Damir Trut: Unit for Maritime, Underwater and Cave Rescues Established
March the 8th, 2022 - A brand new diving Croatian unit for maritime, underwater and cave rescues has been established according to Civil Protection Directorate director Damir Trut, who spoke about it for Morski TV recently.
As Morski writes, Croatia has a very long coast and is one of the most indented countries in the whole world due to its complex network of islands, bays and peninsulas. As a result of its geography, it has become increasingly attractive to boaters, divers, as well as other guests who want to enjoy the Adriatic Sea in ways that go beyond having a swim at the beach. If we add speleology exploration to such types of tourism, and then add rivers and other freshwater areas on land, then we realise that the organisation of rescue units trained and equipped for rescues in diverse and often very dangerous conditions is more than necessary.
Due to the growing need for such a service, the newly formed specialist diving group within the water/maritime rescue module of the State Civil Protection Intervention Unit was presented to the public recently. The director of the Civil Protection Directorate of the Republic of Croatia, Dr. Damir Trut, revealed more.
There will be centres of special diving forces in Zagreb, Split, Rijeka and Osijek, says Damir Trut
''The range of tasks that Civil Protection Directorate carries out is really diverse. The State Civil Protection Intervention Unit is a unit that has the highest rank of equipment and training in all of Croatia for the care and assistance of the population. It has multiple segments; for rescue from rubble, rescue from water, rescue in contaminated areas, and the list goes on. These are all areas we've strategically improved and planned to add more to over the years.
In addition to the special training of rescue people, additional equipment is needed to make the job faster, more efficient and safer. All the conditions in which rescuers work are the most dangerous of all. Water rescues are another element that lifeguards need to actively work on. They must have good training and have proper licenses, but also good equipment in order to be able to help those most in need.
What is the number of members and where will these people and their centres be stationed?
''The diving unit is within the water rescue unit, which also works in floods, but we've expanded it to cover maritime and vessel rescue missions in the tourist season, which is something that is increasingly needed. These units are located in four locations: Zagreb, Rijeka, Split and Osijek. At the Zagreb location, they have three more elements: the media part of it all and the technical team that deals with caves, mapping and the use of the most sophisticated technical equipment, such as robots or scanners. Today, this technique gives us information from greater depths on how and in what way something or someone is endangered.
There are two teams of eight members at each location, meaning the sixteen most capable and skilled divers, who go through different levels of licensing and who are then able to do such jobs. Much of this is funded by EU projects. The Slovenian water rescue unit has a robot that we don't have yet. We will also procure this equipment, we're just waiting for the tenders to open and then we'll start heading in that direction ourselves, too.
Human casualties do tragically occur, and unfortunately there have already been such situations in the Croatian Adriatic...
This is especially true during the tourist season. Accidents do happen then. And we in Croatia have various organisations under the coordination and auspices of the Coast Guard, which jointly participate in rescue operations at sea. This segment of rescue from the depths was not well covered, so we analysed and came to the conclusion that it is necessary to train and equip a unit that can perform very demanding tasks under the sea and at depths of over a hundred metres.
While we didn't have such a unit, there were situations such as an unfortunate situation in the Sibenik area when special forces from Lucko in Zagreb had to wait to retrieve the body of the injured fisherman, because it was very inconvenient to dive down to the wreck itself. Will these types of interventions be easier now?
We did and we still do have divers who can carry out such tasks, but they weren't properly organised. They existed within different organisations and bodies and as a result it was very difficult to carry out an organised rescue. It's important for the unit that it is organised and has a sufficient number of people and that they also have backups and replacements.
You've recently done exercises in this particular segment. What did they look like?
''We did it through several elements, we wanted to see if all we'd discussed could be harmonised with the procedures according to which the divers will continue to work. We carried out the rescue of someone who was drowning in a river, then we undertook a cave rescue and dealt with the rescue of people from a vessel that had sunk out at sea. We also did the technical part of filming that ship and making a 3D model of the ship so that we could analyse and see from the land everything that was needed. After the 3D analysis, a 3D model can be printed, so that literally on the table in front of you, engineers who are not divers can provide advice or prepare all the technical elements needed.
In addition to all of that, do rescue divers also use submarines, underwater and flying drones, as well as amphibious vehicles?
Yes, they do. A diver without equipment is still a diver, and with the equipment he is a specialist who can quickly and efficiently provide assistance to a victim and in the particular area in which an unfortunate event has happened.
Have there been rescues so far in caves and in flooded areas?
Yes, the response to such situations has so far been mostly provided by the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service, but that still isn't enough, because they don't have the capacities for a longer and stronger rescue. We've invited all those who are the best at this to the personnel organisation of the State Intervention Unit. So we have members of the police, firefighters, and the Mountain Rescue Service. Everyone on the team is a volunteer. They're placed on call as needed, as it isn't necessary to have active professionals all the time,'' concluded Damir Trut.
