Official COVID-19 in Croatia Weekly Report September 22-28, 2020
October 3, 2020 - The latest official COVID-19 in Croatia weekly report has been released by the Koronavirus government website, covering September 22-28.
CIPH report for the previous 7 days and daily report for the Republic of Croatia on the 28th of September 2020.
| Tested | Confirmed cases | Active cases | Recovered | Self-isolation | Hospitalized | On a respirator | Deaths | |
| 295 998 (+3029*) | 16245 (+40*) | 1180 | 14793 | 9057 | 291 | 24 (+1*) | 272 (+0*) | |
A total of 164 people died in this epidemic wave. Most of the deceased had significant comorbidities or were of advanced age. The average age of the deceased in this epidemic wave is 76.5 years. Seventy - six people died on a respirator.
* in the last 24 hours
There are currently 24 testing places in the Republic of Croatia that perform RT-PCR analysis and collect samples. All processed samples enter national Croatian Health Insurance Institute platform, which is accessible to all county public health institutes. County public health institutes submit data about positive cases, sources of infection and hotspots as part of their daily reports to the Croatian Institute of Public Health. The Croatian Institute of Public Health collects information about hotspots, hospital treatment of COVID-19 positive persons, COVID-19 positive patients on respirators and the deceased.
You can find more about the test centers on the link.
Epidemiological indicators on 21 st of September
- Cumulative 7-day rate for the Republic of Croatia: 30,7/100 000
- Cumulative 14-day rate for the Republic of Croatia: 64,8/100 000
- Counties with a cumulative 7-day rate greater than 50/100 000 inhabitants: Virovitičko-podravska, Karlovačka, Ličko-senjska, Požeško-slavonska, Splitsko-dalmatinska
- Counties with a cumulative 14-day rate greater than 100/100 000 inhabitants: Karlovačka, Ličko-senjska, Požeško-slavonska, Splitsko-dalmatinska
- Total number of tests in the last week: 34 105
- Share of positive tests in the total number of tests in the last week: 3,7 %
- Total number of tests and share of positive tests in total number of tests: 295 998; 5,5 %
- The number of new cases in intensive care per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 7 days: 0,39/100 000
- Number of deaths in the last week: 19
- Total death rate per 1 000 000 population: 66,5/1 000 000
Epidemiological situation in Croatia
Geographical distribution of new COVID-19 cases by counties
In a two-week period from 15th of September to 28th of September all counties recorded new cases of COVID-19 disease. The highest number of new cases are recorded in the Splitsko - dalmatinska County, followed by the City of Zagreb and Zagrebačka County. The lowest number of new cases were recorded in Sisačko - moslavačka and Istarska County. The Požeško - slavonska County also has the highest 14-day rate, followed by Splitsko - dalmatinska and Ličko – senjska County.
Epidemic by weeks, from 19 th – 31 st week of the epidemic
Table 1 shows the epidemiological indicators by epidemic week. The data shows that one of the most important epidemiological indicators, the rate of confirmed cases, the number of tests and the share of positive ones show a positive trend in the last 5 weeks. The confirmed case rate has been steadily declining since week 27 when it stood at 47.6 to 31,2 at week 31. The total number of tests has been growing continuously for the past 4 weeks, i.e. from the 25 th week, but at 31 st week there was a slight decrease in the number of tests compared to previous weeks. The proportion of positive people in total testing also fell steadily, falling from 12.5 in the 26 th week of the epidemic to 3.7 in the 31 st week.
Table 2 shows a set of indicators related to the severity of the clinical picture and the characteristics of deaths. The table shows that in the last 4 weeks there has been an increase in the average age of cases and the number of cases on the respirator, which corresponds to previous findings that older people are more likely to develop more severe clinical forms and higher mortality in older age groups. The death rate in the last 3 weeks shows stagnation.
Table 3 shows the incidence of the 7-day rate in the two last weeks with a limit of 50/100 000 inhabitants, which in some countries is taken as one of the criteria in assessing the epidemiological situation. In most counties, the 7-day rate is generally stable or slightly declining.
Clinical aspects - Hospitalizations and severity of clinical picture for the period 22.9.-28.9.2020.
