ZAGREB, 20 Jan 2022 - The INA oil company and the Končar electrical, transport, and energy company have signed a contract for the construction of the solar power plants Virje and Sisak, INA reported on Thursday.

The Virje solar power plant will be built as part of INA's gas processing facility Molve while the plant in Sisak will be located on INA's industrial premises and is one of the projects to transform the former refinery into a modern industrial center, INA said in a press release.

The power plants will be able to produce 16,000 megawatts of electricity a year, which can cover the average consumption of 4,800 households in Croatia or cities the size of Makarska or Jastrebarsko.

Works at both sites are expected to start in the spring and should be completed during 2023.

The project is yet another step in the process of transforming INA into an energy company and is in line with our development guidelines. Our aim is to upgrade the existing value chain and these solar power plants are the start of creating a sustainable portfolio in producing electricity from renewables. With this project, INA will contribute to supply security and to compliance with the climate objectives Croatia has taken on as an EU member, INA Management Board President Sandor Fasimon said.

Končar's Management Board President Gordan Kolak said that state-of-the-art technology would be used to construct the solar power plants. Končar won the tender amid stiff international competition.

For more, check out our dedicated business section.

ZAGREB, 20 Jan 2022 - Due to its low vaccination rate, Croatia, for now, cannot consider lifting some of the COVID restrictions, and medical professionals continue to recommend compliance with the epidemiological measures in place to contain the virus, Health Minister Vili Beroš said at a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

He was commenting on plans by countries such as the United Kingdom and Israel, which have high vaccination rates, to lift the restrictions and the COVID pass mandate. He warned that in Croatia, a considerable number of people aged 75 and over were unvaccinated.

Despite the surge in the number of new infections, for now, there has been no increase in the number of COVID hospitalizations, so health care is also available to non-COVID patients, the health minister said.

"Today, 1,792 infected persons are being treated in hospitals, four fewer than yesterday. The COVID bed occupancy rate is 53.4 percent, which allows for other patients to be provided with the necessary health care as well," Beroš said.

Croatia today registered a record 17,489 new COVID cases, with the PCR test positivity rate reaching 51.44 percent and the rapid antigen test positivity rate 18.82 percent. The number of COVID patients on ventilators today is 195, nine fewer than on Wednesday. 

Beroš said that 18.63 percent of the total population had received an additional vaccine dose.

He noted that people being admitted to hospitals with the Omicron variant of the virus were mostly elderly and unvaccinated with other underlying conditions.

He said that the latest data published by the European Medicines Agency showed that mRNA COVID vaccines were safe during pregnancy.

The head of the national COVID response team, Interior Minister Davor Božinović, said that the travel ban on arrivals from South Africa and other African countries where the Omicron variant first appeared had been lifted given that this variant has become dominant in Croatia and Europe.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, make sure to bookmark our dedicated section and select your preferred language if it isn't English.

ZAGREB, 20 Jan 2022 - The public health campaign called "It's Time" was presented in Zagreb on Thursday, with the aim of encouraging the implementation of Croatia's National Cancer Strategic Framework which has been delayed for a year during which time 15,637 people died of cancer, or 20% more than the European average.

The National Cancer Strategic Framework was adopted in the parliament a year ago and the campaign was launched by associations of oncology patients who wish to bring together the most important stakeholders in the health system and stimulate them to start implementing the plan.

An estimated 170,000 people in Croatia are suffering from some type of cancer, which is the second-highest cause of death in the country.

"Every day an estimated 30 people die of cancer and each year more than 25,000 are diagnosed and that is why we are saying that it's time to get moving. We've lost one year of the national plan and more than 15,000 lost their lives and it's time for us all to be actively involved," the president of the coalition of associations in the healthcare system, Ivica Belina, told a press conference on Thursday.

Assistant Health Minister Vera Katalinić Janković said that an action plan for the fight against cancer would be put into the procedure in the next week or so, to cover the next three-year period, as a first step in implementing the plan.

"The national plan will not be just a paper tiger nor a list of good wishes and it will be implemented, however, this is a process that cannot be conducted overnight. The ministry has formed task forces and I can add that the Action Plan is finished," she said.

The plan includes new radiology equipment, setting up an oncology network and database, as well as prevention, early detection, adequate treatment, and patient rehabilitation, said Katalinić Janković.

Cancer, a major health problem in Croatia, accounts for 27% of deaths in the country. It is a leading cause of death in people under the age of 65 and is the cause of every second death among women and 35% of deaths among men.

