Sulfur Dioxide Cloud from Volcano Eruption in La Palma Reaches Croatia This Morning
October 19, 2021 - According to the latest reports, the sulfur dioxide cloud that has been spreading across the continent from the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma would arrive in Croatia early in the morning on Wednesday 20. Here are some important recommendations.
On September 19, the Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted on the Spanish island of La Palma, one of the Canary Islands. The eruption came after an earthquake that occurred eight days earlier. It is the first eruption on the island since 1971. To date, more than 7000 people have been evacuated and the lava has covered 779 hectares so far.
Sulfur dioxide levels forecast for Wednesday 20 at 9:00 am. (Máté H. Huszár/Windy.com)
Despite having already completed a month since the eruption, volcanic activity continues to threaten the tranquility now not only of the island's residents but also on the European continent. According to the Windy.com page and its monitoring software for different weather conditions, a sulfur dioxide cloud spreads across the continent and would arrive in Croatia in the early hours of the morning. According to Máté H. Huszár, TCN collaborator, air pollution levels are expected to be quite high around 200 mg / m ^ 3 which is about 76 ppm. People with asthma and COPD may be more sensitive to it.
In the upper right corner, on the Wind icon, click and look for the '' SO2 '' layer, to monitor the spread of sulfur dioxide in the air.
Volcanic smog or vog, which contains SO2, poses a health hazard by aggravating preexisting respiratory ailments, indicates the US Geological Survey. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas can irritate skin and the tissues and mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, and throat, and can penetrate airways, producing respiratory distress in some individuals. Aerosol particles in vog can also penetrate deep into human lungs and, at elevated levels, can induce symptoms of asthma.
Physical complaints associated with vog exposure include headaches, breathing difficulties, increased susceptibility to respiratory ailments, watery eyes, sore throat, flu-like symptoms, and a general lack of energy. Again, like mentioned above, air pollution levels are expected to be quite high, about 76ppm. Below, a chart that indicates the relation of pollution with health hazards:
Máté H. Huszár (Screenshot/IVHHN)
Tiny droplets of sulfuric acid in vog create acid rain, which can leach lead from roofing and plumbing materials, such as nails, paint, solder, and metal flashings. Leached lead poses a health hazard when it contaminates drinking water in rooftop rainwater-catchment systems.
The presence of vog reduces visibility, creating a potential hazard for drivers. Vog can also limit visibility for air and ocean traffic.
In order to protect yourself from health hazards provoked by the sulfur dioxide cloud in Croatia, especially if you have asthma or another respiratory condition, experts suggest to:
- Avoid outdoor activities, stay indoors. Remember also to shut down windows and doors.
- Cover your nose, ideally with an N95 face mask.
- Drink plenty of water to reduce any throat irritation or constriction.
- Seek help from a doctor or reach any health center if needed. Vulnerable groups include people with health conditions, pregnant women, the elderly, and children.
For more information and recent updates about the volcanic eruption of Cumbre Vieja in La Palma, click here.
For more news about Croatia, click here.
4 Islands MTB on the Islands of Kvarner Added to the Ironman Race Circuit
October 19, 2021 - On the Kvarner islands: Krk, Cres, Lošinj, and Rab, the 4 Islands MTB stage race is held every year. Starting in 2022, it will become part of the Epic Serious Ironman circuit, raising the prestige of the region as a top-quality adventure sports destination.
The well-known renowned mountain bike race 4 Islands MTB, which is traditionally held on the Kvarner islands: Krk, Cres, Lošinj, and Rab from next year is part of the Epic Serious Ironman group as Legend race, reports Turističke Priče.
Ironman is one of the fastest-growing sports licenses in the world, which automatically brings with it greater media visibility, but also greater interest of participants and thus the benefits of the destination.
Ironman Group officially announced this information and presented the Kvarner race "4 islands MTB" in the series along with the other 7 races, of which there are 8. Thus, Croatia and Kvarner will be alongside Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Wales, Andorra, and South Africa.
The race will take place in the spring from 19 to 23 April on the Kvarner islands, and with the race itself, our four islands expect significant media attention through this well-known and recognized brand. On the example of the Swiss Epic race, Ironman brings 592 hours of transmission in 68 countries, Facebook reaches 650,000 and an impressive 775,000 views via the Youtube channel, and Instagram recorded 1.5 million impressions.
