Milanovic: I'm Not Boycotting Statehood Day Commemoration, It's Election Rally
ZAGREB, May 30, 2020 - President Zoran Milanovic said on Saturday, after a wreath-laying ceremony at Zagreb's Mirogoj cemetery on the occasion of Statehood Day, that he was not boycotting the commemoration of that day, but that it was an election rally and a promise by a political administration that was now being fulfilled.
"This is an election rally. I am not boycotting anything. This is a promise by a political administration that is now fulfilling it. I consider that legislative decision a boycott of common sense and of the will of the majority of people in this country," the president said.
He added that on 30 May 1990 a multi-party parliament was elected in democratic elections in which the absolute majority was held by a political party that had been supported by a relative minority of Croatian voters.
"That cannot be everyone's holiday. There were other parties as well. To single it out as a holiday of Croatian statehood is very pretentious. To start with, you should find something that does not bother anyone. And by that I mean a vast majority," Milanovic said, adding that Victory Day (August 5) was much more important than May 30 as well as that in the independence referendum of May 19, 1991, practically all Croatians had voted.
Asked why he was then commemorating May 30, he said that he was doing it out of respect for the dead.
"That is the minimum of conciliatoriness and respect I will always show because after all, this decision was adopted by the parliament, however, as we know, the parliament can pass any decision with a majority based on defectors. That is what I said half a year ago, that is my position and I am now showing it this way," he said.
Milanovic did not join today PM Andrej Plenkovic and Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic in laying a wreath at the grave of first Croatian President Franjo Tudjman at Mirogoj.
He also confirmed that he would not attend any of the commemorative events to be held later in the day.
Milanovic on impeachment: Go ahead and do it
Asked about senior HDZ official Vladimir Seks' statement that a procedure should be launched to remove Milanovic from office over his position on Statehood Day, Milanovic said "He should go ahead and do it."
"Nobody has ever voted for Mr Seks, code name "Sova" (Owl). He has been one of the very negative figures in Croatia in the last 30 years, leaving behind a negative institutional trace that is difficult to remove. Let him do it. Who knows, maybe someone will launch an investigation into responsibility for war crimes committed in Osijek," said Milanovic.
He also said that the current parliament had made the decision on Statehood Day solely for the purpose of elections.
"You do it because you can. You have bought defectors' votes. Someone else will come and I hope they will be sensible enough not to insist on imposing their own will and choosing something that bothers half the Croatian people. That's not the way to do it," said Milanovic.
Asked about Friday's arrests, including those of state-owned Hrvatske Sume forest management company CEO Krunoslav Jakupcic and Public Administration State Secretary Josipa Rimac, and if he believed they, too, were part of the election campaign, Milanovic said that many people were arrested.
"They are all actually members of the ruling party. This is now assuming the proportions of an epidemic. What I have seen is not entirely clear to me because it seems an investigation was compromised. I would like to believe that the Office of the Chief State Prosecutor (DORH) has arguments (to support the case) because if it does not, it will be ridiculed," he said.
Milanovic recalled that during his term as Prime Minister, one government member had been dismissed but that there had been no such cases as the current ones, and that DORH officials had not been appointed on the last day of the parliament's term but well into it.
"I want that difference to be noted," he said.
When Will Sport in Croatia Return to Normal? Capak Weighs In
May 30, 2020 - The director of the Croatian Institute of Public Health (CNIPH), Krunoslav Capak, attended a session of the Health Commission of the Croatian Olympic Committee (COC) and spoke about returning sport to normal in Croatia.
"You know yourself that in mid-May, with the easing of measures, we allowed training for top athletes. The football Cup will be played this weekend, and we also have pressure to let the fans into the stadiums. For now, however, this will not happen," said Capak on HRT, who also commented on the possibility of holding sports competitions indoors:
"Bowling and bowling competitions will start on June 12, and after that, we will consider the possibility of spectators in the stands."
The secretary of the COC Health Commission, the famous nutritionist Mimi Vurdelja, emphasized the agility of the members of the Commission in the beginnings of the coronavirus pandemic.
"We from the COC were the first to start making and sending recommendations to federations and clubs for the protection of athletes' health. I have to inform you that immediately after the appearance of the coronavirus, we received a number from Dr. Capak that athletes can call. We are very grateful to him for that."
Because the virus no longer circulates among us and that Croatia has one of the best epidemiological situations in the world, Dr. Capak spoke with a lot of optimism about the current epidemiological situation in the country, although he never lacks caution.
