Večernji List Journalist Reports Having Received Threats from Russian Diplomats
ZAGREB, 6 May (2022) - Večernji List reporter Hassan Haidar Diab in early April received threats from Russian diplomats over his article about Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and has been under police protection since.
In an interview with Hina, Diab described the circumstances in which he received threats from two of a total of 18 Russian diplomats expelled from Croatia in late April, three weeks after his story about the role and mode of operation of Kadyrov and the Chechen death squads in the Ukraine war was published.
He says that after the publication of his text he was contacted by the Russian Embassy in Zagreb and was told ironically that he had written a "great article".
"The article I wrote in early April was extensive, it was an analysis with witness accounts about the way the Chechen fighters led by Ramzan Kadyrov operate and how they killed people in Ukraine. I wrote about who Kadyrov is and how many reporters and political opponents he and his death squads have killed," Diab says, adding that on the day the article was published, 4 April, he was contacted by Matvey Sidorov, media advisor at the Russian Embassy.
Diab says Sidorov told him that he had written a "great article" and that political secretary Sergey Trofimov wanted him to know that the article would be translated and sent to Kadyrov.
After that, the reporter called his editor in chief Dražen Klarić, as well as Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović, and was immediately given police protection.
Diab says that a week later he was received by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, who told him that the competent services had been instructed to protect him and his family and assured him that they were safe.
Diab adds that Russian diplomats continued to send him messages even after their expulsion from Croatia, with the last message arriving on World Press Freedom Day, 3 May.
"Večernji List decided not to go public with the threats for the sake of my security. But after the Nacional weekly published it and after I confirmed the threats in an article published by Večernji List, I again received a message... from Sidorov," Diab says.
"Greetings Hassan, you wrote a great article again, but it's not exactly new, why did you not publish it while we were in Zagreb," read the message, which Diab says he did not want to answer, wondering what it meant and if he would have been attacked or killed had he published the article at the time the Russian diplomats were still in Zagreb.
He stressed that he had talked to security experts and had been told that he should be cautious and should not take the threats lightly.
In a message to reporters covering the war in Ukraine, Diab said: "It is our duty to report about the suffering of people in Ukraine. We must not give up, whatever the cost."
For more, check out our politics section.
Ministry Requests Information From Hospitals on Pregnancy Termination Case
ZAGREB, 6 May (2022) - The Health Ministry said on Thursday that it requested the four Zagreb hospitals where 39-year-old Mirela Čavajda had asked for a pregnancy termination after her unborn baby was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour, to send it information about the case.
Čavajda contacted four Zagreb hospitals, of which the KB Sveti Duh Hospital and the Sisters of Charity Hospital refused to perform the procedure, while the KB Merkur Hospital and the Hospital for Women's Diseases, popularly known as Petrova, have still not sent her any answer.
"The Health Ministry has requested the medical institutions contacted by the patient, which reportedly did not provide her with timely and accurate information about her options, to provide information on the case. Depending on further findings, the Ministry will make a decision on possible further steps from within the remit of the healthcare inspectorate," the ministry said.
It noted that every woman has the right to abort in cases where there are medical indications.
"The Health Ministry draws the attention of all health institutions to their duty to provide timely and accurate information to patients on their rights and the options they have in Croatia," the ministry said.
Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević on Thursday condemned the case as discrimination of women, announcing that the management of the Sveti Duh Hospital, of which the City of Zagreb is the founder and where all gynecologists are conscientious objectors, would secure conditions for all types of pregnancy termination at the hospital as soon as possible.
He also noted that the hospital's director had formed a commission to establish the circumstances of the case.
For more, check out our politics section.
Croatia Reports 778 New COVID-19 Cases, 9 Deaths
ZAGREB, 6 May (2022) - Croatia has recorded 778 new coronavirus cases and nine COVID-related deaths in the past 24 hours, the national coronavirus response team reported on Friday.
The number of active cases in the country now stands at 5,367, and 385 patients are being treated in hospital, including 16 placed on ventilators, while 2,959 people are self-isolating.
To date, 4,807,551 people have tested for the SARS CoV-2 virus, including 3,455 in the past 24 hours.
A total of 5,246,003 million COVID vaccine doses have been administered, and 59.50% of the total population, or 70.76% of the adult population, have been inoculated.
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.
Europe Day 2022: A Weekend Full Of Activities Across Europe
06 May 2022 - Europe Day 2022 celebrates unity in Europe and the official date, the 9th of May, marks the anniversary of the historic Schuman declaration.
