites in Poreč have areas of the beaches where dogs are permitted. The Marina Frapa resort in Rogoznica also has part of their beach where dogs are allowed. 

As I mentioned, there is even a dog beach bar up in Kvarner, a region known for its progressive stances on the whole. To be honest, this particular beach is easily the most dog-friendly beach in all of Croatia and possibly even in all of Europe - Podvorska beach. Located in Crikvenica, this beach has been designed specifically for people with dogs, with impressive infrastructure created and installed just for our canine friends. There’s even a dog-friendly bar where your dog can get an ice-cream or a beer. No, really. Even the New York Post was impressed by it. They also now have a second location on the island of Rab in Northern Dalmatia.

Dalmatians do actually come from Dalmatia

As ridiculous as that sounds, as the name should give that away and it would appear obvious, many people don’t actually realise this. These popular spotted, clownish dogs which became famous for almost becoming Cruella DeVil’s coat are Croatian. While Pongo might be the most well-known Dalmatian of all, their history dates back a very long time, and there is an altar painting located in Veli Lošinj depicting what looks exactly like the Dalmatian dog we know and love today from back in the early seventeenth century. The first mention of the Dalmatian’s name was in the early eighteenth century in the continental town of Đakovo, far from the Dalmatian coast, where in the archives of the Archdiocese of Đakovo, Canis Dalmaticus is mentioned.

Several other, lesser-known breeds also originate from Croatia, including the Posavac (pronounced Posavatz) hound, a hunting dog from the Posavina region, the Istrian shorthaired and coarse/wire-haired hounds, the Croatian sheepdog (or shepherd dog), which is jet black with a course, curly coat and has reportedly not changed at all since the fourteenth century, and, the brave, mighty mountain dog - the Tornjak.

One now sadly extinct breed of dog, the Old Croatian Sighthound (sometimes called the Old Bosnian Sighthound), also originated from the territories of modern day Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Having allegedly descended from sighthounds bred by the Celts, this hound closely resembled the greyhound-like hunting dogs depicted on coins from the fifth century BC.

For more on How to Croatia, make sure to keep up with our dedicated lifestyle section.

October 25, 2022 - This year's Sea Star festival in Umag, the first festival held in Croatia since 2019, brought a new 54 million kuna in profit for the Croatian economy. From 2017 to today, the total exceeded 225 million kuna, the festival organisers reported.

As Index writes, on May 27 and 28, more than 40,000 visitors came to the fourth edition of the Sea Star Festival, according to research by the consulting firm Hotelis, which specialises in tourism and hotel management, and the independent agency TIM Centar. The visitors brought a new 54 million in profit for the Croatian economy.

The total realised contribution from 2017 to today has exceeded HRK 225 million or almost EUR 30 million, and only direct consumption caused by the Sea Star event was included in the analysis.

Visitors from more than 40 countries and four continents

In addition to this amount, the total value of the marketing promotion of the festival and the destination, specifically Umag, the Stella Maris lagoon, Istria, and Croatia, has been estimated at more than HRK 128 million, or EUR 17 million. In 2022 alone, the value of the marketing campaign carried out in more than 20 countries exceeded five million euros.

In two evenings, visitors from more than 40 countries and four continents entered through the festival gates of this year's Sea Star. Fans from Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, BiH, and Serbia prevailed, and some came to Umag from the USA, Australia, Israel, and Kuwait.

Regarding audience size, Sea Star in 2022 was the most visited music event in Istria and Primorje and one of the three most visited in Croatia. According to the data of the Umag Tourist Board, about 15,000 tourists and almost 50,000 overnight stays were recorded at the destination from May 26 to 29.

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

October the 25th, 2022 - Is waiting in line clutching a number and longing to be called (only to be spoken down to and told you're missing a document or two) at MUP Zagreb on Petrinjska ulica a thing of the past now?

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Marija Goatti, head of the service for reporting analytics and PR for the Zagreb Police, has stated that ''over last four years, we have gotten closer to people, and since then, people have been able to deal with their various administrative tasks at four locations in the City of Zagreb, and in this way, we're showing much more respect for their time.

