Croatia's County Head Accuses Bosnian Serb Capital of Glorifying War Criminal
ZAGREB, 9 January, 2022 - The head of Bjelovar-Bilogora County, Marko Marušić, has condemned the unveiling of a memorial plaque in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina to Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) Major Milan Tepić, who blew up an ammunition depot in Bjelovar in 1991 to prevent Croatian forces from seizing the weapons.
Marušić said in a statement on Sunday that the monument honouring Major Tepić was "a slap in the face and salt on the wound" to all victims of the Serbian military aggression on Croatia, especially those in Bjelovar (about 80 km east of Zagreb).
Major Tepić will be remembered as a fanatic who blew up himself and a depot with 170 tonnes of explosives in the JNA barracks in Bjelovar in 1991, Marušić recalled, adding that 11 Bjelovar families were left without their sons and husbands and that Tepić would have destroyed the entire town had he not been prevented from detonating the explosive in other depots.
"This, unfortunately, is not the first time that a person who has nothing to do with heroism is called a hero. He was a coward and a war criminal. After Belgrade, which named a street after Milan Tepić, Banja Luka has now also joined in glorifying this war criminal, obviously not accidentally," Marušić said.
He said it is scandalous that the mayor of Banja Luka, who was not even born at the time of this war crime, has joined in cherishing this cult of personality. "This only shows that the idea of a greater Serbia continues to live," Marušić said.
Zagreb Archdiocese Donated HRK 309,000 to Families with Many Children in 2021
ZAGREB, 9 January, 2022 - Last year, the Zagreb Archdiocese donated a total of HRK 309,000 (€41,200) to families with many children, continuing the tradition begun 20 years ago by the Archbishop, Cardinal Josip Bozanić.
In 2021, based on recommendations from parish priests, 103 children from multi-member families were christened, the Zagreb Archdiocese said on Saturday.
There were 66 christenings of the fifth child, 15 christenings of the sixth child, 12 christenings of the seventh child, six christenings of the eighth child, three christenings of the ninth child and one christening of the 13th child.
The family of each child was donated HRK 3,000 (€400) and a copy of the Bible.
Stipe Dumančić, President of "Voice of Free Croatia", Buried in New York
January 9, 2022 - Stipe Dumančić, long-time president of the Croatian Radio Club New York ‘Voice of Free Croatia’, was buried on Friday, January 7, at St. Michael’s Cemetery in Queens.
He passed away on January 1, 2022, at the age of 84. Holy Mass for Stipe was held in the Croatian Church of St. Cyril and Methodius in Manhattan. Stipe spent 44 years at the Croatian Radio Club working as its president, vice president, technical editor, treasurer, and member of the Supervisory Board.
His life began in the small town of Lovrec in Split-Dalmatia County. He spent his childhood in Croatia. After school, he went to Germany, and then in 1975, he emigrated to New York.
Since arriving in New York, he was actively involved in the Croatian community. He volunteered at the Croatian Center and on Hrvatska Zemlja. He was also a member of the Children’s Festival. He became active in the Croatian Radio Club in 1977 when Vinko Kužina invited him as a technical editor.
Since then, the Croatian Radio Club and studio have become his second home. During his many years of work at the Croatian Radio Club, he gained many associates and friends who remember him with great respect and pride that they knew him and worked with him for the benefit of the Croatian community. He was sent to his eternal rest with numerous honors and words of appreciation.
Today's special emission of the Croatian Radio Hour "Voice of Free Croatia" was entirely dedicated to him and his dedicated work (https://www.croatianradiony.com/index).
Rest in peace, dear Stipe Dumančić!
For more on the Croatian Diaspora, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Croatian Skiers Win Men's Slalom Points in Adelboden, First Points for Zrinka Ljutić
January 9, 2022 - An excellent day for Croatian skiers as Filip Zubčić, Samuel Kolega, Matej Vidović, and Istok Rodeš win points in Adelboden, and Zrinka Ljutić records the first points in her career in Kranjska Gora!
Austrian Johannes Strolz recorded the first victory of his career in the Adelboden slalom, the third slalom of the World Cup this season. He was only seventh after the first run.
Filip Zubčić placed 15th, Samuel Kolega 21st, Matej Vidović 24th, and Istok Rodeš 25th.
For the 29-year-old Strolz, this was his 64th start in the World Cup races, in which his best placement so far was 10th place in the slalom at Madonna di Campiglio two years ago.
