Injured Turtle in Korčula Bay: Rescued, Treated, Ready For New Life
July 17, 2021 - An injured turtle in Korčula Bay sparked immediate action by locals and vets, seeing the turtle being saved and getting a second chance.
Like many other places, towns, locations, and neighborhoods, Korčula also has groups on social media to ease communication among users who share the same place of daily life. Friday afternoon saw residents of Korčula have a big heart, and despite might being stereotypically perceived as laid back, chilled chaps (as for every Mediterranian-culture impacted people), they were quick to act when needed.
A user under the name Antoni Ja, one of the members of the FB group Oglasnik otoka Korčule (Korčula Island Message Board), reported on a 20 kilo turtle floating in the sea in Žrnovska Banja. Floating, the keyword.
„Please do something, so it doesn't get hit by a speedboat or some maniac“, said Antoni Ja.
Other users immediately started to worry if the turtle was injured, and the name of a local vet Vilović was suggested as an address to report the issue.
Sure enough, Vilović examined the turtle, and the 20-kilo turtle turned out to be over 50 kilos. Not quite often seen in shallow waters, but nevertheless a normal turtle size in the Adriatic sea.
„It had a head wound, most likely from the propeller. It is on its way to the Specialist in Split by catamaran“, briefly commented Vilović.
Indeed, as the photo on the FB group published by Ana Jurić shows, the turtle was on its way to Split.
„Kudos to the vet and the guys that organized all this, and the turtle is huge!“ wrote Jurić.
Zrnovska Banja where the turtle was spotted floating © Visit Korcula
Dr. Mario Gavranović, head of the VET VISION clinic in Split, confirmed that the turtle arrived on Friday night. „It should arrive in an hour or two. The propeller injury is an old wound and I will first have to examine it to see what is the proper way of treatment“, said Dr. Gavranović.
When contacted on Saturday morning to provide more information on what happened to the turtle, dr. Gavranović wasn't in his office. As confirmed by Aquarium Pula, the reason was Gavranović took the turtle to the aquarium which also has a Marine turtles rescue centre.
"The turtle is alright, on its way and should be in the Centre around midday", briefly confirmed Aquairum Pula.
Pula's rescue centre has been active for around 17 years (with turtles being strictly protected in Croatia since 1995 as one of the most endangered animal species), and Morski.hr wrote in 2019 how the centre cured over 100 turtles.
One of the many rescued turtles by Marine turtles rescue centre © Aquarium Pula
Croatia loves its animals
With vets displaying their expertise, locals on Korčula once again demonstrated their compassion and big heart when it comes to animals. And that compassion is not different from the general mood in Croatia.
With the nourishing of the recently deceased stork Malena being the most famous story of love between Croatians and animals, there were plenty of other examples too. From rejoicing every time whales or dolphins are spotted, when sheep visited the Zadar mall or when a Croatian reality TV star Jasmin Kunišinac raised a fox.
Unfortunately, Croatia also records cases of animal cruelty, such as the poisoning of cats and dogs, and each time Croatian public met it with a fierce backlash and anger for such acts.
Despite quite often arguing about everything imaginable and unimaginable, Croatians also express solidarity with each other when things get tough. For instance, many cities canceled their new year celebrations and relocated the money to Petrinja following its earthquake, as well as Croatian entrepreneurs too. But, many more instances of help were noted over the years.
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PM: Don't Downplay Vaccination, Help Get as Many People as Possible to Get Vaccinated
ZAGREB, 16 July 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Friday that the importance of vaccination against COVID-19 must not be downplayed, appealing to people to get vaccinated.
"I strongly reject any downplaying of COVID-19," Plenković told reporters during a visit to Farkaševac, a municipality in the northeast of Zagreb County, when asked to comment on the statement by President Zoran Milanović that it was not politically intelligent to put pressure on half the population to get vaccinated.
