ZAGREB, 2 November, 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Tuesday President Zoran Milanović's statements about the defence minister were primitive and brutal insults, adding that all problems would be discussed in the National Security Council on 9 November.

"I want to hear first hand what the problems are and try to resolve them," Plenković said in Glasgow, where he was attending the UN conference on climate change (COP26).

Commenting on Defence Minister Mario Banožić's statement that it was time to remove President Zoran Milanović from office, Plenković said the minister of defence hadn't said that but that it was "derived from a question and put as such in a headline".

Plenković also said that while Milanović was prime minister, funds for the armed forces had been reduced, while during his own term as prime minister the armed forces had a bigger budget, a better position, the army had returned to Vukovar, Ploče, Sinj, Varaždin and the decision on the procurement of multi-purpose fighter jets had been made.

"This continued unlawful behaviour, privatisation of the army by Milanović, his statements in the capacity of head of state, we haven't seen that before. We have seen many creative people in politics, but such primitive, brutal insults against one's interlocutor, in which he practically calls the HDZ a Nazi party... He should cool it a bit until 9 November and then we'll see what this is about," the prime minister said.

The public should be worried and should strongly condemn the president's unlawful behaviour, he said, reiterating that with every attack Banožić's position in the government was firmer and that Milanović didn't decide who would be in his government.

November 3, 2021 - The first Croatian to take part in the Transat Jacques Vabre transatlantic yachting race, in the famous Class 40, will not be one of the best Croatian sailors, but Olympic skier Ivica Kostelić, one of the world's best in his time. 

The race, which is traditionally run from Europe to South America on coffee traders' routes and sponsored by the French coffee processor of the same name, will include Kostelić and French partner Calliste Antoine, a sailor who already has two Transatlantic races behind him, reports Vecernji List.

"He was with me at the Rolex Fastnet Race when another participant hit us in the race, so we were forced to finish the race, and the boat was under repair for two months," said Kostelić in an interview with Vecernji List. 

Given that Ivica's company owns the boat, the situation was even more embarrassing. Fortunately, the boat was insured, so the procedure was similar to that of a road accident.

"My boat was built in 2013 and was successful in racing, it even had a victory on the Transat, but as new designs arrived, it lost its way. A new boat costs between 700 and 800 thousand euros, which I, of course, could not afford and I tried to find the best possible ratio between price and quality. As a competitor, I’m sorry I can’t have the latest boat. That’s the reality, at least until I find a sponsor for the boat because I’m not a tycoon."

How much did Ivica pay for his used boat? 

"No comment. It's like asking me, "When was the last time you slept with a woman?"

Sponsors, however, are desirable.

"For Croatian conditions, I can be satisfied because I cannot compare with these French budgets, which are several times larger than mine. My main sponsors are ACI, IT agency Five and the Croatian National Tourist Board, whose slogan is "Croatia Full of Life", and on this occasion, it is also the name of my boat."

What does preparation entail for a race like this?

"I was looking to come to the start in good physical condition, and I also studied the races so far, which routes have been sailed in previous editions of the race, which is held every other year. Of course, it is also important that the boat is in shape."

So, what kind of vessel will Ivica sail with for 20 days across the Atlantic, more than 7,100 kilometers from Le Havre to the Caribbean island of Martinique?

"A total of 80 boats will participate in several classes, and the most numerous are in our Class 40. All boats must be the same size, slightly more than 12 meters long, four and a half meters wide, with a draft of three meters and a 19-meter high mast. My boat is the third generation, and those who have the fifth and sixth generation will also compete, so some have a rounded bow that provides the possibility of longer gliding. With the wind sideways, such a boat gains a lot on stability and is therefore much stronger."

The race always starts in Europe in early November, so there will be no ideal weather conditions.