Second place (17 hundredths of a second behind) was taken by Strolz's compatriot Manuel Feller, who was also in second place in Saturday's giant slalom. Third place was German Linus Strasser, who was only 14th in the first run, 29 hundredths of a second behind the winner.
Another local skier Fabio Gstrein, who shared the leading position with Feller after the first run, failed to finish the race, as did fifth-placed Frenchman Alexis Pinturault.
The first to race of the Croatian skiers was Matej Vidović, who was 25th in the first run, 1.92 seconds behind Strolz.
Samuel Kolega started well, but his time increased by a second from the second to the third pass. In the end, he was 1.73 seconds behind, enough for 21st place and points in the World Cup for the second time in his career. Filip Zubčić started immediately after his colleague and with 1.03 seconds behind Strolz, he was 15th.
Istok Rodeš was 16th from the first run, but was the weakest of the four Croatians and, in the end, was two seconds behind the leader, dropping from 16th to 25th place.
Twenty-four skiers reached the finish line within one second of the first run. The first seven were shared by only 17 hundredths of a second, so there were big changes at the top in the second run. In the end, the seventh place from the first run celebrated, while 14th place won a spot on the podium!
After three slaloms in the new season, Norwegian Sebastian Foss-Solevaag and Swede Kristoffer Jakobsen are still in the lead with 140 points each, although they did not reach the finish of the first run in Adelboden, just like Frenchman Clement Noel, who has 100 points and shares third place with Johannes Strolz. Filip Zubčić is in an excellent sixth place with 91 points.
Swiss Marco Odermatt leads with 845 points in the overall standings, ahead of Norwegian Alexander Aamodt Kilde with 469 points. Zubčić is in 11th place with 214 points.
The skiers will stay in Switzerland, where they will ride four World Cup races in Wengen from Thursday to Sunday.
In other news, Petra Vlhova celebrated in the fifth of six women's slaloms this season. The great Slovak won first place in the Kranjska Gora slalom. In second was Wendy Holdener and Anna Swenn Larsson cam third.
Zrinka Ljutić won the first points in her career! After pushing into second in the dramatic finale of the first run in 30th place, Ljutić made a solid first career appearance in the second run and won 26th place. Leona Popović won 20th place and thus gained new points in the World Cup.
The third Croatian representative, Andrea Komšić, lost the second run by only six hundredths of a second. Nevertheless, she finished the first run in 31st place, which was not enough to lead to the second run.
With this victory, Vlhova is only 35 points behind the leader Shiffrin, and in third is still Italian Sofia Goggia with 657 points.
Source: HRT
To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
Croatia Records 7,333 New Coronavirus Cases, 37 Deaths
ZAGREB, 9 January, 2022 - Croatia has registered 7,333 new coronavirus cases and 37 COVID-related deaths in the last 24 hours, the national coronavirus response team reported on Sunday.
The number of active cases in the country currently stands at 44,633. Among them are 1,874 infected persons receiving hospital treatment, including 242 who are on ventilators, and 19,072 persons are self-isolating.
A total of 3,877,819 people have been tested for the SARS-CoV-2 virus to date, including 16,597 in the last 24 hours.
Since 25 February 2020, when the first case was confirmed in the country, 765,605 people have been registered as having contracted the new virus, of whom 12,878 have died and 708,094 have recovered, including 4,905 in the last 24 hours.
As of 8 January, 4,832,185 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered, with 55.91 per cent of the total population, or 66.58 per cent of the adult population, having been vaccinated. A total of 2,268,738 people have received at least one dose and 2,163,069 of them have received two doses, which is 63.64 per cent of the adult population.
Unique Gourmet Experience: 1st Croatian Free-Range Wagyu Holstein Beef Tasting
January 9, 2022 - Calling all gourmet lovers looking for a unique experience - a tasting dinner of the first free-range Wagyu Holstein beef in Croatia.
One of the things I love most about TCN is that this 'job' gives me access to all areas of Croatian society and the characters one finds therein.
And there are some truly crazy characters...
I first met celebrated Varazdinske Toplice restaurateur Nikola Bozic over a dinner of very fine wine and very fine tripe in a Zagreb basement as a guest of Taste Atlas founder Matija Babic about 7 years ago. By chance, the other guest that night was Davorin Stetner, who plays a key part in this story years later.
