July the 29th, 2022 - Croatia Airlines has been in troubled waters for some time now, and although the search process for a strategic partner (yes, it's still ongoing) of the Croatian national airline was completely stopped for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems that preparations are still ongoing in the corporate world.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Darko Bicak writes, the very well known Greek company Aegean Airlines announced this week that it is interested in taking over several carriers in Southeastern Europe, including Croatia Airlines.

As reported by Exyuaviation, the Vice President of Aegean Airlines, Eftychios Vassilakis, said that on a broader plan, the Greek carrier intends to strengthen its regional role in Southeastern Europe through possible new acquisitions.

This airline bought a 51% stake in Romania's Animawings last October, and it is firmly on track to break even in 2022 and is operationally expected to experience a full recovery from the coronavirus pandemic with a record summer season under its belt. Aegean's further interest could potentially lead to a strategic partnership between the two Star Alliance members. Just before the outbreak of the global coronavirus pandemic, Aegean confirmed that it had indeed submitted a non-binding offer to buy the Croatian national carrier Croatia Airlines.

The next phase was supposed to include direct talks between the Greek airline and the Croatian Government. However, the process was halted in March 2020 as the global health crisis hit the aviation and tourism sectors hard.

Back in September last year, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic mentioned that the negotiations between the two carriers regarding the strategic partnership agreement would definitely be renewed, but that has yet to happen. Aegean Airlines also participated in the previous attempt to privatise Croatia Airlines back in 2015.

There are some similarities between the two carriers

The Greek company entered into the second round of negotiations with the then privatisation advisor, International Finance Corporation, but the privatisation project was interrupted by the change of government here in Croatia. As an airline registered in the European Union (EU), Aegean can buy a majority stake in the Croatian counterpart without an issue.

The two carriers share a similar fleet structure, with both Airbus A320 family aircraft and Dash 8 turboprop aircraft being used. Furthermore, both operate in similar and competitive seasonal (summer) environments.

The similarities mostly end there. Aegean was continuously profitable from 2013 until the COVID-19 crisis, recording a record profit of 79.5 million euros back in 2019. It employed around 2,900 people, carried 15 million passengers and recorded an average cabin load factor of 84.8 percent across its fleet of 64 aircraft.

On the other hand, Croatia Airlines has, as previously mentioned, in troubled waters for a long time and with a poor track record among its users who often complain of poor service and extortionate prices. It also recorded a loss of over ten million euros in the ''record year'' of 2019, had a mere 1,000 employees, transported a much smaller number of 2.1 million passengers in 12 aircraft with an average annual occupancy rate of 73.6 percent.

With the strengthening of the Irish carrier Ryanair in Croatia, especially at Zagreb Airport, things will likely continue to get even worse for Croatia Airlines until something very drastic alters, and quickly.

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

July the 29th, 2022 - Gorski kotar is an often overlooked place in Croatia, seen mostly as part of the country one passes through when going to or from the coast. This gorgeous, green and mountainous part of the country has a lot to boast of itself, and is much more than simply a location one goes through aiming for the sea. For sportspeople and training, it's often a desired location.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the rugged green region of Gorski kotar is very attractive to both professional and recreational athletes throughout the year, and especially during the summer months due to more tolerable, even pleasant daytime and cool night temperatures, as opposed to the extreme heat most of the rest of the country suffers through at that time of the year.

Any sort of physical activity in combination with extremely high daily temperatures increases the thermal and circulatory load of athletes and causes the rapid dehydration of the body, as shown by the research conducted in the field of thermoregulation of healthy and active people. It can be extremely dangerous. When it comes to training for sport, it is extremely important that the air temperature puts as little strain on the athlete's body as possible.

That's why Gorski kotar is often chosen for the preparation of athletes, because during the day they can prepare, warm up and participate in competitions with significantly less strain being placed on the body than doing it elsewhere in the country, where things could go very awry very quickly indeed. This way, they spend less time on the very necessary cooling down of the body, which optimises their time. At the same time, fresher, cooler nights provide them with a high quality dose of sleep for effective body renewal, which consequently affects their sporting performance.