For more, check out Made in Croatia.
Pula Urban Renewal Project: Pula's Ex-Military Facilities to Get Revamped
March the 8th, 2022 - The popular Istrian city of Pula has kicked off with the praiseworthy Pula Urban Renewal project which envisages the revamping of the city and wider area's multiple former military facilities.
As Morski writes, the City of Pula has launched the aforementioned Pula Urban Renewal project in order to encourage the further development of the city and its immediately surrounding areas through the reconstruction of neglected locations and the exploitation of the great potential that is ''locked up'' today in the former military areas in and around Pula.
The aim of the Pula Urban Renewal project is to encourage a new way of thinking about both the untapped potential and indeed the limitations of urban renewal processes and to show how it has its strong economic, environmental and human dimension to it. At the same time, the goal is to offer solutions in relation to institutional and implementation solutions of urban renewal across the whole of the Republic of Croatia, according to the Pula City Administration.
The Pula Urban Renewal project includes a comprehensive analysis of Pula: detailed spatial analyses, analyses of the urban context, economic activities and perspectives were also looked into and taken into account. More than twenty sites and buildings located in and around Pula with potential for urban renewal have been identified, from which three very different areas have been selected - Muzil, Hidrobaza and the Naval Hospital - for which development concepts and pre-feasibility studies are currently being prepared.
The Pula Urban Renewal project is otherwise being funded by a grant from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development through what's known as the Create Fund. The developer of the studies resulting from this project are being dealt with by an international team of experts consisting of Urbanex, KPMG and KCAP.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.
15.8 Million Kuna Secured for Croatian Island Drinking Water Supply in 2022
March the 8th, 2022 - 15.8 million kuna has been secured for the provision of clean and safe Croatian island drinking water for this year, which is excellent news for the country's many island residents.
As Morski writes, even though Croatian islanders are still very much playing catchup with the mainland in multiple ways, there's been a bit of good news when it comes to Croatian island drinking water. This year, the government plans to co-finance the water supply service to the country's many inhabited islands in the amount of almost 16 million kuna.
These funds are intended for islands that aren't connected to the country's public water supply system, and that drinking water will be delivered by water carriers and/or tankers at a subsidised price, the Ministry of Regional Development and European Union (EU) Funds recently announced.
Unfortunately, we are witnessing more frequent and longer droughts as climate change continues to alter the weather and temperature patterns we'd come to know so well, and the need for water is especially increased during the boiling hot and often harsh summer months. Due to the reduction in overall rainfall, many of the country's islands are unable to collect anywhere near enough rainwater, meaning that the drinking water supply through aquifers and cisterns is currently the only alternative.
Figures on this topic show that about 4,860 households on 20 islands are not connected to the public water supply network, nor do they have a network, and they also aren't even connected to reliable sources or a water supply. Whether this problem will persist and how it will be solved in the near future is still unknown.
For the implementation of the Croatian island drinking water measure for the year 2022, the Ministry of Regional Development and European Union Funds has secured and will provide funds in the exact amount of 15.8 million kuna.
For more on Croatian islands, make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle section.
Data on Gender-Based Violence Worrying, Ombudswoman Says
7 March 2022 - Gender equality ombudswoman Višnja Ljubičić said on Monday the data on gender-based violence was worrying and that victim protection measures were seldom ordered, while those that were ordered were not implemented, notably in domestic violence cases.
The perpetrator too often repeatedly violates the measures, which may lead to the victim's death, she said at a round table organised by the Social Democrats parliamentary group ahead of International Women's Day.
The round table focused on the European Protection Order as a legal instrument in combating violence against women. Ljubičić said it was necessary to impose stricter punishment on perpetrators and improve prevention and the education of professionals.
Reducing the rate of gender-based violence is a government priority, said Vedrana Nikolić Šimundža, assistant justice minister for criminal law.
The European Protection Order is an attempt to equate legal rules and provide the same or similar protection in all member states, she added.
It is important to raise public awareness of the European Protection Order and that we should issue it if requested and do it urgently, she said.
Speaking via video link, Austrian MP and European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights chair Petra Bayr said international law could be a strong tool in combating violence against women.
Experience shows the violence rate is falling in countries which adopted even non-binding conventions on women's protection because there is greater public awareness and pressure on governments to act, she said.
The gold standard is the Istanbul Convention, which not only provides a clear and broad definition of different forms of violence, but also obliges signatories to criminalise certain offences, she added.
Government Adopts Decision on Temporary Protection for Displaced Persons from Ukraine
7 March 2022 - The government on Monday decided to introduce temporary protection for refugees from Ukraine and Deputy Prime Minister Davor Božinović said the most important thing was to prepare the system well for a possible larger influx of refugees.