Figure 2 shows the relationship between the daily number of confirmed cases and the daily number of hospitalized cases. Number of hospitalized cases per day ranged between a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 37, while the share of hospitalized cases in the total daily number of confirmed cases ranged from 9.9% to 33.3%.
Figure 2. Overview of the daily number of confirmed and hospitalized cases (15.9.-21.9.)
Figure 3 shows the proportion of hospitalized in the total number of weekly cases. Of the total number of confirmed cases in a given weekly period, 15.2% were hospitalized, which is an increase compared to last week's 13.2%. In the same period, 16 people were put on a respirator, which makes 1,3% of the total number of confirmed cases.
Figure 3. Relation of the total number of confirmed and hospitalized cases (22.9.-28.9.)
The graph in Figure 4 shows that the slope of the curve of confirmed cases is followed by the curve of cured cases, while the curve of active cases, in addition to some ascending, shows stagnation in certain periods related to the continuation of the first wave of the epidemic in Croatia. In the last 2 weeks the curve of active cases shows a declining slope.
Figure 4. Movement of the total number of cases, recovered, deceased and active number of cases from 18.6.- 28.9.
Age-sex distribution of COVID-19 deaths
A total of 165 people died in this wave of epidemics. Most of the people who died had significant comorbidities or were of advanced age. The mean age of the deceased in this wave of epidemics is 76.5 years. Seventy - six people died on a respirator.
An overview of the situation is given in Table 4 and Figure 5.
Table 4. Distribution by age and sex of the deceased people in the continuation of the first wave of the epidemic
| AGE GROUP | 40-49 | 50-59 | 60-69 | 70-79 | 80-89 | 90-99 | 100+ |
| MEN | 3 | 16 | 24 | 55 | 35 | 11 | 1 |
| WOMEN | 2 | 0 | 16 | 31 | 51 | 27 | 0 |
Figure 5. Age and sex distribution of deaths from COVID-19 in the period 29 th June – 28th of September 2020
Deaths for the period 22.9.-28.9.2020.
In the last week, 19 people died, of which 14 (73.7%) were on a respirator. The distribution by age and sex in the last weeks is shown in Table 5, and by counties in Table 6.
Table 5. Distribution by age and sex of persons who died in the last week
| AGE GROUP | 50-59 | 60-69 | 70-79 | 80-89 | 90-99 |
| MEN | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| WOMEN | 0 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 1 |
Table 6. New patients and deaths in the last week and total deaths
| County | Number of new cases in the period 22.9.-28.9. | Incidence of new cases in the last 7 days on 100 000 inhabitants | Number of deaths in the period 22.9.-28.9. | Total number of deaths | Total mortality rate at 1,000,000 inhabitants |
| CITY OF ZAGREB | 198 | 24,6 | 4 | 43 | 53,4 |
| BJELOVARSKO-BILOGORSKA | 32 | 29,7 | 0 | 1 | 9,3 |
| BRODSKO-POSAVSKA | 25 | 17,8 | 1 | 5 | 35,7 |
| DUBROVAČKO-NERETVANSKA | 45 | 37,1 | 1 | 13 | 107,2 |
| ISTARSKA | 11 | 5,3 | 0 | 13 | 62,3 |
| KARLOVAČKA | 62 | 53,1 | 0 | 2 | 17,1 |
| KOPRIVNIČKO-KRIŽEVAČKA | 16 | 14,9 | 0 | 16 | 148,5 |
| KRAPINSKO-ZAGORSKA | 56 | 44,7 | 2 | 4 | 31,9 |
| LIČKO-SENJSKA | 26 | 57,5 | 0 | 1 | 22,1 |
| MEĐIMURSKA | 30 | 27,3 | 0 | 26 | 0,0 |
| OSJEČKO-BARANJSKA | 58 | 20,9 | 0 | 5 | 93,8 |
| POŽEŠKO-SLAVONSKA | 62 | 91,4 | 1 | 7 | 73,7 |
| PRIMORSKO-GORANSKA | 122 | 42,9 | 3 | 5 | 24,6 |
| SISAČKO-MOSLAVAČKA | 13 | 8,7 | 0 | 70 | 33,6 |
| SPLITSKO-DALMATINSKA | 231 | 51,6 | 3 | 7 | 156,2 |
| ŠIBENSKO-KNINSKA | 18 | 18,0 | 0 | 3 | 69,9 |