"A lot depends on how unstable the weather is in the North Atlantic and how strong the Azores anticyclone is, which is weakening and moving at this time of year. As winter approaches, so do these systems from the North Atlantic, Greenland, and Labrador, then south as winter comes to Europe, so it’s just a matter of how strong those systems will be."

Ivica and Calliste's mentality must remain strong because this is not a stage competition but a race with no breaks.

"God forbid we have to stop because that would mean something broke. And it must not break even among the partners on the boat. Character alignment is critical here. If that's not the case, then it's tough on the boat."

What about rest and sleep?

"There are no days or nights on board. It is the wind that decides what time to rest. So you sleep whenever you can. We don’t have a fixed shift, and it mostly depends on how someone feels at some point. We do maneuvers and sail changes together, and when you have free time, then you sleep. And sleep is always intermittent, with you always waking up from the light sleep phase, never from the deep sleep phase. And that means sleeping for either 40 minutes, an hour and a half, or three hours. My sleep is mostly 40 minutes, and if you’re far away, on the high seas, then you can afford a longer sleep."

For us non-sailing specialists, the very thought of the open sea is terrifying.

"When I'm away from the mainland, I have a good feeling. For me, it is freedom. You are on your boat like on your planet. Indeed, you may not feel as safe as on land, but there’s not all that human filth either, no crowds, no politics."

What about the waves that can capsize the boats?

"These boats are made to be able to sail in such conditions. It’s not comfortable, but you have to put up with it and so do the 15-foot waves. After all, Class 40 sailed in the southern ocean, and there have been no sunken ships so far. Of course, there is always the possibility that you will find yourself in a storm, but the chances are higher that everything will be fine than that something will go wrong. After all, there is a lot of safety equipment on board, which is very strictly inspected before the race to survive in the event of an accident."

What are the warning systems if someone is in trouble?

"In the first place, it is a transponder that belongs to the ship and is activated in case of emergency, so the rescue service is notified via a satellite that you are in trouble. Then there is an automatic identification system that sends a signal to searchers. So you have him on you as a personal locator if, God forbid, you find yourself in the sea. There’s also a VHF radio through which you can call for help, but it doesn’t have much range."

How does Ivica's family feel?

"All this is not harmless, and they will certainly be worried, and that is normal, but for me, this is the fourth season in offshore sailing, and I am not a beginner. After all, people were crossing the ocean in all sorts of boats; it’s not some big ghost. It's like skiing. You must not be afraid, and you must go to the most dangerous descent with faith."

Is the Transatlantic a bigger adventure than skiing across Greenland?

"It's hard for me to compare. It wasn’t racing, and this is, and that’s a big difference. But, on the other hand, for me, extreme cold and winter conditions are generally the most difficult conditions a person can find themselves in. Because then even the most ordinary things become tough."

And while sailing across the Atlantic, that shouldn’t be the case.

"We will have a fairly large temperature range here. It is already autumn here, and it can be more than 30 degrees in Martinique. So the first part of the route, we will be dressed like bears, and when we find ourselves in trade winds, then we will be in shorts, I hope."

Given 20 days at sea, the food supply is crucial. 

"Our stocks are dominated by dehydrated food, which is not very tasty, so we bring something to sweeten our lives, which is very important for the morale of the crew. In that name, we carry sausages, some canned food, some biscuits, chocolate. Bacon and garlic always go with me, which is a strong antibiotic, and that's what you need on board to keep your immunity at a high level. For the soul, I also brought some kulen."

The race starts on Sunday at 1:27 pm and will be covered by the media, especially athletes like Kostelić, world aces in a previous career.

"As far as I know, three athletes with Olympic medals will participate, as well as some world champions in non-Olympic sports. There is also an excellent friend of mine, the world champion in freeskiing Aurelien Ducroz, who has a boat of the last generation and is one of the favorites. As far as I know, there is also the Olympic pole vault winner from Atlanta, Jean Galfione, and the French sailing Olympian from Rio Jeremie Mion."

