Croatian Marinas and Berths Full as Nautical Tourism Reigns Strong
August the 19th, 2022 - Croatian marinas and berths up and down the coastline as full, with people finding it more and more difficult to find a free berth anywhere. Croatian nautical tourism is showing just what a wealth of potential it has.
As Morski writes, back during the global coronavirus pandemic, those visiting Croatia by boat proved to be the most loyal and resilient guests of all. They didn't give up on their holidays and docking in Croatian marinas even during intermittent lockdowns. Therefore, it isn't remotely surprising that this year there have been and continue to be some excellent tourist numbers in the blossoming nautical tourism sector, all over the coast.
Boaters lived up to previous expectations and the season is very good, much better than last year.
''At the ACI marina level, we've already exceeded the results, in the financial sense of course, from pre-pandemic 2019, which for me is excellent. What, for example, last year we did not have, is a significant number of guests from Italy. This year, the Italians also started returning to Croatian marinas quite a lot and in large numbers,'' explained Leo Ajdukovic, the director of ACI Marina Dubrovnik.
Both in down in southern and in the northern part of the Croatian Adriatic, it is difficult to find a free berth in Croatian marinas, and after a good main summer season, a great postseason is also comfortably expected.
''Last year the post-season was absolutely fantastic, it lasted throughout the whole of October, I hope that this year the post-season will also be the same as it was back in 2021, and maybe even last a little longer,'' said Leo Ajdukovic.
This good summer season has also been due to good preparation: ACI's biggest investment this year was in the Dubrovnik marina, and a massive 16 million kuna was invested in 232 metres of new waterfront.
The season down in Dubrovnik is unsurprisingly very good, however, this year will not outdo the record-breaking year of 2019. Compared to 2019, Dubrovnik is at almost 70 percent of arrivals and 80 percent of overnight stays, and the fact that things are finally returning to normal has been shown that the most numerous guests there are from Northern European countries such as Britain etc.
Although there are fewer arrivals and overnight stays overall, according to the first data, earnings should be significantly higher than they were back in 2019, which is logical - all prices have increased, including hotels, restaurants and all that places where tourists spend their money.
This summer season will be remembered for the Peljesac bridge opening and the first results are already visible: there are noticeably more guests on the Peljesac peninsula, and Jadrolinija has introduced another ferry.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.
Minister Nikolina Brnjac Talks Changes for Private Renters to Tourists
August the 19th, 2022 - Croatian Tourism Minister Nikolina Brnjac has discussed upcoming changes that private renters renting out their properties to visiting tourists should be aware of as the Croatian tourism strategy looks at bumping up the hotel share in the bigger picture.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Tourism Minister Nikolina Brnjac recently spoke about the strategy of Croatian tourism, the current summer season and numbers for HRT. The share of hotels in accommodation in Croatia is still unsatisfactory, despite the fact that the most recent Croatian tourism strategy was to increase the share of hotels in total accommodation to 18% by the year 2020, but today the country still only has a share of only 13%, and the construction of apartments is continuing to heat up. How might we change that trend?
"Public invitations/calls have been completed, they will be announced soon, and investments in hotel accommodation are beginning. This will either take place through small family hotels, or through larger systems, we're looking at the green and digital transition. As such, by raising the quality and creating added value, we can change things, and this is how year-round tourism develops," said Minister Nikolina Brnjac for HRT.
What about the categorisation of family/private accommodation?
"This is also in our strategy, we have to distinguish between renting from the host and rentierism and this must be distinguished by economic policy. We'll make a new modernisation and categorisation of private accommodation with the aim of raising the quality itself,'' she explained. Brnjac added that the management of various Croatian destinations will show which ones are sustainable and in what way they're managing that, and many towns and cities are suffocating due to the large number of guests, which isn't something that can continue for much longer.
"We will need to draw a line, it's a tool that we will give to tourist boards, which will enable local and regional self-government units to decide what kind of tourism they want for their own respective towns and cities. It's very important for the country that we work to properly develop year-round tourism. Tourism in the continental part of the country away from the coastline should be further developed, for example through the health resort segment. Topusko is a good example of that,'' concluded Minister Nikolina Brnjac.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated business section.