| VARAŽDINSKA | 13 | 7,8 | 0 | 9 | 18,0 |
| VIROVITIČKO-PODRAVSKA | 40 | 53,2 | 2 | 16 | 119,6 |
| VUKOVARSKO-SRIJEMSKA | 63 | 40,8 | 0 | 8 | 103,6 |
| ZADARSKA | 32 | 19,0 | 1 | 18 | 47,6 |
| ZAGREBAČKA | 100 | 32,3 | 1 | 43 | 58,2 |
| TOTAL | 1253 | 30,7 | 19 | 1 | 66,5 |
Hotspots
Continental Croatia
In the last week, new cases were recorded in all counties of continental Croatia, mostly in the City of Zagreb, Zagrebačka and Vukovasko - srijemska County. The highest 7-day rates on 28 th of September were recorded in Požeško - slavonska, Virovitičko - podravska and Karlovačka County. A new grouping of patients was recorded in Vukovasko - srijemska County and is associated with masses and family celebrations related to the reception of the sacraments. In Krapinsko - zagorska County, sick people continue to be recorded, as well as their contacts related to larger groupings at the workplace and related to weddings in Međimurska County. Smaller groupings were recorded in the City of Zagreb and Požeško – slavonska County and are related to players of sports clubs. In Krapinsko - zagorska County were also related with a small number of patients. Grouping related to the public event was recorded in Osiječko -baranjska County, and with a private celebration in Virovitičko - podravska County. In the home for the elderly in the Sisačko - moslavačka County, a part of the wards and employees of the home fell ill. Part of the sick people are cases imported from abroad and there is a large proportion of contacts of sick people.
Coastal Croatia
Cases of ill persons have been recorded in Coastal Croatia like in all counties as well. The highest number of patients was recorded in the Splitsko - dalmatinska, Primorsko - gorskanska and Dubrovačko - neretvanska County. The highest 7-day rate on 28 th of September was in Ličko - senjska, Splitsko - dalmatinska and Primorsko - gorskanska County. A significant jump in the number of patients occurred in the Primorsko - gorskanska County after the disease spread to the residents of the home for the elderly in that county, and by the time this report was written, 66 people from that institution had fallen ill. The situation in the Splitsko - dalmatinska County is still stable, no major groupings have been recorded and most sources of infection in sick people are related to the workplace and there was one smaller grouping recorded in the sports club. In addition to the above-mentioned home for the elderly in the Primorsko - gorskanska County, a larger group of patients is associated with weddings in the Ličko - senjska County. A significant proportion of patients are contacts of previously recorded cases.
Age-sex distribution of patients in the last week
In the previous week, a total of 1,254 people fell ill - approximately the same number of females (51.8%) and males. The same distribution by sex is present in most age groups, except in the age groups under the 7 years, where is the smallest number of patients, and in the age group 66+, in which women predominate (60.7%).
By age groups - the least affected were children, 138 (11%). Of the children, the youngest patients were younger than 1 year, a total of 3. The most affected were children of high school age, a total of 69.
Adults made the largest share in the total number of patients last week, i.e. 874 (69.7%). The share of elderly patients is 19.3%.
The distribution of patients by age did not change significantly compared to last week, except for the increase in the elderly from 13.3% to 19.3% and a slight decrease in the number of cases in children from 13.4% to 11%.
The full view can be found in Figure 6 and Table 7.