Particular interest was aroused thanks to the four-time silver Olympian and winner of the Ski World Cup, Ivica Kostelić.

"The organizers will offer the media daily reports, and we must send a certain number of reports to that regatta media team. In addition, we will have to send videos and photos that they will put online."

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

November 3, 2021 - Young Croatian diaspora footballers are increasingly choosing to play for the homeland instead of where they were born. 

Having the honor of wearing Croatia's famous red-and-white checks is not to be taken lightly, and Ivan Rakitić may be considered a pioneer for this generation of footballers after choosing to play for Croatia over his birth country of Switzerland. 

Today, the diaspora is once again reshaping the ranks of the Croatia national football team. Recall, Josip Stanišić from Bayern and Luka Sučić from Salzburg have already made their debut for the A-team. In the younger categories, there are more and more players who were born outside Croatia but decided to play for their beloved Vatreni, reports Gol.hr.

Franjo Ivanović from Augsburg and Gabrijel Vidović from Bayern have been mentioned for a long time as young members of the Croatia national team, and the U19 coach Josip Šimunić has invited two new names.

Jakov Šuver, stopper of Stuttgart's second team, and Noah Phil Pesch from Bayer Leverkusen will soon debut for the Croatia U19 team!

Pesch's story is exciting. He may not have a Croatian name and surname, but Croatia is very much in his heart.

He is only 16 years old, born to a German father, while his mother comes from the vicinity of Zadar. Noah Phil has already played for the national teams of Germany. Still, his love for Croatia was decisive, and his grandfather on his mother's side, whom Noah adores, also played a significant role.

Noah has a year older brother Leon, who has already played for the younger Croatia national teams.

Noah Phil went through preparations with Bayer Leverkusen last summer at just 16 years old and got a chance in a few friendly matches. He is currently playing for the juniors and could soon enter the first team.

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

November the 3rd, 2021 - The well known flight company EasyJet is considering introducing flights to two more Croatian cities for the very first time as the World Travel Market kicks off in the British capital. Could EasyJet Rijeka and even Osijek flights be on the cards in the not so distant future? Maybe.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, promising announcements for Croatian tourism are coming from the World Travel Market (WTM), which started a couple of days ago in London. According to the director of the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ), Kristjan Stanicic, who met with representatives of some of the most important partners such as easyJet, TUI, SAGA, Jet2.com & Jet2Holidays during the first day of the fair, Croatia looks as if it will be a hit destination next year as well.

"We've achieved some exceptionally good results this year, and there's also been great announcements for next year from the representatives of Jet2.com, our most important partners on the British market, which, along with TUI, brings us the largest number of British tourists each year.

These partners have announced an increase in demand for Croatia and a larger number of airlines, but we also have a great responsibility ahead of us because the basic precondition for a successful tourist season will be a stable epidemiological situation,'' said Stanicic.

EasyJet is also satisfied with the achieved results and notes that in 2021 they have almost completely returned to the trends from the pre-pandemic record year of 2019.

"Speaking of Croatia, next year we plan to increase capacities and introduce some new flights, and for the first time we're considering the introduction of flights to the airports of Rijeka and Osijek," revealed Richard Owens, the development manager at easyJet.

EasyJet Rijeka and certainly Osijek flights would bring even higher numbers of visitors to Croatia and finally shine the spotlight on the commonly overlooked Eastern Croatian region, which has a lot to boast about but is still very much stuck living in its coastal cousins' shadows.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

November the 3rd, 2021 - The Croatian Maistra company has done excellently this year, despite the dire circumstances that have dominated since the beginning of 2020. They even exceeded when compared to what was considered to be the record year of 2019.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Jadranka Dozan writes, at the end of October 2021, the quarterly or nine-month reports of the leading Croatian hotel and tourism companies were mostly completed. They provided more concrete insights into how the tourist season in general has been, how it has affected business results across this economic sector and where they are in relation to their pre-crisis achievements.

