December 9, 2022 - WHAT A MATCH! Croatia beats Brazil on penalties for the 2022 World Cup semi-final!

Croatia and Brazil met at Education City Stadium in the first 2022 World Cup quarter-final on Friday, December 9, at 6 pm local time. 

Croatia beat Japan on penalties in the round of 16 match on Monday. Croatia's hero was Dominik Livaković, who saved three penalties to send Croatia into the quarter-final. 

Croatia has played Brazil four times, recording three defeats and one draw. The last time Brazil and Croatia met was in June 2018 as part of their World Cup preparations.

While Croatia has not lost in a World Cup quarter-final, Brazil was knocked out by European teams in the quarter-final in 2006, 2010, and 2018. 

Lineups

Croatia: Livaković – Juranović. Lovren, Gvardiol, Sosa – Modrić, Brozović, Kovačić – Pašalić, Kramarić, Perišić

Brazil: Alisson - Militao, Marquinos, T. Silva, Danilo - Casemiro - Raphinha, Paqueta, Neymar, Vinicius - Richarlison

Match report 

Croatia won the coin toss to kick off first. Croatia had their first free kick in the 3rd minute when Kovacic was fouled. Vinicius tried shooting in the 5th minute, which was an easy save for Livakovic. 

Croatia did well in keeping possession in the first 10 minutes, with the defense clearing any dangerous attacks. 

Croatia's first chance at goal came in the 12th minute. Juranovic made an incredible run into the middle and played Pasalic on the wing, who crossed into the box. Kovacic and Perisic both missed the cross. 

Croatia's first corner came in the 14th minute. It was cleared by the Brazil defense, but Croatia won back the ball. Modric crossed into the box, but Brazil cleared it out again. 

Croatia denied Brazil too much space. Brazil tried attacking again in the 20th minute, which was blocked by the Croatia defense. Neymar hit a light shot on goal to Livakovic. 

Casemiro shot on goal in the 22nd minute, which was deflected off the Croatia defense for Brazil's first corner. 

A seriously ugly play by Danilo on Juranovic in the 25th minute. Danilo's high kick with cleats up at Juranovic's head gave Croatia a free-kick right outside the box. Brazil's defense cleared the play. 

A questionable call for Brazil in the 28th minute awarded them a free kick, cleared by the Croatia defense. 

Brozovic was shown a yellow card in the 30th minute. 

Croatia played stunning football for the next 5 minutes, maintaining possession and calming down the play. 

Brazil regained possession in the next 5 minutes but was unable to create any dangerous attacks for a goal. But the ref awarded Brazil a free kick outside the box after a soft foul on Vinicius. Neymar's shot on goal luckily deflected and went into Livakovic's hands. 

The ref added one minute of stoppage time. The first half ended 0-0 with 48% possession for Croatia. 

The second start started without any changes on either side. 

Gvardiol saved the day yet again on a nearly open chance for Brazil in the 47th minute. A penalty check for Brazil held the game up slightly in the next minute, which was ultimately called offside for Croatia's ball. 

Croatia's first corner of the second half came in the 49th minute. Kramaric was called offside. 

Juranovic intercepted the ball in the 53rd minute and carried the ball into Brazil's half. He played the ball to Perisic on the other side of the pitch who was just off finding Pasalic's head for the goal. 

Livakovic brilliantly saved Neymar's shot on goal in the 55th minute. 

Brail subbed off Raphina for Antony in the 55th minute.

Croatia was dangerous in the 58th minute and stopped a quick Brazil counterattack. 

Brazil subbed off Vinicius for Rodrygo in the 64th minute. 

Brozovic fouled Neymar in the 65th minute and needed to be careful about getting a second yellow. 

Livakovic - Croatia's lifesaver - saved another dangerous Brazil shot on goal. 

Casemiro was shown a yellow card for fouling Kramaric in the 68th minute. 

Kramaric was subbed off for Petkovic and Vlasic or Pasalic in the 72nd minute. 

Livakovic again saved a quick Brazil counterattack, which went out for a Brazil corner. 

By the 80th minute, Brazil had a few more scary chances, cleared by Livakovic and Croatia's defense. 

Richarlison was subbed off for Pedro in the 84th minute. 

Croatia's defense was brilliant in the block on Brazil's counterattacks. 

The ref added 4 minutes of extra time. 

Brazil had a corner in the 91st minute, cleared by the Croatia defense. 

The match ended 0-0 and went into extra time.  

Croatia, the kings of extra time at the World Cup - could they do it?

Brazil had a corner in their first attack, which went out for Croatia's ball. 

Croatia was closing them off in any attack, and Croatia was trying to keep possession. 