Enfeebled Brodosplit to Construct Expensive Vessel for Storylines
August the 19th, 2022 - The Brodosplit shipyard is continuing to face significant problems, but it seems that a saviour has come at the last moment in the form of a contract between the famous Dalmatian shipyard and the American Storylines company. Debeljak's troubled company will build the massive vessel, the estimated retail sales value of which stands at US $1.5B
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Brnic writes, Brodosplit is currently suffering the fate of both the Uljanik and 3 Maj shipyards in the form of attracting negative attention with press reports about the pre-bankruptcy process of its companies. Despite the fact that Brodosplit's employees had been sent home, it seems the company will now be able to breathe a sigh of relief.
The story that Brodosplit could participate in the construction of the first so-called residential cruise ship with 547 apartments is the absolute last thing anyone could have ever possibly expected in the current uncertain situation. It seems suspicious that the Americans would sign a contract to build a ship of that size and cost. While many raise their eyebrows in disbelief, it has come to light that this fantastic piece of news is indeed true. According to the press release provided by Storylines from Miami, the contract with Brodosplit has already been signed.
Brodosplit will build a 232.5-metre-long Narrative ship in the City of Split, which, according to the press release, will be the first fully ecologically sustainable ship, and should be delivered in 2025.
"We're delighted to be partnering with such a respected European shipyard that has a long history of building high-quality passenger ships," said Storylines CEO Alister Punton. According to him, the ship will provide its residents with the comfort of home. It differs from other cruisers in that it is intended for the complete life of residents at sea. It will also boast a post office, a school, a library, a hospital, a bank, swimming pools, business premises and about 20 different catering facilities. It will also be the largest wellness centre at sea in the world with its own gardens, farms and space for several types of sports and recreation on board.
For more than understandable reasons, Brodosplit has been very brief in its communication about the construction of the ship. Everything, they say, was said in the Storylines press release, which also includes Tomislav Debeljak's statement.
"We always enter into projects that bring about the development of the industry and the inclusion of new technologies. This ship is energy efficient, with two types of propulsion (diesel and liquefied gas) and will be optimised for the lowest possible emission of greenhouse gases," Debeljak said in his statement.
Their American partner, therefore, still believes that Brodosplit is a good choice for a partnership, and the second question to now keep in mind is how the Croatian Government will behave, given that Brodosplit needs an advance guarantee to get things moving.
For more, make sure to check out Made in Croatia.
LNG Terminal to See Croatia Position Itself on New EU Energy Map
August the 19th, 2022 - The Republic of Croatia plans to position itself as one of the leaders on the new energy map of the European Union (EU), and this will be made possible by the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan for the period from 2022 to 2024 and the decision on the expansion of the LNG terminal on the island of Krk, which the Government made at a recently held session.
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Darko Bicak writes, to speak more specifically, the move regards the decision to build the Zlobin - Bosiljevo gas pipeline and increase the capacity of the LNG terminal on the island of Krk to 6.1 billion cubic metres of gas per year, with the total value of the investment reaching 180 million euros.
European Union money
As pointed out by the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Davor Filipovic, this is a strategic decision because it doubles the capacity of the LNG terminal on the island of Krk, and the construction of a new gas pipeline is underway.
"We're doing this in order to strengthen the security of gas supply across Croatia, as well as to position ourselves as a leade when talking about energy in this part of Europe. The total value of the investment stands at 180 million euros, of which 25 million euros will be invested in the expansion of LNG terminal's capacity, and 155 million euros in the expansion of the gas pipeline network," said Filipovic.
He added that European Union money will be used as much as possible in order to finance the investment, with the support of course from the state budget. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic also pointed out that this is a strategic and important decision for energy security and for the supply of gas to Croatia, apostrophising the importance of Plinacro's role, as well as the use of measures from the REPowerEU plan.
He assessed that Croatia is grafually becoming a regional energy hub when it comes to the high-quality use of terminals for liquefied natural gas. As an interesting fact, he singled out Germany, which doesn't yet have an LNG terminal of its own, and two such terminals, which should be built by 2024, will together have a capacity of 13 billion cubic metres of gas per year.
As Plenkovic himself stated, this means that one of Croatia's terminals is practically half of the capacity of Germany. The national energy efficiency action plan is extremely important in the context of the response to the current energy crisis and European efforts to reduce dependence on Russian gas following sanctions placed against the country for the invasion of Ukraine.
As explained by Minister Filipovic, in the period from 2014 to 2020, a decline in primary energy consumption was observed across the Republic of Croatia, as was a constant increase in final energy consumption. Such a trend was explained by the penetration of renewable energy sources and the improvement of the efficiency of production facilities in the production/transformation sector of energy, while in terms of immediate consumption, the effect of the implementation of energy efficiency measures could not neutralise the effect of economic trends and the increase in general consumption.
