ZAGREB, 13 Feb 2022 - Science and Education Minister Radovan Fuchs said on Saturday that the cancellation of the mask mandate in schools would be considered in the coming month if the self-testing of school children and the related cancellation of self-isolation proved effective.

According to the latest recommendations by the public health institute (HZJZ) for children and parents, students who self-test no longer need to self-isolate in case of contact with a person positive for COVID-19.

"If this proves effective and good, we will also consider that option in the coming month and discuss it with the HZJZ," Fuchs said in an interview with Nova TV when asked about an end to the face mask mandate in schools.

The minister also believes that the self-testing of students is not a belated measure, even though the number of new infections has been on the decline.

"We are not late (with self-testing). It has nothing to do with whether figures are falling or not. Right now we have a huge number of students in self-isolation and that could continue as long as there is a single positive case in a class. This measure was introduced exactly because of that," the minister said, confirming that the number of new infections was falling and that the trend was evident among students.

"... we have opted for this measure so that classes could be held face-to-face until the end of the school year," the minister said.

Asked if he had concerns about a response by antivaxxers to self-testing and possible protests outside schools, Fuchs said that he hoped there would not be any, that principals had been given instructions, that there could be no unannounced protests or demonstrations outside schools and that if they were held, police would be called in.

As for parents who do not want to test their children, the minister repeated that they would fill in a form withholding consent for that procedure and submit it to their child's teacher and the child would not have to undergo testing at home. However, if the child gets into contact with a person who is positive for COVID-19, they will have to self-isolate, he said.

Asked if he knew the number of children who would not self-test at home, Fuchs said that according to available information, the number was one or two students per class.

Asked if all children, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19, should get tested if they get into contact with a positive person, the minister answered in the positive.

The minister also noted that the process of self-testing would not be controlled and that it was based on trust.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, make sure to bookmark our dedicated section and select your preferred language if it isn't English.

February 13, 2022 - HAC (Croatian Highways) is looking for a team of three people to work as security guards and monitor Krk bridge for one year, and plans to pay a total of 850,000 kuna and provide all the necessary amenities.

The job lasts 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, of course, not for the same person, but for several of them, whose mission it is to keep safe the connection between the mainland and Croatia's largest island. Croatian Motorways (HAC) are looking for security guards who will monitor Krk bridge and make sure everything is in order for 12 months, from the houses where tolls were paid until last June to the "other side", and the "gage" to be paid 850 thousand kuna will start in April, reports Večernji List.

As many as 26,280 hours are expected to be done by a team of three people, who will record their arrivals and departures electronically, in order for the employer to ensure that these hours are actually worked, and the company from which the security guards will arrive must provide and real-time digital surveillance of security guards' detours. Why? So that "potential incidents" could be reported at the same time, and a picture of them could arrive. Everything that is done must be submitted to HAC in a report by the 5th of each month, and the Motorways will provide the "guardians" of the bridge less than a kilometer and a half long with an equipped working room with heating, electricity, telephone, toilet, and dressing space”.

''The Krk Bridge is a protected object of national importance, which needs to be safeguarded in order to prevent illegal actions directed towards it'', HAC explains. They also mentioned that "no devices and equipment for technical protection have been installed on the Krk Bridge", so it is "necessary to ensure physical protection, which includes the presence of persons performing protection and guarding activities". Or, in other words, the bridge does not have cameras, so surveillance must be done with the eyes.

''Since HAC does not have its own capacity to perform physical surveillance and protection, it is necessary to provide it from the outside, in compliance with regulations (Law on Private Protection and Ordinance on the conditions and manner of implementation of physical protection)'', they added.

For more, check out our business section.

February 13, 2022 - Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort is a proud participant in an upcoming episode of ABC’s “The Bachelor.”

The episode will feature the picturesque Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort property as the home for the week for the newest Bachelor, Clayton Echard, and the lucky ladies vying for his heart. This episode of “The Bachelor,” currently in its 26th season, is scheduled to air Monday, February 14, at 19:00 (CST).

