ZAGREB, 11 Feb 2022 - On the occasion of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, observed on 11 February, the Zagreb-based Ruđer Bošković Institute (RBI) issued a statement on Friday regarding the importance of raising awareness of gender equality in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

In order to achieve full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls, and further achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, in 2015 the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

Three in five scientists and researchers in the institute are women

The RBI says the institute employs as many as 793 scientists and researchers and 61% of them are women. This share of female researchers is above the Croatian and European average.

According to data collected by the European Union's statistical office (EUROSTAT) in 2020,  women made up 51% of the total number of employees in science and technology in the EU, while in Croatia this share stood at 55%.

Concerning doctoral degrees in natural sciences, in Croatia, there were more women than men with PHDs (55.5%) in 2020, and in the institute as many as 60% of holders of PHDs in Science were women.

On 8 February 2022, there were 1,010 people on the RBI payroll and 603 of them were women.

Also of the three assistant directors of the institute, two are women.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, 11 Feb 2022 - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković will on Friday hold a speech on sea protection and efforts to deal with plastic pollution during  "The One Planet Summit for the Ocean" in Brest, which is being hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.

France, the current chair of the European Union, is organizing this 9-11 February summit on ecology.

"The goal of the One Ocean Summit is to raise the collective level of ambition of the international community on marine issues and to translate our shared responsibility to the ocean into tangible commitments," it is stated on the summit meeting's website.

Image: @AndrejPlenkovic/Twitter

"Several important initiatives will be launched on this occasion in favor of marine ecosystem protection and sustainable fisheries, intended to fight pollution, in particular from plastics, respond to the impacts of climate change, as well as advocate for improved governance of the oceans."

In attendance at the summit are European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel.

Plenković, who flew to France on Thursday evening, met Michel ahead of the summit meeting last night.

Plenković tweeted on his account that he and Charles Michel discussed Croatia's aspirations to join the Schengen Area and the euro area, and efforts to address energy price rises as well as the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the importance of the reform of that country's election legislation.

Croatian Economy Minister Tomislav Ćorić is also expected to participate in the Brest event.

Due to strict health protection measures, physical access to attend the One Ocean Summit in person will be limited to the main professionals and officials from the international community, namely over 500 personalities representing more than 65 countries, while other speakers will join via video conference.

In Brest, apart from Plenković, another two premiers from EU member-states, Michael Martin of Ireland and Robert Abela of Malta have arrived. Furthermore, heads of state or government from Morocco, Tunisia, Tanzania, Ghana, and so on are also among the guests.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau are expected to address the event via video link.

For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB, 11 Feb 2022 -  A magnitude 3.8 earthquake was registered in the Banovina region at 0733 hours on Friday, Croatia's Seismological Survey said.

The epicenter of the tremor was near the village of Donja Budičina, 5 km south of Petrinja.

For more news about Croatia, click here.

February 11th, 2022 - Step aside, Paris! Crikvenica, a charming town in the Northern Adriatic, could very well be called a city of love owing to romantic-themed projects implemented in the public space

The town of Crikvenica is full of romantic spots, all resulting from various projects: the Love Avenue, a Love Trail, the Mediterranean Labyrinth of Love, A Map for Kissing, ‘This is a Good Kissing Spot’ markings… you’d be pressed to find a more appropriate destination for Valentine’s Day.

Novi list talked to Silvia Crnić, head of Department for local self-government, public relations and general affairs in Crikvenica, to find out more about the tourist attractions that are related to love and romance, especially the local favourite ‘Love Avenue’.

According to Crnić, it has been seven years since the Love Avenue project was implemented in Crikvenica, preceded by the initiative ‘Let’s make our town green’ and the project ‘I, too, have my tree’. It’s easy to spot the common denominator - let’s just add that the Croatian name for Love Avenue, Drvored ljubavi, specifically refers to a tree-lined walkway.

‘The idea was for all entrepreneurs in Crikvenica, as well as everyone involved with our town due to business or any other reason, to contribute and enhance the urban space in Crikvenica. We offered entrepreneurs the option to participate in the greening of our town’s wider area, which they did by ‘adopting’ trees and co-financing their procurement. In return, a plaque was installed next to each tree, engraved with the name of the company which participated in the project’, said Crnić.

The initiative continued to grow, and the Love Avenue project soon followed. Instead of entrepreneurs, trees are being adopted by people from many placed and of all backgrounds, as an expression of love and a gesture intended for their romantic partners or another person they care for.

