November the 14th, 2022 - You've likely heard of Istrian, but have you heard of the Istriot language? This very, very sparsely spoken language remains the tongue of around 400 people in the southwestern part of the Istrian peninsula, and is a Romance language of the Italo-Dalmatian branch of languages.

I know I've said it before (probably a few dozen times, actually), but for such a geographically small country, Croatia boasts a seriously impressive number of dialects, subdialects and yes, even languages in their own right as some linguists argue. We've explored old Dalmatian words which are unfortunately close to extinction, the main dialects which make up standard Croatian as we know it today, Shtokavian, Cakavian and Kajkavian, as well as the Dubrovnik subdialect (Ragusan), and even some much more obscure ones such as Zaratin, which was once widely spoken in and around Zadar, but is rarely heard anymore - if at all.

Many people will think of gorgeous Istria and its fairy tale hilltop towns, rolling hills and popular wine and truffles as a place in which people generally speak Croatian or Italian. After all, all the signs are bilingual, and Istria and Italy have had a... let's say... rather complex relationship over the years. It makes sense that the Italian influence is strong in that part of Croatia, and indeed it is. But it isn't quite that simple.

So, back to the Istriot language, which, as I stated, is spoken by a very small number of people in southwestern Istria, mainly in Vodnjan and Rovinj and shouldn't be confused with the Venetian ''inspired'' Istrian dialect, or with Istro-Romanian. The Istriot language is something that is very much its own and draws its roots directly from medieval Latin. That doesn't mean there aren't arguments from linguists and other experts about what it actually is, however. The Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History placed it in the Dalmatian Romance subgroup back in 2017, but of course, not everyone agrees, and many people (this includes multiple experts) classify it quite differently. 

I should also stated that historically speaking, it was never actually referred to as the Istriot language until the 19th century, but rather by giving reference to the locations in which it is (or in some cases was) spoken. Just six towns in Istria spoke it, and they were Vodnjan (Bumbaro) and Rovinj (Rovignese), Bale (Vallese), Sisan (Sissanese), Galizana (Gallesanese) and Fazana (Fasanese).

When Istria was part of Italy, the Istriot language was deemed to merely be a Venetian subdialect, but many now consider it an independent language of its own, and for the purposes of this article, I'm going to be calling it the Istriot language. Those who consider it to be entirely independent classify it as an Italo-Dalmatian language, which many people accept it to be. Others consider it to be a Romance language influenced by Friulian, Venetian and Slavic speech. Some consider it to be an independent Northern Italian language which doesn't belong to the Venetian language whatsoever. Others classify it as a variety of the Rhaeto-Romance languages, and Antonio Ive, an Istriot himself, believes that to be the case.

So, as you can see, it's far from simple and the fact that a mere 400 people speak it in very specific locations today doesn't alter the fact that debates still take place over the Istiot language, its origins, or its influences. It was of course once significantly more widely spoken, and the term ''Istriot language'' was, as stated, given back during the 19th century when an Italian linguist, Graziado Isaia Ascoli, first called it that. It is classed as an endangered language which is at real risk of becoming extinct very quickly, and the reason is obvious. With an estimated number of speakers at just 400, it won't be long until the Istriot language enters the same history books as Zaratin went to.

Despite its endangered status, attempts have been made at trying to rescue this language from the cruel hands of time, and in order to preserve and promote the Istriot language, the Istriot Dialect Festival was organised, which has been being held every year since 2013, where other traditional Istrian items can be enjoyed, including locally made cakes.

For more on the Croatian language, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

November the 14th, 2022 - Every fifth Croatian resident is living on the very edge of poverty as inflation continues to spiral and prices stay firmly on their upward trajectory. 

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, The World Day of the Poor was marked just yesterday, having initially been established by Pope Francis six years ago with the message - "We do not love with words, but with deeds". 

Here in this country, every fifth Croatian resident is at risk of falling below the poverty line, and the situation is further aggravated by growing inflation, which is why more and more people need help. On this occasion, Caritas organised a lunch and assistance for those most in need. The economic crisis and rising inflation has pushed many to the brink of poverty, and it's more than likely going to get worse before it gets better, writes HRT.