If we look at the data from the consolidated reports, the six leading companies generated 3.77 billion kuna in operating revenues during the three summer months, which is 2.2 times more than last year, and compared to the record year of 2019, it's only 1.8 percent less. Since the pre-season didn't suggest pre-crisis levels would ever be realised, a comparison of these nine-month results shows that operating revenues are at 82.2 percent of what was recorded back in 2019.

At the same time, the "big six" consisting of Valamar, the Croatian Maistra company, Plava laguna, Pula's Arena Hospitality Group, Sunce hotels and Imperial Riviera reported 1.82 billion kuna in quarterly net profit, which is only 3.6 percent less than in the summer quarter of 2019, while in the first nine months, net profit stood at 19 percent or about 300 million kuna less than in the pre-pandemic year before last (1.27 billion to 1.57 billion kuna in total).

Individually speaking, one of the most impressive quarterly achievements is the Croatian Maistra company's net profit. During the three summer months of this year, this well known travel company controlled by the Adris Group reported a massive 850 million kuna in total revenues and as much as 449 million kuna in net profit. Compared to 138 million kuna profit in the same period last year, this is 3.2 times more, and it's also an increase of 70 million kuna or almost a fifth compared to the third quarter of pre-pandemic 2019.

While in the third quarter, the Croatian Maistra company's total revenues exceeded the pre-pandemic result of 2019 by about 60 million kuna (7.7 percent), cumulatively speaking, Maistra's consolidated revenues (1.15 billion kuna) compared to 2019 were only about four percent behind, and profit stood at just over three percent (373 million versus 362 million kuna).

The most significant growth was recorded in the lux (luxury) segment of the company's portfolio, in which the volume exceeded that of 2019. The results also state that in the first nine months of 2021, the profit before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) amounted to 568 million kuna, which is three times more when compared to last year and three percent more than back in 2019.

For more, check out our business section.

November the 3rd, 2021 - Blockchain technology is one of those things on everyone's lips of late, and while some tilt their heads in confusion, others are taking advantage. Could Blockchain tech reveal just how green the Croatian LNG Terminal actually is? Perhaps.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Darko Bicak writes, gas is a generally accepted transitional energy source between the fossil and green eras, and in addition to the gas transported by standard pipelines, there's more and more gas from LNG. It is LNG that is increasingly the subject of analyses that question whether its use is really "transitional green" or whether it is ultimately closer to fossil fuels than anything else.

This is especially relevant here in Croatia because finally, at the beginning of this year, after decades of planning and design, the floating Croatian LNG Terminal in Omisalj on Krk was put into operation, which in the medium term should grow into a fixed project with a larger volume on the land.

As Gas outlook writes, the oil and gas industry is considering the use of Blockchain technology for digital monitoring of LNG freight transactions, and analysts estimate that this technology could be a solution to transparency concerns about carbon-neutral trading in this energy source.

The concept of a “carbon neutral” LNG isn't without its problems and Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) and it is under the increasing control of investors, governments, lenders, employees and consumers. There are currently no standardised methods for accurately measuring and monitoring direct and indirect emissions associated with the entire LNG supply chain, but there are certain efforts that are emerging.

“There is concern among all stakeholders about the integrity of carbon dioxide reporting, the consistency and methodologies applied. Previous attempts by the industry have been fraught with problems of double counting, the origin of compensation, the transparency of verification methodologies and data quality issues,'' warned Scott Waller, consultant at EY.

This is particularly the case as the LNG industry seeks to extend and expand the use of natural gas - for example by using ships on LNG - in line with the argument that it compensates for higher emissions from the use of coal, oil and diesel.

At this point, there is a lack of evidence to substantiate this claim, but the UN estimates that Blockchain technology will be able to provide greater transparency around greenhouse gas emissions and facilitate the monitoring and reporting of reduced emissions.

