February 26, 2023 - A new book exploring the land of Dalmatians by Albert Anthony. 

Many people are already familiar with the popular breed of dogs known as Dalmatians, but did you know where they

originate from?  One young American business author went on a journey to discover the land of the Dalmatians, and

at the same time discover his own distant family lineage.

The business author, who writes on Amazon under pen name Albert Anthony, traces his ancestral roots to this region, and recently went on a journey to learn more about the area, using newly digitized birth & death records to trace his lineage as far back as the early 19th century.

An Ancient Land of Mountains & Sea.

The Dalmatia region, today in the southern coastal part of the Republic of Croatia stretching along the Adriatic Sea, was in ancient times part of the Roman Empire, and much later part of the Venetian Republic.  After the fall of the Venetian state, in the 19th century a Kingdom of Dalmatia was formed and became a province of the larger Austrian Empire during the Habsburg Dynasty.  After WWI, parts of Dalmatia went either to the newly formed Kingdom of Yugoslavia or the Kingdom of Italy, and after WWII it was part of Yugoslavia until the breakup of that state in 1991.

"This land and its people are used to adapting to change over the centuries, but one constant remains and that is the picturesque landscape of mountains touching the sea, the ancient cities, and archipelago of islands of this region that have now been attracting the camera lens of travelers for decades," Albert Anthony says.  "Besides being the origin of the Dalmatian breed of dogs, it is also a land of diverse people.  I see that every day in the food, music, traditions & architecture."

photo source:  author collection

A Long History of Trade & Commerce.

Due to its strategic position on the Adriatic Sea, the region has long been strategic in terms of trade & commerce.  Its major cities such as Zadar, Split, Sibenik, for example, are also significant ports & harbors, while in more recent years have experienced growth in air travel as well as modernized highways linking the region to the interior.

"Trading is already in the blood of many Dalmatians, so it was only natural that I saw myself as a business writer who often writes about building a culture of ownership & investing," the author remarks.  "Thanks to hi-speed wifi available today in most parts of this region, even on many islands, one eCommerce project I am able to manage is an eLearning course I teach on the global elearning platform Udemy.  You can be sitting in a Dalmatian coastal cafe and have students from the other side of the planet!"

The Emergence of Rural Tourism.

For many global travelers, the Dalmatia region is already known for its beaches and ancient cities to explore, but more recently a trend towards rural tourism is emerging, which is centered around attractions like rural lifestyles, olive oil, wine, & healthy living.

"Those of us who have worked in the IT sector know the importance of stepping away from the technology and getting out into the fresh air when possible, so I am seeing many more people lately experience the Dalmatia region beyond just the beaches and old towns, but experiencing the rural lifestyle as well," Albert Anthony reiterates.  "This is also leading to the growth of agrotourism as a subset of the tourism industry.  For example, travelers looking to experience authentic local olive oil at a centuries-old family farm with the Velebit Mountains in the background.  It is more than just a photo opportunity, it is about the holistic experience.  I predict this will help make Dalmatia a regional leader in this space, both economically & culturally.  After all, it did have its own kingdom once!"

Author Info & Links:

The author was born Albert Anthony Bozulic in the New York City area, and writes under pen name Albert Anthony.   You can reach the author via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or via Whatsapp at +385 (91) 7517997.

February 25, 2023 - The rapid change in the weather in Croatia is a consequence of the arrival of cold, unstable air from the north, pulled by an anticyclone stationed over Great Britain and a low-pressure cyclone developing over the Mediterranean Sea over the European mainland. Above the region is a boundary between cold air from the north and warm air from the south, rapidly moving in the form of a cold front from the northwest to the southeast.

As Poslovni / N1 report, with the passage of the cold front, cloudy, windy weather with rain, showers, and thunder is possible. On the night of Sunday, temperatures will drop noticeably; the rain will change to sleet and snow in the mountains. In the southern Adriatic, it will blow strongly from the south. In the afternoon, with a drop in temperature, a northeasterly wind will blow. On the night of Sunday in the northern Adriatic, a strong storm will move over the central Adriatic.