The prime minister said that the COVID-19 crisis had so far cost Croatia HRK 34 billion and that the matter should be addressed seriously. "This is very important. One should not downplay it but should try and help get as many people as possible to get vaccinated."
Asked why he did not condemn statements by Gordan Lauc, a member of the government's Science Council, who has publicly downplayed the benefits of vaccination, Plenković said that Lauc was speaking on his own behalf and not on behalf of the government.
"He is speaking on his own behalf, certainly not on behalf of the Council. Only I can speak on behalf of the Council after it has convened. Do not attribute to the government something that someone says on their own behalf," Plenković said.
The Council members have voluntarily decided to make their own contribution, and the cabinet members have made it clear to them that they can speak in public only on their own behalf and in line with the general agreement of the Council, he added.
"The government can in no way be connected with anyone's statements, We distance ourselves from such statements," Plenković concluded.
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Croatia Sends Aid to Lithuania to Cope with Upsurge in Migrants
ZAGREB, 16 July 2021 - The Croatian government decided on Friday to send tents, bunk beds, blankets, pillows and sleeping bags to Lithuania after the Baltic country has taken in more than 2,000 migrants in recent weeks.
The number of crossings of irregular migrants, mainly Syrians and Iraqis, from Belarus to Lithuania has increased 25 times compared to the whole of 2020, Croatian Interior Minister Davor Božinovć said at a cabinet meeting.
These developments prompted Lithuania to activate the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and ask other EU member states for assistance.
Croatia's aid is equivalent to HRK 1.05 million (€140,000).
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Gov't Continues to Co-Finance Energy Renovation of Family Homes
ZAGREB, 16 July (Hina) - The government will continue to co-finance the energy renovation of family homes even though the renovation programme ended last year, while the new one, which will cover the 2021-2030 period, is being prepared, the government decided at a cabinet meeting on Friday.
The government adopted a proposal to extend financing for the programme of energy renovation of family homes for the 2014-2020 period.
Funding for the energy renovation of family homes for this and next year, in the total amount of HRK 400 million, has been secured from the Environment Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund and from the distribution of proceeds from the sale of emission units, with HRK 300 million earmarked to co-finance the energy renovation of family homes that were not damaged in last year's earthquakes and HRK 100 million to co-finance the energy renovation of family homes that were damaged in the earthquakes.
The Environment Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund last month issued a call for applications for family home owners, with co-financing amounting to HRK 171 million, and for citizens at risk of energy poverty, with the total co-financing amount of HRK 32 million.
The call was closed on 1 September 2020 after applications far exceeded the planned amount of HRK 203 million. A total of 7,394 applications were received, of which 3,100 were approved, for which HRK 210.9 million was ensured. On the other hand, 1,200 applications did not meet the set criteria while more than half the applications were rejected because funding was insufficient.
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Gov't Will Provide Uninsured Individuals with Jabs Free of Charge
ZAGREB, 16 July 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Friday that Croatia had not yet achieved the target of sufficient number of people being vaccinated and warned of the spread of the Delta variant throughout Europe.
The prime minister once again called on everyone to get vaccinated while announcing that all those without healthcare cover could be vaccinated free.
"We have 46.8% vaccinated with one dose. We are gradually coming to 50%, while 39% of the total population have been double-jabbed. That is still not enough," said Plenković at the start of the cabinet meeting, warning of the fast spread of a much more contagious, Delta variant in Europe.
He underscored that vaccination protects against the most serious cases of illness and that those who are not vaccinated are more susceptible to contagion.
"For those who are not inoculated, one in 44 infected persons is likely to die," said Plenković, claiming that that remaining unvaccinated is an enormous and unnecessary risk.
Plenković once again called on citizens to get vaccinated, particularly elderly persons and those with chronic diseases, recalling that 8,233 people have died of COVID in Croatia and 92% of them were above 60.
He recalled that the government had done everything for the economy to not cave in during the coronavirus crisis, lay-offs, bankruptcies...
