Meet Dario Gjergja, the Croatian Coach Leading Belgian Basketball
April 9, 2022 - TCN met Dario Gjergja, the coach of the award-winning basketball team Filou Ostende and also of the Belgian national basketball team. This Croat on top of Belgian basketball reaps success and has already won the Coach of the Year title 4 times!
Dario Gjergia is a Croatian coach who has found a second home in Belgium. In recent years he has achieved excellent results: during 11 seasons as coach at Filou Ostende, he has already won 10 national basketball championships (with the 11th still ongoing), and since 2008, he is the coach of the Belgian national team, appointed until 2025 (which would make him the longest-serving Croatian coach of a foreign team, more than Petrovic, Repesa and Tabak).
Seriousness, commitment, perseverance, and his Dalmatian temperament are the characteristics that distinguish him and for which he is appreciated in Belgium. Hear what his players say about him:
“His basketball IQ is off the charts. Dario Gjergja knows everything; he lives for basketball. He’s a real student of the game. He knows every play, every offence, every defence. He’s giving confidence to everybody, and with him, everything is clear from the beginning”.
He built his talent step by step, without ever stepping over anyone and by seizing every opportunity life gave him. Gjergja, as it is clear from his surname, was born and raised in Zadar, the Croatian city of basketball, the town where orange balls echo in all the streets and alleys and where all the legends of Croatian basketball have played. Like all the boys who grew up there, Gjergja also played basketball when he was young. But when he came of age, he understood that his passion was to become a coach; he saw himself more in this role than as a player. Therefore, he decided to study at the Faculty of Kinesiology of the University of Zagreb and, at the same time, he self-financed courses to become a coach.
At the age of 25, he became the assistant coach for KK Zagreb. He later went to Cibona, in Russia with Ural Great Perm, then back to Croatia with the Under-20 national team. In 2008 he moved to Belgium as an assistant coach for Charleroi and then as the main coach in Liège. Finally, at the end of 2011, he started coaching the FILOU Ostende, where he truly feels at home.
Official photo @basketbalcluboostende
You have been in Belgium for many years now. You lived both in Wallonia and Flanders. What are the main differences between the two regions?
I arrived in Belgium in 2008, where I started first as an assistant in Charleroi and then as a coach in Liège. At the end of 2011, I started coaching the Ostend team, and since then I have remained. I feel so well here that I have also become a Belgian citizen. In Flanders everything is very well organised, they are hard workers, very precise and reliable. I appreciate these characteristics since I feel they belong to me too. There are many differences between the Walloons and the Flemings. The first difference is the language: the Flemings speak Flemish (similar to Dutch), and the Walloons instead speak French. There are also differences in the origins: the Flemings are descendants of the Germans and are skilled traders, while the Walloons, who descend from the Celts, have a long tradition in the production of steel and textiles. I mean, there are so many differences between them! In these 14 years, I have learned to accept their differences and understand perfectly both languages. Still, the official language in the game remains English, even to accommodate all the players’ nationalities.
Regarding this point, how many nationalities are there in the Ostend team?
We have many different nationalities: in addition to Belgian players, we have four from the States, one from Ghana, one from Finland, and one from the Netherlands. Our captain is of Serbian origin. His name is Dusan Dordevic, and I have had an excellent relationship with him from the beginning. Haris Bratanovic is of Bosnian origin but was born and raised here, so he has little of the Balkan effrontery and more of the Belgian correctness. There’s a great variety and it’s a great team of professionals. In the coming seasons, more and more players might come from our region because the budgets of the Belgian teams have been reduced considerably, and since our players cost a little less, I think they could take advantage of it in the future.
And what’s it like to coach the Belgian national team as a foreigner?
Honestly, the very same players are foreigners among themselves too. The Flemings and the Walloons are very parochial, but I insist and constantly work on the fact that there should be no room for differences when playing for the national team. It is unthinkable not to sing the national anthem when the national team plays, so I expect them to stand up, sing it, and play with a common goal. I also feel like a father, not just a coach. They respect me very much, and it is gratifying to see that my work is recognised, especially in the youth categories. I feel honoured that, as a foreigner, I was given a chance to become the coach of the national team. When they hired me, they knew that I am a patriot and also that I don’t have an easy temperament. Perhaps, I was chosen also to better manage relationships and behaviours within the team. I have always had examples of very stern figures in my life ever since I was a boy: my father was in the army, and my coaches were not at all soft, above all Danijel Jusup and prof. Slavko Trninic. All these strong personalities taught me to be diligent, serious, and respectful at work. Unfortunately for the players, I also expect it from them!