Figure 6. Distribution of patients in the last week by age groups
Table 7. Age and sex distribution of patients in the period 15.9.-21.9.2020
| Category | Age group | Number of cases men | Share of men (%) | Number of cases women | Share of women (%) | Total by age groups and categories | Share of age groups and categories in the total number of cases (%) | ||
| Kids | 0 | 3 | 100,0% | 0 | 0,0% | 3 | 138 | 0,2% | 11% |
| 1-6 | 18 | 72,0% | 7 | 28,0% | 25 | 2,0% | |||
| 7-10 | 5 | 45,5% | 6 | 54,5% | 11 | 0,9% | |||
| 11-14 | 14 | 46,7% | 16 | 53,3% | 30 | 2,4% | |||
| 15-18 | 28 | 40,6% | 41 | 59,4% | 69 | 5,5% | |||
| Adults | 19-30 | 102 | 47,4% | 113 | 52,6% | 215 | 874 | 17,1% | 69,7% |
| 31-40 | 94 | 51,6% | 88 | 48,4% | 182 | 14,5% | |||
| 41-50 | 109 | 52,4% | 99 | 47,6% | 208 | 16,6% | |||
| 51-65 | 137 | 50,9% | 132 | 49,1% | 269 | 21,5% | |||
| Elders | 66+ | 95 | 39,3% | 147 | 60,7% | 242 | 242 | 19,3% | 19,3% |
| TOTAL | 605 | 48,2% | 649 | 51,8% | 1254 | 100 | |||
Measures
Measures to maintain physical distance, maintain hand hygiene and disinfection are still in force. Also, it is mandatory to wear face masks or medical masks indoors for all health workers and professionals, employees who work in social care system and the ones who work in hospitality facilities.
Headquarters decisions in the previous week:
- Decision about the introduction of necessary epidemiological measures for the area of Krapinsko -zagorska County (September 25, 2020)
- Decision amending the Decision about the introduction of necessary epidemiological measures for the area of Virovitičko - podravska County (September 25, 2020)
- Decision amending the Decision about the introduction of necessary epidemiological measures for the Zagrebačka County (25 September 2020)
- Decision about the introduction of necessary epidemiological measures for the area of the Municipality of Đulovac (September 25, 2020)
- Decision about the introduction of necessary epidemiological measures for the area of Sisačko - moslavačka County (September 23, 2020)
- Decision amending the Decision about the introduction of necessary epidemiological measures for the area of the Splitsko - dalmatinska County (September 23, 2020)
- Decision about the necessary measure of limiting the working hours of catering facilities in the category "Bars" (September 22, 2020)
- Decision on repealing the Decision about the introduction of necessary epidemiological measures for the area of the City of Otočac (September 22, 2020)
CIPH recommendations
- Guidelines for the prevention and suppression of the COVID-19 epidemic for social service providers in the social welfare system - ver. 9 (28/09/2020)
- Recommendations for the prevention of COVID-19 infection during professional art performances, cultural programs and events - ver. 4 (27/09/2020)
- Exercise of the right to vaccination against influenza with payments (25/09/2020)
- Criteria for testing for SARS-CoV-2, termination of isolation and quarantine - Consolidated revised recommendations on priorities for testing for SARS-CoV-2, handling of contacts, completion of isolation and quarantine ("self-isolation") (21/09/2020)
- Terms of use of school sports halls by external users (22/09/2020)
Recommendations and measures on global and EU levelEurope
On 10 th of August 2020, ECDC released an updated version of the risk assessment:
ECDC has additional documents and information available: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en and https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19-pandemic
The number of cases and the 7-day cumulative incidence of COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide can be found on the ECDC dashboard: https://qap.ecdc.europa.eu/public/extensions/COVID-19/COVID-19.html
Austria
Bundesministerium für Soziales, Gesundheit, Pflege und Konsumentenschutz – https://www.sozialministerium.at/Informationen-zum-Coronavirus/Neuartiges-Coronavirus-(2019-nCov).html
Netherlands
Government of the Netherlands - https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19
National Institute for Public Health and the Environment - https://www.rivm.nl/en/novel-coronavirus-covid-19Germany
Rober Koch Institut - https://www.rki.de/DE/Home/homepage_node.html
Slovenia
(gov.si) – https://www.gov.si/en/topics/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/
National Institute for Public Health – Slovenia - https://www.nijz.si/en
United Kingdom
gov.uk – https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
NHS - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
World
WHO provides comprehensive information and documents
WHO COVID-19-Dashboard: https://covid19.who.int/ and https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Weekly Epidemiological Update and Weekly Operational Update i Weekly Surveillance Report: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports and https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-19/weekly-surveillance-report
Sources of information
https://www.hzjz.hr/
https://zdravlje.gov.hr/Information about the global epidemiological situation
More about COVID-19 in other countries can be found and learned on the ECDC website: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/geographical-distribution-2019-ncov-cases. The WHO Regional Office for Europe, the European Commission and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Health Policy have at their disposal the COVID-19 Health System Response Monitor (HSRM). There is information available about European countries and ways to respond to this epidemic. The focus is on health systems and public initiatives: https://www.covid19healthsystem.org/mainpage.aspx
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EC Report: 91 Percent of Croatian Companies Consider Corruption Rife
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Suzana Varosanec writes on the 2nd of October, 2020, in the first annual EC report on the functioning of the rule of law for the Republic of Croatia, the fact that 91 percent of Croatian companies consider corruption to be widespread (the EU average otherwise stands at a significantly lower 63 percent), and that for 57 percent of Croatian companies it poses a problem in business (with the EU average being a far lower 37 percent), is greatly concerning.