"We must still be careful because the virus is still there, and it can easily come to us from the outside. Due to tourist motives, we are currently the most open country in Europe, and the situation in our environment is not great - Germany, France, Spain, and hotspots in South America; all this suggests caution."
In addition to making continuous recommendations for preserving the health of athletes, the COC Health Commission intends, in cooperation with partners from the CNIPH, to initiate serology testing of Croatian Olympians and the development of an immunological health card of Olympic athletes. These are 64 individual top athletes and three men's national teams. Dr. Capak promised support in the implementation of the mentioned activities, which, according to the information of the secretary of the Commission, will bring savings of around 200,000 kuna.
The head of the CNIPH anti-doping service, Dr. Roman Latinović, reported that anti-doping testing of athletes in individual sports was launched on May 26, and that football competitions will also begin in team competition. He also reminded of the fact that his service is in the process of implementing the new anti-doping code of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
The proposal of the Secretary-General of the Croatian Automobile and Karting Association, Zrinko Gregurek, was also considered. At a recent session of the COC Council, he introduced the COC's leading body to the foreign practice of installing the so-called tunnels for the disinfection of spectators of sporting events. Praising all the measures to protect people at sports competitions, doc. Dr. Dinko Pivalica said that, regardless of the external decontamination of those who enter, this method cannot eliminate asymptomatic phenomena.
Therefore, the COC Health Commission unanimously supported the conclusion of its president, Dr. Miran Martinac, who said:
"We consider this type of prevention desirable for all closed spaces, but experts should give the final word on this, i.e., epidemiologists, from whom we asked for an expert opinion."
At the end of the session, a proposal was agreed to hold a roundtable meeting on June 17, which should be attended by the Minister of Health in the Government of the Republic of Croatia Vili Beroš, CNIPH Director Krunoslav Capak, State Secretary of the Central State Office for Sports Tomislav Družak and COC President Zlatko Mateša in the role of host, but also a representative of WADA.
To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Wind Park Case: Ex-state Secretary Taken to Detention Unit After Questioning
ZAGREB, May 30, 2020 - Josipa Rimac, the Public Administration Ministry State Secretary who was fired on Friday, presented her defense to anti-corruption investigators but she did not answer any questions, and after spending the night in detention she could be taken to the investigating judge on Saturday, her lawyer said.
Lawyer Zeljko Gulisija told the HTV public broadcaster on Friday that his client could be taken to the investigating judge on Saturday if the anti-corruption office USKOK asked that she be remanded in custody.
Gulisija said that his client was "shocked by today's events" after earlier in the day she was arrested with 12 other persons, including the CEO of the state-owned Hrvatske Sume forest management company, Krunoslav Jakupcic, the HDZ mayor of Gracac, Natasa Turbic, and Assistant Economy Minister Ana Mandac, whom the government also dismissed on Friday.
Sources close to the investigation say that Rimac is suspected of influence peddling and receiving a bribe of €45,000 to favour the C.E.M.P. company, which built a wind park near Knin.
She is also suspected of exerting pressure on Hrvatske Sume to make it change its decision not to green-light the Krs-Padjane wind park, built by C.E.M.P.
USKOK believes that Hrvatske Sume CEO Krunoslav Jakupcic and Ivan Melvan of the company's branch in Split were the ones who eventually approved the wind park project in early 2020.
Jakupcic's attorney Vladimir Teresak said that his client had presented extensive defense and that he was charged with acting in line with Rimac's instructions.
He said that Teresak pleaded not guilty to the charges.
C.E.M.P. on Friday issued a statement dismissing allegations of illegal conduct in the project, claiming it could prove the lawfulness of its actions with existing documentation on the project.
After Almost Two Decades Croatia Again Celebrates Statehood Day on 30 May
ZAGREB, May 30, 2020 - In 2020, after almost two decades, Croatia again celebrates Statehood Day on May 30, as it had done in the first decade of its existence.
This year Statehood Day is celebrated on the 30th anniversary of the inauguration of the first multi-party parliament on 30 May 1990, when the foundations of the modern Croatian Parliament were laid and its historic role in preserving Croatian statehood was confirmed after decades of the Communist rule.
Until last year, May 30 was observed as the Day of the Croatian Parliament, a memorial day and a working day, while Statehood Day was celebrated on June 25 as a public holiday and nonworking day.
Since 2001, when the SDP-led coalition government changed the public holiday calendar, all governments endeavored to appropriately observe the new dates, however, ordinary citizens never embraced the new holidays in the same way Statehood Day was celebrated on May 30 during the 1990s.
That was one of the arguments for the HDZ majority to reinstate May 30 as Statehood Day when it arranged the new public holiday calendar last year.