Croatia had a brilliant attack in the 102nd minute when Petkvovic held the ball up top before playing it to Brozovic. Brozovic was alone at the top of the box and shot over the goal. 

One minute of stoppage time was added to the first half. 

But Neymar found the back of the net. Livakovic committed too early to Neymar, who scored for 1-0 Brazil in the final seconds of the first half. 

Majer was subbed on for Kovacic to start the second half of extra time. 

Perisic played two brilliant balls into the box, which were too strong for Croatia's attack. 

Croatia had a corner in the 109th minute. Croatia subbed on Budimir for Sosa in the same minute. 

Orsic came on for Brozovic in the 114th minute. 

Brazil had a corner in the 114th minute and then a free kick outside the box seconds later. 

But this Croatia came out to play. And a stunning Orisic-Perisic play saw Croatia equalize in the 117th minute!!!!! Petkovic found the back of the net. It was 1-1 with a few minutes before penalties!!!

Majer had a brilliant shot on goal in the 119th minute. Two minutes of stoppage time were added. 

Croatia cleared Brazil's last dangerous free kick. Livakovic was absolutely brilliant again. What a keeper. 

And the match went into penalties. 

Vlasic was up first for Croatia and scored for 1-0 Croatia!

Livakovic saved Brazil's first penalty!!!!!! The king! 

Majer scored Croatia's next penalty for 2-0 Croatia!!!

Casemiro scored Brazil's next penalty - 2-1. 

Luka Modric scored Croatia's next pen for 3-1!!!! 

Pedro scored for 3-2. 

Orsic scored for 4-2 Croatia!!!!!

And Brazil missed their final penalty!!!!! Croatia is in the SEMIFINAL!!!!!

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

December 9, 2022 - Whisper it quietly, but the Croatian passport has become rather a useful thing to have in recent times. Time for the diaspora to reengage with the Homeland?

When I moved to Croatia in 2002, the new Croatian passport was about a decade old and fairly weak on the international stage. By contrast, the British passport was one of the strongest and most desirable in the world. 

How times change... 

Brexit has been a real pain in the ass for so many British citizens on so many levels, one of the great own goals of all time, and Brits feel the pain of Brexit on so many levels on everyday life. I was shocked, for example, on my last trip to the UK (the first in several years) that I was no longer free to fill my car up with as much booze as I liked at the Calais Duty Free. But there are many much bigger restrictions now, such as 90-day maximum stays in countries like Croatia, as well as restrictions on things such as buying property for Brits abroad. 

A complete own goal. And it is safe to say that the British passport is no longer cool. 

One of the biggest beneficiaries of the Brexit debacle in terms of new citizens has been the Republic of Ireland. Similar to Croatia, Ireland has a huge history of emigration, and yet suddenly, it found itself incredibly in demand over the Brexit saga. A population of 5.8 million issued an astonishing number of passports (I read it was 2.4 million over a 3-year period around Brexits), as mostly Brits scrambled for a way to maintain access to the EU and all its perks. With its policy of granting automatic citizenship to people who could prove an Irish grandparent, many took the option - myself included. Will all those people move to Ireland to live? Of course not, but there will be some mutual benefits from these new relationships. 

Yesterday's green light for Croatia to join the Schengen zone in 2023 got me thinking about that weak Croatian passport of 2002 and the new reality today, especially when compared to the British passport. One of the most popular articles ever on TCN was due to the blue Croatian passport at the height of the Brexit debate. One of the tangible benefits of leaving the EU apparently was that the UK would be free to choose the colour of its passport - as though there were not more important things to think about for the future. This was 'taking back control' for the masses, rejecting the hated Burgundy EU version. At least until we pointed out that Croatia had decided to remain blue. The article remains popular today.

By contrast, look at the rise of the Croatian passport, and its relevance and its power. And look at it from the viewpoint of those in the Croatian diaspora in the likes of Peru, Argentina and Chile..How much simpler could life be with a Croatian passport?

2013 - Croatia enters the EU - unrestricted access to the entire EU market for business and travel.

2021 - Visa-free travel for Croatian citizens to the United States.

December, 2022 - Double-taxation treaty signed with the United States. 

December 2022 - Croatia confirmed into the Schengen Zone from January 1, 2023

January 1, 2023 - Croatia will officially adopt the Euro. 

Croatia is also one of the safest countries in the world, with some of the best lifestyle in Europe, as well as brimming with authentic experiences. It now has an A-league passport and access to key markets to add to its portfolio. 

There has never been a better time to search for those ancestral documents and start the process towards Croatian citizenship. 

Would you choose a British or Croatian passport in 2002? No contest. And while I am more than happy with my Irish passport, the call of the Croatian EU blue in 2022 is stronger than the British one, even though they have 'taken back control.'