Although the Croatian judiciary has made progress in reducing the enormous backlog of cases, there are still many problems with efficiency, independence and quality, while the matter is even more complex with regard to the corruption perception index, which is always a very hot topic indeed in Croatia.
According to Transparency International for the year 2019, the Republic of Croatia ranks 18th in the European Union and 63rd in the entire world, but it unfortunately ranks as the worst in the 2020 Eurobarometer survey in terms of citizens' perceptions of corruption: as many as 97 percent believe it is widespread (the EU average is otherwise 71 percent) and 54 percent of them feel personally affected by it in their everyday lives (whereas the EU average stands at a lower 26 percent). The report also points out that in September 2020, the Minister of Justice and Administration announced a new anti-corruption strategy.
The EC report, which is the latest strategic document, accompanied by three two-year action plans and largely implemented, is lacking due to the postponement of some initiatives to strengthen ethics and integrity among top executives and members of parliament and to regulate lobbying. Corruption at the local level remains a cause for concern, due to, they say, structural weaknesses and the management of local state-owned enterprises.
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Arena Hospitality Group's Croatian Camps to Operate in Winter
As Novac/Barbara Ban writes on the 2nd of October, 2020, with the lingering summer weather, Pula's gates remain somewhat empty. Cafes, shops and restaurants have been opened, but the question is for whom. Unfortunately, there are no guests. Various "red zones" did their thing and drove foreign tourists home in late August. Therefore, the off-season in Pula is quite bad, when you ask the biggest Pula-based hotel company - Arena Hospitality Group.
''I don't remember when the weather in Pula was as beautiful as it has been this year. Summer is still going on, but for us the season ended practically when the Austrians put us on their so-called red list. We lost a large number of tourists in one day and I can freely say that that in itself was the end of this season. September was very bad. But we can't influence that. These are mostly political decisions.
Some decisions we couldn't understand. Especially since we were blocked in mid-August. The Dutch made the decision to put us in the orange zone in a single day. People had to leave overnight. But looking at the whole year, we can say that we tried to do the best we could. It's worth knowing that we opened only in June,'' admits the executive director of Arena Hospitality Group Reli Slonim. Different guests also came. Along with the most loyal German guests, there were Czechs and Poles in the facilities of the former Arenaturist.
Their glamping camp in Pomer was the best filled.
''Some talked about lowering prices, but I don't think it mattered. People wanted to feel safe, they wanted to be in quality accommodation, in nature, outdoors. They didn't ask about the prices,'' said Slonim.
Closed hotels
He pointed out that they will have from 30 to a maximum of 40 percent of last year's turnover annually, and without the measures of the state they wouldn't be able to celebrate Easter.
''The state's measures to preserve jobs have helped us tremendously and we're very grateful to them for that. Without them, I don’t know how we'd be welcoming in next year. This year we've employed about 900 seasonal workers, and these are primarily permanent seasonal workers and labour force from the vicinity of Pula. Due to reduced capacity and occupancy, we didn't need more employment, and we even didn't bother to open two of our hotels at all, the Medulin in Medulin and the Holiday in Pula. But that's why the camps were well filled,'' the Arena Hospitality Group boss pointed out.
That's why they decided not to close some at all. For the first time this winter, they will leave the camps Stoja in Pula and Kazela in Medulin open. On top of that, it will be the first time that the Pula and Medulin camps are open in winter.