Official photo @basketbalcluboostende
Ostend is a quiet town on the Belgian coast on the North Sea, a holiday destination for wealthy Belgians who often own a second home there. A small town as big as Zadar and similar in some ways, but where the north wind beats the “bura” blowing in Croatia. Can you confirm that?
Yes, the wind here is actually powerful and constantly present! Ostend is similar to Zadar because it is on the seaside, and everything is within reach. I live 150 meters from the arena; I walk everywhere. I love this peace and not being in a busy city: this is my favourite lifestyle. You do not waste time in traffic, and you can find time to be with your family, free your mind from worries, and do sports every day. Here I can put into practice the motto: mens sana in corpore sano. My wife and my daughter have also settled here very well. When I feel the need for some Croatian flavour, I get pampered in the Restaurant Dalmacija, owned by a lady from the island of Brac. Thanks to her, I try to set aside my homesickness.
And when are you planning to go back "home"?
I try to go back whenever I can. I still have my family there, childhood friends, and "colleagues" coaches that I often hear and with whom we also discuss professionally. Zadar is always in my heart, and I don’t see the end of my career abroad. I never look too far; I’m used to living day by day and facing the challenges and opportunities that life offers me. I’d like to go back home at the end of my career, but there’s still time!
The 46-year-old Croat extended his contract with the Belgian National Team until 2025. Gjergja’s big goal will be to qualify Belgium for the 2023 World Cup, which will take place in Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines.
To read more about sports in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
Croatia Logs 903 New Coronavirus Cases, 15 Deaths
ZAGREB, 9 April 2022 - Croatia has recorded 903 new coronavirus cases and 15 COVID-related deaths in the last 24 hours, the national coronavirus response team reported on Saturday.
Currently, there are 7,446 active cases in the country. Of them, 532 infected people are being treated in hospital, including 27 placed on ventilators, while 5,400 persons are self-isolating.
Since 25 February 2020, when the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Croatia, 1,108,551 people have been registered as having been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, of whom 15,675 have died and 1,085,430 have recovered, including 1,482 in the last 24 hours.
A total of 4,717,894 people have tested for the new virus to date, including 3,927 in the last 24 hours.
By Friday, 5,233,554 COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered, with 59.45 per cent of the total population, or 70.71 per cent of adults, having been vaccinated. A total of 2,311,840 people had received at least one dose and 2,239,638 of them had been fully immunised, which is 68.62 per cent of the adult population.
Three Children Killed, Seven Committed Suicide in Croatia in 2021
ZAGREB, 9 April 2022 - In Croatia last year, three children were killed, seven committed suicide and 63 attempted suicide, while 17 were killed in traffic, Children's Ombudsman Helenca Pirnat Dragičević said in her annual report, citing data from the Ministry of the Interior.
"Apart from the parents, in certain cases responsibility for children's deaths also lies with the institutions and society in general," the ombudsman said.
She added that social services and the judiciary should be faster and more efficient in decision making concerning children.
In 2021, her office received 269 complaints about violence against or neglect of children, an increase of 30 per cent compared with 2020, and 448 children were subjected to such behaviour. It also received 76 complaints about violations of children's rights as a result of domestic violence.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, 804 sexual crimes against children were reported last year, up from 573 in the previous year.
"Croatia has failed to achieve the sufficient level of protection of children against sexual violence," the ombudsman said, expressing concern about the large number of such cases. She noted that the judiciary's response to reports of sexual crimes against children were often inadequate.
"We are witnessing lengthy proceedings, lenient penalties for the perpetrators and failure to impose security measures," Pirnat Dragičević warned.
Number of institutionalised children on the rise
The ombudsman also drew attention to the increasing number of institutionalised children.