Back in pandemic-dominated 2020, Croatia achieved 18.7 percent lower primary energy consumption (364.6 PJ), i.e. 7.5 percent lower immediate energy consumption (269.5 PJ) compared to the target.
"The backbone of this plan is the provision of financial incentives for the energy renovation of buildings, especially residential ones, both from European Union sources and from the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund," said Filipovic.
This plan will also be co-financed and implemented by European Union funds as well as the funds from various financial institutions. In addition to measures aimed at individual sectors and segments of energy consumption, the plan foresees the continuation of implementation of supporting measures, such as energy efficiency planning obligations at the local and regional level, energy audits, not to mention the energy certification of buildings and the proper promotion of energy services.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.
Tough Night for Hajduk as Villarreal Dominate in Conference League Play-off First Leg
August 18, 2022 - Villarreal dominates in the Conference League play-off first leg, beating Hajduk 4:2 in Spain.
Villarreal and Hajduk met on Thursday in Valencia, Spain, for a spot in the Conference League group stage.
Hajduk has been waiting 12 years for a spot in the group stage of a European competition. Tonight, they met last year's Champions League semi-finalist and Europa League champions the season before that, knocking out Dinamo Zagreb on their way to the title.
Villarreal had not seen defeat in their last ten games and recorded victories against Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, and Inter. Villarreal is led by Unai Emery, who managed Sevilla, PSG, and Arsenal before Villarreal.
"Hajduk Split is a big name; it has a history, and it commands maximum respect and admiration. I know that. Kalinić, Simić, and Livaja, are players who have an international reputation and are recognized around the world. It is important for us to win. I talk about Hajduk to my players with great respect,'' Emery said before the game.
According to estimates, over a thousand Hajduk fans arrived in Valencia for Thursday night's match.
Lineups
Villarreal (4-4-2): Reina - De la Fuente, Mandi, Pau Torres, Pedraza - Chukwueze, Parejo, Capoue, Baena - Morales, Jackson
Hajduk(3-5-2): Kalinić - Elez, Borevković, Awaziem - Mikanović, Grgić, Krovinović, Sahiti, Melnjak - Biuk, Livaja
Match report
Villarreal had their first chance of the match already in the 2nd minute, but Chukuweze shot wide of the goal.
Not even a minute later, Hajduk countered and shocked Villarreal. Livaja found Stipe Biuk, who ran into the penalty area at the perfect time to put the ball into the back of the net for 0:1 Hajduk!
Melnjak and Livaja played a one-two in the 7th minute, which saw Melnjak get a shot off, but it was saved by the Villarreal keeper Reina.
A dangerous situation in front of Kalinić's goal in the 10th minute, but Mikanović calmly played it out for a Villarreal corner.
Livaja was shown a yellow card in the 13th minute, which is his second in this play-off.
Villarreal equalized in the 15th minute. Morales shot from 10 meters, checked Kalinic, and scored for 1:1.
Three minutes later, it was 2:1 for Villarreal off of a Livaja own goal.
A corner for Villarreal in the 22nd minute was cleared by the Hajduk defense.
Villarreal took control of the game and dangerously attacked Hajduk's half. Hajduk struggled to get possession of the ball.
Hajduk had a corner in the 28th minute. The play ended in Krovinovic crossing to Melnjak in the box, who played the keeper. Hajduk countered in the next minute and Krovinovic shot from 20 or so meters out after seeing Livaja was offside. Another shot went to Reina.
"Hajduceeee" was all you could hear from the Spanish stadium. The commentators said that "Villarreal may be dominating the game, but Torcida is dominating the stands."
Chukuweze tried finding Morales' head in the 34th minute, but his attempt went over the goal. Two minutes later, Hajduk's shaky defense allowed too much space for yet another goal. Morales scored 3:1 in the 36th minute.
Mikanović tackled Morales on the edge of the penalty area in the 41st minute for a Villarreal free kick which went out for Hajduk's ball.
Villarreal was just too good for Hajduk in the first half and totally controlled the game. Hajduk struggled to hold onto the ball and relied on quick counters to attack.
A free kick was awarded for Hajduk in the 44th minute, which went off Villarreal for a Hajduk corner. One minute of stoppage time was added to the end of the half. Villarreal capitalized on a quick counter. Moreno found himself 1-on-1 with Kalinic to score for 4:1.