''We'll come out with this offer soon, which is completely new to us. We're going to start with that because we saw that guests really like being outside, they feel safer. And at the camps they can also get everything they need in the winter. They can come to Istria because of the favourable climate and I believe that pensioners, seniors and people without children will take advantage of it. So, we hope that this action of ours will yield results.
In addition, Camp Stoja is located not far from the large shopping centre in Pula, there are also the city pools, close to the city centre. In addition to these two camps, we'll also have the Histria Hotel open all winter,'' Slonim revealed. As for the next season and how to prepare for it, Slonim has no doubts in his mind.
Pula is better than Berlin
''The least problem for us is the preparation for the next season if the situation is favourable and if they allow us to work. This year we saw how we can function with measures and we're already used to it. The only thing that matters to us is that we can work,'' emphasised the head of the Arena Hospitality Group, which had much better results in Pula than in European cities where it has hotels, such as Berlin or Cologne in Germany.
''City tourism was dead this year and we felt that too. We had some guests in Cologne. We'll see how this segment of tourism will develop further. It's difficult to deal with tourism today when hoteliers can control and manage absolutely nothing,'' concluded Slonim.
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SOTAH: Croatia Keeping Up with Requirements of New Mobility Package
As Novac writes on the 2nd of October, 2020 - the Central Tachograph Data Processing System (SOTAH) started operating here in Croatia on the first day of October 2020. It is a digital system based on modern information and communication technologies implemented in the form of service-oriented architecture that will facilitate the monitoring of tachograph data by carriers and drivers, and provide the relevant services with tools that will enable greater safety of freight and passenger road traffic, as they stated from AKD (Agency for Commercial Activity).
SOTAH complies with all existing EU rules, and allows for upgrades in line with the changes brought in by the new Mobility Package, which relate to the working hours of mobile workers (drivers) and the protection of competition in the field of road transport. The system stores, processes and analyses a whole range of data recorded by all types of tachographs (analog, digital, smart); it enables the recording of the performed work of technicians in authorised tachograph workshops, and transport companies are provided with the easier storage of tachograph data and timely information on each transfer. From the user's point of view, the system is platform independent, which means that it can be accessed from various devices, as well as stationary and mobile workstations.
''I'm glad that a Croatian company has designed a system that provides a number of new and advanced tools for traffic management. Competent authorities in Croatia, traffic police and inspections from SOTAH will enable more efficient operational work by increasing the number of targeted instead checks instead of random ones, which will certainly facilitate the supervision of traffic participants, but most importantly, provide objective data on the situation in freight and passenger road traffic to improve legal regulations with which we want to increase the safety of passengers, drivers and cargo,'' explained Oleg Butkovic, Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure.
The first in a series of users of the new system and the guarantee of its successful operation are authorised tachograph workshops, which have been trained for all work processes for a month and have tested them. One of the active participants during the trial period was Mr. Mario Stefanac, the owner of several tachograph workshops, who praised the simplicity of the system that allows him to fully view all relevant data in one place and monitor business activities in real time, as well as prepare the necessary reports.
From the 1st of October 2020, all authorised tachograph testing workshops are allowed to apply to SOTAH for the issuance of ''Test Certificate'' forms and associated protective foils. From the 1st of November 2020, the workshops will be able to record all activities carried out through the application for the recording of workshop activities. In the next step, SOTAH will also be open to businesses.
The operator of the SOTAH system is the Agency for Commercial Activity (AKD), which provided a complete solution and technical ICT infrastructure, as well as logistics, so that all processes in the system could run smoothly. AKD is also the holder of public authority for the issuance of tachograph cards, which drivers can recently request through the e-Citizens (e-Gradjani) system.
''AKD is a leader in the field of creating and protecting electronic identity and implementing solutions necessary for the digital transformation of Croatian society, so in the specific field of road traffic control it ranked Croatia among the member states that managed to complete the technological migration of smart tachograph systems of the second generation,'' said Jure Sertic, CEO of AKD, adding that this state-owned company is fully developing Croatian solutions, and supplying its services and products to as many as seventeen foreign countries.
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Spotsie: Croatian Startup and Fil Rouge Capital Sign Contract in Zagreb
As Novac/Jozo Vrdoljak writes on the 2nd of October, 2020, Croatian startup Spotsie and Fil Rouge Capital have signed a contract in the City of Zagreb worth about 1.5 million kuna of ''seed'' investment. The investment comes after 3 million kuna has been invested so far from private capital.