With this goal in mind, the e-Redomat system was introduced, which enables people to have numbers issued for the carrying out of various individual services at the entrance to administrative offices. Listening to the actual needs people have, and with the aim of better functionality and better accessibility, the service which allows people to come and reserve a queue number via mobile the mobile application (app), as well as reserve appointments for administrative tasks has now been introduced.''

The new service has been available at MUP Zagreb (Petrinjska) since October the 24th, and the above-mentioned service will be active for some of the administrative tasks that people come to the infamous address of Petrinjska 30 (which until this point was synonymous with waiting around for hours on end), to do. The possibility of reserving a queue number via the mobile application of the e-Redomat system can now be used for the processes of applying for a new identity card or passport, the issuing of already created identity cards and passports, and for regulating residence. In this way, long queues at counters will be avoided.

It took Croatia long enough to enter the 21st century, and it seemed to many that not only MUP Zagreb, but administrative police stations in general were the institutions still desperately clinging to a way of doing things that most other countries, certainly other modern EU member states, have long since abandoned. With this move, ''getting there before 07:00'', which is a phrase anyone who needed anything doing at Petrinjska has heard and said before, will be sent to the history books.

Thank. God.

For more, make sure to keep up with our dedicated lifestyle section.

October 25, 2022 - For the first time, the state will offer real estate hunters in Croatia an oral public auction for some of the valuable properties from its portfolio. A public auction will be held at the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Construction and State Property on November 21. The villa which will be auctioned is in a very attractive location in the elite Tuškanec area of Zagreb, and it is known as the Stejskal Summer House.

As Poslovni writes, the villa was built in 1888 by the industrialist Ferdinand Stejskal, the founder of the brick factory in Bedekovčina, which is still operating today. Potential buyers can view the villa at Nazorova 72 before the auction. It consists of a house with an area of ​​182 square metres, with split-level apartments in the basement, ground floor and first floor. They will be, however, sold together as a whole. The villa also boasts a little more than a thousand square metres of garden.

In addition to being neglected, the building also has limitations due to the fact that the conservator's approval must be obtained for renovation, as the villa is part of the Historic Urban Complex of the City of Zagreb and is subject to the provisions of legal protection and preservation of cultural assets.

Due to the attractive location of the property, there is a lot of potential. The number of contestants who will enter the race to buy will become more apparent after the deadline for submission of applications to participate in the auction, which is on November 11 at 11:59 p.m.

In the Ministry headed by Ivan Paladina, only those candidates who pay a guarantee in the amount of HRK 748 thousand, i.e., 10 per cent of the initial price of HRK 7.48 million, will be invited to tender.
The auction step will amount to HRK 20,000, and the highest offered amount in three rounds, i.e., the highest last offered price, will be selected.

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

October 25, 2022 - It is 50 years since the late Queen Elizabeth visited Djakovo and the famous Lipizzaner stud farm. Some rare footage of that visit. 

"It was really great when the Queen came to visit," a local told me on my last visit to Djakovo. "Apart from seeing the Queen, Tito built an asphalt road just for her visit, so locals were VERY happy that she came."

The Queen, accompanied by husband Prince Philip and daughter Princess Anne, visited the famous Djakovo Lipizzaner Stud Farm as part of an official 5-day visit to the Republic of Croatia in what was then Yugoslavia. A keen horse-lover, the British monarch was give a tour of the equine pride of Croatia, before continuing to Zagreb. She also visited Pula, the Brijuni Islands and Dubrovnik on the official visit. 

There is some rare footage of the trip on YouTube, including one of Djakovo and Zagreb together above. while the video below contains both photos and video of the time, as well as the recollections of several locals who witnessed the visit of the royal entourage.  

You can also find more photographs of the visit on the Facebook page of the stud farm. 

First mentioned in 1239, the Djakovo Stud is a national Lipizzaner horse breeding stud farm in Osijek Baranja County. Its official origins date back to 1506, when it was recorded that Bishop Mijo Mesaric 'owned a stud farm of 90 Arab horses' on his estate. 