This would solve the possible problems of double counting, as reporting and verification of climate measures are crucial to achieving the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, and its even stricter modifications, some of which are likely to be agreed at the ongoing Glasgow Climate Change Conference in Scotland.

For more on the Croatian LNG Terminal, check out our business section.

November the 3rd, 2021 - The old saying that you just can't get the staff couldn't ring more true than it does in Croatia. The country is lacking when it comes to employees across the majority of sectors, and Croatian computer scientists, despite the country's IT boom, are in such short supply that students are being given jobs.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the situation with both the Croatian economy and the demographic picture isn't news to anyone who doesn't live under a rock, but this is especially evident when it comes to Croatian computer scientists. Companies can’t find enough of them and are simply offering employment positions to high school students to try to bridge the gap. They're promising them additional education and an opportunity for professional advancement.

If any part of the domestic economy has managed to resist the pandemic-induced pressures which began in 2020, then it's the blossoming Croatian information technology sector. Quite on the contrary to the vast majority of other sectors, they even managed to grow and hire new staff throughout the pandemic. Last year alone, Ericsson Nikola Tesla employed about 200 people, this year, as of September the 1st 347 professionals were hired. While that's excellent, the original plan was even more ambitious.

"We wanted 600 people, we didn't succeed, the plan is 500 new experts by the end of the year," said Gordana Kovacevic, president of Croatia's largest ICT company, Ericsson Nikola Tesla.

"It's an extremely slow process for us, so we're offering for students to come and join our teams, educate them further, and establish excellent relationships with the colleges, because the speed of change that is happening is incredible," stated Kovacevic.

The demand is also quite amazing. Tesla is currently looking for about 500 people a year, and the total potential of the Croatian market isn't quite up to par. Zeljko Krizmanic, the coordinator of Bird Incubator, also commented on the topic:

"Companies have been recruiting for some time now, and not only those people who are leaving college, but also those who are still in college, in their third or fourth year,'' he explained.

“It ' also very interesting for young people to try to start their own companies because there have been a lot of successful examples lately, such as Nanobit, Infinum, Rimac, companies that didn't even exist 12 years ago and are now valued at over a billion dollars, so the startup culture is growing a lot. I know of several startups in the Bird incubator looking for experts, and it's proving difficult to find them,'' added Krizmanic.

Kovacevic, on the other hand, says that the state should adapt school programmes to new technologies and the industries of the future, otherwise the most capable will be the constant target of foreign bounty hunters.

"In fact, the whole of Europe has a shortage of experts with ICT skills, unless something completely different happens, in terms of training, creating new knowledge and retraining, they will forcibly take experts from each other,'' he warned. It is imperative to promote STEM since primary schools and to provide scholarships to local talent as of high school age, believes Kovacevic.

For more, make sure to check out our business section.

Continuing our series on Croatian emigration to Ireland, a look at the topic that drives most people to emigrate in the first place: jobs, paychecks and everything in between

To paraphrase a pop art icon, just what is it that makes Ireland so different, so appealing? To any Croatian person frustrated with their miserable economic prospects, it’s always been all those jobs that are readily available. It’s so easy to find work!, people will tell you. And it pays well!

After three years in Ireland, I have a bit of perspective in this regard, so... Let’s unpack that.

1. The land of opportunities

Ireland was widely known for having the fastest-growing economy in the EU year after year since 2014… until a pandemic threw a wrench in it. Much like in the rest of the world, Covid-induced lockdowns caused unemployment to soar - from 5.9% in July 2019 to 19.1% in July 2020. The trend kept up this year as well, and things only started to look up after the reopening of outdoor hospitality in summer.

The labour market in Ireland is not expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels of employment until 2024. Not the best time to set sail for Ireland in search of a better life, perhaps. It’s quite a depressing picture, and the prospects for those living in Ireland don’t seem promising at the first glance. And yet… Despite all troubles in the last 18 months, there was a 56% increase in job vacancies on the Irish employment market in Q3 2020 after the initial crash. A year later, and a quick look at the leading job sites shows there’s no shortage of work available.