The morning air temperatures will be the highest day temperatures in most parts of the interior. Temperatures this morning were from 8 to 14, and the highest daily temperature on the Adriatic will be from 13 to 16 °C.

Noticeable drop in temperatures n the evening in the inland and the northern Adriatic region.

Tomorrow, on Sunday, it will be wintery, cloudy and windy with rain on the Adriatic, and snow and sleet in the inland with the formation of a snow cover.

Up to 20 cm of snow will fall in mountainous regions, and the wind will create gusts. In the northern and central Adriatic, a strong storm, and hurricane force winds in the coastal area of Velebit. In the southern Adriatic, strong to stormy jugo with heavy precipitation and thunderstorms. The jugo will turn to a storm in the afternoon and evening.

Morning air temperatures in the interior from -3 to 0, in mountainous areas around -4, in the northern and central Adriatic from 3 to 5, and in the southern and islands around 8. The highest daily temperatures in the inland from 0 to 3, and on the Adriatic from 5 to 8. With a strong wind, due to the high cooling index, it will feel up to 5 degrees lower in air temperature. All in all, a real bite of winter, a Beast from the East if you will.

Winter feeling from Monday. It will get colder, and in the first half of the week it will be cloudy with occasional rain, sleet and snow in the interior. A strong gale will blow in places on the Adriatic. Second part of the week will be cold, partly sunny with morning fog inland. Minimum air temperatures in the interior from -3 to 2, in mountainous regions around -6°C, on the Adriatic from 3 to 5°C.

The highest daily temperature in the interior will range from 2 to 5, in the mountainous regions around 0, and on the Adriatic from 6 to 10°C.

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

February 25, 2023 - The latest discoveries in Salona, an ancient city near Split, show that the site is almost a third larger than previously known and confirm that ancient Salona was a large city in an extremely important strategic position of the Roman Empire. The value of these discoveries is sensational, according to the conservators.

"These discoveries and their presentation will soon become a great archaeological sensation like the world-famous Aquileia and Pompeii and will have a significant share in the economic development of the city of Solin," Radoslav Buzancic, head of the Conservation Department in Split, said for Hina, as reported by Poslovni.

The presentation of the ancient Salona will be developed through the generations and long into the future, he said, noting that some newly discovered finds, such as mosaics, will be presented in the Cultural Centre. "It is not one project, but many projects with the same goal, financed from different sources," Buzancic pointed out, adding that "the process of the physical presentation of the ancient Salon in the city and outside it is related to future research and spatial planning policies of the city, which the Ministry of Culture and Media has always supported."

The latest research carried out south of Gospin Otok on the left bank of the river Jadro revealed parts of the city ramparts that give a new image of ancient Salona and show that the city was larger than previously thought. These ramparts, Buzancic explains, stretch south of Gradina to Marko Marulic Street, from where they turn west to Sirina.

The analysis of archaeological research has established, he emphasizes, that Gospin Otok, as well as the entire part of the city to Maruliceva Street, was located inside Salona. In archeological research on Sirina, walls that we know from 19^th-century blueprints were found, towers that were not drawn at the time, and economic complexes of buildings within those walls.

The new findings shed an entirely new light on ancient Salona

New finds, not only the ramparts of the southern part of the city, but the sensational finds of monumental buildings and infrastructure, as well as the finds of stone sculptures and sculptures found in these investigations, shed a completely new light on ancient Salona, Buzancic points out.

Among them, he singles out "the imperial building with mosaics between the post office and the monastery of the Sisters of the Handmaids of Little Jesus, the ancient road with a huge canal opposite the same monastery, the large thermal baths that have only been partially explored on the stretch from Tuđmanova Street to the City Administration building, as well as the southern gate of the city which are located under the road in Petra Kresimira IV Street, together with the previously found channel and bridge north of Tudmanova street."