The 9th of May is Europe Day, and it commemorates the first move towards the creation of what has today become the European Union. This celebration recalls the importance of the role played by Robert Schuman in the start of the Coal and Steel Community and the integration process that this has triggered.
In his historic speech, made on 9 May 1950, Robert Schuman proposed the establishment of a new form of cooperation between the countries of a European continent ravaged by the disastrous effects of two world wars.
In these challenging times, it is crucial to reappraise Schuman's life in order to take inspiration from the vision, values, and experiences of a man who sought to bring together all people of Europe under two fundamental principles: peace and solidarity.
Image: @European Commission/ Twitter account
This celebration also provides an opportunity to reflect on the current and real situation, which changes daily. It is a day when people can acknowledge the achievements in their everyday lives, in a European Union based on rule of law principles, popular sovereignty, and values that are now accepted and shared by the vast majority of European people. The meaning of the celebration lies in its commemoration of the path that allowed to consolidate these principles and values without taking for granted every achievement.
In honour of the pioneering work of Robert Schuman toward a united Europe, the area housing the headquarters of several European Union institutions in Brussels is named after him.
The Fabric of Europe is a work of art born from real data-weaving representing the construction of the European Union and the governance of the Council of the European Union. You can find more here. (Image: Total Croatia News)
This year, the Open Day will take place on the 7th of May. For those in Brussels, tomorrow you can visit the buildings of the European Commission, the Council of the EU, and the European Parliament from 10:00 to 18:00. On-site, you will find general information about the EU with areas dedicated to the environment, digital transformation, and youth, with many games and activities for the whole family.
There will also be several live events online on social media for those who cannot be present.
Learn more about Europe Day and events here and also from this Factsheet.
Online and in-person events at the Council UE, European Commission, and the European Parliament
Explore also all the activities organised in Croatia by the Representative Office of the European Commission.
We would like to remember also that the year 2022 marks the European Year of Youth and the importance of young Europeans in achieving a better future, seeking to be greener, digital-friendly, and healthier. And if you are looking for more information about activities taking place in Croatia, contact the National Coordinator from the EU Member States by accessing this link.
Enjoy all the activities during this European weekend all over Europe.
Science Festival Vukovar to be Held for the First Time
May 6, 2022 - This week, for the first time, an event aimed at bringing science closer to the public, the Science Festival is being held in Vukovar.
The Science Festival is an event that has been held in Croatia since 2003 with the aim of bringing science closer to the public by informing about activities and results in the field of science, improving public perception of scientists, and motivating young people to research and acquire new knowledge, reported Sudarić, dean of the Vukovar College of Applied Sciences.
"We brought this event to Vukovar precisely to encourage our young people, especially children attending kindergarten and primary school to do science and introduce them to the idea that science is very important. We are witnesses that during the pandemic, scientists were key, they were the ones who had to find a solution to end it", said Sudarić.
The longing for expansion of knowledge and encouraging innate curiosity in all ages are valuable goals of the Science Festival, which will take place in Vukovar on 6 and 7 May. As part of this event, more than 40 activities will be carried out at four different locations, some of which are open to the general public.
"The festival will be held at four locations - the Vukovar Gymnasium, the Vučedol Culture Museum, the Vukovar City Museum, and the "Lavoslav Ružička" College in Vukovar, where all fans of science and those involved in it, depending on age, will be able to expand their knowledge of life because it is the central theme of this year’s Science Festival. We have a lot of activities this year, the first year of the festival in Vukovar. I must admit that when we started the event, we thought that there would only be three or four registered activities", said Dean Sudarić.
The Vukovar Festival is the result of cooperation between the Vukovar Gymnasium, the Vučedol Culture Museum, the City Museum in Vukovar, and the Lavoslav Ružička College in hopes that Vukovar will receive its place on the map of the Festival and become part of this scientific event, says Sudarić.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.
Croatia Through the Eyes of a Digital Nomad: Filling up on Ancient Poljička Soparnik
May 6, 2022 - If you’re culturally curious and hungry in Split, sample Poljička soparnik and savor some remarkable history to satisfy your craving.
An ancient Croatian republic is ruled by a book of statutes that includes protections for women and dogs. A young heroine sacrifices her virginity to seduce a Turkish general and then blow up his Ottoman army, thereby saving the republic. Pirates troll the Adriatic, along the republic’s seaside territory. Books are written in Glagolitic letters, the oldest known Slavic script. Priests cast the deciding vote to determine who will reign as the next publicly elected Great Duke. All citizens of the republic are free and literate, and they all go into battle.
A book preserved from the early days of the Republic is written with the old Glagolitic letters.