The Bachelor on ABC

On ABC’s hit primetime reality series “The Bachelor,” one lucky man is offered the chance to find true love. A single and eligible bachelor embarks on a romantic journey, getting to know a number of beautiful women, gradually narrowing the field as he continues his search for his soul mate. At the end of this romantic voyage, if he has found the one, will there be a proposal — and will she say yes? “The Bachelor” is produced by Next Entertainment and Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon.

Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort

The Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort is idyllically located in a private bay, featuring an exquisite cascading pool area with mini-islets throughout, a restaurant, and a swim-up bar. It offers a wide range of activities suitable for couples, families, and groups. The communal areas are spacious and open-plan, and rooms are light and airy, with lots of glazing and contemporary décor. The penthouse suites are located on Amfora’s top floor for maximum privacy, with floor-to-ceiling windows and open spaces bathed in bright natural light with indoor and outdoor dining facilities. The surrounding area is embellished by various lush greenery, with a stunning pebble beach located just steps away from the hotel’s entrance. Hvar city is located just a short walk away along the stunning promenade. Amfora is the perfect place to enjoy your holiday with the most beautiful wrap-around view of the bay and Paklinski Islands. You can learn more about Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort here.

Suncani Hvar

The island of Hvar has always been a desirable filming location and is a great place to shoot movies and series. In the past few years, film tourism has become a new travel trend for many tourists who want to take pictures or visit the locations of their favorite movies or series. However, the island of Hvar was recognized as a desirable filming location some fifty years ago, when the feature film The Deep was filmed by famous American director Orson Welles. Another movie that was filmed was The Odyssey, about the famous underwater explorer, Jacques Cousteau. Much of the filming took place in the town of Hvar, Jelsa, Stari Grad, and the Paklinski Islands. Moreover, a few years ago, an advertisement for Jean Paul Gaultier was shot on Hvar, which featured beautiful scenes from the pebble beach Dubovica and the popular Hvar promenade in the center of Hvar. 

The American reality show WAGS Miami - wives and girlfriends of high-profile sportsmen was also filmed on Hvar. Filming took place all over the island and in hotels Amfora and Adriana. The show was aired on E! Entertainment, part of NBCU Universal. In addition, the British reality show Made in Chelsea was also shot on Hvar, which included various island locations. This served as an excellent advertisement that attracted young Britons to this desirable destination. Most recently, the popular NetFlix culinary series Somebody Feed Phil was filmed in September last year. The filming took place at hotel Palace Elisabeth and in the town of Hvar. 

Find more information on “The Bachelor” here.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

February 13, 2022 - The iCat company is known for innovating in maritime navigation technology, seeking to connect the mainland with the islands in a fast, efficient and ecological way. This can already be seen on the island of Mljet, which now has three of its solar-powered catamarans.

Solar energy is the driving force behind the ships that Tomislav Uroda from Zagreb wants to make this type of transport more ecological, faster, and more comfortable, and his self-sustaining vessels have been succeeding on Mljet for several years, reports Index.hr.

Frustration at Tomislav Uroda's very rare and poor inter-island transport prompted him to try to work out a solution to this maritime problem in his own workshop. The idea that one larger ship sails several smaller ones a day, which will also be energy efficient and acceptable for Europe's future of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, combating climate change, and investing in green technologies, has grown into a successful international story.

"We wanted a better, more luxurious alternative"

At that time, the young mechanical and shipbuilding engineer, a native of Zagreb with roots in the island of Murter, started his business venture ten years ago by founding iCat, and in the years that followed he stood by the leading innovators in the world. He saw an opportunity to conquer the market in solar and electric ships.

"From the beginning, we didn't want to invent a cheap product, but we wanted a better, more luxurious version of that shipping, and therefore not only in the passenger, economic part but also in the technical part - from accumulation, batteries to solar," says Uroda.

Connecting the island with the mainland, making shipping a faster and more comfortable way to travel, and overcoming the problem of fuel shortages on the island were key problems in the Mljet National Park, where the first three solar-powered catamarans operate. These three ships named babyCat, powered by solar panels on the roof of the ship, are the first such self-sustaining ships in the world. They develop a speed of at most 9.5 knots and receive 54 passengers. Excess solar energy is stored in the batteries on board.