On behalf of Spotsie, Roko Roic and Matej Zelic participated in the signing of this important contract with Stevica Kuharski, who was present on behalf of Fil Rouge Capital.
''We want to be a world leader in the energy industry 4.0 in the sector in the field of positioning and navigation. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Fil Rouge Capital for recognising our potential and we're looking forward to cooperation and further growth,'' said Roko Roic from Spotsie.
Stevica Kuharski didn't hide his satisfaction either: - We're looking forward to the arrival of Spotsie in the Fil Rouge Capital family. There are more and more great founders in the Croatian startup ecosystem like Roko and Matej and we're very excited to be a part of this story.
Spotsie is a Croatian startup that has developed a cloud native platform and its own hardware solution for positioning tools, people and equipment. The application uses Internet Of Things technology that solves the problems of positioning and navigation with the help of low energy bluetooth.
Special emphasis on market performance is placed on the energy and oil industries. Spotsie, which is otherwise the first on the market, also operates in explosive environments covered by Atex standards.
With the help of Spotsie, the greater safety of workers and plants can be achieved in the industry, and work efficiency is raised in general.
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Milanovic Wishes Lika Residents Wealthy Lives
ZAGREB, October 2, 2020 - During a visit to the Lika region on Friday President Zoran Milanovic opened the Autumn in Lika commercial tourism event and said that Lika-Senj County has beautiful and rich land, unbelievable resources, wishing its residents wealthy lives and for everyone to be envious of them.
Recalling his own family roots which are partly from Lika, Milanovic said that the fact that this large county has only 50,000 residents "is not a drama or a call for alarm," but that they should be able to use their resources and live a nice and rich life.
"The food you offer and sell has quality and means living and earning. Your potatoes are produced in all of Europe and are excellent. It is not valued enough as a product on the market and should be more expensive. That needs intelligence, assertiveness, boldness and stubbornness and then success isn't far at all," he said.
Picky tourists don't choose the Alps but Lika
He added that picky people are no longer choosing the Alps for their recreation but Lika and the area around Gospic and Otocac.
"Important things are happening here. You have all the preconditions to be competitive and that these 50,000 people live in wealth and for themselves and not like my ancestors for Austria or some other army. Keep your own. That need not be narrow minded or nationalistic, but open," he said addressing exhibitors, describing their products as the "window to the world and a bag of money."
Despite unfavourable conditions agriculture has increased by 3.9%
Listing various incentives, Agriculture Minister Marija Vuckovic said that investment funds were improving from tender to tender and the money invested was becoming more and more effective, adding that despite the unfavourable circumstances Croatia's agriculture had increased by 3.9%.
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City of Zagreb Launches "Women and Heart" Project for World Heart Day
ZAGREB, October 2, 2020 - On the occasion of World Heart Day, the project called "Women and Heart" was launched in Zagreb on Friday, to promote preventive check-ups for women and raise awareness of early detection and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Cardiovascular diseases are the most frequent cause of death among women in Croatia and last year 12,673 women died of that disease or 3,300 more than men. The Women and the Heart project was organised by the Croatia Heart House Foundation, Croatian Cardiological Society and the City of Zagreb with the aim of motivating women for regular check-ups.
"Every 80 seconds one woman in the world dies of cardiovascular disease. This campaign is aimed at raising awareness among women so they can detect the symptoms of heart disease and begin with effective treatment as early as possible. The target group are women aged 35 to 60," the head of the Zagreb City Health Office Ivana Portolan Pajic told a press conference.
Director of the Srcana polyclinic for the prevention and rehabilitation of cardiovascular diseases, Goran Krstacic announced that 250 women would be invited to the clinic for screening before the end of the year starting with women over the age of 50.
The women will be selected with the assistance of health clinics and they will be called in for a blood test. Women with higher values will then be referred for further cardiological tests.
Heart diseases in women most often occur with women over the age of 55 and fatalities of heart attack can be twice as frequent than in men, said Davor Milicic of the Croatia Heart House Foundation. The risk in women increases when their sexual hormones stop working and the risk gradually increases and becomes equal to that of men.