Make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, 20 Jan 2022 - In a bid to enable better integration on the labor market and more practical knowledge of vocational students, changes to vocational education are defined to base learning on work practice and determine locations to achieve such goals: at school, with an employer or at a regional competence center.

Outlining the draft amendments, Education Minister Radovan Fuchs presented the cabinet meeting on Thursday with the findings of a survey conducted by the ministry together with the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) in the period from 2016 to 2018 which show that there is a growing gap between the supply of qualified workers and demand on the labor market.

The survey showed that more intensified cooperation is required between vocational schools and employers included in training students.

The results show that employers' stances indicated that young people have an insufficient level of competencies after they finish vocational school and that the main problem is the lack of practical knowledge required to perform certain jobs.

That is the reason for reforms in this segment of education, said Fuchs, and they are related to the further upgrade of the system, developing a new curriculum with emphasis on the green and digital transition, establishing a firm framework of support to employers and schools to further develop educational institutions.

In addition to strengthening learning based on work practice by connecting schools and employers, a key change relates to improving the system to ensure quality vocational education, setting up mechanisms and criteria to motivate students to choose skills needed in the labor market, improve the conditions for the further development of regional competence centers, and to ensure a quality curriculum.

"The amendments are aimed at improving the connectivity between the education system with the labor market," he said.

The amendments introduce, among other things, the expert overseeing of students in work practice activities, and for that purpose, a commission will be set up consisting of representatives of the economy ministry, the vocational education institution, the agency for vocational education, and adult training, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts. Also, the duties of leaders at Vocational Education and Training are being defined.

For more, check out our dedicated politics section.

 January 20, 2022 - Croatia falls to Montenegro 26:32 in the first match of Group I in the EHF Euro 2022 main round in Budapest. 

The main round of the European Handball Championship began on Thursday. Croatia met Montenegro in their first match of Group I.

Croatia enters the second round of the competition without points. Denmark, France, and Iceland transferred two points each, while Montenegro and the Netherlands also entered without points.

In Group II, Germany, Spain and Russia have two points each, while Norway, Sweden, and Poland have no points.

Croatia coach Hrvoje Horvat was not able to count on Valentin Ravnić today and invited three new players to the national team as COVID-19 plagued the roster. Thus, Mirko Alilović, Ivan Slišković, and Veron Načinović joined the Croatia squad. 

Recap

Cupic scored the first goal for Croatia for 1:0. Cindric scored for 2:2 in the 5th minute. It was 3:3 in the 8th minute. 

Montenegro was leading by 2 goals in the 12th minute - (3:5). Cupic scored for 4:6. Cindric scored for 5:7 in the 18th - and Cindric made it 6:8 in the 20th. 

Cupic scored his 3rd goal of the game for 7:9. Lucin made it 8:10 in the 24th and 9:11 a minute later. 

Montenegro was leading 13:9 with two minutes to go in the first half. A catastrophic end to the first half - Montenegro was up by 6 goals - 15:9.

Croatia goalkeeper Alilovic saved Montenegro's first attack of the second half. Cupic scored for 10:15 in the 31st minute. 

Alilovic saved Montenegro's next attack and Nacinovic scored for 11:15! 

It was 13:19 for Montenegro in the 38th minute before Cindric scored for 14:19 a minute later.

Gadza brought Croatia back to -5 in the 41st minute - 15:20. Cupic scored from 7 meters for 16:21 in the 43rd. Gadza scored again for 17:21. Mandic scored for 18:22 a minute later. 

Cupic and Martinovic made it 20:25 in the 48th. But Croatia's hope quickly dwindled - they were behind by 6 goals entering the final 10 minutes of the game, and Montenegro was up by 7 goals moments later. It was 28:20 for Montenegro in the 51st minute. 

Lucin scored for 21:28 with 7 minutes to go. Jelinic scored for 23:29 with 4 minutes left. Cupic scored for 24:30 with 3 minutes to go and it was 25:31 with 2 left. Cindric made it 26:31. The match ended 26:32 for Montenegro. 

Croatia plays Denmark next on Saturday. 

For today's remaining matches of Group I, France and the Netherlands play at 6 pm and Denmark and Iceland at 8:30 pm. In Group II, Russia and Sweden also met at 3:30 pm, Germany and Spain (6 pm), and Poland and Norway (8:30 pm).