This weekend, two sporting competitions are being held in Gorski kotar. One open Croatian championship in orienteering is being held, the 25th Croatia Open, which will be held from July the 31st to August the 5th in the area of ​​Delnice, Mrkoplje, Risnjak National Park in Crni Lug and Krk. It is an international competition of a traditional character that has brought thousands of competitors from about forty different countries to the mountainous heart of Croatia.

The competition quickly became one of the most important in the entire region, and Gorski kotar was promoted as a desirable summer orientation destination in Europe. More than 270 participants from as many as 27 countries applied for this year's competition. It will take place on the karst grounds of Zrinski vrh next to Delnice, the old city centre of the city of Krk and in the forested parts of Crni and Sungerski Lug. The conception of the competition's courses was done by the chief course planner András Kersity with his assistants Balázs Gyenizse-Nagy and Zoltan Racz.

The second competition set to take place in Gorski kotar is the Croatian cross-triathlon championship for the categories of cadets, juniors and seniors, which will be held on Lake Lokvar on Saturday, July the 30th, starting at 10:00. The organisation of this event is being led by the best triathlon club in Croatia, "Maksimir", the newly founded "Triathlon Club Gorski Kotar" and the Municipality of Lokve. There will be a super sprint triathlon race and a standard cross triathlon race along two courses, both of which include swimming, mountain biking and cross running.

This is a form of the popular "Xterra triathlon" series of races, for which Gorski kotar is an extremely suitable location due to the tolerable temperatures and the type of terrain. The aim of this collaboration is to popularise this type of triathlon in Gorski kotar, which will generate a strong motive for visiting the destination.

"In the experience industry of today, it's really important to recognise the motives of visitors who remain loyal to the destination, and the support that the Gorski kotar area provides to athletes is comprehensive, from the natural microclimatic conditions to operational support, a rich gastronomic offer and quality accommodation facilities," said Petar Hrg, the director of the Tourist Board of Gorski kotar.

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

ZAGREB, 28 July 2022 - Health Minister Vili Beroš said on Thursday that the experts form Croatia's COVID-19 crisis management team were making all the necessary preparations to ensure the country was ready to address new epidemiological challenges in the autumn.

"The expert group from the COVID-19 crisis management team is analysing the current situation and possible scenarios in Croatia and in the European Union and is planning further steps in the preparation of the health care system and the implementation of the vaccination scheme against COVID-19," Beroš tweeted.

Croatia has been experiencing a new wave of highly infectious subvariants of coronavirus that have increased the share of positive cases among those tested to as much as 30%, with the daily number of new infections exceeding 1,000, the Croatian Public Health Institute (HZJZ) has said. 

Omicron subvariants BA.2, BA.4 and BA.5 are currently in circulation in Croatia, mostly affecting people aged 30-69 while children are less affected given the current school vacation, HZJZ officials have told Hina.

The new wave of the epidemic in Croatia started in late June, when the share of positive cases in the number of tested persons started to rise.

The largest number of new infections has been reported in the City of Zagreb and in Split-Dalmatia and Primorje-Gorski Kotar counties, while Virovitica-Podravina County has the most favourable situation, with only three new cases having been reported.

For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB, 28 July 2022 - President Zoran Milanović visited the southern Adriatic island of Korčula on Thursday to attend a ceremonial meeting of the Town Council on the occasion of Town Day.

He said that Pelješac Bridge, which was opened on Tuesday, was much more than a transport corridor and more than steel and concrete. "I am very pleased that Pelješac Bridge is here, but I am confident that what you need is an airport. That would work wonders for the island's economy and tourism," the president said.

Speaking of Korčula's tradition, development and beauty, Milanović said: "This tradition, this country and this culture were not created yesterday. This place was civilised, successful and progressive, it was written about. Our islands are like a paradise, this cannot be found anywhere else, so close to the heart of Europe. If you had a bridge, nothing would change here, this would still be a beautiful island. Enjoy your island."

For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB, 28 July 2022 - The Croatian government on Thursday adopted energy saving guidelines from 1 August to 31 March next year, recommending the maximum heating temperature of 21 degrees Celsius, the cooling temperature of at least 25 degrees and greater use of LED lighting and public transport.