Nikola invited me for dinner at his excellent meat restaurant, Djurina Hiza, back in 2016 - and a very fine dinner ensued - but it was only when I returned to Hiza with the legend that is Croatian gourmet blogger Ribafish that Nikola and I started to really click.
Things moved quickly after that, despite the global pandemic of 2020. As Croatia locked down and restaurants were forced to lay off staff, Nikola Bozic was the only restaurateur in the county to expand his business. Having understood that the customer could not come to the restaurant, he decided to bring the restaurant to them by setting up a national delivery service of his steaks, burgers and other selected products.
It was a huge hit.
I am not sure how, but on the day when Europe opened its internal borders on June 15, 2021, I found myself in the passenger seat of his car, which was filled with his fine gourmet products, and on the road to Brussels via Munich and Luxemburg. The European distribution of quality Croatian products had begun.
During that trip, I learned to expect the unexpected from Nikola, and so when he called and asked if I wanted a fun day out transporting four Wagyu Holstein cows from Medjimurje to Zumberak Nature Park, I knew that there would be at least three great stories involved, as well as a fabulous day out.
And so it proved. Read more in Medjimurje to Zumberak: Transporting Croatia's 1st Free-Range Wagyu Cows.
And there we were, reunited with our 2015 tripe dining partner, Davorin Stetner, whose project to create an eco-village in Tihocaj is truly phenomenal.
Time passed, and the four cows became seven, with the addition of three little ones and three more on the way.
And the time has now come for the first-ever tasting of the first free-range Wagyu Holstein beef in Croatia, a very limited and exclusive dinner for a maximum of 20 people, to be held next month at Djurina Hiza in Varazdinske Toplice.
The details... (video intro by Nikola in Croatia, before the haircut)
Planned date - Friday, February 18.
Number of places - 20.
Number of courses, with wine - 4 (burger, steak, low and slow).
Price per person - contact Nikola on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 098/9562435
If you can't make the dinner, but would like to try the first free-range Wagyu Holstein beef in Croatia, Nikola has prepared an offer for both steaks and burgers, so contact him directly.
1 kilo of steak.
Pack of 5 burgers (180 gram each).
To be continued...
Read more in Nikola Bozic: Wagyu Beef, Burger Champion, Varazdin Street Food Artist.
Around Zagreb: Meet the Top 12 Gault & Millau Restaurants in Zagreb County
January 9, 2022 - Looking for a great dining experience on a day trip outside Zagreb? Gault & Millau has published its first top 100 restaurants guide for Zagreb and Zagreb County.
One of the joys of moving to Zagreb last year was being in a better position to explore Zagreb County. I had no idea that there was so much to see and explore, and the excellent Around Zagreb website has been a great resource for ideas for family day trips from the capital.
(Zagreb County Tourist Board Director, Ivana Alilovic, with the new Gault & Millau guide at the Zagreb County press conference)
There is another excellent resource, which has just been published - the Gault & Millau Croatia 2022 guide to the top 100 restaurants and POP (street food, canines, wine bars, and pastry shops) for Zagreb and its surroundings. While the majority of the entries are for the capital itself, there is a comprehensive and very diverse section of the best places to eat in Zagreb County. There are so many fabulous authentic experiences a short drive from the capital, and now a guide to the best places to combine a day in nature with a fantastic culinary experience. But if you are planning to go at the weekend, make sure you book in advance. I have been stunned by how full of life the restaurants and cafes of Zagreb County have been on our weekend visits.
Here are the top 12 restaurants in Zagreb County, according to what sounds like some fun and very comprehensive research by Gault & Millau Croatia - you can find out more about the guide and how to order it (price 99 kuna) on their official website.