Last year, 806 children without adequate parental care were placed in institutions, compared to 730 in the previous year. This is possibly due to fears among staff at the institutions following several cases in which children were seriously injured or killed in domestic violence.
Last year, 37 institutionalised children were adopted, and another 111 met the criteria for adoption.
The ombudsman said that the possibility of children in foster care being adopted by their foster families should be considered for the children's wellbeing.
Croatian Construction Companies Need 20,000 More Workers for Reconstruction
ZAGREB, 9 April 2022 - Croatian construction companies are accumulating losses because of the continued rise in input costs and are wondering whether the situation will escalate to such an extent that they will no longer be able to operate.
For the post-earthquake reconstruction of buildings alone, construction companies need about 20,000 more workers, who are nowhere in sight now.
Hina asked construction companies and institutions how they saw the present situation in their sector, how they were coping with increased prices of material and fuel, whether they would be able to deliver on the contracts signed without incurring losses, and how many workers they were short of.
The Kamgrad company said that construction businesses were piling up losses by the day as prices of material, fuel and energy had risen by more than 50% compared to prices at the bidding stage.
"Unless the present situation changes and the government promptly takes specific economic measures to help construction companies overcome these unusual disruptions to the market and maintain the stability of their operation, it is only a matter of time before the situation will escalate to such an extent that construction companies will no longer be able to meet their obligations," Kamgrad's management said.
That would result in a total collapse of the already decimated construction sector and suspension of the majority of current projects, they added.
Considering the ongoing projects and planned investments announced by both private and public contractors, construction companies should have more than enough work in the coming years. However, it is questionable whether these projects will be carried out given that the latest estimates show that Croatia lacks more than 10,000 construction workers.
"About 30,000 foreign construction workers are currently employed in Croatia, alongside 70,000 domestic workers. In addition to workers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, who are traditionally present on the Croatian construction market and whose number is unfortunately decreasing, there are more and more workers from Albania, Kosovo, Nepal, India, the Philippines and other remote countries," Kamgrad said.
Mirela Gudan of the Croatian Employers' Association said that the construction sector had been left without a significant contingent of domestic workers following the 2008 crisis because they emigrated to more developed European countries.
Gudan noted that in recent years foreign labour had been coming from remote countries, and that the cost of hiring a foreign worker was double the cost of hiring a domestic worker. She said that the present laws were damaging to the construction sector and state budget because they prevented the sector's development, which was also important for the reconstruction of building damaged in the 2020 earthquakes.
Mirjana Čagalj, Vice-President of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce for Construction and Transport, said that Croatian construction companies currently had about 100,000 workers, which was not enough.
She said there had been a shortage of skilled labour for several years now, ever since the sector had started to see growth, and the COVID-19 pandemic had only made labour imports more difficult and expensive. Croatian companies dealt with this problem by importing workers from non-EU countries.
"The scale of the problem can be seen in the fact that around 28,000 construction workers were imported in 2020, which is over 80 per cent of the foreign labour quota. Over 23,000 were imported in 2019, and in 2018 the quota was fulfilled," said Čagalj.
It is estimated that further demand for construction labour will grow in light of the post-earthquake reconstruction of Zagreb and the Banovina region.
"According to our estimates, we will need 20,000 workers for all the areas affected by the earthquakes, depending on the pace of reconstruction. The shortage of labour will partly be offset by an increased price of labour in the construction sector, which may attract new people and create conditions for the return of our workers who left for the West in search of work and better living conditions. Since the reconstruction process will take years, we expect a certain number of people will return. At the same time, we need to work on creating as many skilled workers in our schools as possible," Čagalj said.
Last year, 10,553 building permits were issued, which is 12.2 per cent more than in 2020. The expected value of works for which the permits were issued is HRK 32 billion, up from 28 billion in 2020.
For more, check out our business section.
Croatia Getting Back to "Old Normal" After Two Years
ZAGREB, 9 April 2022 - Croatia is getting back to the old normal after nearly all restrictions imposed over the last two years to contain the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted at midnight on Friday.
All the anti-epidemic rules, except the obligation of wearing protective face masks in health institutions and nursing homes, are no longer in force.