"This is a challenge and threat in which individual attitudes are insufficient. This is a situation in which we depend on each other and the more citizens are protected, the better," concluded Plenković and announced the possibility of free vaccination in Croatia for all citizens regardless of whether they have healthcare cover or not and which part of the world they come from.
"Croatian citizens can come to Croatia and get vaccinated free, and others can do so too. We have that many doses available and want to protect whoever wants to be protected," he said, adding that that was a contribution to global efforts to suppress COVID-19.
Health Minister Vili Beroš said that the government's decision to this effect enabled all people residing in Croatia, no matter what their citizenship is and whether they are covered by healthcare insurance or not, to get vaccinated free of charge.
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Anti-Money Laundering Office Handled 403 Cases in 2020
ZAGREB, 16 July 2021 - The Croatian government on Friday adopted a report on the activities of the Anti-Money Laundering Office in 2020, when 403 cases relating to money laundering and terrorism financing were opened and 254 of them were referred to the relevant authorities.
Finance Minister Zdravko Marić said that the Office had launched 403 cases of suspected money laundering and terrorism financing.
Of that number, 254 cases were referred to the relevant authorities for further action, with 249 cases relating to money laundering and five relating to terrorism financing, he added.
The Office inspected more than 4,000 transactions in reference to the 254 forwarded cases and more than a thousand physical and legal persons who participated in those transactions, he said.
The Office operates within the Ministry of Finance. It issued 46 instructions to banks to block suspect transfers with a total value of HRK 33.8 million. It also submitted 130 requests to 42 countries as part of of international cooperation and received 114 such requests from 37 countries.
Marić recalled that the Register of Beneficial Ownership became operational at the start of this year and that the government had adopted a national risk assessment for money laundering and terrorism financing on 25 June 2020, along with an action plan to reduce the identified risks.
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Croatia Logs 131 New Coronavirus Cases, One Death
ZAGREB, 16 July 2021 - In the past 24 hours, 131 coronavirus cases and one death have been registered in Croatia, Health Minister Vili Beroš said on Friday at a press conference of the national COVID-19 crisis management team.
There are 685 active cases and 112 hospitalised patients, including 12 on ventilators, while 3,826 persons are self-isolating.
In the past 24 hours, 3,996 persons have been tested for the virus. and 3.30% of the tests came back positive, said Beroš.
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New and Improved FOI Course: Business Applied Information Technologies
July 16, 2021 - Continuing to improve education, a new and improved FOI course is open for the academic year 2021/2022. Meet the program of Business Applied Information Technologies.
With a fantastic display of informatical knowledge and growing interest in the field observable among Croatian pupils, it is only logical that the education system follows the demand.
Faculty of Organization and Informatics (FOI), based in Varaždin but part of the University of Zagreb, is already one of the more known high-education institutions for computer-sciences-inclined. But, as Srednja.hr reported, starting next academic year this autumn, an improved bachelor's study program will take its first students.
„By process of revision, and by following trends and modern markets, FOI successfully innovated a professional bachelor's program called Business Applied Information Technologies (PITUP), says Srednja.hr.
The article adds that the program has a multidisciplinary approach in combining information technologies and digital business. The program also develops in two directions: app development and informatics support aimed to allow students to progress in their preferred area. The education for the new and improved PITUP apart from Varaždin will also be available in cities and towns such as Varaždin, Sisak, Križevci, and Zabok.
As stated by Faculty's official website, FOI is active for more than 50 years and spent that time well in educating the most qualified experts in information technology, economy, organization, communicology, and other fields of similar direction.
„To educate our students, all the needed infrastructure is secured: equipped laboratories, videoconference halls, electronic learning system, wireless network for Faculty buildings and modern equipped library and reading room“, says FOI.
In addition, FOI has two buildings, with building two being within a five-minute walk from the center of Varaždin, and from building one directed towards Varaždin Student Dorms and the newly built Student Restaurant.
