As Novac/Bernard Ivezic writes on the 24th of November, 2020, less than a month after Starlink, Elon Musk's space telecom, started operating, discussions have begun about when it will become available here Croatia. Could Musk's move mean the speeding up of the Croatia 5G network?

For now, Starlink has only offered Americans internet via satellite speeds that are between what 4G offers today and what 5G should initially offer in the future. Musk's Starlink offers a speed of 50-150 Mbps with a latency of 20-40 milliseconds, so far with no gigabyte limit, and with the promise that it will be even better in the future.

Due to its price, this alternative to terrestrial telecoms won't be for everyone despite the fact that it will more than likely have very positive effects on the Croatia 5G network. The monthly subscription is 630 kuna with a previous purchase of a package that includes an antenna, tripod and Wi-Fi router for 3200 kuna. However, factories that need a backup connection, construction sites, hotels, platforms, sailboats, ships and planes shouldn't have a problem with these amounts. Musk has already asked the US FCC regulator for permission to test Starlink out on Gulfstream jets. A good portion of Starlink's commercial testers are also potential users of the future 5G.

Satellite operation

Starlink's entry into the European market won't be easy. The first to be able to use his services in Europe are the Norwegians, and that should be in the next few months, as Canada and Norway are listed only as the first markets outside the United States to which Musk will expand. In addition, only India is highlighted, which Starlink is expected to enter in the middle of next year. Here in Croatia, as is the case in other EU countries, Starlink will apparently not be able to sell its services immediately. And until a week ago, when another of Musk's companies, Tesla Motors, opened a car shop in Zagreb, it was inconceivable that something like this could happen here at all, now no one doubts that Starlink will make its way here, too.

From Hakom, Croatia's telecommunication regulator, it was learned that Musk will need certain permits to operate Starlink in Croatia, as he will across the rest of the EU. Hakom states that a license isn't required for the operation of these satellites, but one for the provision of Internet or "electronic communication services" on the territory of Croatia is definitely necessary.

"Starlink or any other company that plans to provide electronic communications services here in Croatia is obliged to apply to Hakom for this activity through the e-Operator portal," they explained from Hakom.

Commercial 5G

They explained that then, the only remaining question regards Starlink's satellite dish and which one Croatia's users will buy. Hakom states that it has issued a general permit that allows the free use of fixed earth stations in a fixed satellite service that communicates with non-geostationary satellite networks. Here in Croatia, almost 150,000 residents use satellite television from Croatian Telecom and A1 Croatia. However, Hakom points out that they don't yet know whether Starlink's terrestrial terminals meet the conditions for that general permit, but this is likely to crystallise over the next year. During that time, telecoms are expected to accelerate the spread of the Croatia 5G network.

At this point, Croatian Telecom has already launched commercial 5G. A1 is announcing the same for next year, although it is being intensively tested, and two weeks ago Tele2 (Telemach) announced an investment of 130 million euros in its own 5G network and the launch of that same network next year. From Hakom, they say that all three operators can already offer commercial 5G.

"Licenses for the use of the RF spectrum are technologically neutral and refer to the frequencies that an individual operator receives, and with the change in October, we enabled the use of 5G technology to all operators," they say from Hakom.

Rural environments and islands

"A public auction for the allocation of the right to use 5G frequency bands is planned to be launched at the end of the first half of 2021, and a public hearing on the specific model of the public auction and the obligations of operators will be held beforehand," Hakom explained.

During that time, all three operators have licenses to test the full range of the Croatia 5G network in the Eastern city of Osijek. The condition is that they cannot offer this as a commercial service. Croatian Telecom and A1 are testing 5G in both Osijek and in Zagreb, and Croatian Telecom also covered ​​Bjelovar and Krk, while A1 installed their 5G antennas in Dubrovnik, Split, Rijeka and Cepin. Tele2-Telemach'a 5G is currently being tested only in Zagreb.

The wider application of the Croatia 5G network will enable operators to compete with Musk's Starlink in rural areas and across Croatia's inhabited islands, ie wherever there is no developed optical network today. Hakom states that telecoms will be able to use 5G to offer a landline phone, internet and TV connection. It will also be able to offer backup over 5G for users of the existing network, and the list of technologies and capabilities will be extended even to autonomous vehicles. Although Mate Rimac said that he was on his way to that, Hakom states that so far no one is using 5G for autonomous vehicles in Croatia.

