March the 11th, 2022 - The Zagreb aircraft crash which caused an explosion in the capital at around 23:00 last night has been attacting the headlines and even more rumours. You can click here and here to read what we know so far, as well as here for an official government response to the event.

Here's an update from Index - a loud bang was heard in part of the City of Zagreb just after 23:00 last night. Police and firefighters quickly reacted and took to Jarunska cesta where the incident had taken place. A large crater was left in the ground following the aircraft having fallen. As it was announced this morning, what arrived in Croatian airspace and crashed in the capital is a Russian-made unmanned aircraft that arrived here after travelling through neighbouring Hungarian airspace.

"All of the competent services became involved immediately after the crash of a military-type of unmanned aircraft, which, according to the data collected so far, entered Croatian airspace from east to west, ie from Hungarian airspace, at a speed of 700 km / h at an altitude of 1300 m,'' they announced from the government.

Zagreb Police also confirmed that they found two parachutes.

"After 23:00, the Zagreb Police Administration received several reports from people that they felt a detonation in the wider area of ​​Jarun, which was preceded by something falling from the air. Police patrols were urgently sent to the place of the report where they found two parachutes in the wider area, for which we'd also previously received reports about from people. Several parked vehicles were damaged. Police teams which specialise in dealing with and reacting to this type of event were on the ground, and at the moment there is no reason for people to be alarmed,'' the police said.

Here's what we also know:

The former Ukrainian Ambassador to Croatia says the unmanned aircraft is not Ukrainian, and that Ukrainian aircraft of this type have another type of signage and symbols on them. Ukraine has also confirmed that the craft isn't theirs. This follows President Milanovic's claims that the craft had come from Ukraine.

Jadranka Kosor has tweeted that she is unhappy with the statements made by the government in response to this odd Zagreb aircraft crash and that there's now a sense of insecurity.

Croatian air traffic control did not track the strange flying object upon entry into Croatian airspace because it didn't have a transponder.

Defense Minister Mario Banozic claims that the aircraft was in fact tracked.

PM Andrej Plenkovic has informed the appropriate European Union institutions of the bizarre Zagreb aircraft crash, he also spoke with Hungarian leader Viktor Orban.

Military pilot Ivan Selak has said it's ''a shame'' that NATO failed to pick up on the drone, and that it had been in Croatian airspace for eight minutes.

Concerns were growing that the drone was intended for the Ukrainian town of Yarun, but wasn't programmed properly.

For more on the Zagreb aircraft crash, keep up with our news section.

ZAGREB, 11 March (2022) - The Croatian electronic communications market generated HRK 11.5 billion in revenues in 2021, up by 3.6% on 2020, while investment increased by 20.5% to exceed HRK 3 billion, according to data from the regulatory authority for network industries HAKOM.

Of the total revenue, HRK 615 million was generated by very high capacity fixed networks, which is an increase of 115.5% compared with 2020. The number of optical fibre connections increased by 33.7%.

Revenues from broadband internet services increased by 11%, from network and cable leasing services by 4.6% and from pay television by 4.2%.

The share of broadband users with speeds above 30Mbit/ increased from 42.1% in 2020 to 59% in 2021, while the share of those using speeds above 100Mbit/s rose from 16% to 28%.

In the last quarter of 2021, the number of pay television connections increased by 2% as nearly 59% of households used some form of pay television. 

In Q4 2021, revenues from television services increased by 4% to HRK 216.2 million compared with the same period in 2020.

On the other hand, revenues from mobile telephone services fell by 8.6% to HRK 975 million compared with the fourth quarter of 2020, even though the number of users rose by 0.6% to 4.4 million.

Revenues from fixed-line telephone services decreased by 4.7% to HRK 263.1 million and the number of users of these services dropped by 2.2% to 1.2 million.

In the last quarter of 2021, revenues from internet access increased by 7% to HRK 1.3 billion, of which HRK 842.1 million (+11.3%) was generated by mobile access services.

The number of mobile broadband internet connections rose by 2.4% to 5.7 million, while the number of fixed-line broadband internet connections went up by 1.7% to 1 million.

(€1 = HRK 7.5)

For more, check out our business section.

March the 11th, 2022 - Following last night's bizarre Zagreb explosion which involved the falling of pieces of aircraft and two parachutes close to Jarun, as well as many rumours, the government has issued an official statement.