Croatia declared the COVID-19 pandemic on 11 March 2020 and since then its citizens lived under various restrictions, including a total lockdown in the spring of that year.
The first registered case of this infection in Croatia was reported on 25 February 2020. It was a young man who returned from a 19 February Champions League match in Milan, Italy. The number of new cases started rising, and on 19 March 2020, there were more than 100 confirmed cases, while on 2 April over 1,000 cases were active at the time.
In the spring of 2020, Croatia was among the countries with the most stringent anti-epidemic rules, and that summer the epidemiological situation improved with warmer weather. However, the COVID numbers started escalating again in the late autumn of 2020.
Protocols were adopted by a national COVID-19 crisis management team, who enjoyed overwhelming support at the beginning of the pandemic. However, over the time the fatigue with the restrictions provoked reactions to its decisions.
In the autumn 2021, several protest rallies were held in several cities, primarily against the introduction of the COVID certificate mandate in public institutions.
On 4 December 2021, the parliamentary opposition party Bridge started gathering signatures at over 1,200 venues across the country for a referendum to regulate the work of the national COVID-19 crisis management team and abolish COVID certificates.
The most vociferous demonstrators protested against the obligation to get vaccinated.
The first batches of vaccines against this novel virus arrived in Croatia in late December 2020, and vaccination against COVID-19 started in Zagreb on 27 December when 81-year-old Branka Aničić, a resident of a retirement home, got the very first shot in the country.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus had mutated in the meantime, and the Omicron variant, first reported in Croatia in January this year, infected over 17,000 people on a daily basis.
However, with the rise in its virulence, the Omicron variant did not cause harsher symptoms of the disease that would need hospitalisation.
More than 1.1 million cases of the disease have been detected so far
Furthermore, Croatia has managed to vaccinate 70.71% of its adult population to date, and over a quarter of the population have contracted the disease, which is why experts believe a satisfactory collective immunity has been acquired.
Unfortunately, the disease has claimed 15,660 lives since the first case of the infection was registered. The share of the fatalities among the registered cases stands at 1.42%, according to the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ).
Worldwide, over 6.1 million deaths have been caused by this disease.
The Worldmeters platform data show that in terms of the share of COVID fatalities per million inhabitants, Croatia ranks eighth (3,857 per million). In the European Union, only Bulgaria and Hungary have higher shares, 5,349 and 4,754 respectively.
Croatia Consumes More Vegetables Annually Than Any Other European Country
April 9, 2022 - According to statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and compiled in a map made by Landgeist, Croatia consumes more vegetables per capita in a year than any other country in Europe.
Every day you learn something new about Croatia, and usually, they are things that you may never have imagined. When we talk about rankings, it is well known that Croatia is always among the first when it comes to the most beautiful countries in the world, the safest to walk at night, with the cleanest seas, among the best destinations for digital nomads, and much more.
However, would you have ever imagined that Croatia would be among the top when it comes to their consumption habits? According to statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Croatia consumes more vegetables than any other European country. The Landgeist web portal compiled statistics from all European countries and created a map where it is possible to compare the annual consumption of kilos of vegetables per capita. According to these statistics, Croatia consumes 302 kgs of vegetables annually per capita.
Map: Landgeist.com
If you are Croatian, it may not surprise you that your country ranks among the top in vegetable consumption, especially if you look at your own plate during lunch both at home and in a restaurant. However, it is still a really remarkable fact that Croatia consumes more vegetables than any other European country considering that there is an agricultural tradition in the continent that goes back hundreds of years. If there is something worth highlighting, it is that Croatia's main competitors for this recognition are precisely countries of the Balkan region. In the second place ranks Albania with an annual consumption of 298 kilos of vegetables per capita, and in third place is North Macedonia, with an annual consumption of 269 kilos of vegetables per capita.
As Landgeist.com explains, the amount of vegetables one needs depends on age and sex. But on average, this is about 240 grams per adult per day or 87.6 kg per year.
''We can see that a bit more than half of the European countries meet this requirement. Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, Iceland, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, and Sweden do not meet the requirement, with the Netherlands consuming the smallest amount of vegetables in all of Europe'', states the web portal.