Poljička Republika
Still with me? Welcome to the Middle Ages and the Poljička Republika, an autonomous community that existed on the land between Omiš and Split for nearly 700 years. This peasant community was self-ruled with an original legal system, a progressive social structure, and independence from the rest of the country. The people’s values are the secret sauce that kept them unified and helped them survive throughout centuries, and boy oh boy do they make an impression.
A picture of a picture… a statue of Mila Gojsalić, the young Poljica heroine who helped defeat the Ottomans stands above Omiš; carved by Croatian sculpture Ivan Meštrović.
Today, their exclusive costumes, novel dance, and unique songs are recognized on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. And here’s the culinary piece you’ve been waiting for… The people’s traditional “peasant food,” soparnik, is on the list too and it’s furthermore protected by geographic origin per the European Union. Wow.
This village kitchen displays a map of the Poljica region, here showing where the Upper, Middle, and Lower territories of the Republic sit around Mosor Mountain.
Soparnik pie
The humble soparnik pie is a standout for its simplicity and its deliciousness and it’s possibly the best cultural ambassador for the ancient Republic and the current Poljica region. Once considered basic grub for the poor and workers, dating back to the Ottoman Empire, it’s still made from locally grown ingredients in the customary manner of the hinterland, including wooden equipment and an open stone oven.
A massive oak tree near the Church of St. Cyprian grew up during the heyday of the Poljica Repubic and is thought to range from 400-700 years old.
Soparnik is easy and quick enough to make and it consists of flour, water, salt, olive oil, chard, onion, and garlic. So particular are the cooks, they can tell you the difference between onions grown in their back yard versus those on the other side of the mountain. With so few ingredients, this skill is a testament to the resourcefulness of people with little means, using their natural surroundings to create sustenance, which, by the way, happens to be quite tasty and filling.
In the kitchen
In family homes, Grandma Milka teaches granddaughter Mila precisely how to roll the dough on a sinija—a round wooden board that measures 90-110 cm in diameter (35-43 inches)—to get a perfect, thin consistency. She also mentions that the blitva (chard) needs to be dried after being washed so the dough won’t get soggy.
A wood stick and a large wood platter are the basic kitchen equipment for rolling dough.
If you noticed the similarity of their names, that’s intentional. Boys’ and girls’ names are derived from their grandparents, per an old-world practice that’s still carried out.
Embers and ashes
Back in the kitchen… once the first layer of dough is covered with the vegetable mixture, a second layer is placed on top and the pie is sealed with a braided edge; ready for the oven. Then the massive soparnik is slid off the sinija and onto the hot stone. The next step made me gasp, it was covered with embers and ash. No!
Locally grown chard, a.k.a. blitva in Croatia, is the main vegetable inside soparnik and it’s carefully tripped to remove the hard stem so the thinly sliced pieces cook evenly.
Baking this way for nearly 20 minutes, the pie cooks on top and bottom and picks up a subtle smokey flavor. I appreciated this nuance when I tasted a finished piece, which had the final touches—a coating of Dalmatian olive oil and a sprinkling of raw garlic.
Dalmatian specialty
This traditional Dalmatian specialty symbolizes a specific culture and a way of life. While you eat soparnik, it’s intriguing to let your mind wander back to the Poljička Republika and try and imagine an alternate scenario where somebody else ate the exact same thing, literally, in the same place, hundreds of years ago.
The pie stuffing of chard mixed with onion, salt, and olive oil is evenly spread on the thin layer of dough.
The EU protection helps to make that connection because it guarantees that the soparnik you buy from local markets and festivals is authentic from Poljica.
Magic happens in a hot stone oven when coal embers and ashes bake the top part of your soparnik and add a subtle smokey flavor.
Pizza anyone?
So, if you’re now wondering about another national “pie,” here’s a fun fact. Legend has it that Venetians in Croatia who tasted soparnik back in the day took it home to Italy and it became the inspiration for pizza. What do you think? Dobar Tek!
This experience was another great authentic adventure organized by the Cromads travel club.
Story and photographs ©2022, Cyndie Burkhardt. https://photo-diaries.com
Learn more at TCN’s Digital Nomads channel.
Limes Bike Tour: An Exciting Way to Discover the Lim Channel
May 6, 2022 - The 30-kilometer Limes Bike Tour is held on May 14 this year, revealing the hidden beauties of the Lim Channel.
Spend an exciting spring Saturday in Istria as the recreational bike ride for athletes, recreationists, and anyone looking for good fun out in nature returns in its new edition. Limes Bike Tour, organized by the Vrsar Tourist Board, is held on May 14 this year, and the 30-kilometer trail reveals many hidden beauties of the Lim Channel that feed the soul and body.