Here it is translated into English in full:

''A meeting of the competent bodies of the security and defense system was held in the Office of the National Security Council, attended by the Deputy Prime Minister for National Security and Minister of Croatian Veterans Mr. Medved, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Mr. Bozinovic, Minister of Defense Mr. Banozic, Director of the Security Intelligence Agency Mr. Markic, Director of the Military Security Intelligence Agency Major General Kinder and Head of the Office of the National Security Council Mr. Franjic.

All relevant services were involved immediately after the crash of a military-type of unmanned aircraft, which, according to data collected so far, entered Croatian airspace from east to west, or from Hungarian airspace, at a speed of 700km/h and at an altitude of 1300m.

A criminal investigation is under way in co-operation between the criminal police and the military police, and other measures are being taken to co-ordinate the security and defense system, including international co-operation, especially with NATO, to determine all of the circumstances [surrounding this incident].''

Source: Vlada.gov.hr

For more on the Zagreb explosion, keep up with our news section.

March the 11th, 2022 - We wrote this morning about an unidentified object which fell from the sky here in the City of Zagreb at around 23:00 last night, with a lot of speculation circulating as to what it was, and more importantly, why it was anywhere near Zagreb. Could a Soviet drone have been the cause of the loud Zagreb explosion last night? Potentially.

As Index/Nenad Jaric Dauenhauer writes, as Index learned during the night from some well-informed sources, according to the information gathered so far, which was obtained by the competent services during the investigation, a drone crashed in Zagreb close to Jarun last night. The crater at the impact site is about one metre deep and about three meters wide. You can read about the event itself and the investigation until now here.

Tyler Rogoway, a military aviation expert and editor of The War Zone on The Drive, has claimed that the cause of the Zagreb explosion and the pieces of aircraft found left behind was a Tu-141 drone.

The Tu-141, or Swift, is an unmanned Soviet reconnaissance drone that served as part of the Soviet Red Army during the late 1970s and 1980s.

It is important to note that the police have NOT yet confirmed this, but if these speculations are confirmed, one of the bigger mysteries will be the answer to the question of how the Tu-141 managed to fly from Ukraine, through Hungary all the way to Zagreb, and how no NATO, Hungarian or Croatian radars managed to even detect it on that utterly strange trip here.

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine announced back in 2016 that the Ukrainian Air Force was rebuilding 68 different types of military aircraft from the Soviet era, including the Tu-141 drone.

What is the Tu-141?

The Tu-141 isn't like modern Predator or Reaper drones, which can fly for a long time while scanning using high-tech sensors. This robotic spacecraft was also not originally intended for combat activities, ie for destruction and killing.

The Tu-141 is designed to perform reconnaissance missions several hundred kilometres behind the front lines at supersonic speeds. It can carry a range of payloads, including film cameras, infrared recording devices, EO recorders and recording radars. It was in Soviet service from 1979 to 1989, mostly on the western borders of the former Soviet Union.

The Tu-141 is 14.33 m long, has a wingspan of 3.88 m and a height of 2.44 m. It has delta or arrow-shaped wings of 10.0 m2 and weighs 6215 kg. It is powered by a powerful turbojet engine, Tumansky KR-17A, and can travel at a maximum supersonic speed of 1,100 km/h. Its range is 1000 km, and the highest altitude at which it operates is about 6000 m.

It is launched from a trailer using solid fuel. It doesn't land like a conventional aircraft, but instead relies on a parachute and retro rockets that allow it to descend gradually in an upright and horizontal position.

There were 152 specimens, it isn't known how many are left now

Ukraine hasn't released any information on just how many Tu-141s remain in the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union, which began producing the drone on a regular basis back in 1979. The Soviet Union made 152 copies, and they were mostly stationed near the western borders of the former bloc.

According to a book by Russian aviation researcher Yefim Gordon, this Soviet/Russian drone has equipment which is comparable to the KA and KS high-altitude reconnaissance cameras used by the United States during the Cold War. According to Russian weapons and aviation analysts' websites, the Tu-141 probably has a similar radar and infrared sensor as the Soviet reconnaissance jet Su-24MR Fencer E.

If this is true, then the Tu-141 equipment dates back to the late 1980s, which means it is probably not resistant to modern Russian interference. It is not known how Ukraine modernided and equipped any of its remaining Tu-141s.

For more on the Zagreb explosion, keep up with our news section.