The boat can be recharged

"The solar-powered catamarans also has coastal chargers, which means that it can be recharged from the coastal port. This replenishment is a good option, and ships on Mljet have been sailing for several years in the summer months and there was never a need for recharging because enough energy is obtained from solar power,” the 50-year-old said.

The island of Mljet (Photo: Mario Romulić)

"We built another such catamaran, but it was just finished at the time of the general closure. Just as air and bus transport disappeared, so did ours. In the few months of this pandemic, there was no interest in our ships at all, but we have been receiving inquiries every day for some time", says Tomislav, who plans to market his products all over Europe, and then, when the conditions are created, all over the world.

In addition to the solarCat ship, as presented at Jarun, on the same production platform it is possible to build two other types of solar-powered catamarans - one slightly wider, which will have a hundred seats and the other with a double bow, or a ship that does not turn while driving but operates shorter distances.

"We realized that this job is not attractive"

''The workforce is also a big problem'', says Uroda.

"We dreamed of having our own workers in the production plant, but over time we realized that this job is not attractive and that people will come and go here. Croatia no longer has a workforce. We are aware of the situation, but our development team is constant.", stressed Uroda.

Greater use of the potential of solar energy is one of the main goals of the European Green Plan, which aims to reduce carbon emissions by 55 percent by 2030. Intensified use of renewable energy sources and increasing energy efficiency are key factors in achieving this ambition.

Ambitions in Croatia need to be encouraged, and citizens need to be educated about the benefits of using solar energy, was the conclusion of a two-day conference "Days of the Sun" held at the end of October last year in Hvar. The solar sector is developing very slowly, although the price of such energy is lower than ever, it was said at the gathering.

For more information on the solar-powered catamarans by iCat, click here.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

February the 13th, 2022 - Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomasevic has discussed the ongoing topic of the Sljeme cable car which has faced numerous obstacles when it comes to noise complaints and obtaining all of the proper permits. This would-be new attraction for the City of Zagreb would allow visitors to experience the nature it has on offer in addition to the bustling city which has attracted more and more foreign visitors over more recent years.

The cable car, which would transport residents and visitors to the Croatian capital alike up the mountain which towers behind it, still isn't quite out of the paperwork woods yet, however.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, after the Sljeme cable car finally received the green light from the Sanitary Inspection, Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomasevic announced that it should be open by the end of February, if all of the necessary permits are finally in proper order by then.

"At the beginning of next week, a permit for use should be issued, followed by a report on the safety of the Sljeme cable car by the end of the week, and then a work permit issued by the Ministry of Transport will follow," Tomasevic said.

However, as an additional 1.7 million kuna will be invested in the Sljeme cable car for noise reduction, following one complaint which saw a permit rejected in the not so distant past, Tomasevic announced that it will be open to the public during its promotional hours, and then it will be closed for a week to carry out any additional work before opening properly for for good.

“Some of the work can only be done while the Sljeme cable car is not working. If the administrative deadlines are met, it will be closed after the promotional period, and then reopened and will work regularly after that,'' explained Tomasevic.

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

February the 13th, 2022 - Goran Tesovic, an infectious disease specialist at the Dr. Fran Mihaljevic Clinic for Infectious Diseases in Zagreb told N1 that he doubted that any new vaccination strategy would help those who have already made their choices, for whatever reason.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Dr. Goran Tesovic said that he doesn't know what the strategy will be. He says he has now been claiming for a long time that whoever wanted to be vaccinated, has already been vaccinated, and that there are a lot of anti-vaxxers around.

“How much we medical professionals, or some of us, have contributed to that is hard to say, but we probably have. The media has played a role, and the basis of everything is that people's decisions about vaccination have shown that at least 30 percent of people are either anti-vaxxers or are suspicious about coronavirus vaccines. With a well-developed strategy, proper promotional measures, and consistent behaviour by healthcare authorities, perhaps someone who is hesitant would be persuaded to get vaccinated. You won't succeed with those who have a clearly defined attitude, no strategy can help an anti-vaxxer. 30 percent of people in this country have this anti-vaxx attitude even when it comes to mandatory vaccines in Croatia, and the coronavirus vaccine isn't mandatory, so it's only logical that this percentage will increase,'' he said.