For more stories from Djakovo, follow the dedicated TCN section.

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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.

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October 24, 2022 - Today and tomorrow, the First Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimea Platform is taking place in Zagreb, for which the arrival and stay of a large number of presidents of parliaments and parliamentary assemblies and international organisations are expected in Zagreb and Velika Gorica. The local police are regulating Zagreb traffic.

As Index writes, the attendees will include the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the US Congress, Nancy Pelosi. The President of the Ukrainian Parliament, Ruslan Stefančuk, also arrived in Zagreb and met with the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Gordan Jandroković on Saturday. Before the summit, at 8 pm, the Parliament organised a dinner for the delegations at the Westin Hotel. Before that, Jandroković held a series of bilateral meetings in parliament, including with Pelosi at 3 p.m.

The police announced that temporary traffic regulations will be established due to the implementation of special security measures. On this occasion, there may be an occasional short-term interruption of traffic with the presence of police officers.

A temporary ban on stopping and parking on Tuesday

In addition to the above, on Tuesday from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., a temporary ban on stopping and parking vehicles will be established in places marked with "stop - police (stop - policija)" tapes, about which the vehicle owners and tenants of the buildings in the mentioned locations have already been informed, as announced by the police.

The Zagreb Police calls on citizens, that is, all participants in road traffic, especially drivers of motor vehicles and pedestrians, for their understanding and patience during the establishment of temporary traffic regulations on the specified days.

Also, the Zagreb police call on citizens to consistently respect the instructions and orders of the policemen and the rules specified in the temporary regulation of traffic on certain roads. Traffic will be specially regulated from Zagreb Dr Franjo Tuđman Airport through Buzin, Novi Zagreb, Trnje and Centar to Gornje grad.

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

October 24, 2022 - HAVE you ever talked to an incredibly smart young person and wondered "Where was I at that age"? Algebra students will make you ask that question.

We present you the fifteen Algebra students, who decided to change their surroundings for the better with the help of advanced technology while working on their degrees. These are the future Algebra graduates who, as part of the Innovative Project course, come up with ideas and products that aim to change the world today and tomorrow!

One of the teams we present to you today considered how to make it easier and simpler for all wine lovers to find wines and wineries in Croatia. They came up with a digital wine atlas called Wineata, which makes it easier for wine lovers to access information about quality wines, wineries and wine tours available throughout Croatia. The project is closely monitored by mentors - Stella Antolović and Silvio Papić, and the team is formed by nine students from different areas of Algebra graduate studies - Karlo Jakobović, Marko Sabolić, Jurica Slovinac, Luka Žgrablić, Suraj C. R. C. Reddy, Elma Melkić, Jigisha H. Shah, Yacine Akki and Celina Wedershoven.

1. You came up with an application that is a wine atlas of sorts - where did you get the idea?

At the beginning of this story, we talked a lot about possible ideas and projects that could be realized, but together we agreed on the fact that wine lovers on the market cannot find interesting wineries or information about different varieties of wine so easily. At the introductory lectures of the Innovative project course, we had the opportunity to further develop our idea - where we agreed together that this is the right project for us and what the market and consumers need.

2. What challenges did you face during the development of Wineata?

It is challenging to predict what will happen in the market after the COVID-19 pandemic. We are aware that the research of the wine world depends significantly on the situation in the market, therefore the biggest challenge we have faced is the collection of all relevant data on time. However, when the team is committed and passionate, things work. Another challenge was the cooperation of different team members from different fields. Teamwork is our biggest advantage, once we managed to get along, understand and accept the common direction in which the project was to develop, we quickly came up with interesting solutions.

3. You conducted a survey that served as a starting point for creating the application - what did the results show? Does Croatia need an application that will make it easier to find quality wine destinations?