Meet the returnees who are coming back and making a success of life in Croatia in our Croatian Returnees Reflection series.

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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.

Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn.

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

December 9, 2022 - A two-day international scientific conference titled Vucedol/Culture: Origin and Heritage is currently underway at the Vucedol Culture Museum in Vukovar. The primary goal of this first scientific conference is to present the results of twenty years (2001–2021) of systematic research at the prehistoric site of Vucedol, but also to remind about the history of research and evaluation of earlier research of the site and the Vucedol culture.

"We are proud to host this first international scientific conference, where we discuss what Vucedol culture was in the wider area. This is also an opportunity to thank all previous researchers, university professors, and those who researched Vucedol culture in Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. To all the areas that surround us, which gave birth to the most significant findings from the Vucedol culture. This is an opportunity to summarise previous research, but also to present the latest research in the past ten years on the location of the Streim corn field," - said the director of the Museum of Vučedol Culture, Mirela Hutinec, for HRV.

Danijela Roksandic Vukadin from the Department of Archeology of the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Zagreb added that she would present a significant find, a tomb in which the remains of 30 people were discovered. "So far, only twenty graves have been found in the entire area, and we found thirty bodies in one tomb," pointed out Roksandic Vukadin, reminding that Vucedol has been investigated for almost 150 years.

Steve Tsentserensky

Pyramids were influenced by the Vucedol culture.

Because Vucedol culture represents one of the highest reaches of technological, social, and spiritual development of prehistoric communities on Croatian soil, the conference will cover a wide range of topics. It will include various issues related to the intensive development of metallurgy as a highly accumulative activity and its influence on shaping the material and spiritual aspect of the Vucedol communities, the high standard of ceramic production and pyro technology, the organisation and architectural design of the settlement, the complex element of religious life, problems of chronology and bioarchaeological and other topics.

"The Vucedol culture was the highest level of European civilisation 5,000 years ago. Research has proven that the culture of Vucedol is older than Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and Greek, that they had some knowledge and reach that was extended to other regions, and not the other way around as previously thought. For example, the three Egyptian pyramids were placed to correspond to the constellation of Orion's Belt, and in the Vucedol culture, Orion was mentioned 300 years before the construction of the pyramids. This proves what our Vucedol culture is; therefore, we must show the world what we have and where it all started, " stressed Professor Aleksandar Durman. He addressed young researchers, saying that only about 10% of the localities in Vucedol have been explored and that they should continue with excavations and research as well as developing cultural tourism to present Vucedol's culture to the world.

Steve Tsentserensky

The director of the Vukovar City Museum, Ruža Marić, recalled all the activities they carried out related to the creation of the Vučedol Culture Museum. "It was a dream of professor Durman, me, and professor's fellow archaeologists, which we managed to realise."

The head of the Conservation Department of the Ministry of Culture and Media in Vukovar, Zdenka Predrijevac, recalled that the ministry had invested significant funds in the construction of the Vučedol Culture Museum and archeological research.

"The program was implemented from 2005 to 2015 and was financed by the Development Bank of the Council of Europe and the Government of the Republic of Croatia in the amount of HRK 70 million, while the permanent exhibition of the Museum was financed with HRK 15 million. The construction of the archeological park Vučedol continues, with HRK 118 million secured for that project, and it should be completed within the next two years", said Predrijevac.

The conference was organised by the Department of Archeology of the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Zagreb, the Vučedol Culture Museum, and the Vukovar Municipal Museum, with the support of the City of Vukovar.

"The city of Vukovar believes in the potential of the Vucedol culture and its influence on the development of Europe and the whole world. Therefore, we need to use this potential and put Vucedol on the tourist map of the world", said the deputy mayor of Vukovar, Filip Sušac, adding that proof of all this is the numerous recognitions that the Museum received, as well as this conference.

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

December the 9th, 2022 - This week in Croatian politics, we've finally had a bit of good news - Croatia has successfully filled all of the requirements to finally join Schengen and will officially do so on the 1st of January, 2023, on the very same day of Eurozone accession. That isn't all, though...

After a lot of nail biting and waiting, Croatian Schengen accession has been officially approved

After much deliberation, a lot of back and forth and eyebrow-raising from Austria apparently not being quite understood, Croatia got the green light to become a Schengen member state on the first day of 2023. Austria's initial issues with proposed Schengen expansion (which would have also included Romania and Bulgaria, but that won't be the case for now) weren't with Croatia as a country but with Schengen expansion as a whole. One Austrian minister was quoted as saying that Schengen is all well and good until there's a political issue, when it suddenly ''ceases to exist''. I dare say that for as excellent as Schengen is, he's far from alone in those opinions.