Although diabetes and smoking are a joint risk factor for both sexes, women with those risks have a greater probability of developing a heart disease than men.
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Pompeo: Croatians will Soon be able to Travel to US Without Visas
ZAGREB, Oct 2, 2020 - Croatian citizens will soon be able to travel to the US without visas, State Secretary Mike Pompeo told Hina on Friday during his visit to the southern coastal city of Dubrovnik.
The abolishment of visas for the Croatians can be expected in the coming months.
Asked when Croatia and the US would sign the Visa Waiver Program, Pompeo said he hoped this would happen very soon, in the coming months. He stopped short of specifying the exact date.
There is still some paperwork to be done, administrative things, some of which should be done by us and some are up to the Croatian leadership. We have discussed them with Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman, and I am sure we will discuss this matter with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, he added.
Pompeo admitted that the visa regime and double taxation made doing business for Croatian entrepreneurs in the US more difficult. They are also obstacles for US investment in Croatia, he said.
I believe the double taxation convention will be concluded. We can now exchange the drafts, which is a very good sign, Pompeo told Hina.
On Wednesday, the Croatian government initiated the procedure for the conclusion of this convention.
Pompeo also commented on the investment climate in Croatia and Europe, saying that whenever US officials come to Europe and places where they know they share the same values of fair market competition, it does not help to see the Chinese Communist Party being treated differently from a European or American company. This puts people off from investing their capital in Croatia, Pompeo said.
I am optimistic that things will improve in that regard. We want to be here, we want to be active, he concluded.
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“Naša Dika – Veronika Desinićka!” to be Held at Veliki Tabor on Saturday
October 2, 2020 - On Saturday, the third of October, the manifestation “Naša dika – Veronika Desinićka!” will be held in the fort of Veliki Tabor.
The fort of Veliki Tabor, with its unique monumental and authentic fortification structure, is one of the most important cultural and historical monuments in continental Croatia. It is situated at the top of Mount Hum Košnički at 333 meters above sea level. The fort has dominated the Zagorje area for over half a millennium. Its architecture blends in with nature and creates a unique sight. The breathtaking spectacle from Veliki Tabor extends over the entire area of Hrvatsko Zagorje and over parts of Slovenia.
The manifestation “Naša dika – Veronika Desinićka!” is dedicated to the best-known legend regarding this noble medieval city. The museum will be open longer than usual - until 8 pm.
A rich and diverse show program is prepared for the visitors to inform them about the unfortunate love story between Veronika Desinićka and Frederick II of Celje, who allegedly had the castle built in the mid-fifteenth century. The manifestation starts at 4 pm with an educative workshop “Veronika memory” suitable for all ages.
After the workshop, the visitors will be able to explore the castle and exhibitions under the guidance of a costumed leadership. The puppetry show “Naša dika - Veronika Desinićka!” will be held around 6:30 by the puppeteer group Ioculatori for the first time.
The program ends with a projection mapping of “Living Tabor” and “The Legend of Veronika Desinićka” that were made as a part of the project “Living castles” financed by the European Regional Development Fund. All visitors will receive the brochure “Taborgradske priče i lutkarske predstave” written by Renata Dečman as a souvenir. The brochure contains stories about the most famous legends about Veliki Tabor and a few short descriptions about four puppet shows that can be seen at the fort of Veliki Tabor.
Sources: Veliki Taborr website,
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Plenkovic Says EU Leaders Will Talk Preparations for Absorbing Funds
ZAGREB, Oct 2, 2020 - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Friday that today, the second day of their summit, EU leaders would talk about economic issues and preparations for absorbing Recovery Plan and Next Generation EU funds.
"Today's debate will be economic in nature, how to strengthen the common market in the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. We'll also talk about how all governments, through joint effort, can prepare their reform and resilience programmes so that the relevance of investment and reform funding comes to about 37% for the green transition and 20% for the digital transformation," Plenkovic told the press in Brussels.
The Croatian government too is investing efforts in that direction, he added. "The Croatian government's activities in the months and years ahead will be in line with that, following the work of this European Commission also via the seven-year budget."
Plenkovic will leave the summit earlier to meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Dubrovnik.
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