Markus Spiske / Unsplash

Let’s start with the group that seemingly made the best choices in life. Anyone working in IT would likely score a job in the time required to read this article - tech tops the list of leading industries in Ireland, and not without reason. Low corporate tax and the constant influx of skilled international workers have foreign investors flocking to the only remaining English-speaking EU country. Google, Twitter, Facebook, Microsoft, PayPal and other tech giants set up their European headquarters in Dublin; Apple has a base in Cork. Engineers, developers, data scientists, analysts and the like will always have their pick on the market as IT experts remain highly sought after.

For the rest of us mortals, there’s the wide umbrella of the tertiary sector. Most immigrants to Ireland, including Croatians, are likely to seek employment in hospitality, hotels, customer service, healthcare and assisted living, beauty and wellness, grocery retail, repair and maintenance, etc.

Etienne Girardet / Unsplash 

There’s a massive labor shortage across other industries as well: transport, construction, manufacturing. In recent years, Irish employers have expanded their search to the continent, hosting open days in several Croatian cities at a time in hope of attracting a skilled workforce. Nurses and caregivers, professional drivers and warehouse operatives, all are in constant demand.

2. Dynamic, fast-paced environments

There are three main ways to find a job in Ireland. Recruitment agencies make the process more streamlined and less stressful for jobseekers who have only just arrived and have yet to get acquainted with the intricacies of the job market. Depending on the industry and the employer they represent, some agencies will also assist new hires with relocation and paperwork.

There’s also the tried and tested ‘door to door’ method - you’ll often see a ‘staff needed’ sign on display when entering a shop or a deli. It’s not unheard of to print out a few copies of your CV, walk around town for a while and land a job in a day or two.

Looks about right. / Markus WInkler, Unsplash

And finally, there are job sites such as Indeed, Monster and Jobs.ie. They’re probably the most popular method of seeking employment and also a nice way to suss out what the job market’s like at any given time of year. Take the holiday season, for example. With Christmas fast approaching and shoppers about to go berserk, there’s a noticeable uptick in demand in customer-oriented occupations.

Anyone who’s ever worked in the lower tiers of hospitality, retail or any kind of customer service would tell you that for the most part, it’s miserable, soul-sucking labour. Well, HR departments bend over backwards to make it seem otherwise, coming up with dramatic ads that often obfuscate what the actual position entails.

It’s a wild wasteland of ‘vibrant’, ‘high-energy’, ‘fun’ work environments.

A prospective cashier will thus have an ‘exciting opportunity’ to ‘become an ambassador’ for the brand’s business. Hotels offer ‘fantastic new vacancies’ for ‘accommodation assistants’ and list ‘ambition to develop’ among the main prerequisites to join the cleaning staff. Gone are the days of straightforward job descriptions. Job titles are replaced with ludicrous synonyms that are meant to sound more exciting or more important, but end up being neither: call-centre agents have evolved into support professionals, advisors, specialists, executives and gurus.

Speaking of gurus, it’s getting hard to discern whether you’re about to join a workplace or a cult. ‘What does living fully mean to you?’, asks an ad for a reservations agent. It’s a lot to consider. As you become part of a ‘close-knit family’ that’s ‘customer-obsessed’, you’ll be ‘resilient and disciplined’ and - my favourite - ‘take instructions with enthusiasm’.*

Ian Schneider / Unsplash

It’s a heavy burden to carry, suddenly becoming an executive or a spiritual leader where you thought you’d only have to answer the phone. Expectations are piling up, with Irish employers demanding years of experience, strong initiative, attention to detail, resilience, discipline, emotional intelligence, warm personality and full flexibility to work shifts within a 16-hour window with schedules changing at a moment’s notice. All things considered, if you see ‘excels in a dynamic, fast-paced environment’ on a CV, it’s code for ‘capable of doing seven things at once under pressure and accustomed to dealing with verbal abuse’.