The second half began without any changes.
Hajduk held possession in the first few minutes, and Biuk's diagonal shot in the 47th minute was deflected for a Hajduk corner.
Kalinic made a brilliant save on Baena's shot in the 54th minute.
Hajduk's defense continued allowing too much space for Villarreal.
Biuk again dribbled into the box and won a corner for Hajduk in the 60th minute.
Pau Torres and Lo Celso entered for Pedraza and Moreno in the 62nd minute.
Villarreal was dangerous again in the next few minutes, with a corner in the 65th minute.
Hajduk made their first subs in the 69th minute - Lovrecsics came on for Mikanović and Mlakar for Sahiti. Morales was subbed off for Jackson in the 73rd minute.
Two more changes for Hajduk came in the 78th minute - Fossati and Nikola Kalinic entered the match for Elez and Livaja.
The result didn't matter - Torcida was still the loudest in the stadium.
A minute after Kalinic was subbed on, he entered a nasty tackle with Mandi, resulting in what looked like a split-open cheek. The Hajduk player was covered in blood, and Atanasov was subbed on. Hajduk was awarded a penalty which Fossati scored for 4:2 Hajduk in the 85th minute.
A free kick was awarded to Hajduk two minutes later, which went out for a corner. Hajduk had a few minutes left to get another goal and not concede one, which would be huge going into the match next week in Split.
Krovinovic struck the near post with his left foot in the 89th minute.
The ref added four minutes of stoppage time to the match. Neither team was able to score.
The return match will be played on Thursday, August 25, at a sold-out Poljud Stadium.
Post-match comments
"The next game should be easier to prepare for. Players can only improve by playing games like this. It started great for us, but we were naive, and we could have reacted much better. I would have preferred that they didn't score goals like that. We will have to be better in Croatia," said Hajduk coach Dambrauskas.
"We wanted to have better coverage in the midfield because Villarreal is integrated into the middle and in the space. Awaziem is a very calm player with the ball. I think he played a pretty good game," said the Hajduk coach.
"You won't believe what I'm going to tell you, but when you watch the next game, the atmosphere will be completely different, and our mentality will be different. With God's help, anything can happen. We will focus on the next game, analyze the opponents and try to win."
To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Island Movement says Ministry's Response Deepens Its Suspicions
ZAGREB, 18 August, 2022 - The nongovernmental association called "Island Movement (Pokret Otoka)" stated on Thursday that the sea and transport ministry's response to its recent statement in which it criticises the draft legislation on maritime domain and seaports only deepened the association's suspicions.
The ministry's explanations about "allegedly clear, elaborated, and transparent rules" have additional deepened our concerns about the "bleak scenario" of cordoning off beaches and restricted access for the public.
The association finds Articles 11 and 46 of the future law contentious.
Article 11 envisages a possibility of general use restrictions of segments of the maritime domain and also exceptions in which those parts can be excluded from public use based on concession agreements and special licences, says the NGO.
Article 46 reads that maritime domain management plans are required to define the kinds of seaside beaches, functions, and models of their management and restriction degrees for public use of certain beaches.
The NGO insists that the new law will not protect the rights of members of the general public.
Sea Ministry: New law to better define concession procedures, obligations
Responding to the recent criticism by the Island Movement NGO, the Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure on Wednesday said the new law wouldn't facilitate fencing off beaches and charging access but that it would more clearly define concession procedures and obligations.
The draft bill on the maritime domain and seaports is still in preparation, but we can confirm that it cannot be said the bill will facilitate fencing off beaches and charging access to them, the Ministry said in a press release.
It pointed out the situation was actually the opposite because the new bill should regulate more clearly and in detail the procedures and obligations of concessions providers, and concession holders, as well as the consequences of violating obligations.
Once the wording of the draft law is completed, the draft will be published online and put to public consultation, so all interested will have the opportunity to make a comment and thus contribute to the creation of the law, said the ministry.
Croatia Preparing Set of Measures to Curb Inflation
ZAGREB, 18 August, 2022 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Thursday announced that the government was working on a package of measures to curb inflation and energy prices, underscoring that VAT on solar panels would be cut to zero percent.
The prime minister also said they would help companies owned by local government units and entrepreneurs who are given unfavoruable gas supply contracts.
At the beginning of a government meeting, PM Plenković commented on the gas supply for the winter season, saying that the Okoli underground gas storage facility was filling up at an accelerated pace, that it was currently 68% full, and that it would be 90% full in early October, in accordance with the plan.
