April 9, 2021 - The second largest city in Croatia has been highlighted not only for its tourism but also for meeting the expectations of seniors around the world. The esteemed travel portal Travel and Leisure lists Split among the 9 best European cities to retire!

The international travel web portal Travel+Leisure recently published a list of the best places in Europe where people can make their retirement plans come true. Although the cost of living is a factor to take into consideration, the list considered others such as the climate, environment, culture, sights, and the health system quality.

Photo: Romulić and Stojčić

Despite the list recognizing Croatia in general as a tempting destination for retirees, due to its decent climate in both summer and winter along its nearly 6000 kilometers of coastline, the city of Split stood out above the rest.

‘"The Roman emperor Diocletian built his palace in Split, and its remains have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Restaurants, bars, cultural and entertainment venues, and many English-speaking residents make it relatively easy to adapt," writes Travel+Leisure.

It should come as no surprise then that the Roman Emperor Diocletian decided to spend his last years in retirement in his palace, located in the heart of Split.

Photo: Romulić and Stojčić

The portal also added that to get permanent residence in Croatia, it is necessary to spend five years in the country as a temporary resident. Likewise, it considers the Croatian health system to be adequate and something positive for those traveling from abroad is the availability of English-speaking doctors. You can find what you need to know about living in Croatia here.

Those interested in fulfilling their retirement plans on the Dalmatian coast can also consider other locations near Split, such as Trogir, Omiš, Makarska, Stobreč, or Podstrana. To learn more about Split, be sure to read our dedicated Total Croatia page.

Split also stands out for its gastronomic offer, its beaches, its museums and history, and the ease of setting sail in the Adriatic either from its ferry ports or by purchasing a boat; something that all interested seniors should definitely keep in mind.

Photo: Romulić and Stojčić

The full list includes the following cities:

• Algarve, Portugal
• Bordeaux, France
• Budapest, Hungary
• Ljubljana, Slovenia
• Split, Croatia
• Alicante, España
• Valletta, Malta
• Kinsale, Ireland
• Prague, Czech Republic

Follow the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 9 April, 2021 - The Voice of Entrepreneurs association considers that the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, as proposed by the government, will destroy the chances for economic recovery, and calls for a radical change in the document.

In order for the National Recovery and Resilience Plan to have a greater impact, priority should be given to investments in the private sector, the association said in a statement issued on Friday.

Entrepreneurs think that the plan will not direct enough funds to small and medium-sized enterprises and that that will have a negative impact on the entire economy.

Unlike other countries, they add, Croatia does not intend to direct most of the funds from the recovery plan to the business sector and the most affected companies, sectors and citizens.

The current recovery and resilience plan relies mainly on state and local government projects and projects with low and long-term returns, and in some cases negative returns, which is contrary to the general goal of rapid recovery, the association said.

It is true, they add, that the plan envisages distributing 54% of the funds for the business sector and 46% for reforms in the public sector, but the 54% intended for the business sector includes investments in public companies that have so far demonstrated low efficiency, such as wastewater projects, waste management, road and transport infrastructure construction.

The National Recovery and Resilience Plan is thus not aimed at helping the private sector and encouraging the competitiveness of the Croatian economy, the association of entrepreneurs said, stressing that the existing plan is not oriented towards rapid recovery of domestic demand, investment in high return projects and technological innovation.

They call for prioritising private sector investment and focusing on high return projects.

Last week, the government presented the National Recovery and Resilience Plan for 2021-2026, which contains project proposals in six areas, worth a total of HRK 49.08 billion.

Of that, 54% is intended for projects in the business sector, 15% for education, science and research, 12% for building reconstruction, 10% for public administration and justice, 5% for health care and 4% for the labour market and social protection.

Digitisation and green energy transition feature in all six areas in the document.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 9, 2021 - Following Scotland's policy and relevant scientific research on period poverty in Croatia, four schools in Croatia want to help female pupils in their struggles of womanhood.

10% of women in Croatia can't afford menstrual pads and tampons – showed the results of the first big research on period poverty in the country. Following these results, as Srednja.hr reports, Machinery and Traffic School Varaždin was the first to secure free menstrual products for pupils, and three schools in Istria are on the same path.