March the 11th, 2022 - An explosion in Zagreb could be heard last night at 23:00, and a very strange situation has unfolded since then, with an impact hole, parts of a plane and parachutes discovered. All aviation services claim to not have ''lost'' any aircraft. Here's the situation as we currently understand it, with the latest information first.

As Jutarnji/Tomislav Kukek/Anamaria Hanzek writes, the Zagreb police have also now spoken out about the incident near Jarun:

''On March the 10th, 2022, just after 23:00, the Zagreb Police Administration received several reports from people that they felt a detonation in the wider area of ​​Jarun, which was preceded by the falling of something from the air.

Police patrols were urgently sent to the locations of the report and found a crater on the green area at the address Jarunska bb, while they found two parachutes in the wider area, for which we'd also previously received reports from people. Police officers dealt with both the narrower and wider area of ​​the scene where the investigation is being conducted, with the participation of all relevant services. So far, the police have had no reports of any injuries in the wider area of ​​the scene, though several parked vehicles were damaged.

Out in the field, police teams specialised in dealing with and reacting to this type of event are present, and at the moment there is no reason for people to be alarmed. We'd like to call on the media to responsibly report to the public and present verified information obtained from the relevant services, in order to prevent the spread of misinformation.

We're urging people not to share videos or photos from the scene on social media. If you find yourself in the area of ​​police action, please follow the instructions of the police officers. The police will continuously publish information that has been factually confirmed,'' the police said in a statement.

Here is a timeline of the events surrounding the bizarre explosion in Zagreb, from latest to first:

2.33 -The level of radiation was measured on the spot but no increase was found.

2.23 - Unofficially, it came out that a red star and a Russian cyrillic alphabet could allegedly be seen on parts of the plane. That information has not been confirmed by the police, but it was widely talked about during the investigation.

2.11 - The police cordoned off a vast area around Jarun, no one is allowed to approach it, and special police are on the scene.

1.47 - It was unofficially confirmed that the parts found around the dormitory definitely came from an aircraft, but it is still unknown what exactly happened.

1.35 - Firefighters slowly withdrew from the scene, being replaced by members of the military police.

1.25 - After two hours, the police expanded the area of investigation to the area surrounding the Stjepan Radic dorms. Firefighters removed a large parachute from a tree, and another parachute was also discovered nearby.

1.20 - Military and civil aviation agencies said that they had not ''lost'' any planes.

At around 23:00, a powerful explosion in Zagreb could be felt and heart near the student dormitory (studentski dom), which alarmed the residents of the surrounding buildings. The Emergency Situations Office immediately set off for the scene, and according to the first information from eyewitnesses and officials, it seemed that this is some kind of aircraft had fallen to the ground. Firefighters also received a report of a parachute found on a tree.

Police and firefighters were on the scene and immediately fenced off the area around a large hole made in the asphalt. The road leading to Jarun and the car park were full of debris and asphalt, and there were also damaged cars.

''We didn't see anything, but it was loud. Luckily, no one was passing by at the time. What a horror, I don't know how we're going to sleep tonight,'' said some students.

According to some, the explosion in Zagreb was heard as far away as Tresnjevka. They also claimed that something fell from the sky only 30 metres from one of the pavilions of the Stjepan Radic dorms.

A security guard who was working nearby during the incident said that he didn't see anything, but that the explosion was loud.

''It's still ringing in my ears,'' he said.

We'll bring you more information as we get it.

For more, check our news section.

March the 11th, 2022 - Despite the fact that the Croatian Government is set to put its inflation-curbing measures into force on the 1st of next month, for the very hard hit Croatian transport sector, which is still reeling from the pandemic, it won't be enough.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Suzana Varosanec writes, the Croatian transport sector and bus carriers are already on their knees owing to the pandemic, the restrictions on travel and a lack of help from the state, and now with inflation and soaring fuel and oil prices, things have been made ten times harder. Oil prices on reference markets have risen even further this week, and they are appealing to the government for the introduction of some concrete measures to help preserve business across Croatia.

Government measures - freezing margins and reducing excise duties on petrol and diesel, which may temporarily help average people, are not enough for the enfeebled Croatian transport sector.

Sectoral measures are proving necessary, and neighbouring Slovenia already has them: according to a defined methodology and clear proof of the increase in energy costs compared to 2021, business operations are directly co-financed through temporary co-financing of costs caused by rising energy prices.

In addition, bus companies operating in Slovenia have been signing public service contracts for fourteen years now, which have built-in so-called ''diesel clauses'', which make them resistant to shocks caused by the continually rising fuel prices.