But how exactly does the FAO define vegetables? It probably matches mostly with what you would consider a vegetable. However, there are a few interesting exceptions. Potatoes are not counted as vegetables. Mushrooms, melons, and watermelons are. Yes, the FAO considers melons and watermelons vegetables. This is the FAO’s explanation: “This grouping differs from international trade classifications for vegetables in that it includes melons and watermelons, which are normally considered to be fruit crops. But, whereas fruit crops are virtually all permanent crops, melons and watermelons are similar to vegetables in that they are temporary crops”. If you want to see FAO's complete list on the classification of vegetables, click here.
In any case, congratulations to Croatia for continuing to stand out in lists that reflect healthy habits among its population!
For more, check out our lifestyle section.
MSC Fantasia First MSC Cruiser to Sail into Dubrovnik Port in 2022
April the 9th, 2022 - Dubrovnik once had an enormous issue with cruise ships and hoards of day trippers steamrolling into the city, causing infrastructure issues and traffic jams. The pandemic changed all that, with the very first cruiser of 2022, MSC Fantasia, having arrived in the Pearl of the Adriatic on Thursday.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, MSC Fantasia, otherwise the first MSC vessel to arrive in the City of Dubrovnik this year, sailed into Dubrovnik's Port of Gruz on Thursday morning under the command of Captain Antonin Sammartan. This Fantasia class ship which can accommodate up to 4,300 passengers, will visit Dubrovnik on Thursdays until the end of the season, which is currently scheduled for September the 8th, 2022.
These giant ships of the MSC Cruises fleet will also visit the Croatian cities of Split, Zadar and Rijeka and achieve a total of 63 arrivals in various Croatian ports during this year's cruise season, which will end with its arrival in Split on November the 21st, 2022.
Next Saturday, another gigantic vessel, MSC Armonia, will sail into the City of Split for the first time, where its first passengers will board. This year's MSC Cruises offer includes boarding on the Eastern Mediterranean cruises in Split and Zadar on the MSC Armonia, with a tour of the Italian cities of Venice and Brindisi, and then the Greek Mykonos and Piraeus / Athens.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.
Croatian Company Galeb to Make Military Underwear for Next 4 Years
April the 9th, 2022 - The Croatian company Galeb, based in the Central Dalmatian town of Omis well known for its textiles throughout the country and beyond, is set to make military under garments for the next four years.
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Brnic writes, the Omis-based textile company Galeb will equip the Croatian Armed Forces with underwear for the next four years. At the tender of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia which was opened at the end of last year, this Croatian enterprise was the only one to submit a binding offer for the job, and the Ministry of Defense announced that it successfully met all of the conditions.
A framework agreement with an estimated value of 33.5 million kuna will be concluded with the Croatian company Galeb, while this year, the delivery will be realised in the amount of 8 million kuna. According to the tender documentation, the largest approximate quantities needed by the Ministry of Defense for this year are in the part of military T-shirts and shorts in olive green, of which 34,000 pieces were ordered, while significantly smaller quantities of blue and khaki/camel underwear were requested, as well as functional underwear and military pyjamas.
The Ministry of Defense reserves the right to control the level of quality in certain stages of the production of these items, and delivery is planned, depending on the type of product, within a maximum of 120 days from the conclusion of the contract.
For many years now, more precisely since way back in 1996, the Croatian company Galeb has been supplying its products to the Ministry of Defense, and has been gaining more and more success in the international market of special clothing products, thanks to the excellent cooperation it has with the Ministry of Defense. By meeting the high quality standards and obtaining the AQAP certificate, the Ministry of Defense opened the door to the citizens of Omis to participate in public procurement tenders for NATO members. It is the only textile company that has managed to meet NATO's high competition standards twice since Croatian independence was declared following the Homeland War.
In addition to the army, the Croatian company Galeb supplies its products to the Croatian police (MUP), the Civil Protection Directorate, as well as to the Customs Administration of the Ministry of Finance. As for the quantity and further orders in the years to come, they will, as has been determined by the Ministry of Defense, depend on the needs, as well as the amount of funds provided in the military budget.
For more, check out Made in Croatia.