Despite all of that, and despite reports from the likes of the Financial Times (FT) that neighbouring Hungary and Viktor Orban could be the ones to throw a spanner in Croatia's Schengen plans, both Austria and Hungary (and even Slovenia, which was expected to cause many more issues than it actually did) gave the green light alongside the other deciding nations.

Croatia is now set to become a fully-fledged member of the Schengen area and in less than one month, border controls will be abolished at land, as well sea border crossings, and then on March the 26th, 2023, the same will be done at the country's airports.

Bulgaria and Romania apparently did not receive support because there was a lack of consensus on them joining. 

"Croatia received the unanimous support of the Council for Internal Affairs and Justice - on January the 1st, 2023, we will become a member of Schengen! During this, a year of delivery, we achieved the government's strategic goals, from which both people and the economy will benefit the most!" Plenkovic tweeted after the official announcement.

ATMs cause trouble as we approach Eurozone accession

Moving the Schengen celebrations and the promise of totally free movement aside for a moment, the same unfortunately can't be said for the freedom of cash withdrawals as we approach the day on which we introduce the euro as our official currency. Thousands of ATMs were put out of function this past week as we prepare to enter the Eurozone, leaving many people scratching their heads about where to get cash. Some ATMs have already had the kuna drained from them and been filled up with euros, and around 40 percent of them across the nation will eventually become unavailable as we get closer to D-Day, or should I say E-Day. 

Throughout this final month in which the kuna remains the country's official currency, around 2700 ATMs will be put out of function. Only those which have the ability to allow both kuna and euro withdrawals will continue to work, with the rest gradually being adapted to the euro.

The mass shutdown of ATMs will begin in about ten days, with a small number being shut down by December the 15th, and from that date, the Croatian Association of Banks (HUB) will publish an interactive map of all ATMs in Croatia that remain active in real-time so that people know where they can withdraw banknotes.

It's worth noting that this is also the time to get that old sock with rolled up notes in it out, lift up the mattress, and check your old coat pockets for 10 and 20 kuna notes. The traditional Croatian practice of keeping banknotes in odd items of clothing hidden somewhere in the house could come back to bite those who fail to bank their extra cash lying around so that it can be automatically converted to euros free of charge when we make the official switch over from the kuna to the euro on 2023's maiden day.

PM Andrej Plenkovic says that those who are against Ukrainian soliders being trained here will have to carry that on their conscience for a long time to come

There has been a lot of talk about the idea and then the plan to train Ukrainian soldiers here in Croatia. President Zoran Milanovic (SDP) quite openly said that he was very much against the idea and that Croatia's unwavering support for Ukraine and warm welcome to Ukrainian refugees said enough. He believed that training soldiers to fight against the Russian invaders here could end up bringing unwanted problems to Croatia's doorstep, a mere 30 years after a bloody war of its own.

Others are totally for the idea, and this includes other EU countries who have agreed to also train Ukrainian soldiers in their fight against continued Russian onslaught. 

Plenkovic claimed that he hasn't yet heard any valid, logical or reasonable argument for possibly not making a decision on Croatia's participation in the EUMAM military aid mission to Ukraine and said that the burden of political responsibility isn't on those who are in favour, but on those who aren't. He said he'd be voting for it and that he didn't understand the political logic of those who have reservations about that decision and mission.

How parliament members will vote on Croatia's participation in the EU military aid mission to Ukraine "will be a mark they'll carry with them in the long term," he added.

It's important that Croatia supports Bosnia and Herzegovina on its EU candidate path, according to its senior international representative

During a recent meeting with the State Secretary for Europe at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Andreja Metelko Zgombic, the senior international representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, assessed that it is important for that country that Zagreb fully supports its acquisition of EU candidate status.

"Croatian support for Bosnia and Herzegovina's candidate status for EU membership is very important," wrote Schmidt on his Twitter profile. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic also expressed his expectation that the Council of Europe would be able to approve the candidate status of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the end of the year. Earlier on, the European Commission had indeed recommended that the Council make such a decision.

The German politician at the head of the international administration in Bosnia and Herzegovina assessed having EU candidate status as important for the entire country. "Obtaining EU candidate status would be a much-needed boost for the country and an important sign for people that the enlargement process is working for Bosnia and Herzegovina," he said.

During that same day, State Secretary Metelko Zgombic headed the delegation that held working consultations with colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia and Herzegovina's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Josip Brkic, also stated on his Twitter that the interlocutors expressed satisfaction with the "extremely good bilateral relations between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina".

"Croatia remains the most important supporter and friend of Bosnia and Herzegovina on its path to both the EU and to NATO," said Brkic.