As confirmed to Istra.In, Vladimir Gortan High School in Buje already secured free menstrual products, Pula Gymnasium's execution is coming soon, and Buzet High School is trying to find a way to implement it.

„Graduation pupils from 4.B, class of Hotel-tourist technicians came to the idea to place a pads dispenser in the girl's bathroom so that girls can take pads when needed“, said psychologist Petra Bošnjak for Istra.In.

She added that the pupils originally thought to finance this change by themselves, but the school decided they can cover the expenses, while the pupil's duty is to follow the development and fill the dispenser with new pads when needed.

„Their notion was immediately accepted and put in place“, concluded Bošnjak.

While Pula Gymnasium still hasn't put the free menstrual products scheme in practice, they announced it to start this Monday, April 12th. 

„Looking at the Varaždin school, we talked with the pedagogy service in school and decided to secure free menstrual products ourselves. I think it's a good approach to be more open towards women and as a school to send a message that we want a clear approach to topics we don't speak loud enough about and to more frequently talk about topics like equality which today is very very important“, said principal of Pula Gymnasium, Filip Zoričić. 

The school will finance menstrual products and which will be available to the pupils in the psychology and pedagogy office. 

As already mentioned, Buzet High School wants to implement the same help to girl pupils too, but the project is in the early stages, and the school vows to do everything in its power to make it a reality. Last week, they sent an inquiry to a drug store asking to sponsor free menstrual products for the girls at Buzet High School, but the drug store so far didn't respond.

„We still didn't get an answer, but we only sent it last week. We certainly want to make this idea a reality, and we won't give up until we find a sponsor for this action“, said principal Margareta Gumilar persistently.

With different stages of success in ensuring free menstrual products for their pupils, these schools are positioning themselves as champions of positive change for gender equality. They are fighting to remove one financial struggle for the pupils that certainly gives uneven position. The prices of menstrual products in Croatia range from 10 to over 20 kunas. 

For more about made in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 9, 2021 - Legendary former Croatia handball player Ivano Balić is Hrvoje Horvat's new assistant coach of the men's national team!

The decision on his inclusion in the Croatia national handball team staff was made on Thursday during the regular session of the Croatian Handball Federation Management Board.

Balić was added to the staff at the suggestion of the current coach, and at the same time, Nino Pavelić, who worked at RK Nexe for years, was appointed goalkeeper coach.

The session confirmed that the competition in the Premier League Package 24, 1st HRL for women, two first men's leagues, and three second women's leagues was put on hold until mid-May, and almost four months after winning the European bronze, the handball players achievement was honored with 150,000 euro! 

Tomislav Grahovac, President of the Croatian Handball Federation:
"We made a decision to award our girls for winning the bronze medal at the European Championships. It is an amount of 150 thousand euro, which is the gross amount. Another important decision is that we have completed the staffs for all age groups of men's handball. What is certainly important to us in the future is that Ivano Balić has been appointed as an assistant to the coach Hrvoje Horvat. The third decision that was made is to put on hold the leagues that are currently being played: Package 24 Premier League, 1st HRL - Women, two men's first leagues and three women's second leagues, until all players, staff members, referees' organizations, and club members, i.e., those who are participants in constant physical contact with players, are vaccinated. The plan is to stop the competition until May 19, and all matches will be played by the end of June."

Source: HRS

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

April 9, 2021 - The latest flight news for Croatia as Air France flights to Dubrovnik increase this summer, while the Paris-Zagreb route will not see the addition of a second daily flight. 

Croatian Aviation reports that Air France has revised its summer flight schedule for this year, with changes on the routes to Croatian airports. The French national carrier maintains a year-round line between Paris and Zagreb, and in the summer, it also operates to Split and Dubrovnik.

No second daily flight to Zagreb

Back in January 2020, the company announced that it would introduce a second daily flight between Zagreb and Paris. Of course, this did not happen after the pandemic outbreak, but the company resumed traffic on this line in June last year.

Since March this year, Dutch KLM operates twice a day on the line between Amsterdam and Zagreb, and since KLM and Air France are in the same group, it was to be expected that Air France will withdraw its second daily flight, which has now happened.

Namely, until just a few days ago, Air France offered a second daily flight on the route to Zagreb Airport from June this year, but they are no longer available for booking. Instead of two, Air France will have one daily flight on the Paris - Zagreb - Paris (Charles de Gaulle Airport) route, while two daily flights will be operated by the aforementioned partner company KLM on the route to Amsterdam.