Salona, Buzancic explains, is a huge Roman city with Illyrian and Greek roots. It was the port of Delmata until the age of Augustus. It began to develop as an important urban center of Illyricum, with new walls and monumental gates, a forum, and temples erected.

The Flavian dynasty left a memory of its rule in the vast arena built west of the old city. In the time of Marcus Aurelius, in the middle of the 2^nd century AD, the city, walled with ramparts and towers, reached the size of what, Buzancic notes, was considered the ancient Salona until recently.

"It was a significant city in an important strategic position, the center of Illyria, which was destroyed and rebuilt many times because of this. It flourished in the period from the creation of the Roman Empire to the Gothic Wars, was rebuilt into a large and important late antique center, with the seat of a huge archdiocese that reached to the Sava and the Danube to the north, destroyed by the invasion of the Avars and left to the Croats, who built the center on the ruins of Salona his medieval state", he explains.

Salona, Buzancic points out, has great importance for Croatian history and statehood, as well as an educational character that brings knowledge of such an important ancient center of the Mediterranean. According to him, it is also a huge Christian archaeological site with a history that goes back to the apostolic times.

Ancient Salona research will continue

The latest discoveries in Salona are the work of the skill and expertise of Croatian conservators. According to Buzancic, who were never behind the Italian ones, Salona was better protected than the famous Pompeii, which experienced great devastation a few years ago when entire parts of attractive ancient buildings collapsed.

"In the past, the buildings in Salona were destroyed so that the enemy army would not use them as fortifications, but the construction was still so solid that despite all that, it was not completely destroyed," explains Buzancic .

He adds that parts of the architecture partially preserved as ruins were once extremely sensitive to earthquakes. "This can be a great danger, especially if it is a question of slender columns on which parts of a massive structure are located," warns Buzancic.

In Solin, there have been protective archaeological investigations for years, which, he reminds, necessarily precede construction works and are financed by the Investor. Systematic archaeological research in Salona is financed from the state budget and EU funds, and some research is co-financed by the City of Solin.

Salona's research will continue. Thus, the insights into the ancient past of the current Solin region will continue to expand. The discoveries bridge the almost two-millennium time gap between the current Solin and the former Salona, a fortress of the Roman Empire in Dalmatia. The exciting archaeological story of Salona turns into a promising magnet for visitors.

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

February 25, 2023 - With the city being one of the main tourist hubs of Croatia, it is to be expected that Dubrovnik traffic might need some adjustment, especially around the old town area.

As Index writes, mayor Mato Frankovic presented a draft decision on traffic restrictions in the contact zone of Duborvnik's old town to reduce traffic jams in the heart of Dubrovnik and the negative impact on the monumental heritage. Frankovic emphasized that the draft is based on UNESCO guidelines and the Management Plan for the old town.

"Given that Dubrovnik is the first to issue such a document, I expect business entities and citizens to participate in the public consultation for the next 30 days so that the final decision is as high-quality and realistic as possible and so that we change it as little as possible in the future. This dialogue is extremely important to us," said Frankovic.

"We want to reduce crowds and give priority to the population of Dubrovnik"

He noted that the recent changes to the Road Traffic Safety Act were the prerequisite for drafting the decision. "We want to reduce crowds and give priority to the population of Dubrovnik, with a special emphasis on the residents of the old town," said Frankovic.

The draft defines five categories of vehicles with different rules. Citizens who have had a registered residence in the zone for more than one year, as well as public transport vehicles, mopeds, motorcycles, emergency services, armed forces, and HGSS, will be able to move freely in the zone of the special traffic regime.

Special category

The same will be possible for everyone with a PPK (privileged parking ticket), pre-paid parking, parking lot, or garage space outside the system of public parking lots.

A special category includes operations in transporting people and cargo, while the traffic of tourist buses, 7+1 and 8+1 passenger vehicles, and car sharing can continue under the current conditions. Access to the old town will be prohibited for campers, camper vans, tractors, and similar vehicles.