"Something like this will be possible only with the allocation of 5G frequencies next year. It's important to point out that for autonomous vehicles, it's necessary to ensure the continuous coverage of all roads with a 5G signal with a certain quality of service, which will require large financial investments,'' Hakom concluded.

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November the 25th, 2020 - Could Croatia introduce mandatory coronavirus vaccination when the vaccine becomes available and arrives in the country? For some the idea is excellent, for others it is quite the opposite. Regardless of the ins and outs, Minister Davor Bozinovic hasn't ruled the idea out completely.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, after the meeting with numerous county prefects, Minister Davor Bozinovic presented a new set of strict measures that should be in force until Christmas, you can read them here. As previously touched on, the possibility of Croatia introducing mandatory coronavirus vaccination for the entire population hasn't been ruled out.

When asked by journalists whether the vaccine against the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 will become mandatory here in Croatia, the Minister was not explicit in his response, but he left such a possibility open.

''There are vaccines that are already mandatory. That vaccine would reduce the spread of the infection,'' replied Bozinovic, explaining that according to Croatia's Law on the Protection of the Population from Infectious Diseases, there are vaccines that are indeed mandatory.

''Certainly, we need to know that in order for the vaccine to stop the epidemic, then the estimate [of the population which needs to be vaccinated] needs to stand at 70 percent, we're absolutely going to make sure that happens,” he assured, noting that it remains to be seen what the coming months will bring and what that will mean for decision making.

The head of the National Civil Protection Headquarters also noted that additional efforts should be made when it comes to communication with people when it comes to the measures and decisions regarding the pandemic and he asked for the media to help in that.

"Croatia has an obligation to vaccinate against some diseases. There's no mandatory coronavirus vaccine because all of this is brand new, but [should that be decided] it wouldn't be some sort of new thing,'' he noted.

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ZAGREB, Nov 24, 2020 - Vukovar has a new memorial to the Homeland War in the town's centre downtown in the form of a shell embedded in the footpath with a tree growing above it so that it can be visible to passers-by.

"Today we are presenting an exhibit to the public, a new memorial that we locally refer to as the shell because it represents the shells that fell onto the city and represents an authentic mortar shell tail with a diameter of 82 mm which was unearthed in Olajica downtown quarter. This is yet another of the rare remnants from the Homeland War that we have in Vukovar, luckily because most public spaces have been rehabilitated," Vukovar Mayor Ivan Penava said at the unveiling ceremony.

According to Penava that memorial has both tourism and educational purpose because it testifies to everything that occurred in Vukovar in the autumn of 1991 and the aggression that the town was brutally exposed to during the three-month-long siege by the former Yugoslav peoples' Army (JNA) and Serb paramilitary forces.

"Unfortunately, it is missiles like this that took the most lives in Vukovar with 70% to 80% of civilian victims being killed by shrapnel from mortar shells," said Penava.

The authentic shell has been placed at the bottom of a glass box together with an appropriate text which has been embedded in the footpath.

Referring to the recent memorial parade, Penava said that everything was conducted according to plan in a dignified way and that city authorities did everything in their power for epidemiological measures to be adhered to.

ZAGREB, Nov 24, 2020 - President Zoran Milanovic on Tuesday received the founder of the Turkish Rixos Hotels group, The land of Legends, and SML Construction Co, Fettah Tamince, the president's office said in a press release.

During the talks Tamince informed President Milanovic of the Rixos company's business and the possibility of expanding its business operations in Croatia.

Tamince, one of the leading entrepreneurs in Turkey, does business in many countries and apart from owning the Rixos Hotels in Croatia, he owns and manages 12 luxurious hotels around the world, which is one of the fastest growing hotel chains.

During the reception in Zagreb, he was accompanied by a member of the board at The Land of Legends company, Murat Suglun.

After intensive reconstruction, which cost HRK 150 million, the Rixos Premium Dubrovnik hotel was opened in June this year.

Rixos Hotels are part of the international Accor hotel brand and has hotels in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Switzerland, Russia, Kazakhstan and Croatia. Premium is the highest category of hotels within the group.

ZAGREB, Nov 24, 2020 - Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic announced on Tuesday that the national coronavirus response team would prepare a new set of more stringent measures against the coronavirus epidemic that would become effective later this week and remain in force until Christmas. 

Bozinovic made the announcement after a meeting with county prefects.

"Tomorrow the national coronavirus response team will prepare a new set of measures which will be presented to the county prefects and which will be in force until some time before Christmas. These will be more stringent measures. Some people think that the measures already in place are enough, but the numbers are not falling, so we are moving forward with new measures taking into account that this is a long battle," Bozinovic told a press conference.