President Zoran Milanovic visited Chile, the home of a huge number of Croats and their descendents

President Zoran Milanovic went to Chile for the first time recently, on his first trip to South America since taking office in February 2020. It is a vast continent of many opportunities where around 600,000 Croats and their descendents live today. Approximately 160 years ago, the very first wave of Croatian migrants, forced into making difficult decisions by poverty along the coast, set out for Chile. Two more emigrant waves to South American countries followed later, motivated by both economic and political reasons. I won't go into the political ones here.

Historian Ljuba Boric, who works at the Centre for Migration Studies at the University of Santiago de Chile, says that the first Croats arrived there from all over the Dalmatian coast between 1860 and 1870 because of a disease of the grapevines and olive trees which sank their (typically) only means of making a living. They often took up mining careers in Chile.

Milanovic will spend a week in Chile and among other things he;ll meet with Chilean President Gabriel Boric who has been in power since March. Ljuba Boric, who is also related to Gabriel Boric, says that the president's great-grandfather Ivo Boric and his brother Sime came from the island of Ugljan (close to Zadar) to Punta Arenas in about 1885.

Institutions from Croatia, a country with 3.8 million inhabitants according to the 2021 census, have been trying to determine the number of Croats in all of South America for some time now, claiming that approximately 600,000 ''members of the Croatian nation and their descendants live in various countries in South America.''

Milanovic says that the recent reports about bombs being in various large shopping centres have nothing to do with the situation in Ukraine

If you've been following the news over the last few months, every now and then there are very strange reports about shopping centres (usually in Zagreb) being evacuated because there have been reports of a bomb being planted there. Odd indeed. They have all been false alarms and for some extremely bizarre reason, it has become somewhat of a trend to claim bombs are being hidden in shopping centres. Odd indeed, yet again. One of the people who made such a claim was a security guard who simply didn't want to come to work. He has since been dealt with by the authorities, and probably regrets not just calling in sick. Hopefully anyway.

This week, the bomb scare/shopping centre stories got a bit more of a spring in their step and more such scares were announced in multiple shopping centres in multiple areas. In sixteen counties, to be exact! Milanovic has been quick to squash the rumours that it has anything at all to do with the Russia-Ukraine war. On Tuesday he said that he thinks that these weird false reports about bombs have nothing to do with the horrific ongoing situation in Ukraine and said that those making these false claims should be located and arrested because creating panic among people like this for no reason is an act punishable by law.

"Find and aprehend these individuals - these are obviously people who don't have these means (bombs) at their disposal, nor do they have anything to do with them, but they have the capacity to sow fear and panic among people, and that's a punishable offence,'' Milanovic told reporters in Dubrovnik. He added that he believes that it has absolutely nothing to do with the war between Russia and Ukraine, as some have been quick to try to claim. He also said that no normal person would show any sort of support to Russia.

Dubrovnik honoured its defenders and marked the 31st anniversary of the darkest day in its history - the siege

The 6th of December 1991 will remain etched deeply into the memories of all those who were there when the JNA attacked the city, and will forever be an unhealed wound for the Pearl of the Adriatic. 

On the aforementioned date back in 1991, the City of Dubrovnik was viciously attacked by the JNA (Yugoslav Peoples Army), it was the culmination of a siege which sought to raze the globally adored UNESCO World Heritage Site to the ground. A similar and unfortunately successful action was seen much more recently in Palmyra at the hands of ISIS. The horrific bombardment of Dubrovnik resulted in international condemnation of the JNA and rightly became a public relations disaster for Serbia and Montenegro, contributing to and furthering their diplomatic and economic isolation and winning them powerful enemies across Europe and the rest of the world. It was a shot in the foot from which the still-estranged Serbia has hardly ever recovered in the eyes of the international community, and rightly so.

You can read much more about that day, the lives that were lost and the tremendous damage that was done by clicking here.

For more on Croatian politics, make sure to keep up with our dedicated section and follow our Week in Croatian Politics articles which are published every Friday.

December 8, 2022 - The key participants in today's EU Council meeting, where a decision was made on the expansion of the Schengen zone without borders, confirmed upon entering the meeting that they were sure that the decision on Croatia's entry would be adopted, regardless of the fact that the diplomatic battles over the second decision, regarding the expansion of Schengen to Bulgaria and Romania. 

As Večernji wrote during the meeting, their correspondent from Brussels, Tomislav Krasnec, reported with the latest information, saying that the meeting is still ongoing, and discussions were also being held in the corridors. The cases of Bulgaria and Romania were apparently the source debate when it looked like some complications have arisen. It seems that some countries tried to treat this issue as a package of three countries, and not as two separate decisions, and advocated that it be put to a vote as a package today. That would not have been a favourable situation for Croatia, which would have ended up a victim of such a political approach.