Asked what could have been done in the beginning of the vaccine rollout, or what we missed, he said: "I'm not saying that much more could have been done because it is clear that there was a strong anti-vaxx mood from the very beginning, look at Bulgaria, Romania and other Eastern European countries. I think that this is, for the most part, a reflection of the overall situation in society and the lack of trust in the authorities. Whatever strategy may turn out to be wrong in the end, I'm afraid that there's no right advice,'' said Goran Tesovic.

He also spoke about compulsory vaccination in Croatia: “I think making vaccination mandatory wouldn't significantly solve this problem. Perhaps one could try to be more active towards older groups and emphasise how devastating this disease can be for these people more. Unfortunately, some of these people were initially afraid of the vaccine's side effects, which are exaggerated, and no one told them that if they get covid with their comorbidities, they're more likely to develop a severe clinical picture. I don’t think the introduction of compulsory vaccination would change much, it might encourage further incitement of the anti-vaxx atmosphere too. If introduced, it couldn't be for the entire population, and then the question arises as to whether it's mandatory vaccination at all in such a case. I'd stick to what's recommended and insisting that the elderly and those with comorbidities be vaccinated.''

Finally, he commented on the emergence of the Omicron variant: “I'm not in favour of removing the rule about masks, at least until we see what will happen when Omicron subsides completely. Covid certificates probably no longer make any sense given the variant that has unfolded in this way. This isn't a virus that will naturally provide immunity to us. The fact that most people get over Omicron without many issues doesn't mean that they're immune and can't be reinfected with another new variant,'' Goran Tesovic concluded.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, make sure to bookmark our dedicated section and select your preferred language if it isn't English.

February the 13th, 2022 - The yet-to-be-opened Kukuljanovo logistics centre near the City of Rijeka on the Northern Adriatic is the result of yet more investments made by Croatian post (Hrvatska posta), of which there have been several lately.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Darko Bicak writes, after spending the cash of an an investment cycle totalling almost one billion kuna over the last five years, most of which went to building new and modernising existing logistics capacities, Croatian Post (HP) is about to open the new Kukuljanovo logistics centre (LC) in the Kukuljanovo industrial zone near Rijeka. The facility is worth 60 million kuna, and it should be in operation in around one month.

Prerequisites for further growth

Croatian post explained that in the previous period, their logistics space in the City of Osijek was expanded, a new logistics centre was built in Zadar, capacities in Bjelovar were expanded and a new sorting centre was built in Velika Gorica near Zagreb, which, totalling a massive 350 million kuna, is the largest investment in Croatian post's history.

According to them, the Kukuljanovo logistics centre with its 5,000 square meters of business space is the final point of investment in infrastructure, which created the preconditions for further logistical growth and development of the company.

“The new Kukuljanovo logistics centre is an important link when it comes to raising the quality and speed of providing our services to all residents who gravitate to this area - Gorski kotar, Istria, Kvarner... Infrastructural investments in the network of sorting plants will have a favourable effect on the overall development of the logistics market across Croatia.

All of the locations of modern sorting plants are strategically selected and are placed in locations that are well connected in terms of traffic and are in line with logistics trends. In the past, such facilities were located in the centres of large cities, and today they're placed on the outskirts along important traffic routes.

The number of locations where the operational part of the shipment business, such as sorting and processing, is performed, while not reducing the number of post offices available, is in more than 800 settlements with a network of 1,016 post offices,'' they said from Croatian post, headed by Ivan Culo.

"With this investment in the Kukuljanovo logistics centre, we're completing this cycle of investments in logistics and logistics infrastructure in accordance with the development strategy. Employees, green energy and digital development are the direction we're heading in. Investing in logistics and sorting capacities, the digitalisation of processes and the ‘last mile’ in the form of a network of parcel machines has brought us to a completely equal position of the leading EU postal operators. We're no longer a trend-following post office, but an equal partner. Global e-commerce retailers recognised us before the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic, and we've justified their trust in us over the last two years,'' Culo added.