"We are also noticing an increase in the number of younger families in which one member of the household works, but they do not have enough funds to cover all their financial needs and obligations throughout the month," emphasised Jelena Loncar, the director of Caritas of the Zagreb Archdiocese.

Caritas employees and volunteers are ready to help those who need it with full hands and open hearts. Those who take care of the poor every day prepared a hot meal in Rijeka as well. The "Ruže sv. Franje" homeless shelter shockingly has almost has no free beds, and knocks on the door of the social self-service centre are becoming more and more frequent.

"We have very good support from our fellow citizens, they respond to all our actions. We manage to fill our shelves and that's actually all the joy of sharing and giving," emphasised Nela Pujic, a volunteer of the social supermarket and at the aforementioned homeless shelter.

As stated, every fifth Croatian resident is now at real risk of falling below the poverty line, and there is an extremely fine line between that and homelessness.

For more, make sure to keep up with our dedicated news section.

November the 14th, 2022 - A new Croatian pension model is on the horizon, which will likely make the payouts retirees receive each month higher in the long run.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, a new Croatian pension model will come into force on January the 1st next year, as will Croatian entry into Schengen and the Eurozone. The news is that what are known as family pensions are set to increase by 10 percent, and for the first time, widows and widowers will be able to keep their personal pension and inherit part of their deceased spouse's pension, which wasn't even possible until now.

The new Croatian pension model will cover more than 155,000 pensioners, and the average increase will be around 510 kuna, which while small in the eyes of some, isn't entirely insignificant to those receiving a criminally low amount each month. In order to be entitled to this type of pension, you must be 65 years old. In addition, at the time of your partner's death, you should be able to meet all of the other conditions for exercising the right to a family pension, according to a report from HRT.

"For example, if someone was 50 years old at the time of their spouse's death or they were taking care of their children, that means they were fulfilling their parental duties. And, on top of that - that the sum of their personal pension and part of their family pension doesn't exceed 80 of the current value of the pension, which currently stands at 6,212 kuna," said Melita Cicak, the director of the Pension System Administration in the Ministry of Labour.

What is the actual procedure?

Considering the differences, each user will be able to get information from the Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO) about which Croatian pension model is the most profitable for them.

"Users who use only their family pension, and haven't been granted the right to a personal pension, will need to submit a request for the realisation of the right to a personal pension or family pension before requesting the payment of part of the family pension," said Maja Cakarun, head of the Public Relations Office of the HZMO.

The new law enters into force on January the 1st, 2023, and its implementation will require around one billion and 400 million kuna.

For more, make sure to keep up with our dedicated news section.

November the 14th, 2022 - Croatian students have generously and selflessly donated their hair to other children who are suffering with cancer and needing to undergo chemotherapy which more often than not results in hair loss.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Noelle Suler Bistre is just eight years old, she attends the second grade of Eugen Kumicic Elementary School, and for her seventh birthday she decided she didn't want any presents. This school year, Noelle donated hair she had cut off to the Iskra Association of Parents of Children Suffering from Malignant Diseases from Banja Luka, and she decided on this venture two weeks ago thanks to her friend Dior, who is one year older than her, and with whom she goes to ballet.

It was Dior, according Noelle, that motivated her to donate 36 centimetres of her own hair to make a wig that will brighten up the days of a child dealing with not only cancer but the often extremely harsh realities of cancer treatment.

However, Noelle is not the only student who decided to make this humanitarian move, because in the last three years, three other Croatian students have done the same thing, and they have jointly donated a total of 148 centimetres of hair. Sixth grade student Natali Bozic was the first to do it three years ago, followed by Masa Stevanovic, then fifth grader who has been attending the Josip Pavlisic Catholic Elementary School since this school year, while eighth grader Ana Prtenjaca did it this September, according to Rijeka portal Novi list.

Regardless of what was the impetus for the donation, all four of these kind and generous Croatians students agree that they have never regretted doing it, and as Natali says, her older sister encouraged her to donate her hair.