Not long after, 24Sata reported that today, at the meeting of the interior ministers of the EU member states, Croatia received unanimous support for entering the Schengen area, while there was no consensus for Bulgaria and Romania, according to diplomatic sources.

Croatia thus becomes the 27^th member of the Schengen area and in less than a month, from January 1, 2023, border controls will be abolished at land and sea border crossings, and in the spring, on March 26, 2023, at airports.

Bulgaria and Romania apparently did not receive support because there was a lack of consensus.

Plenković: Citizens and the economy will benefit the most

Hrvatska je dobila jednoglasnu podršku Vijeća za unutarnje poslove i pravosuđe - 1. siječnja 2023. postajemo članica #Schengen! U godini isporuke ostvarili smo strateške ciljeve @VladaRH, od kojih će najveću korist imati ?? građani i gospodarstvo!
✅ #Eurozone
✅ #Schengen pic.twitter.com/mPCGMpGZ1E

— Andrej Plenković (@AndrejPlenkovic) December 8, 2022

"Croatia received the unanimous support of the Council for Internal Affairs and Justice - on January 1, 2023, we will become a member of Schengen! In the year of delivery, we achieved the Government's strategic goals, from which citizens and the economy will benefit the most!" - Plenković wrote on Twitter after the official announcement that Croatia is becoming a Schengen member.

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

December 8, 2022 - The Croatian real estate market is behaving in interesting ways. The difference between the requested and realised real estate prices is increasing, and is currently reaching around 15 percent, which means that the owners' demands are not always realistic, especially when it comes to used real estate, it was pointed out on Wednesday at the 34^th Real Estate Business Forum.

As Index writes, the forum was organised by the Real Estate Association of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK). As the president of that association, Dubravko Ranilović, said, it is not yet possible to say with certainty what the next year will look like, but he believes there will be a change in trends.

"There will be a certain slowdown in the real estate market; prices cannot rise indefinitely in this way," said Ranilović.

The economy of the EU, including Germany, is slowing down due to the crisis and heading towards recession, interest rates are rising due to inflation, and given that more than a third of real estate buyers in Croatia are foreigners, this will be reflected in the Croatian market in the next year, he assessed.

Ranilović stressed the importance of differentiating the Croatian market, with the coast largely dependent on foreigners, and the rest mainly on Croatian customers.

Regarding foreign buyers, the data of the Tax Administration show that, since last year, there have been a total of 31,361 sales of houses or apartments, 9,491 of which were sold to foreign buyers.

From July 2021 to June 2022, foreigners bought 12,518 residential properties in Croatia, or 36 percent of the total. With 3,501 purchased properties, Germans are in the lead, followed by Slovenians with 3,090. The number of real estate sales to foreigners is constantly growing, and Ranilović pointed out that in some cities in the coastal counties, it exceeds 90 percent.

The phenomenon of "neighbour's optimism"

When it comes to the overall state, Ranilović pointed out that the requested prices of real estate are growing at significantly higher rates than realised prices, which means that the prices and demands of owners are not realistic everywhere, which especially applies to used real estate. Moreover, the difference between the requested and realised prices is increasing, and according to some estimates, it already reaches close to 15 percent on average while at the beginning of the year, it was only ten percent, pointed out Ranilović. Some call this phenomenon "neighbour's optimism," in the sense that it is difficult for someone to give up an amount that they heard someone else achieved, he added.

When it comes to apartments, for example, data from the real estate market for 2021 show that the requested price per square meter for apartments in Croatia was 2,197 euros, and the achieved price was 1,731 euros. At the same time, the average realised price per square meter for apartments in Zagreb was 1,847 euros last year, an 2,047 euros on the coast.

New build leads in prices, where quality properties in good locations are sold quickly, but what is being built is not enough to satisfy needs. On the other hand, used real estate is not up to standard; therefore the existing housing stock, which is generally poor, that is, insufficiently maintained, should be significantly improved, Ranilović said.

"The aim of the profession is for the market to move within as realistic a framework as possible"

He explained that the asking price is the subjective opinion of the owner about the value of the property, so if the market "goes down", only those who have to sell will first sell at lower prices, while it takes six months to a year for others to correct their prices. "People will have a hard time accepting reality. That's just the way it is," asserted Ranilović.

He told the large number of people gathered from the real estate sector at the Westin Hotel, more than 700 of them, that they should be a "real stabiliser of the real estate price market," and not "flatter the owners" to further encourage price growth and "inflate the bubble." "The more that bubble inflates, the more difficult it will be for us later," said Ranilović.

As some good news, he cited the growth in the number of construction land transactions, which last year was 19.6 thousand, considering that this also assumes future business activity.