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

February the 24th, 2023 - This week in Croatian politics, we've seen the marking of one year since Russia invaded Ukraine, messages of solidarity with the Ukrainian people, a deeper look into what makes Plenkovic tick, discussions around working Sundays... Oh, and some eggs.

An anti-war protest is held in Zagreb as the one year anniversary since Russia's horrific invasion of Ukraine is marked

An anti-war protest has been being held today here in the heart of Zagreb on the occasion of the anniversary of the shocking Russian invasion of Ukraine.

''Expressing solidarity with the victims of Russian aggression in Ukraine, we, feminists and peacekeepers from Croatia, alongside the rally "Stop the War Now" want to encourage those responsible to stop the suffering of the Ukrainian people as soon as possible. We'll send our requests to the addresses of the Prime Minister and the President of the Republic of Croatia, reminding them that Croatia, which itself survived the Homeland War with many scars, is morally and humanly obliged to make the maximum effort for peace.

On this day, demonstrations for peace are being held all over Europe and around the world. We're joining all the people who demand an end to the war in Ukraine, the arms race and the start of peace talks! Negotiating does not mean surrendering, arming yourself does not mean winning. As peacemakers and feminists, we especially support related peace initiatives and efforts in Ukraine, in Russia and around the rest of the world. We demand the following from the Croatian Government and the President of the Republic of Croatia, the competent bodies of the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN), as well as international bodies in charge of security and cooperation:

- The immediate cessation of the war, killing and war-related destruction;
- Demilitarisation and serious diplomatic efforts to initiate negotiations and the peace process;
- The launching of a new security and peace agreement that would include all countries on the territory of Europe;
- The launching of a new global agreement on arms control, especially in regard to nuclear weapons;
- Systemic support for women in war zones because militarism and warrior machismo reinforce gender-based violence including rape, prostitution and trafficking in women;
- The ensuring of the rights of civilian victims, including victims of sexual violence in war, in accordance with international criminal law;
- Full respect for the rights and protection of all displaced persons and exiles, including conscientious objectors who refuse to participate in this or any other war.

We know that peace isn't just about stopping war. Peace is a long-term process in which women are the supporting actors of social healing and the normalisation of life and care for the most vulnerable groups in our society. Therefore, as feminists and activists, we oppose:

- The imperial division of the world, the global escalation of conflicts, any new arms race and the maximisation of the profits of the military-industrial complex;
- The current atmosphere that generates preparations for further wars on a global scale;
- Hate speech and warmongering media coverage;
- Increasing the budget for further armaments because this means less funds for education, healthcare and social services and the fight against natural disasters and climate change;
- We'd like invite the media to report responsibly and impartially, including reporting on peace activities while respecting the majority commitment of European citizens to peace.

Peace building processes take decades and must take place at all social levels. Therefore, we're asking all responsible political actors to act in accordance with international conventions on human security and peace and to prevent further destruction, human suffering, killing and forced displacement by starting peace negotiations," reads the call to protest signed by the Ad Hoc Feminist Anti-War Coalition, which is supported by the following organisations:

The Centre for female victims of war - ROSA
The Centre for Women's Studies in Zagreb
The Centre for Peace Studies
CESI
Documenta – The Centre for dealing with the past
Women's room - The Centre for victims of sexual violence
The Croatian Women's Network

Parliament speaker Goran Jandrokovic assures Ukrainians that they can count on Croatia's unwavering support until the very end

As we mark the solemn anniversary of the launch of the full scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Croatian politics turned to the topic of solidarity. Parliament speaker Goran Jandrokovic has made sure to assure Ukrainian nationals, be they displaced and living in Croatia and the rest of the EU or at home fighting in Ukraine, that they can count on Croatia's support until the end. A minute of silence in the Croatian Parliament then followed.

