ZAGREB, 6 Aug 2021 - Croatia's Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlić Radman has condemned threats against the leader of the Croat Civic Initiative in Montenegro, Adrian Vuksanović. 

The threats against the leader of the Croat minority party were made in comments on the In4s portal, with some of the readers saying that Croats should have been killed or expelled from the former Yugoslavia and that Vuksanović would be "among the first to pay for it."

Grlić Radman condemned the threats in a conversation with Vuksanović and the leader of the Croat National Council, Zvonimir Deković, noting in a Twitter post that he had discussed the matter with his Montenegrin counterpart Đorđe Radulović and that minority protection was the focus of bilateral relations.

The threatening messages against Vuksanović were posted under a text in which he responded to Montenegrin Parliament Speaker Aleksa Bečić's comment on the 1995 Operation Storm, with which Croatia put an end to a four-year Serb armed insurgency, in which Bečić said "May Storm never happen again."

"You can rest assured that the military and police, liberating Operation Storm will never happen again because nobody will ever dare again to conquer Croatian territory, expel its residents and heartlessly shell towns across Croatia, including its capital, for four years," Vuksanović said in response to Bečić's comment as carried by In4s.

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ZAGREB, 6 Aug 2021 - In order to stop and reverse a negative natural increase, stop emigration from and encourage immigration to Sisak-Moslavina County, hit by a strong earthquake in late 2020, the Regional Development and EU Funds Ministry has launched a programme to invest HRK 15 billion in the quake-hit areas by 2029.

The programme is aimed at the social and economic revitalisation of government-assisted areas hit by the earthquake and envisages investments of HRK 15 billion in the period until 2029 or HRK 3.1 billion by the end of 2023, to be used for reconstruction and removal of damage caused by the earthquake, says the Večernji List daily.

An additional HRK 994.72 million will be invested as part of ongoing projects under the 2014-2020 Competitiveness and Cohesion Operational Programme.

The programme of integrated physical, economic and social regeneration of small towns in the once war-affected region envisages investments of HRK 196 million while government decisions adopted after the earthquake in Banovina envisage investments amounting to HRK 500 million.

Under the programme, direct damage caused by earthquakes that hit Croatia in 2020 has been estimated at HRK 41.6 billion, of which Sisak-Moslavina County accounts for more than 90% or HRK 37.5 billion.

According to the latest estimates by the national statistical office, Sisak-Moslavina County has a population of 144,599, with an average population density of 32.37 per square kilometre, which makes it the third least populated county. According to its size, it is the third biggest county.

The county population is estimated to have shrunk by 8.95% in 2019 in relation to 2015.

The ministry's programme proposes priorities for the county's future development, as well as special goals such as increasing productivity and employment and demographic revitalisation.

As for the post-earthquake reconstruction, the programme sets, as special goals, the reconstruction of housing and commercial units and infrastructure as well as the construction of new ones.

The programme is currently under public consultation.

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ZAGREB, 6 Aug 2021 - Over the past 24 hours, Croatia has registered 108 new coronavirus cases and no deaths, the national coronavirus crisis management team said on Friday.

The number of active cases today stands at 1,139. There are 163 hospitalised patients, including 16 who are on ventilators, and 4,078 people are in self-isolation.

A total of 2,337,984 people have been tested to date, 5,643 of whom over the past 24 hours.

To date, Croatia has registered 364,599 coronavirus infections, including 8,270 deaths and 355,190 recoveries, of which 190 in the last 24 hours.

As at 5 August, 3,110,259 vaccine doses have been administered, with 40.8% of the total population and 49.1% of the adult population having been vaccinated.

A total of 1,657,443 persons have been vaccinated with at least one dose and 1,506,904 of them have been fully vaccinated, which represents 44.71% of the adult population.

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August 6, 2021 - After a few days with endurable thermal sensations, weather reports indicate that the high temperatures in Croatia will return, but will be short-lived.

There is still some instability ahead of us, but meteorologists are announcing a return of heat and the high temperatures in Croatia soon, reports Večernji List.

At least partly sunny, and occasionally more cloudy with occasional rain or showers and thunderstorms will be today in the northern Adriatic and in the mountains and from the middle of the day in the northwestern parts and inland Dalmatia, predicts the State Hydrometeorological Institute (DHMZ).

In the morning on the mainland in places short-term fog. The wind is mostly weak, in Dalmatia moderate northwest and west. The highest daily temperature is usually between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius.

The temperature will rise further tomorrow, and it will be especially hot on Sunday, with warmer nights. The weekend will pass in the sign of the south, which will intensify on Sunday and will be strong in some places, and moderate on the rest of the coast. A southwesterly wind will blow inland.

On Sunday, as announced by meteorologist N1, it will be especially hot with temperatures up to 35 degrees. After Sunday, the south will weaken. The weather should be kept mostly stable next week.

According to the announcements of HRT's meteorologist from DHMZ, on Monday we will have a weaker wind and more clouds in some places, but mostly dry. At the beginning of the new week, more clouds are expected in the Adriatic, and the daily maximum could fall below 30 degrees.