1. Korak Family Estate, Jastrebarsko - 16/20
Haute cuisine is usually associated with cities, so exceptions like the restaurant at the Korak family wine estate are rare. This gastronomic oasis is part of the family winery in Plesivica, in the heart of the smallest wine region in Croatia. The view of the hills and vineyards, the terrace in the shade of the old linden trees, the soft breeze, and fine dining combined with their wines - this is Korak. Chef Bernard Korak has elevated the gastronomic offer of this region to new heights. There are no a la carte dishes at the restaurant; you can only find eight and five-course tasting menus, with or without wine pairing, so for lunch you need to set aside about four hours. More info in the guidebook.
www.korakwinery,com/hr/o-imanju
2. Gabreku 1929, Samobor - 13.5/20
This place has a cult status among many Zagreb residents and is synonymous with the Sunday lunch in nature. Since 1929, Gabrek has been an oasis of traditional cuisine of continental Croatia. It is surrounded by the picturesque walls of the Old Town, by St. Michael's Church, and by the Gradna creek. Their homemade food is honest and tasty, and they have always presented themselves as a tavern serving good food; some dishes have been on the menu for over nine decades. Here you can try entrails specialities: fried brains, sweetbreads, and tripe, and in winter, you can warm yourself up with either some blood sausage or Samobor garlic sausages with sauerkraut and restani krumpir (boiled then fried potatoes with onions) served with mustard and horseradish. More info in the guidebook.
3. Karlo, Jastrebarsko - 13.5/20
Lunch at Karlo is definitely a good incentive to visit Plesivica, especially the part between Klinca Sela and Jaska, where the long and winding Plesivica wine road is located. On that road there is a lovely wooden house with an almost unreal, picture-postcard view. There you can enjoy homemade dishes prepared on a highly professional level (which is what all rustic cuisine should be like). The hand-written one-page menu includes several soups and meat dishes as well as two desserts, and it changes seasonally depending on ingredients. More info in the guidebook.
https://www.facebook.com/Restoran-Karlo-Ple%C5%A1ivica-349403015176262
4. Mon Ami, Velika Gorica - 13.5/20
One of the most famous seafood restaurants in the Zagreb region is located on the main road to Velika Gorica, in the heart of Turopolje. It is always full, so be sure to book a table. The space is divided into sections, there is a separate hall for smaller gatherings, and the interior is decorated in a classic restaurant style. Here you will always find fresh wild white fish and seafood. They also offer the black Turopolje truffle but we did not try it. The menu is special, like those in Asia, with large colour photos of each individual dish - everyone knows what they are going to get so there can be no complaints later! More info in the guidebook.
5. Restoran Potkova (Trajbar), Zapresic - 13/20
If you want to end your outing in nature by having lunch in some well-maintained surroundings, then the Trajbar equestrian club, about 3 km from the centre of Zapresic, is a very good choice. The estate spans 110,000 m2 and includes the forest, equestrian trail, and the enclosed winter riding hall 3,000 m2 in size. The road signs that lead you to Trajbar are good, there is enough parking space, but at weekends it is always very busy as it is popular for large celebrations under a tent. In the indoor area, there are several restaurant halls, while the glass-panelled cafe terrace offers a great view of the huge courtyard, gazebo, and horse riders. Potkova's menu is not large, but it is well-balanced; it follows the seasonal availability of local ingredients, More info in the guidebook.
www.trajbar.hr/vjencanja/restoran-potkova
6. Cowboy Western Rancha, Markusevac Turopljski - 12.5/20
This huge complex on the wooded slopes of Vukomericke Gorice, about 20 km from the centre of Zagreb, is a popular place for an outing. From the terrace of the beautifully maintained wooden hacienda, there is a view of the ranch with horses for recreational riding, but for children, they also offer riding in horse parades, and their delighted parents can record them with their mobile phones. In fine weather, visitors can enjoy a walk, recline in wooden armchairs in the meadow, and have a look at various cowboy iconography arranged around the estate. The interior of the restaurant includes two halls, which can comfortably accommodate about 100 guests, and is entirely made of wood. More info in the guidebook.
7. Gostionica Kod Spilje, Otrusevec - 12.5/20
Kod Spilje, a tavern opposite Grgos Cave - one of the most famous sites of the Samobor region - has been a beloved destination for the inhabitants of Zagreb, Samobor and Slovenia for years. Many people happily come back, as they know they can rely on them for good food. Standard starters include cooked ham, Samobor salami, cottage cheese and sour cream, homemade pork cracklings, tlacenica, and baked strukli (sweet or savoury dough with cottage cheese filling either baked or boiled). Don't miss their generous porcini mushroom soup. More info in the guidebook.