"I'd very much like to begin today's session by recalling the events which took place back on February the 24th, 2022, as this marked the beginning of the brutal Russian aggression against Ukraine. We followed the news that reached us that morning in total and utter disbelief, deep concern and palpable anxiety. That day, war returned to our European continent, dragging the Ukrainian people into a bloody fight for their own bare existence. The defenders of Ukraine, despite many expectations, surprised their aggressors, they met the Russians with strong resistance, they showed and continue to show how to love their homeland even in the most difficult circumstances," said Jandrokovic at the beginning of the session.

"We in Croatia can very much identify with that, and memories of the sacrifices made in the Homeland War are the reason for our special form of empathy towards the Ukrainian people. The Croatian Parliament reacted extremely quickly and just one day after the Russian aggression we almost unanimously adopted the Declaration on Ukraine, which sent a timely and strong political message of condemnation of Russia's aggression and confirmed our support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine," said Jandrokovic.

"The Ukrainian people can count on Croatia's undying solidarity and continued support in their righteous struggle for freedom. We will remain at Ukraine's side until their victory, because Croatia really does deeply understand the Ukrainian struggle. That's why Croats are obliged to stand by Ukrainians, and we must make sure we're on the same, correct side of history," said Jandrokovic.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Goran Grlic-Radman also stated at the UN that Ukraine must not be forced to wait for years before it wins its freedom like Croatia had to.

In lighter news, a man has been arrested and fined for throwing eggs at HDZ's official building

One Zagreb resident decided to take out his frustrations with Croatian politics and the way HDZ does things by launching eggs at their Zagreb building. The Zagreb resident, known to the public solely as Boris B (44), now has to pay a fine after having been found guilty at the Zagreb Magistrate's Court for throwing the aforementioned eggs at the HDZ building during a protest back in September 2022.

According to the verdict, on September the 10th, 2022 at around 13:30 on Victims of Fascism Square, during a protest, he violated public order and peace as a protest participant.

"Arriving in front of the central office of the HDZ party, he took out the eggs, which he threw at the door of the aforementioned building, causing it to hit the front door and break, therefore, in a public place (the street), he disturbed public order and peace, thereby committing the crime misdemeanor from Article 13 of the Law on Offenses against Public Order and Peace, punishable under the same article of the same Law," reads the explanation of the verdict.

The egg-thrower apparently arrived on a bicycle, pulled out a Cedevita box, and the eggs were taken out of it.

A police officer identified as Marko S testified at the trial, and according to him, he says he saw a man who left his bike on the pavement and came to the protective fence in front of the front door of HDZ's headquarters.

"He took a Cedevita box out from his backpack, grabbed something from it and threw it at the front door, and then I saw that it was an egg that broke and spilled down onto the door, after which he walked away back to the bike," the policeman testified. He added that approached the man and asked him for his ID, which he provided without any problem. After that, he was taken to the police station for further questioning.

Boris B. was sentenced in absentia, considering that he didn't bother to respond to the summons of the court. He was ordered to pay a fine in the amount of 53 euros (which could buy a whole lot of eggs), and he must also pay 40 euros for the costs of the misdemeanor procedure, the judge decided. The verdict is final and can be appealed.

Political scientist Berto Salaj says it's important for PM Andrej Plenkovic to be the longest serving Croatian Prime Minister

''Say what you like about him, but he gets things done'' is one of the main messages taken from political scientist Bero Salaj's opinions on Plenkovic published by Index.

Berto Salaj, a political scientist and professor from the Faculty of Political Sciences in Zagreb, commented on Croatian politics for N1, more precisely on the opposition's initiative to impeach Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic due to the latest scandals revealed in the media. Answering the question of whether anything could shake the prime minister, Salaj said that this initiative to impeach the prime minister will certainly not succeed. 

"If we look at public opinion surveys, HDZ is still between 25 and 30 percent. Not a single opposition party exceeds 15 percent. It's questionable whether this way of pointing out corruption is a good way to fight against Plenkovic at all. It seems to me that we've already learned that when it comes to Croatian politics, this just isn't a good way of going about things. Now there would have to be an affair where the clues would lead to the prime minister himself, for the prime minister to be caught on the spot with his fingers in the till, as it were," Salaj stated.