The Croatian national airline - Croatia Airlines - also operates on the routes from Amsterdam and Paris from Zagreb. There are currently no carriers other than those mentioned on these lines.

Return to Split and increase in traffic to Dubrovnik

On the last day of May, Air France will resume traffic on the Paris - Split - Paris route. The company will operate daily on this route only from July 1, although initially, daily flights were available from May 31. Air France will offer on average between 2 and 4 flights a week to Split Airport until July. 

From the same date (May 31), the company plans to renew the Paris - Dubrovnik - Paris line as well. It will initially operate with two flights a week, gradually increasing the number of weekly operations. From the beginning of July, daily flights have been announced on this route, while Air France will operate as many as 11 times a week between Paris and Dubrovnik Airport from the middle of the same month.

Of course, these flights will primarily depend on the epidemiological situation in both countries. Still, the positive news is that Air France will resume traffic to Split and Dubrovnik, with the intention of increasing the number of operations to Dubrovnik Airport.

Air France currently plans to use E190 aircraft and aircraft from the A320 family, with A318 aircraft announced for Dubrovnik, a rarity in the European sky, considering that only 80 of them have been sold in total.

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 9, 2021 - Member of Marjan Split Lena Stojković won the gold medal at the European Taekwondo Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria!

On the first day of the competition, the Croatia taekwondo team reached the gold medal in Sofia thanks to 19-year-old Lena Stojković!

Lena defeated Finn Tammila 22-2 in the first round in the category up to 46 kilograms. She went on to achieve an upset in the quarterfinals with an 18-8 victory against Turkey's Yildirim, the current European champion, winner of an incredible seven world and European medals in senior competition, and a competitor in Tokyo this summer in the category up to 49 kilograms.

HTK

In the semifinals, Lena was dominant against Israeli Rivka Bayech with 28-8, and in the grand final, she defeated the Russian Larisa Medvedeva with 18-10 after another phenomenal fight. The total point difference of 86-28 speaks enough about the young Split woman's superiority in Bulgaria.

With this gold medal, Lena completed her collection of medals in all three age categories. Recall, Lena won bronze at the European Championships as a cadet, while in her junior internship, she won bronze at the Youth Olympic Games and world bronze.

HTK

Lena started practicing taekwondo in her kindergarten days and was welcomed by coach Veljko Laura in Blatine, Split. Together with Veljko, she reached the fourth big medal in her career at only 19 years old.

Kristina Tomić also competed on the first day of the European Championship. The evident Olympic candidate lost to Romanian Musteate 29-21 in the first round in the 49 kg category. It should be noted that Tomić has diabetes and that it is certainly not easy to lose five kilograms three months before the Olympic Games, where the Osvita member certainly has the maximum focus. For Tomić, the European Championship was, after all, just a training run for what follows in July.

Bravo, Lena!

Source: Gol.hr

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

April 9, 2021 - A working group is being set up to develop a technical solution for cross-border interoperable digital green certificates in Croatia.

"Vaccination of employees in the tourism sector begins with the third phase of vaccination. I believe it will be very soon," said the Minister of Tourism and Sports Nikolina Brnjac, adding that based on data received so far in the proposed surveys, the number of employees who would enter priority vaccination in the tourism sector is about 68,000, reports HRTurizam.

"Given the nature of the work as well as the significant number of contacts that tourism workers make, it is necessary to vaccinate before the start of the season," said Brnjac.

A working group is being set up to develop a technical solution for cross-border interoperable digital green certificates in line with EU-level talks.

At Thursday's 52nd Government session, the Ministry of the Interior (MUP) proposed a Decision to establish a working group to develop a technical solution for cross-border interoperable digital green certificates.

"We will soon start creating a digital system of certificates of vaccination, testing, and recovery to enable citizens of the Republic of Croatia and the EU free and epidemiologically safe cross-border mobility and residence in our country," said Davor Bozinovic, Minister of the Interior.

Namely, the European Commission coordinates a common European response to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic. Following the development of the epidemiological situation and health and medical measures, it is necessary to develop other effective measures to combat COVID-19 and enable free movement in EU member states and third countries or green digital certificates, so-called 'covid passports'.