‘The trees have thus been recognised as a special and unique gift for Valentine’s day, a gift unlike the commercial presents we’re used to and which most of us are inclined to buy. The interest of the public grew with each passing year, this year being the most successful so far. The trees that will be planted next to the Dubračina promenade in spring were sold out in record time. Thirty new trees will be planted there, and overall, more than 110 trees were planted in several locations over the last seven years’, said Crnić.

The utility company Eko Murvica is tasked with the planting, and their experts are known to recommend specific sorts of trees that would be the best choice for each given location, in regards to the microclimate and other conditions.

It’s not just the locals that are adopting trees in Crikvenica. The offer is extended to anyone looking to participate, and there have been people from other parts of Croatia - and abroad - who have left their mark in this lovely town.

Trees can be ‘adopted’ at a price of 300 kuna, and as we already mentioned, you’ll get a chance to have a special message engraved in a metal plaque that will be installed next to your tree. People typically go with names only - such is the case with one of the trees that says ‘Boris + Ivana’ - but there are also lyrics, lines from poems and other touching and emotional quotes.

‘Overall, we’ve created a lovely, special story. We’re overjoyed by the fact that we enhanced the public space in Crikvenica by planting more trees, but it has to be said that this is not just about 110 adopted trees, but also 110 wonderful personal stories that are related to Crikvenica in one way or another', said Crnić, adding that the owners can come visit their trees anytime. 

ZAGREB, 11 Feb 2022 - The buildup of Russian forces along the Russia-Ukraine border is not a local problem but a global security threat, Croatian member of the European Parliament, Tonino Picula, told the BBC on Thursday.

The war with the pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine is entering its eighth year, and pro-Russian separatists, supported by Russia, carried out secession of the three eastern Ukrainian areas:  Donetsk, Luhansk, and Crimea, said Picula, a foreign policy coordinator of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament.

According to a statement issued by Picula's office, the MEP said that Ukrainians deserved to be commended for their rational attitude.

It can seem paradoxical that while Ukraine is facing a dramatic situation, citizens and the state leadership of that country are not inclined to dramatize it. Citizens are definitely worried but they are not panicking, the Croatian MEP says.

He added that even without direct military aggression, Russia has been undermining Ukraine's democratic, social and economic development for years, through the dissemination of misinformation and other means, he added.

Picula said, among other things, that during this crisis many European leaders have an opportunity to show their position on the current security architecture in Europe.

Picula believes that the unity of the West is now of crucial importance.

Commenting on the Russian and the European approach, Picula said that it is much simpler for Russia to speak in unison, as it is President Vladimir Putin who speaks about the matter.

On the other hand, the West is pluralistic, various member-states have different sensibilities and interests. In this crisis it is most important to stick to the joint approach in order to make it impossible for Russia to take advantage of disagreements in a bid to attack the sovereignty of Ukraine, said Picula.

"This crisis is a big stress test for us in the European Union, the biggest one since the wars after the breakup of Yugoslavia," he added calling for the European support to Ukrainians' efforts to defend their freedom and way of life.

For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB, 11 Feb 2022 - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, who flew on Thursday evening to France for "The One Planet Summit for the Ocean", met European Council President Charles Michel ahead of the summit meeting, which is taking place in Brest on 9-11 February.

Plenković tweeted on his account that he and Charles Michel discussed Croatia's aspirations to join the Schengen Area and the euro area, and efforts to address energy price rises as well as the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the importance of the reform of that country's election legislation.

On Friday, PM Plenković and Croatian Economy and Sustainable Development Minister Tomislav Ćorić will participate in the summit, which is being held to mobilize the international community to take concrete action to reduce these adverse effects on the ocean.

French President Emmanuel Macron is the host of this summit.

Plenkovć is due to hold a speech on the protection of oceans and seas and the struggle against plastic pollution.

For more, check out our politics section.

February 11, 2022 – Considerable controversy has arisen in Croatia this week after artist Stjepan Pranjković was accused of plagiarising a winning proposal for the country's future Euro coin design of the Kuna. 

The graphic designer became the object of public scrutiny when members of the public began pointing out similarities between his composition and a photo of a marten taken by British photographer Iain H Leach. Pranjković has since withdrawn the proposal, leaving officials with the task of selecting a new motif before the coins enter circulation in January of next year.

Squabbling aside, I want to seize this opportunity to draw your attention to the real star of this somewhat dramatic narrative, our fuzzy friend, the kuna.

Many people are familiar with this mischievous forest creature and maybe understand why he lends his name to the national currency. However, if you're like me, you may recognize that gaps remain in your kuna-knowledge. If so, keep reading.