The survey results are very interesting. We created one survey for the Croatian market and one customized survey for tourists. Of the total number of respondents, 7.6% drink wine every day, 9.7% drink wine three times a week, and 22.4% drink wine once a week. We can conclude that almost half of the respondents, more precisely 39.7% of them, drink wine at least once a week. When asked where they most often buy wine, 52.7% answered that they buy in large stores (supermarkets), 15.6% answered in wineries, and 11.4% in wine shops. This is good news for our application. This means that respondents visit wineries and wine shops, and we can provide them with a better experience of visiting these places. The aim of this research is to understand their habits and how we can improve their wine experiences through our application. Of the total number of respondents, 69.2% said they would like to visit wineries in Croatia, and 21.1% of respondents were not sure. Of the total number of respondents, 17.3% would use an application that would help them find wineries and their offers in Croatia, 35.4% agree, and 22.8% are unsure. From this question, we can recognize that there is potential for our application and that users are willing to use this type of application.

4. Wineata was designed by an interdisciplinary Algebra team - how did this collaboration work?

We believe that no business works as well as it could with just one specialized function or with the same way of thinking. This was a unique opportunity to experience in practice what it's like to work in an interdisciplinary team because we are sure that in the future such an opportunity will be presented to us in the business world, and this interesting project prepared us for that situation.

5. Do you think the market will recognize the value of Wineata and how do you plan to approach your target audience?

We believe that the market will recognize the benefits offered by Wineata, mostly because it will be created with the purpose of helping consumers navigate the world of wine. Wineata will combine offline and online experiences and provide relevant and up-to-date information to consumers. It will combine different moments of consumption, such as daytime or evening gatherings with wine or a combination of food and wine. Wineata is there for the consumer, ready to provide them with personalized advice.

6. Do you have plans for an expansion beyond the borders of Croatia?

Of course, we plan to expand beyond the borders of Croatia in the future. We believe that this project has great potential for acceptance in other markets as well. According to Statista, the consumption of wine in the world in 2021 is estimated at 236 million hectoliters, which is a decrease compared to 241 million hectoliters in 2019. We believe that the market will recover during 2023 and that we will attract the attention of consumers on the global market with our interactive wine list of the world. Consumers will be able to explore interesting locations and events near them, read reviews and learn about wines. Our platform will be completely personalized for the user who uses it, which we believe consumers will recognize as a benefit and use it every day.

The second team of the Algebra graduates that we are introducing is the interdisciplinary team of Krivovizija (crooked vision), which works on an artistic platform and functions on the basis of blockchain technology. If you are wondering what blockchain is and how it can be used to develop art - read on! These ingenious young people have made it possible for artists to upload their artwork and create their digital portfolios on their platform. However, the platform is not intended only for artists, but also for buyers of art and the interested public. The team consists of six Algebra students: Tomislav Čavala, Fran Bartolić, Ena Saško, Ivan Popović, Karlo Bertina and Maxime Coutin, backed by mentors Karlo Josić and Halida Sarajlić. Ivan Popović answered on behalf of the team, who explained to us what blockchain is and how they connected blockchain and art.

1. Can you briefly explain to us how Krivovizija was created and what it brings to its potential users?

The project actually had a development path which was quite different at the beginning from the current version, i.e. the first variants of the idea were much more focused on blockchain technology, motivated by the fact that the term "NFT" has exploded in popularity in the last few years. However, as we were developing the idea, we ran into several obstacles and we came to the realization that ultimately we want to create something that will have integrated modern digital technology, but above all something that will create long-term value for users. What our idea brings to its users is simply the possibility of learning, creating "digital works", presenting them on the global market, and freely interacting with other users who share interests in the same things. In this specific case, it refers to digital arts such as pictures, photographs, comics, etc...

2. What did team collaboration look like during the creation of Krivovizija? Who came up with the name?

Like any project, we believe that there are countless good ideas, but no matter how good an idea is, in the end, everything will depend on some kind of compatibility and interaction of the team members who bring it to life. We were lucky that a group of people who have adequate knowledge and motivation to build something of this magnitude got together. As for the name, Krivovizija is primarily our team's "code" name, and the source of the name is not overly praiseworthy if we are honest. If we had known that someone would ask us this, we probably would have chosen something else. Basically, one of the team members came up with the information that there is a website that randomly generates words that are somehow inspired by terms that were used in the former Yugoslavia. There were quite a few options, but we agreed that Krivovizija was the best choice.