"Neither Grbin, nor Bencic, nor Grmoja enjoy the trust of citizens like Plenkovic does"

The political scientist advised the opposition to start thinking about how to increase the turnout of citizens in the elections. He believes that this and this alone would be the key to their victory.

"It's simply illusory to expect that HDZ's rating could erode dramatically in the coming period. In the perception of the citizens, none of the current leaders enjoy the trust Andrej Plenkovic does from people. Say what you like about him, he is how he is, but he gets things done. On the other hand, we have all these corruption scandals and an attempt to control independent institutions," says Salaj.

"I think it's important for Plenkovic to be the longest-serving prime minister"

Salaj also believes that some changes could happen within Croatian politics only if Plenkovic fails to stop spiralling inflation, something that is affecting everyone and everything. He believes that it is important for Plenkovic to be the longesr serving prime minister of Croatia.

The Croatian Government has remained fixated on the topic of working on Sundays, and a document to reduce the amount of working Sundays has now been published

Remember when everyone in Croatian politics and beyond was going on about banning or severely limiting working Sundays? Well they still are. You can read much more about it here.

For more on Croatian politics, make sure to follow our dedicated section. Keep an eye out for our Week in Croatian Politics articles which are published every Friday.

February 24, 2023 - All travel lovers and enthusiasts in Croatia, we've got something just for you - the Out Of Office travel conference. It will bring together famous Croatian world travellers, and it's taking place in Zagreb, 10 - 11 March 2023, in the newly opened premises of the Wespa Business & Lounge.

The aim of the conference, according to the organisers, is to encourage people to spend more time out of their homes and offices and to draw their energy from overcoming unknown situations on trips or from a relaxing vacation in nature. After all, taking a break and returning fresh will make everyone a lot more productive in solving daily tasks.

At the conference, seasoned Croatian travellers will happily share information and ideas on how and where to travel, telling stories from around the world. There will also be plenty of opportunities to exchange experiences with like-minded people. Those who want to travel, but have inhibitions about where to start, will find all the motivation they need in the presentations on travelling cheap or visiting American national parks. Those with more experience, on the other hand, might find it interesting to learn about trekking through the jungle or travelling in a campervan.

Ranko Ilić, the director of Zagreb Airport, will reveal some secrets of air travel.

You can see the complete program and lecturers at the official website and on Instagram.

Ida Prester will moderate the conference. The key speaker will be Kresimir Sucevic Mederal, known to the Croatian public as one of the chasers from the Croatian version of The Chase (Potjera) and a passionate traveller.

We do not doubt that there will be something for everyone and that all visitors will leave with new insights inspired for their next trip.

Morana Zibar's travel quiz will ensure lots of fun, where in addition to a light test of knowledge, visitors will have the opportunity to win valuable prizes. In addition to the quiz, there will be several other fun corners.

Come and check out what the Croatian travel scene is all about!

Tickets are on sale at Entrio.

The conference was made possible by the sponsors who recognised the importance of the event and supported Out Of Office - by travellers, for travellers.

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

February 24, 2023 - For the sake of integration of foreign workers on temporary work in Croatia, Varazdin County will provide the premises of secondary schools for the implementation of language improvement programs and training, as was one of the conclusions of the working group for the development of the integration program for foreigners on temporary work.

As 24Sata writes, Varazdin County announced on its official website on Thursday that the working group was established at the beginning of the year, and the first meeting was held recently.

As they confirmed for Hina from Varazdin County, seven conclusions were reached at the meeting, where the main topic was determining the working group's plan and program of work.

Thus, to provide the premises of secondary schools in Varazdin County for the implementation of language improvement and training programs, it was also proposed to survey citizens and foreign workers to determine attitudes towards them and to see what can be done to encourage their integration into society.