He said that the new measures would target specific sectors of the economy, notably hospitality, as well as culture and partly education.

"We are bringing in measures to protect people's lives, but on the other hand we must also bear in mind the economic aspect and see to what extent closures can have a negative impact on the mental state of the nation," Bozinovic said.

"Draft measures will be prepared for the inner cabinet and presented to the county prefects. We will see their reactions and then take a decision that will enter into force most likely before the end of this week," he added.

The purpose of the new measures is to stop the spread of the virus, ease the burden on the healthcare system and ensure that all patients, not just those infected with the coronavirus, receive adequate healthcare, Bozinovic said..

He said that as soon as a COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Croatia it was necessary to vaccinate as many people as possible, adding that 70 percent of the adult population would need to be vaccinated to stop the epidemic.

Responding to questions from the press, Bozinovic said that introducing a curfew was never an option and that there would definitely not be another lockdown like the one in the spring.

ZAGREB, Nov 24, 2020 - The Croatian Public Health Institute (HZJZ), in cooperation with Zagreb's sewage management authority, has launched a project to test sewage in an effort to identify possible traces of the COVID-19 virus.

Analysis of sewage is used to determine the presence of biological or chemical matter for the purpose of monitoring public health and it has been used to identify the presence of pharmaceutical or industrial waste, medicaments and viruses and the potential emergence of bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

Recent research has shown that identifying traces of coronavirus in sewage can help in monitoring the outbreak of COVID-19, HZJZ has said. 

The project is being conducted in cooperation with the World Health Organisation in Croatia and is being financed by the German government.

Similar testing is already being conducted in several countries around the world including Italy, the Netherlands, Hungary, Spain and France.

Monitoring sewage can lead to predicting the outbreak of infection

Even though these analyses cannot identify people who are infected, they can detect coronavirus RNA in human feces several days to a week before symptoms develop. Research has shown that by monitoring sewage it is possible to predict the outbreak of infection before individual testing and hospitalisation.

"This kind of testing is an early warning tool," HZJZ said.

ZAGREB, Nov 24, 2020 - The European Commission will on Wednesday approve yet another contract to pre-order 160 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine from the US biotech company Moderna, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday. 

“I am happy to announce that tomorrow we will approve a new contract to secure another COVID-19 vaccine in our vaccine portfolio," von der Leyen told a press conference in Brussels.

This is the sixth contract the Commission will sign with pharmaceutical companies for the purchase of a COVID-19 vaccine. 

Von der Leyen said that the EU was working on another contract as well, stressing that the EU would have the largest vaccine portfolio in the world. She added that the vaccines would be made available after undergoing thorough checks by the European Medicines Agency.

The Commission president said that a vaccine was the most effective way to stop the pandemic and that therefore the priority was to get vaccines quickly. Another priority was to to make sure that the vaccines were available to everyone in the world, she added.

Von der Leyen noted that the EU had already made a great contribution to securing a sufficient number of doses of vaccines for poor countries.

The Moderna company announced last week that based on results from the final stage of clinical trials its experimental vaccine was 94.5 percent effective against COVID-19.

ZAGREB, Nov 24, 2020 - In the past 24 hours Croatia has registered 2,323 new cases of coronavirus while 47 people have died as a consequence of the infection, the national COVID-19 response team said on Tuesday.

There are now 19,161 active cases in the country, including 2,093 hospitalised patients, of whom 244 are on ventilators.

Forty-seven people have died.

Since 25 February, when the first case of coronavirus was identified in Croatia, a total of 108,014 people have been infected with the virus and 1,445 have died.

A total of 87,408 have recovered, of whom 2,390 within the last 24 hours.

There are currently 40,762 people in self-isolation.

To date a total of 692,048 tests for the virus have been conducted, including 8,944 in the past 24 hours.

127 residents of aged care facility in Lika-Senj County infected

Of 154 residents in an aged care facility for people with mental disorders in the central town of Otocac, Lika-Senj County, 127 are positive for coronavirus, the local COVID-19 response team said.

Seven have been hospitalised but none are in critical condition.

Fourteen employees of the home had previously tested positive for coronavirus.

Currently, there are 355 active cases of the infection in Lika-Senj County.

Since the outbreak of the epidemic in that county, 1,225 people have contracted the disease, 836 have recovered and 34 have died.