8. Zeleni Papar, Samobor - 12.5/20
Although the interior is very spacious, with large tables spaced comfortably apart, the main advantage of Zeleni Papar is its terrace. Surrounded by the greenery of Perivoj, a Samobor neighbourhood of predominantly family houses with gardens, the terrace resembles a small arboretum, in which low shrubbery, stone garden areas with flowers, and trees function as natural dividers between tables. It is possible to sit outside as long as the weather conditions allow. The restaurant, which is about 20 km from Zagreb, can be reached exclusively by car (you are going to need a satnav as there are no signs along the way) and there is a gravel parking area. The interior looks like a dining room in someone's home, adorned by numerous household items such as Biedermeier commodes, old radio, bakelite telephone, desk lamps, paintings, a piano... - all to make guests feel as if they really are visiting someone they know. More info in the guidebook.
9. Ampelos Hotel Princess - 12/20
Halfway between the urban and the rural, the city bustle and the peace provided by nature, halfway between Zagreb and Karlovac - there is the Jaska region, one of the best-preserved parts of nature in Zagreb County. In this picturesque area, at the foot of the southern part of Plesivica, Hotel Princess was built together with its gastronomic oasis - Ampelos restaurant. The menu is clearly divided into international and local dishes, such as Plesevica copanjak (a savoury cake made of shortcrust pastry filled with spinach, Swiss chard and/or nettles), strukli (sweet or savoury dough with cottage cheese filling - either baked or boiled), stuffed with bacon, cheese and mushrooms, homemade potato cream soup with goat cheese and bacon, Jaska skewer... More info in the guidebook.
www.princess.hr/gastronomija/restoran-ampelos
10. Baraz, Etno-Farma Mirnovec, Samobor - 12/20
The Mirnovec family farm started very ambitiously, with plans to become one of the most visited places in the Samobor area. Hiring Tomislav Spicek, a culinary star, to run their Baraz restaurant menu is just one of the steps towards success. The 17-acre property is located about 20 km from Zagreb, just before Samobor, and it is perfectly landscaped with large, beautiful lawns, playgrounds, and an equestrian club. The most interesting attractions are the wooden houses brought to the farm from different parts of Croatia, some covered in red tiles, and some with authentic thatched roofs. One of these houses Baraz, 'the tavern and tasting room', where chef Spicek has recently created the menu. More info in the guidebook.
https://www.facebook.com/EtnoFarmaMirnovec
11. Taverna 1860, Donja Zelina - 12/20
Old brick walls, dim lighting, wood and wrought iron furniture, window niches filled with wine bottles, and an old radio on the shelf - all this gives the basement restaurant its feeling of warmth and intimacy, making you feel you are in a large country house living room. What adds to this feeling are the custom-made ceramic plates and platters; which completely match the dishes served. The board at the entrance to this well-frequented restaurant displays the information about the daily lunch offer, and whatever you offer, it will be fresh, made of quality ingredients from local producers. Depending on the day, you can try some old classic homemade dishes: meat stew with dumplings, meat and wine stew, or pork knuckle, homemade roast sausages and blood sausages with sour cabbage and restani krumpir (boiled and then fried potatoes with onions), all delicious and affordably priced. More info in the guidebook.
www.facebook.com/Taverna-1860-114220496955337
12. Vina Kos - Jurisic, Donja Zelina - 12/20
On the Zelina wine road, in a place called Nespes, first there were the Kos-Jurisic family's vineyards and winery, and then good wine was followed by good food. At their winery, you could always taste their varieties of Pinot gris, Kerner (a cross between Trollinger and Riesling), Chardonnay, Kraljevina,(one of the oldest indigenous white grape varieties in Croatia), and Riseling - at first, the wines were accompanied by cheese and charcuterie platters, and later they ventured into more serious cooking. Recently, they have started offering picnics at the vineyard; the idea was that guests choose one of four baskets full of homemade delicacies and then, with someone dear to their heart, sit on a blanket between the vines and enjoy the tasty bites and fresh air. Once the weather is no longer nice, it is too cold to sit on the ground, but the baskets - Spekec, Picek, Pajcek, and Grincajg, priced between 250 and 350 kuna, are still available at weekends. More info in the guidebook.
Learn more about the gastronomy and tourist offer of Zagreb County on the official tourist board website.
Croatian Paralympians Reflect on Successful 2021, Ready for Beijing 2022
January 9, 2022 - Despite another challenging pandemic year, Croatian athletes with disabilities achieved excellent results in 2021, and it was one of the most successful years for Croatian Paralympians.