The working group also proposes the creation of a joint database on the number of foreign workers, their nationality, and the places where they work, and that one of the conditions for their employment be learning the Croatian language.

It was also suggested that the banking sector consider the possibility of loans to foreign workers to buy real estate for family reunification and possible permanent immigration, confirmed Prefect Andelko Stricak.

It was also suggested that the media present the positive effects foreign workers bring to Croatia to create a positive image. It was concluded that there is a difference between workers from countries closer to Croatia, who adapt more easily to Croatian culture and customs, and workers from distant countries, whose adaptation is more complex.

Since the Ministry of the Interior is the holder of the proposal for the decision on the establishment of the Interdepartmental Working Group for the Drafting of a Draft Proposal for Documents on the Immigration Policy of the Republic of Croatia, which would also include the issue of integration of foreign workers into society, Varazdin County sent it a letter on February 15 with established conclusions and proposals of the working group.

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

February 24, 2023 - The Croatian government sent the final proposal of the Trade Act to the Parliament, according to which shops would usually be closed on Sundays. Retailers could choose 16 Sundays a year during which they would be open. The new law would enter into force on July 1, said the Minister of Economy and sustainable development, Davor Filipovic.

"We have the final draft of the Trade Act; we are sending it to Parliament for a second reading. Minister Filipovic will present the details. We believe that this will contribute to everyone's quality functioning. We wanted to make it sustainable and of high quality, and all interested parties were consulted," said PM Plenkovic at the beginning of the Government session, report Index / Poslovni.

As he said, the working hours of shops are regulated so that the shops are closed on Sundays and holidays, and the weekly maximum of working hours that a retailer will be able to distribute independently from Monday to Saturday is set at 90 hours.

"We have planned for some exceptions"

"When this final proposal is compared with the first reading, due to the need to supply the population, the continuous performance of public services, and the operation of those facilities that normally work on Sundays and holidays due to specificity, we have planned for some exceptions. Compared to the first reading, bakeries were removed from those exemptions because we took into account everything discussed in the committees and in the parliament," said Filipovic.

As for the possibility of working on Sundays, as he stated, the Act foresees 16 working Sundays throughout the year. It is also proposed that it enter into force on July 1, and for the sake of adaptation of business entities, in 2023, 16 working Sundays are not counted as working Sundays until the new Act comes into force.

"We found a model of 16 working Sundays, I think it's a good balance, and I believe it will contribute to workers' rights and family life, to quality functioning in this new working regime on Sundays, which was and is part of our program," said Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic in the introduction of the Government session. We wanted to do it in a sustainable and high-quality way, and in the decision-making process, all interested parties were consulted, he added.

Retailers to choose the 16 Sundays they will be open

According to the proposal, the retailer independently determines which are the 16 Sundays of the working year based on individual needs, seasonality, micro-location and other relevant factors. In weeks in which Sunday is a working day, the maximum allowed hours are increased by 15, which makes a maximum of 105 working hours per week from Monday to Sunday.

The act prescribes exceptions to the general rule that are located within or are an integral part of railway and bus stations, airports and ferry ports, ports of inland navigation, ships, airplanes, and ferries for the transport of people and vehicles, gas stations, hospitals, hotels, cultural spaces and religious institutions and other subjects in culture, museums, visitor centers or interpretation centers, nautical marinas, camps, family farms and declared protected nature areas in accordance with special regulations.

Who is exempt?

Exceptions also apply to the purchase of primary agricultural products, the sale of own agricultural products at retail stands and benches at markets and the sale of own agricultural products at stands and benches at wholesale markets, occasional sales at fairs and public events, and sales through vending machines and distance selling.

As a special form of sales outside shops, press distribution through kiosks can be open on Sundays and holidays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

As stated in the explanation, the mentioned exceptions are prescribed due to the need to supply the population, the continuous performance of public services, and the operation of those facilities that normally work on Sundays and holidays due to the specific needs of consumers.

Read the entire document here.

For more, check out our dedicated News section.