The controversy regarding the 'real' date for celebrating Statehood Day will certainly last, however, it is indisputable that a large number of citizens remember 30 May 1990 very fondly, describing it with words such as 'special', 'festive', and 'exciting'.
The assembly hall was too small for all the members of parliament and guests on 30 May thirty years ago. In the first part of the session the Election and Appointment Commission was elected, led by Ivan Milas, at whose proposal the leadership of the first multi-party parliament was elected. Zarko Domjan was elected the first parliament speaker.
Stipe Mesic was elected the head of the Executive Committee of the Croatian Parliament, and Franjo Tudjman was elected Chairman of the Socialist Republic of Croatia's Presidency. On that occasion, he gave a speech, emphasising that throughout its long history, "the Croatian state parliament was the guardian of the sovereignty (with the exception of the period from 1918 to 1941) of the Croatian people in relation to other national and state unions."
Tudjman said that he had had no doubt that the Croatian people would show their maturity at the first democratic election, "in which the parliament originated", expressing his conviction that "under the guidance of their true leadership, the people will know and be able to build a life worthy of free people in their only, long-suffering and holy homeland".
The first Croatian parliament assembly had 351 members of parliament and was tricameral. The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) had the majority of seats, 207, the League of the Communists of Croatia - the Party for Democratic Changes had 107, the Coalition of People's Accord had 21, and the Serb Democratic Party had five, while 13 seats were won by independent members and members representing ethnic minorities.
The 1990's tricameral parliament operated for around two years, and in August 1992, a parliamentary election was held for the new unicameral Croatian Parliament with a significantly smaller number of members - 138.
Regardless of the shortness of its term, and considering the fact that it served a part of it in circumstances of war, the first Croatian Parliament adopted historic decisions on Croatia's sovereignty and independence, the decision on severing state and legal ties with the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), and it also passed the "Christmas Constitution".
"Entrepreneurial Mindset for Students" Conference Gathering Biggest Croatian Entrepreneurs
May 30, 2020 - The biggest Croatian entrepreneurs will come together for the Entrepreneurial Mindset for Students conference, which will be held on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, at 10 am.
Poduzetnik.biz writes that when we talk about the future, it is extremely important that more and more educational institutions in our country put their focus on entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial topics, but some things cannot be learned in school. Entrepreneurship, namely, is not only the ability to start a business, but also the skill of solving problems "on the go", the ability to properly communicate and delegate, as well as creative and innovative thinking. It is known that many successful entrepreneurs around the world started their companies just during their study days.
The media company Poduzetnik.biz wants to encourage young people to develop critical thinking, to rise above the problem and think outside the box, and to get to know real successful examples from the Croatian entrepreneurial scene. One in a series of projects in which words are put into action is the Entrepreneurial Mindset for Students conference, which will be held on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, starting at 10 am.
From the studio, where the show Entrepreneurial Mindset with Saša Cvetojević is filmed, many successful Croatian entrepreneurs will be featured as speakers at the Entrepreneurial Mindset for Students conference.
On behalf of the hosts, the conference will be opened by the CEO of the Bagatin Polyclinic and the owner of the magazine Poduzetnik, Ognjen Bagatin. The main partner of the consulting and auditing company EY for Croatia, Berislav Horvat, will moderate the conversation with entrepreneur Nenad Bakić, and Saša Cvetojević with entrepreneur Urška Sršen. Bellabeat co-founder Urška Sršen will talk about her youthful beginnings, and Nenad Bakić will present the news of his project, the largest extracurricular STEM movement in Europe, the Croatian Makers League, which gathers more than 150,000 children in Croatia alone.
Filip Ljubić, founder of Q Software, will talk about his example of a successful startup in Croatia, and Nanobit CEO Alan Sumina will talk about the beginnings of his strongest Croatian gaming company in the context of the crisis that proved to be an opportunity for them in 2008.
The panel, moderated by World Bank expert advisor Stephanie E. Trpkov, will feature Matej Špoler, co-founder and CTO of Infinum, Aleksandra Dojčinović, designer and owner of the LeiLou by Alex brand, and Danijel Ackermann, co-founder of the most award-winning digital marketing company Degordian.
To follow all the news and information about this conference, as well as the live follow-up link, you can apply via the Entrepreneurial Mindset for Students website, which has so far collected more than 500 applications from all parts of Croatia.
The conference will also be broadcast via the Entrepreneur's Youtube channel. See you on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, at 10 am!