The cycling race starts at 10 am on the Vrsar waterfront. First, riders will pass through the Kontija forest, a well-known oasis of peace and quiet and a stunning natural environment ideal for hiking, day trips, recreational cycling, and outdoor recreation. After that, the tour continues through Kloštar, Vrh Lima, Krunčići, Medaki, Marasi, Gradina, and Bralići, before ending on the Vrsar waterfront so that all participants can uncover the specialties of the Lim Bay and charming surrounding places.
It is mandatory to stop at the lookout point on Crljenka, located on the slopes of the Lim Channel, where there is a beautiful view of the entire bay, making it an ideal spot for a short break and photos. The Limes Bike Tour stretches mainly on macadam roads, so the most suitable ride is on mountain bikes, although you can also ride trekking and electric bikes.
As part of the cycling race, in which everyone can register over 14 years of age, all participants will have a professional guide and escort and accompanying vehicle, and refreshments can be found in the Hunting House in the protected Kontija forest, where they will be provided with lunch.
Limes Bike Tour is one of the many events held throughout Istria throughout the year, continuously enriching the tourist offer and positioning Vrsar as an unavoidable destination of top experiences.
Those interested and eager to participate in the recreational bike ride can apply on the Vrsar waterfront on the day of the bike ride - Saturday, May 14, 2022, from 8:30 to 9:45. The entry fee is 50 kuna per person.
All additional information about the event can be found at the link https://infovrsar.com/dogadanja/kalendar-dogadanja/limes-bike-tour/ or you can contact the organizer directly by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.
Meet. Feel. Explore. Zadar: New Zadar Destination Film is Here! (VIDEO)
May 6, 2022 - A new Zadar destination film is here just in time for summer - Meet. Feel. Explore. Zadar.
The new destination video by the Zadar Tourist Board entitled 'Meet. Feel. Explore. Zadar' was solemnly presented on Thursday at the Providur Palace by director Igor Goić and his team, reports Antena Zadar.
The story follows Jack (Dejan Marcikić) who describes a beautiful dream to his partner Jill (Nevena Dujmović Prižmić) and creatively shows the pride of Zadar, from the peninsula and city as a whole to the islands, and museums, but also customs, gastronomy, and locals. The film also features the well-known caterer Erik Pavin in the role of a chef, Hrvoje Dukić as a restaurant guest, and Gabriela Marin and Tea Šegić. Goić especially emphasizes the original soundtrack of the Vodice musician Tomo Cukrov, who composed the music.
"We wanted to provoke emotion, and we succeeded. Suppose local people react to the film in this way. In that case, we believe that the reaction of guests and those who do not know much about Zadar as a destination will be equally strong," said the director of the Zadar Tourist Board, Mario Paleka, after the film promotion.
The film has undoubtedly already attracted media attention.
"We continue filming promotional videos that the tourist board has done for many years. After the last film that Igor made in 2014, there was a need to present new content in a modern and interesting way. We are lucky to have people like Igor in the city who do worldly things. The film will initially be shown intensively in Croatia, Slovenia, and Austria, for which campaigns have already been contracted and created. Together with its shorter versions, it will be available to our tourist entities and renters, who will also be able to show guests where they come from," added Paleka.
"I did not want it to be a classic vignette mostly shot by other tourist boards and destination companies, but a small film with its dynamics, i.e., a story. To do it well, we first had to write and agree on the script, and then we did most of the filming last October and earlier this year. Us creatives need to be given the opportunity, and we had it to a considerable extent with the Tourist Board, and that is exactly why the film is as it is," said director Igor Goić.
"One thing is for sure, in Zadar, you can always find adventure, inspiration, a secret or ancient monument no matter which direction you go. And with every step in this city, you are further away from the worries of everyday life. Exactly what you need for a dream vacation, which you will not dream of this time!" concluded the Zadar Tourist Board.
For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
9th Pink Day Festival Announced for 21st and 22nd of May at Lauba
May the 6th, 2022 - The 9th Pink Day Festival has now officially been announced, and it is set to take place on the 21st and the 22nd of May, 2022, at Zagreb's beautiful Lauba.
The 9th Pink Day Festival, dedicated to rosé wines (together with the "festival within a festival" dedicated to extra virgin olive oil) GREEN IN PINK by Romerquelle, the official water of the festival, will be held for the first time this year over two days - Saturday the 21st and and Sunday the 22nd of May, 2022.