According to unreliable long-term forecasts, it could warm up again from Wednesday, so temperatures will again be around 30 degrees or more.

If you want to learn more about the weather in Croatia, be sure to check out Total Croatia's guide here.

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August 6, 2021 - An uncommon rule was introduced by the owner of Cele Dubrovnik Gourmet & Lounge, where guests are warned they must spend 300 kuna minimum to reserve a table. While this is commonplace in many destinations worldwide, it's not something Croatians are accustomed to... yet. 

The fact is that the owners have the right to set rules, just as guests have the right to agree with something or not, and look for a place where they can sit without restrictions. However, it was precisely restrictions such as booking a table with a minimum spend in the evening that revolted one Dubrovnik local, reports Jutarnji List.

"There were four of us; we wanted to sit in front of Cele for a drink. I looked at the terrace, all reserved. At that moment, guests got up from one table, so I asked the waitress if it is free now. She said no, the table is reserved, but the minimum consumption is 300 kuna," the Dubrovnik local said.

She was particularly annoyed that four foreigners sat down at the table immediately afterward, and the waitress just removed the reservation sign. "Maybe it was a foreign company that made a reservation," the source added with sarcasm. 

"It's not a pleasant feeling when the waitress weighs you and says in such a tone that 'it's not for you, the minimum consumption here is 300 kuna'. Worst of all, if the four of us could sit down, we would have had at least four drinks, which would surely have been more than 300. This way, with a sarcastic smile, I just turned around and left. In principle, I would never sit there again.

People are really full of it. I rarely go to the City during the year, and even when I do, I can’t have a drink anywhere. Very rude," the local added, who noticed the same practice of reserved tables in the surrounding restaurants.

Last year, when there were no foreigners, these restaurants relied on locals, and now that the season has started, they are no longer worthy.

"Will they now wonder if you are from Germany, America, or Austria, so if you are, you can sit down, and the others can't? God forbid you are Romanian or Czech. Then the local is better. Really funny," concluded the source. 

Jutarnji asked the owner of Cele, Tomislav Ivušić, for a comment, who said that the principle of booking a table is still a matter of business in a private facility.

"It's the same everywhere in the world; only Croatians haven't learned about it. When there is a high demand at night, tables are reserved. You can’t sit at a table with two juices for three hours. We introduced reservations solely because of that, and not to assess whether someone can spend or not," explains Ivušić and adds that the owner has the right to say that the tables in his facility are reserved. 

"This rule is on weekends after nine in the evening. Depending on where you sit, you can book a table if your minimum spend is 300 to 500 kuna. I don't know what's in dispute here? That’s the rule; if it doesn’t suit someone, they don’t have to sit there. You can't occupy the whole table for 30 kuna for hours because you have learned to sit and watch who passes by on Stradun. That happens nowhere in the world," Ivušić said.

He was asked if this rule applies exclusively on the weekend.

"Every day is a weekend for us now. After 9 pm, all tables are reserved, and with the reservation, there is a minimum spend," says Ivušić.

"Why doesn't anyone comment on how every morning for the last ten years Croatians can enjoy hot drinks for 10 kuna at Cele? And someone is offended because imagine, they can't sit on Stradun and watch passers-by for three hours drinking tea or coffee?

This is not to belittle someone as a guest. We have such a rule in the evening, and it is normal everywhere in the world. May all of us come to this type of business because only then will we be able to talk about real tourism," the Dubrovnik caterer concluded. 

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August 6, 2021 - Marathon swimmer Dina Levačić will embark on a new humanitarian swimming journey from Vir to Ist to raise funds for the KBC Department of Neonatology.

While the COVID-19 situation has made things a bit more difficult, marathon swimmer Dina Levačić has not taken time to rest. In ten days, on August 13 or 14, Dina will swim a humanitarian marathon from the island of Vir to Ist - a 27-kilometer stretch. In cooperation with the Split Fire Brigade, the action 'Heart for Little Heroes' was launched to help the Split Clinical Hospital Center's Department of Neonatology purchase a special device, reports Dalmatinski Portal. 

"For me, this season is marked by the coronavirus, just like it is for most athletes. Poljud has always been open to me. I trained without major problems. I had planned to swim across the Strait of Gibraltar, but Spain and Morocco are not in the best situation. I hope that the possibility for that will open by October," said Levačić, and then revealed her latest goal.

"Next weekend I will swim from Vir to Ist. My late grandfather Stipe is from the island of Ist. It is a place where I learned to swim, fell in love with the sea, jumped into the depths for the first time without fear. It is an island that deserves to swim in the world's oceans without fear."

She also revealed plans for the future.

"I hope to swim Gibraltar, even if they let me know two days before. New Zealand, one of the big seven, is also planned. I've been waiting for years for my turn. I don’t know what it will be because New Zealand is closed to everyone except Australia, and it won’t open until the New Year. So I should be swimming in February or March of next year when it is summer there. I hope that their authorities will give in and that I will be able to get there."