To read more about business in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Misleading European Media Reports Damaging Croatia's Tourist Season
May 30, 2020 - The lack of clear travel advice from the Croatian authorities is leading to misleading headlines in the European media, which is affecting the tourist sector which is 20% of GDP in a good year.
The most interesting mini-project I started this year - with the considerable help of Kresimir Macan and two of his interns from Manjgura - was to start the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community, a project that is way outside my comfort zone.
But what a great and useful resource it has become in just 10 days. Community participation from its members all over the world is helping build a picture of both what the real travel situation is in Croatia, as well as the perception of being able to travel to Croatia.
I don't blame the European media for not getting things completely right, as it is incredibly difficult to have accurate information in such fast-changing times when the authorities are so reluctant to present information transparently, but there is some dangerous misinformation, as well as some inaccurate reporting going on.
Here are three examples that I have been sent to the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.
Perhaps the most worrying example was from the BBC, which stated that visitors need to produce a negative COVID-19 test. This is currently NOT the case. You do NOT require a test to enter or leave Croatia, and there is NO self-isolation/quarantine requirement. Our Viber community is slowly building a resource of links to the official pages of other countries so that tourists can find out what happens when they return home. You can get info for some links here, and if you would like to send the link for your country, we will happily add it.
Our community member was kind enough to recommend TCN as the best source of information. You can see our comprehensive Croatian travel update here (updated daily).
Last night, The Irish Times published an article about travel to Croatia and Greece.
"Croatia and Greece have announced that they will be opening their countries to some foreign visitors for the tourist season, but Irish holidaymakers will not be allowed."
This was the opening sentence. I can understand why the journalist wrote this, but it is actually not true. Irish tourists CAN come.
It was the same in Belgium, according to this article, sent in by another community member.
The reason that these articles were written, and the reason these journalists are saying Irish and Belgian tourists cannot come is a direct result of the very poor communication from the Croatian tourism authorities.
What changed on May 28 was that Croatia opened its borders fully - and without conditions - to 10 countries with a good corona record. Citizens of Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, and Germany can now enter Croatia without restriction.
Before that decision (and still true today), people from EU countries were allowed to come if they could prove ownership of property in Croatia, proof of paid accommodation or proof of a business meeting.
There is an important technical distinction which has obviously not been picked up by the European media. Croatia is open for tourism for those 10 countries. It is technically not open for tourism until June 15 for the rest (assuming things go well with the virus), BUT you can come on holiday. The difference is that you will enter not as a tourist, but as someone engaged in an economic activity (spending money in the hotel).
So while it is technically correct to say that Croatia is not open for tourists from Ireland and Belgium, it is very misleading, as tourists can come under the umbrella of economic activity. A very Balkan solution.
The Irish Times also gives the impression that Irish tourists will not be allowed to Croatia this summer. That is also misleading, as everything will open up on June 15 IF the corona situation is at an acceptable level in Ireland.
If you have any more examples of misleading information being published in European media, please email link to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject European Media. Or why not join our vibrant Viber community (you will need to download the app)?
First 200 Tourists from Germany Arrive in Split
May 30, 2020 - Two planes from Frankfurt have arrived at Split Airport, bringing 200 German tourists to the coastal Dalmatian city.
Dalmacija Danas reports that on Thursday, the Croatian government decided that Croatia would open its borders to citizens of 10 countries that, like Croatia, are estimated to have a favorable epidemiological situation. This applies to citizens of Slovenia, Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Germany.
With the decision made, passengers from these ten countries will not have to prove the reason for their entry into the Republic of Croatia. However, epidemiological control is still necessary, reports HRT.
After domestic air traffic, international air traffic was re-established. Two planes from Frankfurt with about 200 passengers landed at Split Airport.
For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.
Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.
In recent years, due to record results and good business, Split Airport has invested HRK 500 million in the building of the new terminal.
"In June, there will be 180 flights in international traffic and 80 in domestic, and 30,000 passengers are expected," said Pero Bilas, Deputy Director of Split Airport.
Which is ten times less than last June, but optimism is not lacking.
Split Airport had direct flights from 25 countries around the world. They are aiming for that record even in this most difficult tourist season.
Upon entering the Republic of Croatia, their entry will be recorded with the collection of additional data (destination, mobile phone number and e-mail address), due to the possible need to contact for epidemiological reasons.
Therefore, in order to reduce congestion at border crossings and shorten the waiting time for crossing the state border, it is recommended that foreign citizens submit their data in advance via the website entercroatia.mup.hr.