The 9th Pink Day Festival will also take place in a brand new location, and we're happy and proud to be able announce that it will be in the beautiful Lauba - a house for people and art. In addition to exhibitors of rosé wine and olive oils, we are announcing something else different - Pink Mixology - where our partners will be able to exhibit and the audience will be able to taste some pink gins, tonic waters and cocktails.
We are also looking forward to the After Party in collaboration with Lauba, which will take place outdoors - in front of Lauba, after the end of the exhibition on the first day of the festival, more precisely on Saturday at 19:00.
Pink Day's partners will also decorate their exhibition tables at this edition of the festival, because that is how they'll be able to enter the competition for the most beautiful table of all. Traditionally, Pink Day rewards the most creatively decorated tables with prizes - this time from Foreo, SMEG and Nikel.
Just like before, Pink Day will celebrate rosé wines and sparkling wines; extra virgin olive oils and pink cocktails; spring, hope for better days, a world without war and COVID-19; flowers, femininity, and beauty. It’s actually a two-day attempt to look at theworld through pink glasses! In a word: a celebration of optimism!
Of course, in addition to tasting the products, there are also educational activities and entertainment to be enjoyed. The programme of rosé wine workshops is interesting, as is the one for olive oils and Pink Mixology.
In one of the VIP corners, Pink Day will be joined by Kraš, who, as part of their recently launched #IJaSamDomaćica campaign, is trying to raise public awareness of how women, including those from the world of winemaking and viticulture, oenology or olive growing, are still the main people responsible for taking care of the household. The aim of the campaign is to remind us all that the job of a housewife is demanding and complex, and that in our society there is still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to a fairer distribution of household chores among all family members.
Pink Day is happy to include Visa Premium Card, DS Automobiles and Romerquelle among its partners. We're sure we'll be able to reunite a large number of visitors dressed in pink or decorated in pink, all of whom will be eager to socialise - especially after everything that has happened to us lately. The friend of the Festival this time is VAPT, and Pink Day is being held under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Croatia.
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE:
SATURDAY 21.05.2022.
13.00 - 14.00
Masterclass "VAPT rosé wines" powered by Premium Visa
Leaders: Dino Kušen and Juraj Dusper
15.00 - 16.00
Olive oil: "Indigenous varieties of Croatia"
Mentor: Edi Družetić
17.00 - 18.00
Mixology: Pink Mixology powered by Double Dutch
Mentor: Natali Borić
SUNDAY 22.05.2022.
11.00 - 12.00
"Rosé of the autochthonous variety" powered by the Ministry of Agriculture
Leader: Nikolina Paleka mag. ing. agr.
You can follow PINK DAY on the Internet: https://pinkdayzagreb.com/
And on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PINK-DAY-166888780125529/, Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pinkdayzg
For more, check out our lifestyle section.
Official Split Airport Passenger Figures Extremely Encouraging
May the 6th, 2022 - The official Split Airport passenger figures so far are encouraging to say the very least, with hopes high for the strong summer tourist season and some decent income following two tricky and unstable years dominated by financial insecurity and a global pandemic.
When it comes to Croatian tourism, we all thought 2022 was going to be the year in which the global coronavirus pandemic and all of the severe damage restrictions across the world caused would be left in the past. It seems as though that is going to be the case. With all entry restrictions in regard to COVID-19 when crossing the Croatian border now scrapped, and with that being the case in most of the European countries from which the most tourists tend to arrive, many are rubbing their hands.
The ongoing war in Ukraine following Russian invasion is still raging, and although this definitely poses a risk to travellers, those now wondering whether or not to visit Croatia are not typically Europeans. American travellers, who think Croatia looks a little bit too close to Ukraine on a large map of Europe have been cancelling, but it isn't occurring en masse and most of those working in the Croatian tourism sector aren't concerned. Official Split Airport figures offer a glimpse of the trends we can expect throughout 2022.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the numerous satisfied statements of tourism industry workers from across the country about a decent and very promising pre-season could be read on numerous portals and in many newspapers over more recent days, and the official figures on the number of guests who arrived in the City of Split by plane are now in, as reported by Croatian Aviaton.
When it comes to Split Airport passengers so far, the Dalmatian airport saw 133,136 passengers during the month of April, with Croatia Airlines and EasyJet carrying the largest share of passengers. That’s 85 percent of the traffic recorded back in the same month of pre-pandemic, record 2019, when 156,381 passengers were recorded passing through Split Airport, up from a mere 14,783 last year.
If everything continues going in this direction and this trend remains as it is, there will also be good passenger traffic in May and June for Split Airport, which provides a lot of hope for those needing to fill their half-empty pockets back up after an unprecedented and extremely difficult two years.
For more, make sure to keep up with our dedicated travel section.