Economy and Sustainable Development Minister Davor Filipović said the guidelines were based on the European Commission's natural gas saving scheme.

On 20 July, the European Commission unveiled the "Save Gas for a Safe Winter" scheme to reduce gas demand by 15% between 1 August 2022 and 31 March 2023.

The government's guidelines recommend that the maximum indoor air temperature during the heating season should be 21 degrees Celsius and the cooling temperature should not be lower than 25 degrees.

Filipović noted that three to four per cent more energy was consumed for each degree of lower temperature.

The guidelines also recommend greater use of LED lighting and public transport. People are advised to use their household appliances during lower-tariff periods, he said.

The guidelines were drawn up by the Energy Directorate at the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and the Hrvoje Požar Energy Institute.

Their aim is to encourage change in people's behaviour over a short term, because 40 per cent of total energy is consumed in buildings. As for long-term measures for energy efficiency, energy retrofitting of buildings and houses is recommended, Filipović said.

He expressed hope that both the private and the public sectors would comply with the guidelines.  "We should work together with the rest of Europe on how to achieve savings in the time ahead and should help diversify energy supply routes," Filipović said.

Addressing a news conference after the government meeting, Filipović said that even minor changes in the behaviour of citizens could bring about marked saving.

For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB, 28 July 2022 - The government adopted a decision to accept a letter expressing interest in submitting a request for Croatia's membership of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), which Croatia should join in Q1 next year.

The ESM is an intergovernmental organisation established by the euro area member states in 2012. Its mission is to enable the countries of the euro area to avoid and overcome financial crises and to maintain long-term financial stability and prosperity.

The ESM provides loans and other types of financial assistance to member states in a difficult financial situations.

ESM shareholders are exclusively countries of the euro area. Croatia will join the euro area on 1 January 2023, and it is expected it will join the ESM in Q1 2023.

Finance Minister Marko Primorac said after a government session that the ESM had a total capital of nearly €705 billion, which consists of more than €80 billion of paid-in capital ensured by ESM members and nearly €624 billion of callable capital.

Every member contributes to ESM capital based on its share in the total EU population and GDP. Since Croatia's GDP per capita is below 75% of the EU average, we will have the possibility of a temporary correction of the capital contribution key for a period of 12 years, until 2035, said the minister.

Croatia will, pay in a contribution of €419 million.

The ESM provides us with additional insurance in case of financial crises, inability to access the capital markets, or financial difficulties, so that is a long-term benefit and has a positive effect on our credit rating, Primorac said.

As for the government's decision made today, which established criteria for the allocation of assistance to local units for functional and real consolidation, he said that the money granted for functional consolidation depends on the number of functions that would be common and the number of local units involved in the agreement. The assistance will be provided for financing employees in charge of those functions.

According to him, the package for real consolidation is "generous", and it provides assistance for settling outstanding credit and financial obligations on 30 June 2022. It also includes additional assistance in the form of current and capital transfers and aid totalling double the amount the smaller local unit received under the fiscal equalisation programme, as well as capital aid of HRK 7.5 million.

For more, check out our politics section.

July 28, 2022 – Meet Luka Maksimović, also known as Mone, also known in Vukovar as your go-to wall decorator, logo designer, the guy who can make your ideas come alive in visual form.

Long before there were murals and 3D street art, there was graffiti. This art of old is as present in Vukovar as anywhere else and was even integrated into festivals and events. From simple writings notifying us that they were, in fact, there, to some really elaborate and genuinely awe-inspiring designs, we have it and we love it all.

As for graffiti artists, it sure can be tricky as they always must defend the artist title, trying not to fall on the rebel and destroyer-of-walls side of things. This means that they constantly need to keep improving to impress. Mone has done just that. From the name that you would see a little too often in your neighbourhood, to being commissioned to paint walls and design logos, he has gone from naughty to nice, from kid to artist. We couldn’t be happier to follow along on his journey.

All photo credit: Mone

Tell us about yourself and your alter ego.