"I am delighted and satisfied with the results achieved in the past year," said the president of the Croatian Paralympic Committee (HPO), Ratko Kovačić, on T.portal.
"We reached a high level of results last year in various international competitions. We won 461 medals, 54 at the Paralympic Games and world and European championships. According to the number of medals won at the Paralympics in Tokyo, we are 46 in the world. According to the criteria of medals won according to the number of inhabitants, we are among the eight in the world, so we have knowledge and quality. The public increasingly recognizes us and appreciates the success of our athletes," he added.
Undoubtedly the most important competition last year was the Paralympic Games in Tokyo - and they were the most special in history. With a year of delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, they were held in excellent conditions, without spectators, and with strict epidemiological protocols, with intense testing of all participants in the city in a state of emergency due to record coronavirus infections. As a result, Croatian athletes with disabilities competed in a record eight sports, winning a record seven medals - three silver and four bronze. Until Tokyo, Croatian Paralympians won the most medals in London (2012) and Rio de Janeiro (2016), five each.
"We escorted our Paralympians to the Paralympics in Tokyo from the historic Pula Arena with the desire to be brave and determined to fulfill their sporting dreams, and above all to preserve health in these pandemic conditions. As a result, we competed in triathlon, taekwondo, and bocce for the first time. In Tokyo, we competed in the largest number of sports since Croatian independence - eight, and with seven medals we won the largest number of medals in the history of our performances at the Paralympic Games," Kovačić said, congratulating the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Japan on the top organization.
Kovačić pointed out that HPO adjusted its plans in the pandemic year but kept the statuses of all athletes and those involved in the Paralympic programs and HPO programs.
"All this has led to great success for our athletes at international competitions and the Paralympic Games in Tokyo," he added.
He emphasized that HPO's activities in the next Paralympic cycle will aim to maintain and increase the level of top results and involve as many young people with disabilities in sports as possible.
"All this should be accompanied by strengthening the organizational and professional infrastructure. We have good support from the state budget through the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and our sponsors. But that does not cover all our program needs and plans," he said, pointing out the biggest problems.
"We see the biggest problems in the weak support for sports at the local level, as well as inadequacy and insufficient availability of sports facilities. We strive to enable sports for all young people with disabilities throughout the Republic of Croatia, and so far, we have a coverage of 40 percent. However, we need additional financial incentives to properly develop the program of involving young people in sports throughout the country."
Ahead of the Paralympians is the Winter Paralympics in Beijing from March 4 to 13, 2022.
"The performance of two athletes in alpine skiing has been confirmed, namely Lucija Smetiško and Damir Mizdrak, then Bruno Bošnjak will compete in snowboarding, and we expect another invitation for one athlete in Nordic skiing. Croatia first competed in the Winter Paralympics in Salt Lake City in 2002 in alpine skiing, and since then, we have been regularly participating. At the last Winter Paralympic Games in Pyongyang, Croatia competed for the first time in three sports (alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, snowboarding) with seven athletes. The most significant result in Croatian Paralympic history was achieved at these Winter Paralympic Games. One gold medal in alpine skiing in the slalom discipline (Dino Sokolović) and a bronze medal in snowboarding in the banked slalom discipline (Bruno Bošnjak) were won. It is hard to believe that we could repeat the success from South Korea, but we hope that Bošnjak could repeat the success from the previous games," concluded Kovačić.
To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
T’way Air Seoul-Zagreb Flights Back on Table
January 9, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Korean low-cost carrier T’way Air is putting Seoul-Zagreb flights back on the table this year, that is, once the pandemic allows it.
Ex Yu Aviation reports that Korean T’way Air Seoul-Zagreb flights are back on the table with the introduction of the low-cost airline's Airbus A330-300 wide-body aircraft in February. Flights should commence from Seoul to Zagreb once the pandemic allows it as all permits have already been obtained for four-weekly flights between the South Korean and Croatian capital. T’way is also planning flights to Singapore and Sydney this year.
Recall, Korean Air will not return to Zagreb this year due to the pandemic. The airline ran on a seasonal basis to the Croatian capital since 2018.
Ex Yu Aviation adds that Korean Air was dominant between Seoul and Zagreb when it last operated flights in 2019, with over 95% of passengers originating from South Korea.