The adviser to the president of HGK, Josip Zaher, said that the goal of the profession is for the market to move within as realistic a framework as possible, in order to mitigate the consequences of a possible slowdown and to avoid a repeat of the 2008 crisis. He pointed out that as a result of the present inflation, the prices of construction materials and labor have also increased, so the prices of real estate have also increased significantly.

He reported that in 2021, around 135,000 transactions, worth more than HRK 60 billion, were realised on the real estate market.

State Secretary in the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development Nataša Mikuš Žigman pointed out that last year's value of real estate transactions accounted for 14 percent of GDP, which testifies to how "vibrant and alive" the real estate market is.

Housing affordability is a growing problem

Member of the council of the Real Estate Business Association HGK and owner of the Zagreb West agency Lana Mihaljinac Knežević stated that, in case of continuation of the current macroeconomic trends, in the next year "price stabilisation can definitely be expected".

Concerning new builds, considering that the offer is not sufficient, there should not be any major changes, while for old buildings, especially in Zagreb and on the coast, owners are expected to change their expectations and lower the asking prices, Mihaljinac Knežević pointed out.

She said that the affordability of housing in Croatia is becoming an increasing problem, and therefore a systematic strategy is needed, and there have been announcements of such projects in Zagreb.

Agricultural land is the most traded real estate product, and further growth of such transactions is expected because the moratorium on the purchase of agricultural land by EU citizens ends next year, said Mihaljinac Knežević.

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

December 8, 2022 - In the Split hinterland, 370 hectares of land are planned for energy projects, most of them focusing on the technology of solar power plants.

As Poslovni writes, in about ten days, the Croatian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development will open bids for energy capacities in the area of the Proložac Municipality in the Split-Dalmatia County. The area in question is a total of 3.7 million square meters, or 370 hectares (ha) of land suitable for installing solar power plants.

The open bidding for energy capacities could result in making this area one of the largest solar power plants in the world. In comparison, what is possibly the world's largest solar power plant, Enel Group Villanueva in Coahuila, Mexico, which has a capacity of 2,000 GWh per year, consists of two and a half million solar panels and covers an area of 2,400 hectares. The largest European solar energy power plant is Ceclavin in Extramadura in Spain, which has a capacity of 328 MW and covers 220 hectares of land with its 850,000 modules. That investment was 250 million euros, and the power plant provides enough electricity for almost 200,000 households.

Although it is unofficially speculated that there are several European players already in the game for this land in Croatia, it is known that a study has already been conducted for the solar power plant Proložac by the investor VSB Obnovljiva Energija Hrvatska, which plans to build a solar power plant project with a capacity of 11.25 MW and a connection capacity of 10 MW in this area. The project will cover 25 ha, of which the panels themselves account for 14.3 ha. If this project is compared with the total land, it is clear that the area has the capacity for about 15 such solar power plants and the total installed capacity of at least 150 MW. 

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

December 8, 2022 - Croatia and Brazil will meet in the 2022 World Cup quarter-final on Friday at Education City Stadium. Kick-off is at 6 pm local tie or 4 pm Croatia time.

The Croatia national football team will face the biggest test at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on Friday - the quarter-final match against Brazil.

Brazil is the favorite to win the World Cup, which would be their sixth title in history and first in the last 20 years. They played brilliantly in their last-16 tie against South Korea, winning 4-1, while Croatia struggled against Japan, advancing only after penalties. 

At the last press conference before the match, coach Zlatko Dalić and captain Luka Modrić expressed their thoughts.

"I think we did a very big thing by reaching the quarter-final, but regardless, I want more. We know that perhaps the biggest game of the tournament awaits us against one of the biggest favorites. They are always the favorites, but at this World Cup they are rightfully so. We have to be real, give our best, and play our best game and then we have a chance. If we just settle for being there, then it will be difficult, but we believe in our strength, and that is how we will position ourselves on the pitch tomorrow," said Modrić.

Are all the players ready, and will there be any changes?

"There was not much time for preparation, and today we will train and prepare. Sosa trained, we won't make many changes. Placing among the eight with an almost new national team is a great success. But we will play fair, try to fight for something better," said Dalić.

Can Luka's knowledge of Casemiro and Vinicius help Croatia?

"Vini is a great guy, we have a great relationship, he is in incredible shape, and since he came to Real, he has improved greatly. Tomorrow we have a difficult task to stop him. I will surely help my teammates with details on how to neutralize him more easily. Everyone is fighting for himself and their country." 

Which of Croatia's past matches will the game against Brazil be most similar to?

"This will be the most demanding match for us. Maybe we would compare it to the final in Moscow against France if we were to compare. Out of 11 games at two World Cups, we did well in ten and only lost to France. Croatia is the only smaller country that, after success at one World Cup, repeated it at another, maybe the only one in history that immediately after the final made it to the top eight at the next World Cup," says Dalić.