She follows the Olympic Games in great detail.

"It’s the only opportunity to see some sports that I don’t have a chance to watch. I know Tonči Stipanović personally. I know how humble he is and how much he lives for sailing. I am thrilled for him, but also all the other athletes. When I watch videos on Facebook, I cry. When you are an athlete, you know how much effort has been put in and how heavy that medal is. Sandra Perković was fourth. Many ‘couch experts’ will say it is a failure, but many would give a hand for such a result. I am glad to see the success of any Croatian athlete."

On behalf of the Split Fire Brigade, Mateo Štrljić revealed how the idea for this humanitarian action was born.

"We came up with the idea to organize a humanitarian action at the fire station. A lot of us went through that department with our kids, and so the idea came to life. We got in touch with Dr. Marija Bucat and found that they need a device for nitric oxide therapy, which makes breathing easier for newborns. Such a device exists in pediatrics, but it is needed immediately after childbirth. The device costs 250,000, and we achieved two-thirds of that amount through various donations. We are grateful that Dina also got involved in the action. We hope to collect the requested amount."

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August 6, 2021 - In the Europa Conference League 3rd qualifying round, Osijek falls to CSKA Sofia, while Rijeka and Hibernian draw in Edinburgh. 

In the first game of the Conference League 3rd qualifying round, Osijek suffered a 2:4 (1:3) away defeat to CSKA in Sofia.

The scorers for CSKA were Mazikou (30), Carey (39), Caicedo (42), and Yomov (74), while Turicov (41-own goal) and Topčagić (90 + 3) scored for Osijek. 

CSKA was better from the beginning of the game. Striker Mazikou accepted the ball 30 meters from Osijek's goal, made his way into the penalty area, and overcame Ivušić from 10 meters for the lead. 

CSKA increased their lead to 2:0 in the 39th minute. Turicov got the ball on the right wing and crossed to Carey who sent the ball into the net with his head.

Osijek briefly returned to the game only two minutes later. Fiolić took the corner which forced Turicov to beat his own goalkeeper with an own goal header for 2:1. 

However, 2:1 lasted just over a minute. CSKA broke through the left side of Osijek's defense, this time Jomov fought for the space and crossed to Caicedo who scored for 3:1. 

In the second half, CSKA took the lead at 4:1, primarily thanks to the fast-footed Caicedo who rushed up the left side to find Yomov, who had no difficulty clearing the empty net.

Topčagić gave Osijek some hope with a goal for the final 4:2 in the third minute of added time. The return match is in Osijek in one week.

Rijeka played 1:1 (0:0) in the first match of the Conference League 3rd qualifying round away to Hibernian in Edinburgh.

Ampem (61) put Rijeka in the lead and Boyle (67) equalized for Hibernian. 

Rijeka took the lead in the 61st minute when the ball circled around the home penalty area before Vukčević found Ampem, who managed to head past Macey at the door for the Rijeka lead. 

Unfortunately, only six minutes later, Hibernian equalized after a corner kick eventually found Boyle who scored for 1:1.  The hosts had a great opportunity in added time, but the Rijeka goalkeeper stopped Mackay's shot to keep the score even. 

The return match will be played in Rijeka in one week.

Source: HRT

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August 6, 2021 - Croatia defeats Montenegro in the 5th-8th place playoffs on Friday. Croatia will meet the winner between Italy and the USA in the match for 5th place on Sunday. 

The Croatia water polo team met Montenegro in the playoffs for 5th to 8th place at the Olympic Games in Tokyo on Friday.

After the quarterfinal defeat to Hungary, Croatia has to play two more games for the 5th to 8th place. The first was today against Montenegro, who lost to Greece in the quarterfinals. 

Croatia led the 1st quarter 1:0, while Montenegro came back in the 2nd which ended 5:4 for Croatia. In the 3rd quarter, Croatia and Montenegro were even, ending with 3 goals each. The score going into the final quarter was 9:7 for Croatia. 

Croatia and Montenegro were equal in the final quarter at 3:3 for the final score of 12:10. 

Croatia has already played against Montenegro in Tokyo, recording a victory in the group (13:8), but then it was an important game in the fight to get to the quarterfinals and the stakes were high. Playing for the ranking is something completely different, and after being eliminated in the quarterfinals, the motivation is certainly lower.

Croatia thus plays for 5th place on Sunday against the winner between Italy and the USA. Montenegro will play for 7th place.

"These are now the two worst games ahead of us. They bring nothing, they mean nothing, but we have to play them. We have to try to give as much as we can and try to win. There will be wishes, but we will see how good it will be on both sides," said Barracuda captain Andro Bušlje.

"I don't see the point of all that, we are the only collective sport that plays from the fifth to the eighth place. Unfortunately, the rules are like that and it is our duty to do it to the end," said coach Ivica Tucak.

The semifinal matches are scheduled today in which Greece and Hungary will meet (8:30) and Serbia and Spain (12:50).

Source: HRT

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