All of this was reported by the Coordination of Public Liner Carriers at HUP, headed by President Hrvoje Mestrovic, with an additional explanation. As excise duties are fixed within the structure of fuel prices, and VAT is charged on the total price, state revenue is significantly higher with each increase, while lower excise duties will ultimately mean lower refunds to bus carriers (last year it amounted to just over 160 million kuna).

According to Mestrovic, a solution that could help the Croatian transport sector and more specifically bus companies cope with the pandemic fallout and the now sky high fuel prices, in addition to the measure of co-financing the sector's operations in extraordinary circumstances, is to speed up the signing of public service contracts for counties with diesel clauses.

For more, check out our dedicated business section.

March the 11th, 2022 - German Croatian holiday booking was exceeding 2019's pre-pandemic levels and experiencing a real ''boom'' just before Vladimir Putin's shock invasion of neighbouring Ukraine a couple of weeks ago.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes, up until the beginning of the unjustified Russian invasion of Ukraine last month, German Croatian holiday booking levels were truly excellent, even better than in pre-pandemic 2019, but what the rest of the tourist season will look like this year is uncertain because the entire European market is currently in a state of shock.

This is how Romeo Draghicchio, director of the Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB) in Germany, describes the current situation, on the occasion of the ITB Berlin fair, which is being held in a virtual form this week for the third year in a row due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"In Germany, there are concerns about the war in Ukraine, but so far we aren't really seeing a significant impact on consumer habits. However, since the beginning of the war, programmes for Russia and Ukraine have been cancelled, while cruises aimed at St. Petersburg are being diverted to other ports. It will take more time to assess the real consequences for the summer season because there is currently a shock in the market. When we talk about Croatia, until the outbreak of the conflict, booking was at a higher level for the country, even when compared to the 2019 tourist season, which was a great sign,'' he said.

''What the further course of the season will unfold like remains to be seen, but the good position of this country on the German market has been confirmed by the recently published research "Reiseanalyse" of the FUR Institute for 2021, according to which Croatia climbed to the ranks of the top four German destinations. In addition to that, as pointed out by the FUR, in 2021, Croatia was the only destination that increased its market share when compared to 2019,'' added Draghicchio when describing the German Croatian holiday booking trends so far.

It's worth noting that this year's ITB is being held in two parts, one part was held from March the 8th to the 10th, the ITB Convention, which focuses on digital and sustainable solutions with the transfer of all sessions on the official ITB platform. The programme also includes lectures by a number of international top speakers and tourism experts. The second part of the ITB refers to the Digital Business Day, which will be held on March the 17th.

It is a concept conceived as a platform for the networking of exhibitors and buyers, and each participant creates their own personal business profile and communicates with potential partners or clients through audio/video tools. Within this part of the ITB, CNTB representatives will also create their profiles and hold a series of meetings with partners and the interested business community.

CNTB Director Kristjan Stanicic pointed out that if the situation in Ukraine lasts any longer, we can expect greater disruptions in the wider tourism market, especially in countries in the immediate vicinity of Ukraine, such as Poland, Slovakia and Hungary.

For more, check out our travel section.

March the 11th, 2022 - The Zagreb lower town (donji grad) is set to be lit up by the Festival of Lights for the first time, joining upper town (gornji grad) in the return of this festival following a coronavirus-induced two year break.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Lucija Spiljak writes, following a two-year break, the Festival of Lights is returning to the City of Zagreb, and it will be held in its fourth edition from March the 16th to the 20th, when visitors will be able to enjoy 32 artistic light attractions at 31 locations from 18:00 to 23:00.

Along with the city's upper town location, locations in Zagreb lower town, as touched on above, will be illuminated as part of this much loved festival for the first time following the break.

”This year's edition of the Zagreb Festival of Lights, along with the creative and inspiring art of light, is set to send out messages of unity, tolerance and, above all, peace. We included sixteen locations in upper town and, for the first time, fifteen locations in the lower town, as well as two international collaborations with artists from Berlin (Germany) and Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), both of which are new,'' said Martina Bienenfeld, President of the Zagreb Tourist Board (TGZG), when speaking of the upcoming event.

The Zagreb Festival of Lights event is being organised by TGZG and its partners along with the support of the City of Zagreb. Admission to the programmes set to kick off on the 16th of this month is totally free.

For all you need to know about the bustling and increasingly popular Croatian capital city, why not check out Zagreb in a Page.