All of these Croatian students, according to the principal of Eugen Kumicic Primary School, Ana Anic Opasic, regularly participate in various humanitarian actions that the school organises, and within the framework of which the school designed and had umbrellas made with the motto "Svaka kap je bitna/Every drop counts".

For more, make sure to keep up with our dedicated news section.

November 14, 2022 - The SuperSport HNL 17th round was played on November 12 and 13, 2022. The final round of the autumn season was not without drama. Coronavirus, shocking refereeing, and coach sackings are just part of it. Here's our SuperSport HNL round 17 recap.

Lokomotiva v. Istra 1961 (2:0)

Lokomotiva and Istra opened the 17th round on Saturday, November 12, in Zagreb in front of 681 fans. 

Kulenovic scored Lokomotiva's first goal in the 11th minute from the penalty spot. The questionable call was made when Mersinaj and Perković collided heads in a duel on the edge of the penalty area. Mersinaj remained injured on the pitch, and even though it was clear that it was an accidental collision, VAR judge Bebek assessed that it should be a penalty for Lokomotiva. Kulušić looked at the situation himself and awarded a penalty. Lokomotiva confirmed the victory in the 73rd minute when Stojkovic scored for 2:0. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 8th place with 18 points, while Istra is in 6th place with 20 points and a game in hand. 

Slaven Belupo v. Hajduk (2:2)

Belupo and Hajduk met on Saturday, November 12, in Koprivnica in front of 3198 fans. 

Hajduk led 2:0 at halftime with goals from Filip Krovinović (12') and Rokas Pukštas (28'), but Belupo equalized at the beginning of the second half through Arber Hoxha (49') and Ivan Krstanović (58-penalty). The pivotal moment happened in the 36th minute when the match came to a halt for 20 minutes because an object hit the linesman in the head. Hajduk captain Marko Livaja and Slaven defender Nikola Soldo had an altercation on the pitch. Livaja received a yellow card, and Hajduk fans reacted. Another controversial call from the ref came in the 56th minute when Čulina pointed to the penalty spot for Belupo. Hajduk defender Simić headed the ball into the corner and landed on the heel of the Belupo player. Although it is clear that the ball was already out of play during that involuntary contact, the decision was not changed, and Krstanović scored to equalize. Hajduk ended the match with ten players after Sahiti was sent off in the 80th minute, receiving his second yellow card for an alleged handball.

Hajduk president Lukša Jakobušić commented about the match on Monday:

"Referee experts and the Commission are inconsistent, which confuses the public, us in football, and the refs themselves. Some situations went to our advantage and our detriment. However, Hajduk will never be satisfied with anything that is not fair. We want a fair trial for all clubs at all levels."

Belupo is currently in 4th place with 26 points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 35. 

Sibenik v. Osijek (0:2)

Sibenik and Osijek met on Sunday, November 13, in front of only 250 fans. 

Beljo scored two goals in two minutes to make it 0:2 for Osijek going into halftime. Beljo scored again in the 72nd minute, which was called offside after consulting VAR. 

Sibenik is currently in 9th place with 13 points, while Osijek is in 3rd with 30. 

Rijeka v. Dinamo (2:7)

Rijeka and Dinamo closed the 17th round on Sunday, November 13, at Rujevica.

Rijeka lost 2:7 on Sunday, their biggest defeat at home since Croatian independence. This was also the last match in SuperSport HNL in 2022. Dinamo separated themselves from Hajduk by six points with a game in hand. Mislav Oršić and Mahir Emreli scored two goals each, Dario Špikić and Josip Šutalo added one each, while Ivan Smolčić scored an own goal. Gabriel Lunetta and Mario Vrančić mitigated the defeat for Rijeka. 

Serse Cosmi was sacked as the Rijeka coach after the match. Rijeka is currently in 8th place with 15 points. 

Gorica v. Varazdin (Postponed)

The 17th-round match between Gorica and Varaždin, which was supposed to be played on Sunday, was postponed due to COVID-19 in the Gorica team. The new date will be determined at a later date. 