This is not exactly a groundbreaking revelation, I know - and none of it is exclusive to Ireland. Our tourism-oriented country is heavily dependent on the service industry, and nonsensical corporate language slowly seeps into the Croatian job market as well.

The thing is, that ‘fantastic new vacancy’ in Dublin pays three times as much as you would get for the same shitty job in Croatia. In fact, you get paid two to three times more for low-skilled work in Ireland than you would be in a job requiring a university degree back home.

Emigration 101.

3. The cost of living

The national minimum wage in Ireland is €10.20 per hour (before tax), which is set to increase to €10.50 from January 1st, 2022. To put this in Croatian terms, an average single person working full-time on a minimum wage will soon be earning around €1600 per month net.

At present, the monthly minimum wage in Croatia is roughly €450 net (3400 HRK), set to increase to €500 (3750 HRK) next year.

No wonder the grass seems greener on the other side. Average and median pay in Ireland is even higher, but the majority of foreigners moving to Ireland for work won’t start with an average salary. I’m purposely using the minimum wage as an example, as I feel it’s a more realistic comparison between the two countries that also helps us consider what the bare minimum can get you here and there.

There are many factors at play, of course, and we can’t just straight up compare apples and oranges. What about expenses? It’s not just wages that are higher. I dedicated a whole article to the housing crisis in Ireland, and it’s true that rent alone will eat up a substantial portion of your paycheck. Childcare and car insurance are no joke either. Bars and restaurants are more expensive. So is tobacco. Entertainment costs more in general: nightclubs, music, theatre, cinema. Don’t get me started on hairstylists. It adds up, and if you covet the finer things in life or have any vices to sustain, you’ll need to start climbing the career ladder asap.

Markus Winkler / Unsplash

Here’s the catch, though: in proportion to wages, basic needs cost less in Ireland than in Croatia. To put it another way, less time is spent working in order to afford certain essential goods or services. Rent aside, okay.

Food is the worst offender. Even though we’re all aware that food prices are inflated in Croatia, the extent of it doesn’t really hit you until you’ve returned from Ireland where you earned three times as much, yet groceries somehow cost the same or less than back home. These days, you’ll find us haunting supermarket aisles and woefully voicing our thoughts to no one in particular. ‘Ha ha, look, coffee costs the same as in Tesco. Wait, 25 kuna for oat milk? That’s almost doub- 30 kuna for budget brand rice? 30?? FOR RICE??’

Then there are utilities. Our monthly bills (internet, gas and electric) were only marginally higher than in Croatia. Also, water supply is free. No water bills. Wild.

We try not to be those people who return to Croatia only to start every sentence with ‘well in Ireland, it was like-’, but some days are harder than others.

Once you’ve covered all your basic living expenses, outrageous rent included, you can do a whole lot more with your discretionary income than you could in Croatia. I moved to Ireland in late 2018; in the following year, I paid off a small debt, took a total of 8 international trips ranging from a weekend to 2 weeks in length, and was able to afford all the things I wanted without having to cut corners, only earning a bit more than the minimum wage for the bigger part of the year.

The same job in Croatia would pay enough for me to live month to month and take trips to the local bar once a week. Which brings me to my next point...

4. Dignity and (self)respect in the workplace

You go through a certain transitional period when you move from Croatia to Ireland and start making a steady income. It’s called ‘boy do I have a shitton of money all of a sudden’, lasts anywhere from six months to a year, and involves a lot of frivolous spending. No more depriving yourself of nice things in the name of electric bills! You can now have both - and more! Once the adjustment process is over, you sober up, start budgeting and set up a pension fund.