According to the Ironman Group, the average television media value reaches almost 4 million dollars, and to that amount are added the values of print media, online publishing, Youtube, mailing lists, and social networks - Instagram and Facebook. So, we come to the enviable amounts obtained through the promotion of the race and this project is looking forward to all in Kvarner mostly tourism workers. This is the announcement of a good pre-season for Kvarner, but also a big promotion of the four Kvarner islands.
To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE.
Stari Toš Interpretation Center Opened in Punat, On the Island of Krk
October 19, 2021 - The ancient way in which the inhabitants of the village of Punat used to take care of their olive trees, harvest the olives and process them to produce the famous Krk extra virgin oil is now available to everyone through a new Stari toš interpretation center.
HrTurizam.hr reports that, in the town of Punat, on the island of Krk, an interesting interpretation center Stari toš was opened as part of the Olive Week. The Interpretation Center is actually a concept of a permanent exhibition in a unique space that reveals heritage stories from the culture of growing and harvesting olives and the production of olive oil.
According to the Turističke Priče portal, in the dialect of the island of Krk, "toš" is actually the name for the millstone that was traditionally used for crushing olives and producing olive oil. For Puntare, olive oil has been a currency for centuries, and locals will often recount how owning olive oil was and is equal to owning gold.
Modern technology today has accelerated the process of oil production and today's multi-hour production in the old tosh has been modernized and accelerated. But old toševi today come to life through heritage stories and become and remain places of fun and merriment, song, rich social life, and numerous heritage stories.
The interior of the Stari toš interpretation center building, which dates back to the beginning of the 19th century and has not been used since the 1950s, has been arranged and presented. Funds for the renovation of the complex come from the European "Interreg" program, and this area is one of the best-preserved olive mills on the island of Krk and is truly a valuable example of folk economic architecture. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Ministry of Culture also protected this building as an individual intangible cultural heritage.
The Stari toš Olive Interpretation Center uses modern interpretation tools to retell the olive history in Punat after restoration and interpret olive growing in the best way, preserving the olive heritage for future generations.
The 25th edition of the event that celebrates green gold, the Olive Week, lasts until Sunday in Punat on Krk. With this event, the citizens of Punat proudly show their tradition of olive growing and gathering. Krk olive oil from these areas is one of the most famous extra virgin olive oils in Croatia.
For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Mayor: Zagreb Acted in Line with Law Choosing Bio-Waste Recovery Company
ZAGREB, 19 October, 2021 - Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević said on Tuesday that due to the lack of a composting plant for organic waste the city was forced to sign contracts with private companies providing those services, adding that in the case of the Ce-za-r company, the city acted in line with the law.
Following a public tender, a year-long contract for the recovery of organic waste was signed with Ce-za-r, which is part of the CIOS Group, owned by businessman Petar Pripuz, which made the most favourable offer, he said.
"I have said on a number of occasions that we will act in line with the law if their documents are clean, and we have done so. The city's decision was made in line with the law, the tentative contract has been signed for a period of one year and it provides a solution until the city gets its own composting plant," Tomašević told a news conference.
He said that the city planned the construction of a composting plant and that it was considering more favourable financial options as well as the possibility of financing the project with EU funds.
On the other hand, the city can manage its bulky waste and while it is waiting for two purchased bulky waste crushers to arrive, a procedure has been underway to obtain permits for the operation of two leased crushers. We will show soon that city-owned companies can fully do that job on their own, as announced, the mayor said.
Tomašević said that a project designed to increase the number of renewable energy sources in the city would be forwarded to the City Assembly for its next session.
"The purpose is to install solar panels on public buildings' roofs and help owners of private properties do so as well, so that in the next three years we could achieve a capacity of 50 MW of integrated solar power plants in the city. The project will activate private investments worth HRK 300 million, not including VAT, and result in 50,000 megawatt hours of energy free of carbon dioxide emissions," Tomašević said.
Commenting on media reports according to which the amount of scholarships for students with disabilities would be reduced, Deputy Mayor Danijela Dolenec said that the amount would not change and would stay at HRK 2,700 for high school students and HRK 3,800 for university students.
The purpose of the planned changes, which were given up on following public consultation, was to increase the number of beneficiaries, thus providing access to education with scholarships for a larger number of students, with a lower amount of scholarships, she said.
Deputy Mayor Luka Korlaet welcomed the adoption of the new Reconstruction Act which brings changes in financing the reconstruction process and makes it faster, stressing that mobile teams had been on the ground since July and had since visited owners of 4,435 properties in Zagreb, of which 1,088 required full reconstruction while 1,347 required partial reconstruction.