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

ZAGREB, 20 Jan 2022 - The national passenger shipping company Jadrolinija is marking its 75th anniversary on Thursday.

Upon its establishment on 20 January 1947, it had 41 vessels and in the following 75 years, it has operated 184.

Jadrolinija has been a leader in passenger transport in the Adriatic for more than 50 years, according to a press release, and this year it plans to invest in the development of the fleet, the digitalization of business and the development of services as well as signing strategic partnerships.

Jadrolinija currently has 54 vessels - ten catamarans, four-passenger ships, three international navigation, and 37 local navigation ferries.

These vessels operate on 37 local and two international lines connecting the Croatian and Italian coasts, with most lines operating year-round. The busiest lines during the summer season operate round the clock with nearly 600 departures a day.

Even during the past two pandemic years, Jadrolinija has demonstrated its ability to adapt and respond promptly, continuing to connect the mainland with the islands, the press release said.

Last year saw the beginning of recovery, with 85% of the turnover registered in the record year 2019 and a 40% increase from 2020.

Crew and passenger safety remains a priority, as confirmed by the national designation "Stay safe in Croatia" obtained last year, the company said, adding that it is designing new vessels that would include green technology in cooperation with the Kvarner Lürssen Design Centre.

Board president David Sopta said on the occasion of the 75th anniversary that Jadrolinija is "striving for excellence in every area - renewing the fleet with more modern vessels, investing in green technology, increasing business efficiency through digitalization and increasing passenger satisfaction by developing service quality."

For more, check out our dedicated travel section.

ZAGREB, 20 Jan 2022 - The Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been present in Croatia for several weeks now, but it "seems slightly less dangerous than was previously the case," Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in his opening remarks at a regular cabinet meeting on Thursday.

"The number of new infections is not proportionately reflected in the number of hospitalizations and those placed on ventilators," Plenković said, adding that this was why the Omicron variant seemed less dangerous.

He, however, noted that the COVID-19 pandemic was continuing to spread and that Omicron was spreading faster and was more infectious.

"I call on the people who have not been vaccinated yet to get vaccinated, and those who have to take a booster dose. Over 700,000 people have so far received a booster dose," the prime minister said.

Stressing the importance of trust in science and medicine, he said that the only way to protect oneself from getting infected with the novel coronavirus was a combination of vaccination and compliance with epidemiological measures.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, make sure to bookmark our dedicated section and select your preferred language if it isn't English.

January 20th, 2022 - INA plans to implement contactless pay at their petrol pumps, but the terminals installed in the pilot phase haven’t had a trial run in over a year

Croatia’s leading oil company INA has been testing contactless payment at petrol pumps for a year and a half, reports Jutarnji list/Dora Koretić.

Petrol pumps at INA’s petrol station in Resnik were fitted with contactless payment terminals in 2020, aiming to limit close contact during the pandemic by allowing customers to pay for fuel without having to enter the store.

The terminals were recently removed because the company decided to test ‘other technical solutions available on the market’. This wouldn’t be an issue in itself, but as it turns out, the contactless payment terminals at the Resnik station were never made operational, making it unclear what exactly INA has been testing over the last 18 months.

The company stated this was a pilot project aiming to gather user feedback on contactless payment at petrol pumps using bank cards or fleet cards.

‘Customer satisfaction is our no.1 priority, which is why the company continuously works on developing new solutions to enable customers to purchase products and services at our stations in the simplest way possible. [The project] is still in the pilot phase, and for the sake of establishing the best technical solution the terminals have been removed temporarily. Installation of new ones is underway so that we could carry out an analysis of other technical solutions that are available on the market’, stated INA.

Despite how long it’s been since the pilot project was launched and the fact that the terminals were never put into use, INA state they consider digitalization a critical factor of business, especially in a time where preventative measures, such as maintaining physical distance and limiting the number of customers in stores, are of great importance.

The company has so far introduced contactless payment at the pump through the INA PAY mobile app, which is currently only available for corporate users holding an INA card. Coffee machines at INA  petrol stations are also equipped with contactless terminals. However, it still hasn’t been determined when mobile payment or other forms of contactless pay at the pump will become an option for private customers.

In contrast, many petrol stations in Slovenia offer customers the option to pay contactless at the pump. This mode of payment gained in popularity after the Slovenian government made Covid certificates a prerequisite for in-store payment at service stations, but not for contactless payment at petrol pumps.