Jokes aside, viewing your job, your salary and your worth objectively is a skill that takes a while to master. Salaries are discussed in annual amounts before tax, unlike the Croatian monthly net ways we’re used to. Coupled with the higher living standard in general, this makes every figure sound desirable at first. You don’t know the nuances and implications of 19k, 25k, 35k - it all seems like a lot.

What about the kind of work you’ll take on? Suppose you’re not highly skilled in one specific field. If you’re emigrating for economic reasons, you won’t be terribly selective when you first arrive and if needed, you’ll aim lower than usual until you get settled.

How low would you go, and how long would you stay there? The former is a no-brainer; an entry level position will suffice to get you going even if it involves low starting pay. You want to sort out all the paperwork as soon as possible, rent needs to be paid, and honest work is honest work. The latter, however, is where things get complicated. What do you want to make of yourself? How do you measure success?

Alex Kotliarskyi / Unsplash

Take my example. I wanted to get the ball rolling as quickly as possible, so I took a job in customer service I was overqualified for. It soon became apparent that starting over from the bottom creates a certain dichotomy in your self-awareness. The person you are in your home country and the person you are in emigration only partially overlap, both sides engaging in constant dialogue: I have a master’s degree, but take calls for a living. I earn a Croatian MP’s salary taking calls for a living. This is not what I want out of life. This allows me to live quite a comfortable life. I used to declare I would never leave home. I made a conscious decision to be here. And so on, and so on. This unavoidably messes with your head for a while. It’s an uncomfortable process.

Granted, I moved up with time and changed roles within the same company. My salary increased as well, I picked up a few new skills, and the camaraderie we had going on the floor made the daily grind more palatable. The work itself, however, remained unfulfilling, and in normal circumstances, I wouldn’t think twice before looking elsewhere for something better suited to my skills and interests.

But since I wasn’t planning on staying long-term, I let inertia take over. This is okay!, I thought, this is okay for the time being!, all the while not exactly knowing how long that time being would last. It ended up lasting longer than I expected. I built a good reputation for myself, had amazing colleagues and a great rapport with my superiors, paychecks were rolling in, and I got comfortable.

My salary was modest for Irish standards, but served me well enough and I wanted for nothing. I felt valued. This seems to be the case with plenty of other people I’ve met: well-educated, competent individuals, some with a lot of experience under their belt, accepting positions well below their skill level and staying, as those positions awarded them a better quality of life than a managerial rank in Croatia ever did.

This is not to say that employers in Ireland shouldn’t pay their workers more, or that we should settle for peanuts and never aim higher as long as we can get by - on the contrary. But it answers the question of why so many people adjust their criteria significantly when they move to a foreign land to seek work. I’ve seen quite a few vicious articles and comments disparaging people who left Croatia for Ireland ‘only to scrub toilets in exile’. How dare they sell this as a success story? They weren’t willing to do any scrubbing until now, Croatian toilets not good enough for them?

Not when they don’t earn you a living, they’re not. Irish toilets are much better in that regard, along with their offices, call centres, hotels, warehouses and supermarkets. Regardless of profession, workers are respected in Ireland, overtime is paid without fail, and paychecks show up on bank accounts like clockwork. It’s not all milk and honey, but for the most part, the business culture is much healthier than in Croatia. It was nice to experience living in a country where entrepreneurship is encouraged, and breaking into the public sector isn’t the ultimate career goal.

This is a highly subjective topic, and there’s no universal experience which all Croatian emigrants share when it comes to labour. I don’t want to make it seem like all of us work menial jobs and never move up in the world. Some chase promotions, some start businesses, some make the big bucks, some return home disillusioned after a few weeks. Most just want to live a dignified life and then take it from there - and Ireland, on her part, sure provides plenty of opportunities for growth.

 *Everything in quotation marks is a direct quote from various advertisements on Jobs.ie accessed on 1/11/2021.

Read the first part of the series on Croatian emigration to Ireland - accommodation. 

For more news and features from the Croatian diaspora, follow the dedicated TCN section.