In biologists' speak, kuna (martens) constitute the genus Martes within the family Mustelidae, a group that includes more familiar carnivores like weasels, otters, badgers, and wolverines. There are many species of marten, ranging throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. The star of the current coin debacle is most likely a European pine marten (Martes martes), a common species across Europe, including in Croatia and in Leach's native Great Britain.

The photo in question shows the kuna climbing on a branch. It comes as no surprise then that pine martens are arboreal, spending much of their time maneuvering amongst treetops. These agile predators use their semi-retractable claws to climb between branches, including those of the pines from which they take their name. These claws also come in handy when hunting and foraging their favourite foods: small mammals, birds, insects, fruits, and carrion… delicious! While not most appetizing to the average palate, scientists attribute the appetites of pine martens to a population reduction of the invasive grey squirrel in certain regions across Europe. While many view this fuzzy creature as a pest, this example demonstrates the valuable role pine martens play in their native habitat. Fortunately, despite pressure from deforestation and illegal hunting, the European pine marten is still classified as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

So, how did this tree climbing, squirrel eating, weasel cousin end up at the centre of a national debate on currency design? Well, like most things in Croatia, the kuna goes back several centuries and has a complicated but interesting backstory. To understand, we must go back to medieval Croatia, a time when marten pelts were traded as money. Flash to the 13th century, the Croatian Viceroys distributed marten-adorned silver coins called banovac. However, the currency did not last long. As Croatia lost its autonomy to its union with larger and more powerful Hungary, the banovac disappeared in the following century. But this would not be the last time the world would hear the word kuna.

As I'm sure you are all aware, Croatian's are a stubborn and traditionalistic people. (I say this out of love and from personal experience). Thus, it was only natural that upon independence, Croatian leaders designated the kuna as the state currency on May 30, 1994. Ever since, the kuna has served both practically and symbolically as an embodiment of Croatian custom, identity, and national pride.

As is so often the case, it appears that history is set to repeat itself. With the adoption of the Euro imminent, the renaissance of the kuna is coming to an end. I don't want to criticize the government as it moves to bring the country towards a more integrated future. Croatia has much to gain from establishing the Euro within its borders. Nevertheless, by dawning this historical perspective, one can glean additional insight into why so many are hesitant about the process.

For this reason, it truly is a shame that the coin depicting the kuna, a consecrated emblem of Croatian independence, has become ensnared in public dissension. Of course, the choice to withdraw the submission and protect intellectual property was correct. But, personally, I hope that officials can find a way to reincorporate the kuna into the Croatian Euro roster. That way, Croatians can continue to trade furs for beer and wine while sharing this tradition with the rest of the European community.

For more news about Croatia, click here.

February 11th, 2022 - The Croatian justice system is said to be slow and ineffective, but it sure acts swiftly in some cases.

A 28-year-old man named Petar was declared guilty and sentenced to prison for having begged for money in front of a Konzum store in Nova Gradiška.

Petar was asking passersby for money in November last year. The judge sentenced him to five days in prison, and the money he had earned that day was confiscated, 24sata reports.

It’s described in the verdict that the beggar was ‘standing at the front door, holding out the palm of his left hand with some coins, begging citizens who were entering or leaving [the store] for money, saying he had no income or anything to eat, eliciting compassion from citizens.'

The court declared him guilty of committing a violation of the Act on Misdemeanors against Public Order and Peace, which classifies the act of begging as a misdemeanor punishable by fine or up to 30 days in prison. Petar must report to prison when summoned by the court, when the verdict becomes final.

It is also said in the verdict that the proceeds of the misdemeanor in the amount of HRK 84.30 are to be seized from the defendant and must be paid into the State Budget of the Republic of Croatia within 15 days.

Petar also has to reimburse the costs of misdemeanor court proceedings in the amount of 100 kuna; failure to do so will result in enforcement proceedings. He did not appear in court, did not send a defense lawyer to represent him, and did not inform the court of a change of address.

A police officer who was questioned in the proceedings said that on the day in question the citizens reported that the man was begging in front of the entrance to Konzum.

He described going to the site of the reported misdemeanor and finding Petar in front of the entrance with the outstretched palm of his left hand containing the coins he received from citizens.

The police officer added that Petar was invoking his difficult living conditions in order to elicit compassion.

‘I found 84.30 kuna in coins on the defendant which he received from citizens. I confiscated them and they were paid into the state budget. The defendant often begs at Konzum and in the passage near the open market’, the officer said.