To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Diocletian's Dream: A New Virtual Reality Attraction in Split Transports You Back to 305
May 30, 2020 - After the Museum of Illusions, yet another interactive attraction opened in Split. Meet virtual reality experience Diocletian's Dream.
‘Wow, where do we live?’, is the first thing you might say after watching the first 3D animated film ‘Diocletian’s Dream’. That sentence is the best indicator that the duo who started the original experience, Tomi Taraš and Declan O'Rourke, succeeded in the idea in which they invested many years of effort, knowledge and resources.
Dalmatinski Portal reports that the project began more than two years ago, and the story itself leads to the year 305 and the time of Emperor Diocletian.
"The goal was to tell the story in a new and original way that opens a completely new perspective towards the approach and presentation of cultural and historical heritage. Virtual reality is the language of new generations and those who are open to something new, interesting and educational," describes Taraš.
Through 15 minutes of animated film with a script, Severina takes you on a tour of the royal chambers. In case you have never heard of Diocletian, you will learn a number of interesting facts about the history and life of one of the most prominent emperors of the Roman Empire. The voice of Mladen Badovinac is hidden behind Severina.
In the film, you climb to the top of the Palace, look at the Vestibule from above, bathe in the sea, and while the unique action lasts, learn about the history of a unique city with the narration of one of the most recognizable citizens of Split from the cult music group TBF.
"We wanted something different and new and that's how the idea was born. We are delighted with the reactions, and our goal was to be a fun, educational and factual film," Taraš adds.
"We would be very glad to be able to interest the younger generations who will recognize the fascinating history of our city where one of the greatest Roman emperors lived and one of the most fascinating buildings of that time which significantly influenced the architecture of the empire - and beyond," he said.
The doors to Diocletian's Dream opened a few days ago on Zagrebačka Street, across from the walls of Cornaro and Đardin, and word has quickly spread about the unique experience. Nevertheless, they are currently running promotional prices.
You can read more about the project here.
To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Croatian MEP Flego: Austrian Decision Un-European and Discriminatory
ZAGREB, May 29, 2020 - A Croatian Member of the European Parliament and Deputy Leader of the Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) Valter Flego on Friday reacted to a decision by Austria not to include Croatia among safe countries for its citizens to travel to, saying that this was un-European and discriminatory.
"Our country is among those countries in Europe and the world with the best epidemiological situation. Each day we are drawing closer to being corona-free however, it is not on the list of safe countries where Austrian citizens may spend their annual vacation as of mid-June, which I consider to be incomprehensible," said Flego.
He considers that the Austrian government's decision "is simply not in the European spirit - it is discriminatory and in no way solidary and it is illogical."
On the one hand, he underscored, the European Commission is proposing a record large budget to bail out the European economy and on the other hand member states are sabotaging each other and putting up obstacles.
"We must not allow politicking about the tourism season. We know where politics belongs and where not," said the Croatian MEP
Flego together with two Slovenian MEPs Irena Joveva and Klement Gorselj sent a letter to the European Commission and they expect an urgent response from the EC President Ursula von der Leyen. They also sent a copy of the correspondence to Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic and Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli.
Croatian State Administration Employees Initial Annex to Collective Agreement
ZAGREB, May 29, 2020 - Minister of Labour and Pension System Josip Aladrovic and unions representing state administration employees on Friday signed an annex to the basic collective agreement.
"Today we held a fourth meeting with state administration employees' unions. What we hoped for and expected was achieved - a compromise, which is the same as the compromise with public sector employees. This closes our negotiations. On Monday we expect the signing of the annex after the government approves it," Aladrovic said after the meeting.
He reiterated that the same annex was signed with public servants, envisaging the deferral of the base pay rise that was to have occurred on 1 June and 1 October.
A representative of a union of interior ministry employees, Zdravko Loncar, said that they had decided to initial the annex because they wanted to be stakeholders in the process so as to meet their obligations towards union members.
"This is damage control. We did not wish to leave it up to some new government to take everything from us after the election. This is our contribution at this moment, we empathise with everyone, we are part of the people and live with the people. We believe that we are in a much better position," said Loncar.
Local and state administration employees' union leader Iva Suskovic, too, said that union bodies had agreed to accept the government's offer.
She expressed hope that the negotiations with the government would continue.
"We hope to sit at the table with the new government in the autumn and discuss all the problems in state administration services, not only the low salaries but primarily working conditions, material rights and ways of improving the status of state administration employees. We do not want to negotiate only about the suspension of the base pay increase and Christmas bonuses because the problem in state administration is much deeper," said Suskovic.
Police union leader Dubravko Jagic said that the membership of his union had also decided to sign the annex.