3. Krivovizija is built on blockchain technology. Explain to us laypeople what exactly blockchain technology is.

Here we will mention blockchain in two contexts. In its basic form, it is a technology that refers to the decentralized storage of information that is impossible to change or copy. Since that may sound a bit abstract, we will mention another context related to our project. So, simply put, we use blockchain technology primarily to protect the ownership of our users' digital assets. If, for example, someone buys a digital photo, we will ensure that the owner is the sole owner and that someone cannot show up somewhere with a copy and claim to own the original.

4. How did you decide to develop a platform that is intended specifically for artists and art lovers?

The popularity of digital art has grown exponentially over the past few years, technology has become more accessible, there are more and more talented people, and the global COVID situation has significantly accelerated the transition of a large number of our activities to digital spheres. In addition, studying the current state of the market, we realized that there is a great opportunity to build a platform of this type, and we believe that now is the ideal time for such an undertaking.

5. Where do you see your advantage over your competitors? How will you stand out in the market?

Currently, there are several somewhat similar platforms, but all of them are related to a specific domain, so none of them is adequate to be used by a wider group of users possessing different talents. Some of the platforms are focused exclusively on photography, some only on 3D animation, etc. But the most important thing to mention is that the social aspect is not in focus in any of them or it is extremely limited, and we consider that our biggest advantage. So, in addition to the aforementioned blockchain technology that we use in terms of protection, we want our users to use the platform as a social network where they can learn about the tools they are interested in, present their talents globally, communicate openly and create interest groups, and ultimately make a living from their work.

October 24, 2022 - Konzum enabled its customers to pay via the KEKS Pay application in its webshop and in all stores, making it the first retail chain of consumer goods in Croatia to introduce this type of payment.

As Poslovni writes, the service is available to all customers, regardless of the bank where they have an account. This way, they can easily pay for groceries, household and hygiene items and other products from Konzum's vast offer. The popular payment application, which as many as 300,000 users currently use, is another technological step forward by Konzum to provide customers with the best possible service and shopping experience.

"Since we have more than 600 stores and serve more than half a million customers daily, we take care to respond to their needs as best as possible. We know that the ability to choose a payment method is an important item nowadays. We want to be and remain the first choice for our customers, which is why we continuously introduce the best technologies and innovations. The introduction of payment through the KEKS Pay application is another step forward with which we want to simplify and further improve the shopping experience in Konzum. We will continue to invest in the development of innovations and listen to the needs of our customers to continue providing them with a premium experience," said Ines Barbir, director of the Business Applications Sector.

You need to install the free KEKS Pay application on your smartphone to use this service. Customers can pay the bill very simply, i.e. by scanning the QR code with the help of the application, whether at a regular or self-checkout cash register in physical stores or when purchasing in Konzum's webshop. Dejan Donev, Director of the Digital Banking Sector at Erste Bank, is also satisfied with the cooperation with Konzum.

"KEKS Pay in webshops and at points of sale enables payment with just one swipe of the finger, without tedious copying of card data, which users accept very quickly. Our experience has shown that once customers pay with the KEKS Pay application, they continue to pay in the same way in the future. In addition, users can register not only their debit cards or account but also their credit cards in the application itself, which allows them to choose the type of payment when paying. That's why I believe that Konzum's customers will very quickly recognise the benefits of the KEKS Pay application as a payment method," said Donev.

Konzum is continuously digitalising its operations and introducing innovative payment methods. In addition to the increasing number of self-checkout and cashless cash registers, Konzum also introduced payment in cryptocurrencies through the PayCek platform for processing cryptocurrencies in a fast, simple and secure way. Customers can also opt for any type of payment at the self-checkout counters, which have proven a reliable and very efficient Konzum service.

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