"The only other South Korean city with notable traffic to Zagreb is its second-largest - Busan. In 2019, 4.691 passengers travelled indirectly between Busan and Zagreb on a single itinerary based on OAG data. The overwhelming majority of Korean travellers enter Croatia on a separate ticket via other European markets after spending several days in their original point of origin," reports Ex Yu Aviation.
When speaking about if T’Way would take passengers from Korean Air, Croatian Ambassador to South Korea Damir Kusen recently said:
"We believe that this will certainly be an attractive option for younger travelers to Croatia due to the significantly lower priced tickets and will stimulate a new category of passengers."
T’way will also secure another two A330s in 2022 in hopes to become South Korea’s second-largest airline.
T'way would certainly be an excellent replacement in Zagreb for Korean Air.
For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.
Pula Talks in Pictures: Croatia's First Augmentative Communication Boards in Pula
January 9, 2022 - Croatia's first augmentative communication boards in Pula are thanks to the "Pula Talks in Pictures" project by the Veruda Pula Day Rehabilitation Center and the City of Pula.
The project "Pula Talks in Pictures" by the Veruda Pula Day Rehabilitation Center, realized in cooperation with the City of Pula, has set up several communication boards for augmentative communication in public areas and public institutions in Pula to support non-verbal children and adults. Communication boards symbolize the environment for speaking through pictograms; an image with symbols of special meaning, reports Lokalni.Vecernji.hr.
Such symbols are used by both children and adults who are non-verbal and cannot speak or are adopting speech. Moreover, since such plates are of a universal language, they are also suitable for tourists of other speaking areas.
"This type of communication - augmentative communication, is used by children and adults from the autistic spectrum with cerebral palsy, slow speech development, Down syndrome, people who have lost the ability to speak due to brain trauma, and all others who are unable to communicate their needs and desires through speech. Depending on the place where it is placed and its purpose, a special vocabulary is prepared for each communication board, through which users can communicate their needs in that situation," said Ines Delzotto, an expert in assisted communication.
A total of eight communication boards were made and placed on the children's playground in Tito's Park, the city beaches; Ferijalni, Hidrobaza, Ambrela, within the courtyard of the Public Institution DV Mali svijet (also a symbol of friendship and mutual assistance), and there are plans to place boards on the children's playground/park in Šijanska šuma and Valkana and near the Arena (the panel contains short information about the Arena itself and its history). In addition to important public areas, the idea is to symbolize all public institutions in Pula whose services are used by children.
"Thus, every pediatric and dental practice in the city, as well as OB Pula, will receive booklets with appropriate and carefully selected social stories. Going to the doctor for our population of children is an extremely high source of stress. Nonverbal children do not know how to express their conditions and say where they are hurting and what is happening to their bodies. With these booklets, children will finally be able to do it. These picture books explain the medical examination to reduce their anxiety and fear of the unknown. From the city library, through the Arena to the city pool, our children will be able to communicate with their symbols," said Marija Sertić Nađ, Master of Educational Rehabilitation, who created all the social stories.
Support for the project was received from the Swedish-American company Tobii Dynavox, which monitors the activities of promoting augmentative communication among institutions worldwide. They were asked for permission to use the Boardmaker program, a symbolic language that is protected as such. The benefit of this project is of immeasurable value because it sensitizes citizens to people with disabilities.
With this project, the city of Pula becomes a pioneer in the symbolization of the entire city. Veruda Pula Day Rehabilitation Center has the first specialized office for assistive technology in Croatia with its program goals and international recognition.
The cabinet was created with the help of numerous donations, and today it has a highly sophisticated repertoire of various instruments. A lot of effort is invested in developing innovative solutions, and the work is based on the "Veruda Protocol" program. The AT team consists of two masters of educational rehabilitation, Ines Delzotto and Alba Čop, with additional professional specialization in the field of assistive technology who are in continuous synergy with other members of the rehabilitation team of the Institution.
Everything planned for the city of Pula is intended to be transferred to the entire Istria County and thus become the only fully symbolized county in this way in the world.
"Everything that is happening in our homeland today in this area, we can freely say that it was born from the wings of our institution. In that little miracle workshop, everything impossible for people with disabilities becomes feasible and realistic. Children who do not speak with us can communicate with the pupil by the eye or the air from the nostrils, and the immobile can write with the chin or cheek; they can draw geometry with their breath. So, our KAT is a place where the bravest dreams come true," concluded Loretta Morosin, director of the Veruda Pula Rehabilitation Day Center.
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