I am Luka Maksimović Mone and I'm 24 years old. The nickname was created to hide my identity and it was created through the evolution of nicknames that came from my last name: Maksimović - Maxo - Maxone – Mone.

What is your relationship with art?

My story on drawing starts back in kindergarten, where I had a friend who was great at it. I remember one day when we had a workshop and he drew the Hulk too well. That stuck in my memory and inspired me a lot. At home, I spent time drawing whenever I could. I practiced with my brother, drawing various objects that we could see on the table. Later on, I started drawing portraits, but realism as a direction did not satisfy me. The way I see it, you can just snap a photo.

Drawing quickly became a bit hard and boring, and since I'm a bit of a perfectionist I was by no means satisfied. One day we tried drawing graffiti and that was my first encounter with this kind of art. I remember that I chose the English word "book" and made eyes out of the two letters O and added a mouth below. This was completely new and exciting for me. I started using letters to create all kinds of shapes that came to mind.

Was that when you discovered your hidden talent?

That was when I discovered there were no rules, I could do whatever I wanted, in any style I liked, any size, form, or shape. It all came straight from my head, and luckily I was never short of ideas. As for talent, I wouldn't say that I discovered my talent there or that I am talented at all. I just spent a lot of time at my desk drawing, simply because it was too much fun.

At which point did you go from paper to walls?

Soon after, my brother and I decided to try our first real graffiti. We found a wall and prepared everything, but we weren’t quite ready for the little obstacle that was me. I was too small and couldn't do it! My hands were too small, I couldn't hold the spray and squeeze the cap with one hand, I could barely do it with two hands. That was frustrating and caused my desire to slowly fade away and over time I completely neglected drawing. All until one time, in 3rd grade, during math class, I was so bored I wanted to jump out of the window. Instead, I remembered that I had used to draw graffiti all the time and decided to try it again. As soon as I drew my first lines it took me back. I felt like that child, like I was drawing for the first time. I was really happy with the sketches I made. A few days later, I bought a spray can and finished my first graffiti on the wall. I was intrigued and wanted more. It felt like I went back in time and simply continued where I had left off.

Eventually, you decided to do it in digital form.

While traditional graffiti wasn't bad, it wasn't anything special, and I knew I could do better. I started taking it more seriously and wanted to improve. After trying a few different techniques, I realised I needed a lot of money for the material and ran into a problem. So instead of buying markers and other things, I saved up to buy a tablet for graphic drawing which allowed me to switch to the digital canvas, where I had the best palette in the world, an inexhaustible source with every color imaginable. My mind was made up about what I wanted to do in the future.

What is the plan from here?

I am developing my project and plan to open a graphic design company and some other interesting things along with that. As the idea to open my own company developed, I also fell in love with tattooing. I recently bought a tattoo machine as well, so that will surely become a part ofg my workshop.

Tell us about your clients and projects so far and where we can find you.

I collaborated with various people as a freelancer, creating their visual identities. In Vukovar, for example, I collaborated with the fire department and one of the kindergartens. I also did a few projects with famous people such as Krešo Bengalka, Kukus clan, etc.

To check out my work, follow me on Instagram (@mone1zm).

Finally, how is the graffiti scene in Vukovar?

A graffiti scene barely exists here at all, as I'm the only one who does that. However, the city of Vukovar does push for street art a lot through the VukovArt organisation, who have brought many famous street artists from around the world to paint murals on buildings and create 3D street art.

All photos by Mone

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, 28 July 2022 - Croatia has registered 1,979 new coronavirus cases and 12 COVID-related deaths in the last 24 hours, the national coronavirus response team reported on Thursday.

The number of active cases in the country stands at 11,069, including 660 people being treated in hospital, of whom 19 are placed on ventilators, while 5,630 people are self-isolating.

Since 25 February 2020, when the first case was reported in Croatia, 1,182,836 people have been registered as having contracted the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus, of whom 16,277 have died, and 1,155,490 have recovered, including 1,223 in the last 24 hours.

To date, 59.57 per cent of the total population, or 70.84 per cent of adults, have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 68.81 per cent of adults have received two doses.

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.