In order to be in the trend of the EU Green Agenda, the Kukuljanovo logistics centre will have a solar power plant installed on its roof.

An explosion of logistical needs

The growth of e-commerce and especially Croatia's accession to the European Union (EU) has led to an explosion of logistical needs in this country. The entire logistics sector had to find a solution in a relatively short time and radically change its established ways of meeting the needs of both private and business users.

The situation was further accentuated by the global coronavirus pandemic, and for many people, online shopping and the delivery of goods to their doors has become a substitute for going out shopping in the classic way, ie going to the store. Solutions for the "new normal" do of course exist, but they aren't cheap or fast.

The fact that the transformation of Croatian post, through investments in new technology and infrastructure, has been recognised, is confirmed by the fact that some of the largest Internet retailers, such as Amazon, AboutYou and many others have chosen them for their services in Croatia and the wider region. It's worth noting that Croatian post processes Amazon shipments even for Greece and Cyprus.

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

February the 3th, 2022 - The innovative Croatian CannaPlast idea has found itself quite rightly in the finals of a large European competition as the only entry from all of Croatia.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Lucija Spiljak writes, Krizevci locals Mario Jembrek, Luka Heljic and Valentino Gudlin, founded the startup CannaPlast back in November last year, and their main idea is the production of hemp plastic.

Although the Croatian CannaPlast startup is only a few months old, they are the only Croatian representative to compete for the top prize among the top 19 candidates in the European Cross-KIC New European Bauhaus - 2021 New European Bauhaus Ideation Awards, where European startups present sustainable and inclusive climate change solutions and answers to pressing environmental challenges.

“Our expectations are high, our idea is very disruptive with the potential to directly and significantly help in the fight against climate change. We looked at the ideas of other teams and they're really great, but we believe that our team will be the winner. Once we get the necessary financial injection, we'll go on to develop a prototype. We're in very close cooperation with the company Bio Blok, which is engaged in the production of building materials from hemp, and has ambitions to expand its product range. With their help, we intend to place our ''plastic'' straws in cafes and beach bars on the coast, and if everything goes according to plan, we'll do it just in time for the tourist season. Bio Blok could also help us a lot in processing only the stem and making capsules. In addition, we intend to engage in crowdfunding in order to provide sufficient funds for the sustainable continuation of business,'' explained Mario Jembrek.

Last November, the Croatian CannaPlast startup won first place for their idea at the 2nd Krizevci Hackathon entitled "Local startup, global sustainability" on sustainable and green startup ideas, organised by the Youth Council of Krizevci and the energy cooperative KLIK. The hackathon was the reason for founding the startup in the first place.

“Our startup is currently in its very early stage of business. Our first goal is to make a prototype of a ''plastic’''capsule and ''plastic'' straws and glasses, as a demonstration product through which the customer would get an idea of ​​the quality of the material and how it feels and sits in the hand, ie whether it has the same characteristics as real plastic does. We're currently mostly involved in promotion and networking - from people from the Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb who help us develop the science behind making hemp plastic, to enterprises and business people who can provide us with the necessary funds to establish a production line. It will also be important to change the legal framework on what materials are allowed for packaging,'' said Jembrek, who works as an electrical engineer for solar power projects.

Heljic has many years of experience in developing business on foreign markets and has recently been in charge of developing sustainable construction through their construction section in the Cooperative for Ethical Financing. Gudlin is a student at the Faculty of Agriculture in Krizevci, and Jembrek says that his knowledge of plants, especially hemp, gives the Croatian CannaPlast startup the necessary technical and scientific foundations for the development of their ideas.

Their target customers are plastic bottle manufacturers, such as Atlantic Grupa (Group), Jamnica and Coca Cola, to which they want to offer their hemp capsules, which they will be able to use with their existing machinery.

“This would require very little investment in equipment modernisation, and will bring with it significant benefits in terms of reducing plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Our solution would thus be available to the general public in any store, and would function identically to plastic with a very important difference - our bottles would be CO2 negative and biodegradable,'' concluded Mario Jembrek.

For more, check out Made in Croatia.