Last Minute Bookings Likely to Fuel Croatian 2022 Tourist Season
April the 9th, 2022 - Last minute bookings are likely to fuel the Croatian 2022 tourist season, with hopes being held high for the pre-season as we approach the Easter festive period.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the domestic tourism sector expects an increase in traffic compared to last Easter, and has good expectations from the height of the Croatian 2022 tourist season, it was said on Thursday at the coordination meeting of the Croatian Tourist Board (CNTB) with regional and county tourist boards.
“After a certain slowdown in reservations resulting from the events unfolding in Ukraine, we're noticing a reactivation of the market and a further increase in interest in travel. This is confirmed by numerous Croatian tourist entities and foreign partners, who are reporting that booking towards Croatia has been reactivated,'' said Stanicic, adding that if the general situation in Europe remains stable and secure, we can expect some very good results, first of all for Easter, and then during the main summer part of the season.
He believes that this year will also be marked by last minute booking, while in terms of tourist traffic, markets from the closest surroundings of Croatia will once again come to the fore.
During the meeting, representatives of county tourist boards confirmed the positive trends in tourism in the first three months of this year, and some counties even exceeded the results from the same recorded period from back in pre-pandemic 2019, while others had managed to come significantly closer to their pre-pandemic trends.
When it comes to the rapidly approaching Easter holidays, the tourism sector at the national level expects an increase in traffic compared to last Easter, during which 140 thousand overnight stays were realised, while at the county level during the Easter holidays, traffic is expected to grow by 10 to 20 percent, depending on the county.
As for the expectations for the main part of the Croatian 2022 tourist season, the system of tourist boards has confirmed that the level of interest in Croatian destinations is very pronounced, reservations have started coming in again and positive results of tourist traffic are expected in principle. However, it was emphasised that future trends will mostly depend on the further development of the horrendous situation in Ukraine, as well as protocols for crossing borders that countries, ie the most important markets for Croatian tourism, will introduce in accordance with the epidemiological situation as that too unfolds.
For more, check out our travel section.
Big Croatian IT Names Invest in Longevity Food Tech Startup Cidrani
April the the 9th, 2022 - The Croatian longevity food tech startup Cidrani has received investments from some big Croatian IT names, including the person behind the wildly successful Photomath.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Croatian longevity food tech startup Cidrani recently presented a new investment round worth 190,000 euros within the Bird incubator, under the auspices of which it has been operating for the last year.
New investors in Cidrani are some very well-known Croatian IT and business names, including the founders of Five, Luka Abrus and Viktor Marohnic, the founder of Photomath Damir Sabor, private equity and venture capital investment expert Mirna Marovic, financial expert specialising in the IT industry and EU grants Tajana Barancic and serial entrepreneurs and business angels Maja and Jonathan Cooper.
Cidrani has imposed a unique concept of organic fermented micronutrients for the health of the digestive microbiome which, if taken as a daily ritual over a long period of time, significantly reduce inflammatory processes in the body and contribute to healthier longevity.
They want to conquer the American market
In terms of revenue, Cidrani is growing at an annual rate of eight times, and their goal is to become the top longevity company in the world. They were the first to introduce personalisation and a monthly subscription to fermented micro-beverages, and in addition to numerous private users, more than ten companies have already included their employees in the community of Cidrani enthusiasts of healthy digestion.
"This year we intend to enter all European markets and enter the large US market. We plan to participate in as many as five of the strongest food fairs, and we're launching our own scientific clinical study, which will further confirm the impact of fermented micro-beverages on general health. We're also working intensively on the development of artificial intelligence (AI), the foundation of a virtual assistant that will support our customers on the path to health and longevity,'' said co-founder Bruno Balen.
Investors Luka Abrus, Mirna Marovic, Tajana Barancic, Maja Jelisic Cooper and the co-founder of Cidrani Nika Pintar revealed at a recently held panel some of their personal and professional reasons behind why they decided to invest in Cidrani, and also talked about the general principles of investing and attracting investments.
The investment of 190,000 euros from some big Croatian IT and business names in Cidrani represents the so-called ''bridge round'' of this progressive startup, which is announcing a new investment cycle at the end of the summer, in order to conquer the US market and further develop machine learning algorithms.
For more, check out our business section.