The SuperSport HNL will return on January 21, 2023, when the 18th round will be played.

You can see the HNL table HERE.

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

November 13, 2022 - Next year, the specialist training of nurses and technicians for independent work in the emergency service will begin, who, following the model of the paramedic system in Western European countries, will be able to provide first aid to victims in the field independently, without the presence of a doctor.

"It is the first such specialisation of nurses in Croatia. They will receive greater competence and authority; they will be able to independently resuscitate a patient and administer certain medications, following the example of paramedics in Western European countries who can independently provide first aid and administer resuscitation therapy," explained Mario Gazić, president of the Croatian Chamber of Nurses, to Hina, reports Zadarski List. 

E-consultation has just been completed on the Proposal for a new regulation on the specialist training of bachelor's degrees in nursing in the field of emergency medicine.

The out-of-hospital emergency medical service in the field consists of team T1, which includes a doctor, nurse/technician, and driver, and team T2, without a doctor, but in the future, after their specialisation training, additional trained nurses and technicians with greater authority should work in it and be able to provide first aid independently.

The training will last one year, and the first call for applications for specialisations is expected by the end of this year.

The Croatian Institute for Emergency Medicine (HZHM) says that for a three-year period, one hundred million kuna of European funds have been secured for the education of 375 bachelor's degrees in nursing. The paramedic system works in most Western European countries, and professional associations have been advocating its introduction in Croatia for years.

Gazić points out that nurses and technicians in the emergency service team will receive greater competence and authority but also greater responsibility, so they must raise the salary coefficient.

He points out that for specialists, the coefficient should be at least 1.37 instead of the current 1.16, so their salaries should increase from HRK 1,500 to HRK 2,000.

Specialist training

Participants of the specialisation should attend 1,600 hours of classes in one year of education.

The theoretical part will take place at colleges and universities, and the practical part, under the supervision of a mentor, in institutes for emergency medicine and hospitals. In the end, they will take the final specialist exam to determine that the participant has acquired all the knowledge and skills prescribed by the program.

"In the emergency medical system, there is an interest in specialist training, and we believe that nurses and technicians, as well as their employers, will take advantage of this opportunity for quality education, for which European funds have been secured," said HZHM.

As an added value, they cite other complementary projects such as the project "Telemedical connection of emergency medical service vehicles with a unified emergency hospital reception," through which the employees of the outpatient emergency medical services will be able to receive a telemedical consultation from a specialist doctor at any time to take care of the patient as well as possible until they arrive at the hospital.

The Chamber of Nurses believes that the possibility of specialist training could prevent nurses and technicians from going to work abroad.

"Several other specialisations in the field of nursing are being developed, which will enable higher incomes with additional incentives. So far, about 20 proposals from professional societies on specialisations for nurses have been collected," Gazić pointed out.

For more, check out our dedicated Lifestyle section.

November 13, 2022 - Before the pandemic in 2019, South Korean tourists were responsible for over 511,000 overnight stays in Croatia, which they consider a safe and desirable destination.

As Poslovni writes, the Korean delegation from the Jeju Tourism Association (JTA) was visiting Istria. On Thursday, they held a meeting with the leaders of the leading destination management company in Croatia and the region, Uniline, who presented Croatia as a safe country in every respect. Great efforts and experience of Uniline in the Asian markets ensured a great interest in Croatia from the guests from South Korea.

"We can state that, after the pandemic, Croatia has returned to the Asian market as a desirable and safe destination. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, guests from this part of the world have not visited Croatia, but this summer, the first tourists have already started coming to our country, and interest is growing. At today's talks, it was announced that a significant number of groups of Korean tourists would arrive in Croatia in the coming period. Guests from South Korea highly appreciate the lifestyle and culture of the destination where they spend their vacation, and they visit Zagreb the most on their tours," said Boris Žgomba, president of Uniline's board.

Uniline opened an office in Seoul in 2017, the company's second office in East Asia after the office in Shanghai, and the long-term goal is for every tenth Korean to get to know the beauty of Croatia.