"I agree with the coach, the final against France is similar to tomorrow's match, that's the ranking," Modrić continued.

What does Dalić think about Brazil's dancing after scoring?

"That makes them happy; they have their nature and character, and they have the right to that. It is their nation, and it looks beautiful."

Does Dalić think that this is a stronger Croatia team than from 2018?

"This is a new national team with 18 new players who did not play then, and it cannot be compared. That generation played together for ten years; those players played in the world's biggest clubs. This team is different, we need time, but they are lucky to have the remaining six from Russia with whom they can grow. These guys still have many games to prove themselves, but they have potential and quality."

What is the key to tomorrow?

"We played against Brazil several times and haven't beaten them yet, but I hope this tradition will change. Brazil has phenomenal players in all positions, so we will have to be very aggressive, run at the right level, not let them play; that will be very important," says Modrić.

Did Modrić watch Brazil's loss to Cameroon?

"I didn't have the chance to watch the match between Brazil and Cameroon, but Brazil did not play with the strongest team in that match. Of course, this is not a benchmark, but it certainly indicates that they can be defeated."

Does Croatia expect another extra time finish on Friday?

"If it comes to that, that last match with Japan gave us great confidence. Each match is for itself, we will see what will happen, but we are ready for anything."

How would Dalić compare Croatia's game against Argentina in 2018 and against Brazil tomorrow?

"Maybe they are similar games, but then we had Argentina in the group stage, and this is the knockout round. Of course, we will apply a similar recipe to narrow down the space for Neymar, but I think he has better support from his teammates than Messi did four years ago."

Do they consider Brazil a big favorite in tomorrow's game?

"They always favor big teams, but we have shown many times that the favorites don't always win. We appreciate every national team and their qualities, but we also appreciate ourselves," Modrić replied.

Did Croatia learn from Serbia's defeat to Brazil?

"We watched that match. Serbia played great for an hour, but they got nervous when some situations started. Until Brazil scored, the game was almost even. Brazil played after the goal, and Serbia could not follow that rhythm and fell. We must not do that; we must be disciplined and return to our formation. Serbia played well until they conceded a goal, said Dalić.

Will Modrić continue playing for Croatia?

"I can repeat that I don't think about the future. We'll see how long I'll be around. I am concentrating on this World Cup; there will be time to consider the future. I don't have a tactic for rejuvenation like there was for growth. If you have it, let me know," Luka jokingly replied to the journalist.

What can we expect from Croatia tomorrow?

"We play the way we play; sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not so good. But we always do our best. We will see what Croatia will be like tomorrow. We are ready, we will give our best, and I believe we can do a great thing," says Modrić.

Journalists also asked Luka to comment on the strength of Brazil and Argentina.

"These are giants of world football, two world teams with many great players. I enjoy watching them; playing against such teams is a pleasure. Playing against them is a holiday for football and something everyone wants, especially in big competitions like the World Cup."

Brazil is dangerous from all sides.

"Brazil is the best team at this World Cup, faster, more energetic, and more diverse than others, and they can come from all sides. They use all the templates; you don't know where the danger comes from. We have no chance if we give them too much space and time. We want to try to get the ball. We must position ourselves well, not fall out of the system and block, and constantly play as a team. It is important not to give them space because it is difficult when they receive the ball."

Why did Dalić replace Modrić so early in the match against Japan?

"It wasn't early; it was the 100th minute. We talked, me and Luka always agreed; I didn't decide on my own. We ran a lot, I had to refresh the team, and I had to make substitutions. We passed, and it turned out well. Luka will always play as long as he can. That's why Luka will be more rested tomorrow than if he had played 120 minutes," Dalić believes.

Tomorrow Modrić is playing against many Real Madrid teammates.

"I am looking forward to playing against former and current teammates. Of course, we will be friends before and after the game, but everyone is fighting for their country and for themselves on the field."

How will coach Dalić motivate the players?

"You don't need a bigger motive than the World Cup quarter-final against Brazil. I'm sure these guys dreamed of such matches. We don't have much to lose; we must fight back as best we can. We have already achieved great success but want more, although we would prefer to play them in the final."

Does Modrić miss Rakitić in the midfield?

"Unfortunately, Ivan is not with us, but Mateo is here, who replaced him very well. So we are good again, maybe not as in Russia, but we have an excellent team."

How is Croatia so successful in sports with less than four million inhabitants?

"Croatia is very talented; we have talents in all sports, not only in football. I don't have a particular explanation. We love sports; talents are born, and good work is done in football schools, where a lot of work is done with children. We are a talented nation; it's hard for me to say why that is," concluded captain Modrić. 

Source: HRT

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