He announced that after the discussion they had this week, the government was planning to cut VAT on solar energy soon.
We think that in the long-term, we have to consider how to make a transition and ensure the electricity supply in the long run, and all those wanting to invest in solar panels will be able to do so without VAT, that is, VAT on solar panels will be zero percent, Plenković said.
According to him, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Butković, are working on a package of measures to curb inflation and energy prices.
We are very much aware of the difficulties which are faced by certain companies owned by local government units and businesses given the energy price rises. The situation with contracts is different ... but the government has ideas for how to solve that problem in the long run and sustainably, and that will be presented within several weeks once we reach an agreement with stakeholders that have to make their contribution in that process, notably energy companies, he said.
As for the latest data on annual inflation reaching a record 12.3% in July, Plenković said that the government would hold three meetings next weeks about that -- a conference call on Monday to discuss prices of petroleum products, a session on Wednesday to discuss a large package of more than 60 laws related to Croatia joining the euro area, and a regular session on Thursday.
Excellent tourist season
Reflecting on the tourist season so far, he said it had been excellent.
Since the beginning of the year, 13.1 million arrivals and 73.4 million overnight stays have been generated, which is 45% more arrivals and 32% more overnights compared with last year. In comparison with the record 2019, Croatia is currently at 90% of arrivals and 96% of overnights.
Announcements for autumn are especially good; the season lasts longer, revenues are growing, which is very good, he added.
€180m to be Invested in Zlobin-Bosiljevo Gas Pipeline, Upgrade of LNG Terminal
ZAGREB, 18 August, 2022 - The Croatian government on Thursday decided to invest €180 million in the construction of the Zlobin-Bosiljevo gas pipeline and the upgrade of the LNG terminal on Krk so that its capacity could be raised to 6.1 billion cubic metres of gas annually.
"This is a strategic decision; we are increasing the capacity of the LNG terminal on the island of Krk twofold, and the construction of a new pipeline will start to the aim of strengthening the gas supply security in Croatia," Economy and Sustainable Development Minister, Davor Filipović, said at the government's meeting.
The total value of the project is 180 million euros. Of that sum, €25 million will go for upgrading the capacities of the Krk LNG terminal, and €155 million will be set aside for extending the gas supply network.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković spoke about the important role of Croatia's "Plinacro", gas transmission system operator, and the absorption of funds from the REPowerEU scheme.
This will make Croatia a regional energy hub, he said.
For the sake of comparison, Germany still does not have any terminal for LNG supplies. It plans to build the first two terminals, whose capacity will be 13 billion cubic metres of gas annually. This means that our LNG terminal is equal to half of the total capacities of future LNG terminals in Germany, said Plenković.
Croatia to Procure 10,000 Doses of Remdesivir
ZAGREB, 18 August, 2022 - Croatia is procuring 10,000 doses of remdesivir, which is sold under the brand name Veklury, and this is a broad-spectrum antiviral medicine that can be used for the treatment of COVID patients who are in a serious condition.
The decision on the procurement was made based on the opinion of professionals and experts in the healthcare sector, Health Minister Vili Beroš said at a government meeting on Thursday.
The funds for this purpose are ensured within the budget of the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ). The health ministry, the HZJZ and the Zagreb-based hospital for infectious diseases are authorised to implement the procurement.
The head of the above-mentioned hospital, Alemka Markotić, is in charge of ordering, until 30 September, the necessary funds of this drug used by lung patients with serious conditions.
On 18 July, the European Commission concluded a framework contract for ensuring supplies of this drug.
Remdesivir is not available on the European market regularly or commercially.
Croatia's Coronavirus Update: 1,874 New Cases, 17 Deaths, 1,007 Recoveries
ZAGREB, 18 August, 2022 - In the last 24 hours, Croatia has registered 1,874 cases of infection with coronavirus, and this disease has taken another 17 lives, bringing the COVID-related death toll to 16,545, according to information provided by the national COVID-19 crisis management team on Thursday.
There are currently 7,277 active cases, including 636 hospitalised patients, and of them, 31 are placed on ventilators.
So far, Croatia's health authorities have detected over 1.2 million cases of this infectious disease.
In the last 24 hours, 1,007 patients have recovered, and so far 1,179,795 recoveries have been registered.
When it comes to vaccination, 70.86% of adults in the country have been inoculated against coronavirus.