Data from the period before the pandemic showed how important the emission market of South Korea is. When choosing a holiday destination, tourists from that country especially look at safety and the price-quality ratio and that the destination is suitable for family tourism.

Before the pandemic, in 2019, more than 400,000 tourists from South Korea came to Croatia, which accounted for over 511,000 overnight stays. Before the pandemic, guests from South Korea were the second largest group of foreign guests for the City of Zagreb.

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

November 13, 2022 - In addition to the standard conditions offered by most hotel chains, Aminess proudly points out that they have a seasonal bonus for employees of HRK 8,000, a Christmas bonus, holiday pay, children bonuses, as well as jubilee awards, and unique employee reward programs.

As Poslovni writes, Aminess hotels and camps are the first tourist company to start the search for seasonal workers next year. The campaign with the appropriate name 'Where colleagues become friends", as they say from this company, should enable them to be the first to pick the best workers looking for a job in tourism. Their hotels and camps from Istria, Krk, to the south of Dalmatia will be looking for more than a thousand workers for next season. In addition to the domestic market, the campaign is also aimed at countries in the region.

"As for employment trends, we expect them to be similar to last year. One thousand employees, with emphasis on cooks, waiters, bartenders, maids, and receptionists. This year, we are starting the recruitment campaign earlier. In January, we plan to participate in various fairs, which is a great opportunity for us to get to know our employees and for them to get to know us. We will communicate all details, positions, and conditions on our social networks", said Marina Jurić, director of human resources

In addition to the standard conditions offered by most hotel chains, Aminess proudly points out that they also have a seasonal bonus for employees of HRK 8,000, a Christmas bonus, holiday pay, children bonuses, compensation for the birth of a child, as well as jubilee awards and special employee reward programs - for the employee of the year, the employee of the month, and a prize of HRK 10,000.

"We are investing HRK 1.5 million in employee education and development in the coming period. The challenge of finding workers has been present for years; we bridge it by offering them benefits and a friendly environment. By fostering such a culture, we want to reach the best and highest quality people who want to work in tourism. With the new campaign, we are looking for people who share our values ​​and are ready to learn. We are looking for thousands of new friends open to learning, and we have several professionals to teach them. We are a company that seasonal workers are happy to return to; salary and benefits are the best reason for that, followed by the importance of learning and training that we organise and learning at the workplace from experienced colleagues. It is the Aminess atmosphere, where employees consider their colleagues to be their friends, help each other in challenges, and celebrate all successes together", Jurić pointed out.

Dalibor Matovina, director of operations, points out that they are particularly proud of that education segment, for which this company is already well known and recognised.
"We are already established for education in the food and beverage segment, but we do that in all the aspects - from reception to wellness, and we find educators on the domestic market, but we do not hesitate to reach out to foreign partners, and now we have a new partner in this for the department of housekeeping and reception which works for world-famous hotels. You can move up with us from seasonal employment to, say, the director of an object; we have several such examples," said Matovina.

Damir Čekić, director of the food and beverage department, referred to Aminess Gourmet and Aminess Lab, where top chefs and experts share their knowledge and raise the quality of the offer and the employees' skills.

"Our main idea was that people do not leave but stay part of the team; we started with dinners with Skoko, Hrvoje Zirojević also joined, as well as Matija Bogdan, and a new face is coming this year - Melkior Bašić. Our employees learn from the best. They work on themselves and gain knowledge. In addition to chefs, we also have education for bartenders and baristas. Next year, in addition to new associates who will bring new knowledge, we have the idea to raise this whole story to a higher level and to make our fine dining even more recognisable. We set the standards in our 5-star hotel, which was the last to enter our portfolio, we talked, worked, and learned every day, and most importantly, we created our own; we never copied others", said Čekić.

Martina Labinjan has been a member of the Aminess team for seven years. She emphasizes that the main advantage of working for this company is that everything is easy with them. As she says, it is simple to agree with them, the conditions are excellent, and progression is possible.

"I started as a seasonal worker; at the beginning, I was an assistant confectioner, and today I am the manager of the confectionary department. In those seven years, I met top experts. They enabled me to grow and develop," said Labinjanin.

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