"This is an unprecedented situation after the Second World War and thanks to the rapid reaction of the European Union and the activation of the temporary protection mechanism, the Republic of Croatia will take care of all displaced persons from Ukraine who express the wish to enjoy temporary international protection in our country," Minister Davor Božinović said at a government session.
Explaining the proposal for the decision on the introduction of temporary protection for displaced persons from Ukraine, he said that the intention was for all those people to be taken care of and integrated in the Croatian society as quickly and easily as possible.
"Our duty is to provide them with everything they need," the minister said.
He said that with today's decision temporary protection was being introduced for displaced people from Ukraine in Croatia in accordance with the Act on International and Temporary Protection and the Council Implementing Decision (EU) of 4 March 2022.
Croatia will grant temporary protection to several categories of displaced persons who have left Ukraine since 24 February 2022.
This applies to nationals of Ukraine and their family member, stateless persons and nationals of third countries who benefited from international or equivalent national protection and their family members legally residing in Ukraine on 24 February 2022.
Temporary protection will also be granted to nationals of third countries legally residing in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 in accordance with Ukrainian regulations who are unable to return to their country or region of origin in safe and durable conditions.
Persons who fled Ukraine not long before 24 February 2022 due to the security situation and cannot return to their country as a result of the armed conflict will also be granted temporary protection.
The Ministry of the Interior is responsible for organising the reception and care of persons meeting the criteria for temporary protection and for receiving and processing requests for temporary protection.
Other state administrative bodies are responsible for other rights of foreigners under temporary protection, including basic resources for living and accommodation, healthcare, primary and secondary education, working without the need to obtain a residence and work permit, the minister said.
The decision on the introduction of temporary protection in Croatia for displaced persons from Ukraine enters into force on the day of its adoption.
PM: If You Are on Russia's List, You've Pursued a Good Policy
7 March 2022 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Monday commented on a list of enemy countries released by Russia, which includes Croatia, and added that "if you're on that list, then you've pursued a good policy, you can be proud of that".
He said that 1.8 million people had fled Ukraine to date and that according to estimates, the number would be higher and higher.
Plenković reiterated that he supported Ukraine's EU path, adding that the method of accession required some time.
"I understand that political desire, Croatia will definitely be a voice of support," he said, expressing some doubt whether all of that was realistic "in such a short time."
He also pointed out that the stability of Southeast Europe, especially Bosnia and Herzegovina, was in Croatia's interest.
"The most important thing is that a political agreement is reached between the constituent peoples on just changes to the electoral law which will stop the long-term practice of electoral engineering," he said.
The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) leadership today also discussed the government decision on cushioning fuel price hikes.
"Our basic tasks will be to ensure energy supply, security, which has gained a new dimension, and we will try to reduce the impact on the citizens' standard of living," Plenković said, adding that the circumstances were such that they required intervention from the state.
Secondary Vocational School's Protection Workshop Nominated for European prize
7 March 2022 - The Varaždin Secondary Vocational School's Protection Workshop is one of 34 projects in Central Europe nominated for the SozialMarie 2022 best social innovation prize, Varaždin County said on Monday.
The Protection Workshop is among 275 shortlisted projects. It is competing with projects from Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia for the €15,000 first prize, the €10,000 second prize, the €5,000 third prize, or €2,000 for the next 12 places.
The Protection Workshop is a joint project of the school, the county, and the Croatian Employment Service that was launched in 2006 to enable the employment of persons with disabilities or reduced work capacity, the first such project in Croatia.
The workshop makes work uniforms, protective clothing, chair covers, bedding, bags, backpacks, textile and leather accessories. In 15 years it has employed 58 persons, including 30 with disabilities.
Each year SozialMarie awards successful and innovative projects, representing a sign of quality in effective social innovation. The winners will be announced on 1 May.
This is the first European prize for social innovation that has been given since 2004 for 15 of the best projects. SozialMarie is also a public platform for making connections, cooperating and exchanging experiences between Central European projects.
Bridge MP Says 10,000 Referendum Signatures Missing
7 March 2022 - MP Nikola Grmoja of Bridge said on Monday the party refused a report on the number of signatures collected for a referendum against the national COVID-19 crisis management team due to a discrepancy in the numbers of submitted and entered signatures, but that there were still enough.
"We refused this report because something is obviously wrong. According to their report, we have enough signatures for a referendum to be called but 10,000 signatures are missing. Only 397,000 were entered, while we submitted 409,000. It's not clear where the rest of the signatures is," he told the press.
Grmoja said 6% of the signatures was invalid and that Bridge knew this already.