Therefore, they have recognized the need to ensure freedom of cross-border movement through establishing a system for issuing, verifying, and accepting vaccination, testing, and recovery certificates to facilitate free movement during the COVID-19 pandemic (digital green certificate) that would be interoperable between the EU Member States and third countries.

To this end, on 17 March 2021, the European Commission presented a Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on a framework for issuing, verifying, and accepting cross-border interoperable vaccination, testing, and recovery certificates to facilitate free movement during the COVID-19 pandemic (digital green certificate). 

Croatia has expressed readiness to establish a national system of digital green certificates and their cross-border interoperability through the EU accession plan that the European Commission plans to establish in April, May, and June 2021, according to the Ministry of the Interior.

To establish a technical solution and to develop a national system of digital green certificates, the Ministry of the Interior is tasked with concluding a contract with AKD d.o.o. (Agency for commercial activity production, service, and trade d.o.o.), since AKD was established to perform the tasks of creating personal ID cards, passports, visas, driver's licenses and other solutions in the field of identity and security.

The Decision instructs the Ministry of Health to provide the Working Group referred to in this Decision with all necessary professional support, especially in fulfilling the following tasks: representing Croatia in the operational working groups of the European Commission's eHealth Network, which coordinates implementing the pilot project of the technical solution for digital green certificates; ensuring the integrity, confidentiality, availability, and non-repudiation of machine-readable data on vaccinated, tested and sick persons automatically and in real-time, accessible from data sources owned by the Ministry of Health, which will be the basis for issuing cross-border interoperable digital green certificates.

Recall that according to the new and expanded criteria for the entry of tourists into Croatia, tourists who have either been vaccinated, contracted COVID-19, or have a negative PCR or antigen test from the list of EU tests, can enter Croatia.

Follow the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April the 9th, 2021 - The paradoxical situation with the Croatian COVID-19 vaccination process is continuing as a city five times smaller than the Croatian capital of Zagreb vaccinates twice the amount of people.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, following the general rehearsal held on Tuesday this week, to which 90 Zagreb residents of those invited (500 invitations were sent out) for vaccination responded, only 783 of the 1,500 invited ended up actually coming and being vaccinated on Wednesday. Significantly fewer people came than were actually invited, which poses a concerning issue.

"We aren't very happy with the response. In any case, it's better than it was the day before,'' stated the Andrija Stampar Institute's Tatjana Petricevic Vidovic.

Over in Rijeka, the same mass vaccination process took place using AstraZeneca, but the results there were much, much better. In a city six times smaller than Zagreb, twice as many people were vaccinated in one day than in Zagreb - 1,400. This news signals continuing issues surrounding the Croatian COVID-19 vaccination process which aren't likely to clear themselves up soon.

As of this week, everyone living in Zagreb should probably be making their way (upon invitation) to the Zagreb Fair (Zagrebacki Velesajam) for vaccination against the novel virus. There is no more vaccination with the first dose for outpatient clinics, but instead for those who applied through the vaccination portal and those who were on the lists of their family doctors who are also invited.

"It's done in the sense of the GP taking out his notebook again and calling his patients who haven't been vaccinated yet, asking them if they want to be vaccinated with AstraZeneca and if they do want to, he then he refers them them for vaccination at the Zagreb Fair," explained the president of the Croatian Family Medicine Coordination, Natasa Ban Toskic.

Thus, the aforementioned Zagreb-based paradox was created. Finally, in a long and somewhat embarrassing Croatian COVID-19 vaccination process, there are now many mass vaccination points and a slightly larger number of doses has finally arrived, but there have also been mass absences of citizens and problems with invitations being accepted.

"Are you thinking of just letting everyone come next week, and whoever wants to get vaccinated can come and receive it?" Health Minister Vili Beros was asked.

"Thank you for that question. Theoretically, perhaps in the way you suggested, we'd end up harming some older people who had previously applied to be vaccinated. However, of course, in the given circumstances, we'll do everything to make sure we use up every dose,'' Beros answered for RTL.

He added that this was not ruled out as an option as the Croatian COVID-19 vaccination process goes on. “We need to be flexible and do what's best for the healthcare system,” he concluded.

For more on coronavirus specific to Croatia, including travel, quarantine and border rules, as well as testing centre locations across the country, make sure to bookmark this page.