„Employers recognized the knowledge and skill of our students. From this year, ecx.io digital agency, that does business as part of IBM iX Group, collabs with FOI to give scholarships to three freshmen year students that will take the PITUPeducational program in Sisak Educational Centre“, added Srednja.hr
The city of Križevci also offers scholarships for three students from Križevci that stay in their town to study the new program.
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Milanović: Pressure on Half the Population Politically Not Intelligent
ZAGREB, 16 July 2021 - President Zoran Milanović said on Friday 50% of Croatia's population did not and, for some reason, would not get vaccinated, adding that pressure on half the population was politically not intelligent.
"If it was 15% of people, that would not be important because we would be on the verge of collective immunity. What's the point of this pressure on half the population? That's not even politically intelligent," he told the press in Požega.
He said that those who wanted to get vaccinated did so and that others could not be terrorised into doing so, and that he doesn't approve of the direction that is being taken.
He added that if his secretary, for example, did not get vaccinated, he would not sack her.
Milanović said Croatia could not have a separate approach to curbing the pandemic, as it is an EU member state but added that, out of fear from voters, there was talk of repression and threats.
He said he was not happy about threats against certain groups of people, but added that medical workers and those caring for the elderly and the ill were one thing, while all others who more or less work in normal jobs should therefore be allowed to decide whether to get vaccinated.
Milanović said that those in charge should explain why a neighbour, for example, should get vaccinated and if they did not, why their life should become impossible.
"It all boils down to not overwhelming the system, but the system is always overwhelmed," he added.
He said that for one year Croatia has had an approach to public policy and restrictions of fundamental human rights, without the parliamentary majority having decided on that.
"States vary. Healthcare isn't centralised and won't be, as far as I'm concerned... I need autonomy from the EU. This is a sort of fear of voters, which is good, but this panic, the danger of someone getting sick... I'm not saying the intentions of the people running big states are dictatorial, they are not, but at one point, you have to say 'it's over' like the British."
Organised plunder of Zagreb
Speaking of an anti-corruption investigation in Zagreb which has resulted in the arrest of a number of former mayor Milan Bandić's associates, Milanović said that what Zagreb went through in the past 20 years was worse than communism because in communism people did not steal.
He called it an organised plunder of the city and that he said so when he ousted Bandić from his then Social Democratic Party.
As for former president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović's possible candidacy for NATO secretary-general, Milanović said he would not have anything against that.
Operation Storm anniversary
Speaking of the 1995 Operation Storm anniversary in Knin on 5 August, he said he would participate but that he did not see the point in lining up the army at a stadium on a non-jubilee anniversary. He assumes that "some people want to avoid an unpleasant situation at the Knin square."
Speaking of two fire-fighting planes that were being overhauled, he said Croatia would buy something else because it was a matter of national interest. "If Croatia can buy 12 multipurpose jets, then you can buy two more fire-fighting planes."
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VL: Croatia Has Italy's Support for Schengen, Scandinavia Problematic
ZAGREB, 16 July 2021 - Slovenia supports Croatia's Schengen entry and now that it chairs the Council of the EU, it has the chance to show it by putting the item on the agenda, Večernji List daily said on Friday, adding that Croatia had Italy's support too, but that Scandinavia was a problem.
No member state likes to open a topic during its six-month rotating EU presidency that it cannot conclude, so Slovenia's decision will depend on the signals of the member states, which must all support Croatia if it is to join the Schengen Area.
There is no open resistance to Croatia's entry but there is a big picture that some states would like to resolve before giving the green light.
Thursday's informal meeting of foreign ministers in Slovenia provided the outline of what can be expected - at stake is a final agreement on a migrant pact proposed by the Commission which should relieve the states of first entry.
The agreement is tied to the functioning of Schengen which, during the previous migrant crisis and now the pandemic, has suspended the flow of people and reinstated border control.
Those in the know assess Croatia's situation as "cautiously optimistic" and its chances of joining Schengen "very good," but the main obstacle is the area's very concept, the newspaper said.
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