"That leaves about 372,000, which is enough for calling a referendum, but we can't agree to this because the counting (of signatures) for the other referendum petition is still under way. Given this irregularity, it's possible they will try to do something with the other one (petition)."
Grmoja said Bridge would ask the Administration Ministry to explain the discrepancy and that it would not accept the report until it was told what happened.
Ministry will allow access to entered data
The ministry's spokeswoman Martina Andrijević said a little over 397,000 signatures were counted and entered into the system and that 24,498 signatures were invalid.
She said representatives of the referendum petition were present during the signature counting and entering into the system, and that today began the verification of signatures collected for a referendum against COVID certificates.
As for Grmoja's claims about missing signatures, Andrijević said the ministry verified those that were delivered from parliament.
She said the boxes with the signatures were opened in the presence of the referendum petition's representatives. "We verified all the signatures that were delivered."
She said the ministry would allow them to check the data entered if they requested it, adding that the procedure was transparent "in every stage".
Istrian Cheese Wins Second Place at World Championship Cheese Contest in the US
March 7th, 2022 - Pegula cheese made by Vesna Loborika from Istria took home silver in the category of hard mixed milk cheeses aged less than 6 months
Vesna Loborika, a cheese producer based in Istria, saw great success at the recently held World Championship Cheese Contest in Wisconsin, US.
Their cheese Pegula took second place in the category of hard mixed milk cheeses aged less than 6 months, while the cheese Rici ranked seventh in its category.
Vesna Loborika Facebook
The World Championship Cheese Contest is the world’s leading technical cheese, butter, and yogurt competition. It has been hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association every two years since 1957.
A panel of skilled technical judges from all over the world evaluates the entries. Starting from a maximum possible 100 points, deductions are made for various defects found by each judge. Defects are noted in the areas of flavour, body, texture, salt, colour, finish, packaging, and other relevant attributes.
Three highest-scoring entries in each class are awarded gold, silver and bronze medals.
Pegula won 98.5 points out of the possible 100, second only to Shooting Star Creamery from California that placed first with 99.35 points.
‘We’re extremely proud that Pegula won second place, and Rici seventh place in their respective categories at the renowned World Championship Cheese Contest in Wisconsin, USA. This contest is the most reputable technical evaluation of cheese and butter, and our Pegula is the only Croatian cheese to score a place at the prestigious podium’, stated Vesna Loborika on Facebook.
Officially founded in 1997, Vesna Loborika is run by the Grubišić family from Loborika, a village near Pula in Istria. Apart from cheeses, they also produce butter and cheese curd.
A full list of results is posted on the pages of the World Championship Cheese Contest.
Northern Velebit National Park Marks World Wildlife Day
March 7th, 2022 - In Croatia, freshwater and marine ecosystems are some of the most sensitive and most endangered, but also the most important national resources
World Wildlife Day was marked at Northern Velebit National Park last week, reports Novi list. Observed on March 3rd worldwide, Wildlife Day is the biggest annual event dedicated to wild animal and plant species. It was established in December 2013 at a UN conference; on the same day in 1973, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora was signed.
The theme of this year's Wildlife Day was ‘Recovery of Species Crucial to Ecosystem Restoration’, designed to draw attention to the conservation status of some of the most endangered wildlife species and encourage discussions on how to design and implement solutions for their conservation in the future.
In Croatia, freshwater and marine ecosystems are some of the most sensitive, most endangered, but also the most important national resources. According to IUCN Red List data, over 8,400 species of wild fauna and flora are critically endangered at the moment, with another 30,000 species considered endangered or vulnerable.
Based on these estimates, more than a million species could be threatened with extinction, stated representatives of the national park, adding that the loss of biodiversity, species, habitats and ecosystems poses an existential threat to life on Earth.
People worldwide rely on healthy and functional ecosystems for services they provide for free. These services support our existence, fulfil some of our basic needs, dictate the quality of our lives and provide economic opportunities.
This year's World Wildlife Day sent a strong message about the importance of healthy ecosystems and invites us to help reverse the fate of the most endangered species, support the restoration of their habitats and entire ecosystems, and promote their sustainable use by humanity.
The EU has prepared an ambitious and long-term plan, entitled Biodiversity Strategy until 2030, aiming to protect nature and stop the degradation of ecosystems, including freshwater and marine ones. The plan aims to convert a minimum of 25,000 kilometres of rivers into free-flowing rivers by 2030, primarily by removing redundant barriers and restoring floodplains and wetlands.
Restoring marine ecosystems back to a favourable state is somewhat more complex and requires the sustainable use of marine resources and strictly protected areas, the restoration of carbon-rich ecosystems, important hatcheries and habitats, and the implementation of measures to limit the use of fishing gear that’s harmful to biodiversity, says the message of Northern Velebit National Park.