Croatia's Coronavirus Update: 1,741 New Cases, 21 Deaths, 1,125 Recoveries
ZAGREB, 19 October, 2021 - In the last 24 hours, Croatia has conducted 8,862 coronavirus tests and of them, 1,741 have been positive (19.6%), the national COVID-19 crisis management team reported on Tuesday.
There are currently 9,894 active cases, including 947 hospitalised patients, and of them 128 are placed on ventilators.
In the last 24 hours, 21 COVID patients have died, raising the COVID-related death toll to 8,928.
Since 25 February 2020 when Croatia registered it first case of the infection with the novel virus, over 2.98 million tests have been conducted showing that 429,974 persons have caught the virus. Of them, 411,152 have recovered, including 1,125 recoveries in the last 24 hours.
To date, over 3.52 million vaccine doses have been administered, and 52% of the adult population have fully been vaccinated.
Opposition MPs Call for Lower Excise Tax, Fuel Caps Not the Answer
ZAGREB, 19 October, 2021 - Deputies of opposition parliamentary parties said on Tuesday that the government's decision to cap the retail prices of fuels was a bad move that affected the supply and demand and consequently could lead to market disruptions, and they called for reducing lowering excise duties on fuels.
Stephen Nikola Bartulica of the Homeland Movement party's parliamentary bench criticised the government's measures as being frequently a cause of the problem rather than being a solution.
He wondered why other governments in the EU had not resorted to that measure.
Last week, the government passed a decree limiting the retail price of petrol to HRK 11.10 (€1.48) per litre and the price of diesel to HRK 11.00 (€1.46) per litre for the next 30 days. On that occasion, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said that the government had decided "to make use of the option to stabilise petrol and diesel prices over the next 30 days based on the Petroleum and Petroleum Products Market Act."
Siniša Hajdaš Dončić of the SDP club and Marijana Puljak of the Centre and GLAS club urged the government to reduce the excise taxes on the fuels.
Miro Totgergeli of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) said that the accusations from the Opposition that the government did nothing to prevent inflation was an attempt to sow panic in the public.
He underscored that household gas and electricity prices would remain unchanged until next spring.
Commenting on the temporary fuel price capping he said that this move brought about peace and stability in the business sector.
Opposition Insists Nominated HRT Director-General in Conflict of Interest
ZAGREB, 19 October, 2021 - At the start of the parliamentary debate on the appointment of nominee Robert Šveb as the new director-general on Tuesday morning, several deputies of Opposition parties reiterated that the procedure of the appointment had been contaminated and that the candidate was in the conflict of interest.
Nino Raspudić from MOST said in his ironic comment that the former HRT director-general, Kazimir Bačić, who was released from custody after he was detained in late June on suspicion of corruption and influence peddling, should not worry as Šveb "is worthy of his predecessor".
Katarina Peović of the Workers' Front said that Šveb's appointment "is an act of the private interests hacking the public ones."
She said that Šveb was in the conflict of interest as he was a co-owner of a company whose interest was to be a direct competition to the HRT. She said that there were rumours that possibly he sold software programmes for HRT translators through another company.
Hrvoje Zekanović of the Sovereignists party said that Šveb should not be appointed, however he told other Opposition MPs that his party's deputies did not intend to join them "in a circus" referring to the behaviour of some Opposition MPs who had lined up in front of the rostrum forcing the presiding chair to suspend the parliament's session last week.
"We are the Opposition and we will try to topple the government of the HDZ and the SDSS but we are not for behaving like in a circus, we want to preserve the dignity of the parliament," said Zekanović.
Ex-HRT Director-General, Suspected of Graft, Released from Custody
ZAGREB, 19 October, 2021 - A former director-general of the HRT public broadcaster, Kazimir Bačić, was released from custody on Monday evening, his lawyers said on Tuesday morning.
Bačić was arrested on suspicion of graft and influence peddling in late June, and in mid-July he was relieved of his duties as Director-General of the HRT public broadcasting service by 116 to two votes.
USKOK corruption investigators suspect that Bačić, acting on behalf of businessman Milan Lončarić, took €50,000 in a bribe to the late Zagreb mayor Milan Bandić for the Gardens of Light project. As a reward for his role Bačić is believed to have been given an apartment worth HRK 1 million (€133,300) in central Zagreb.
According to lawyer Nikola Mandić, his client will return to the HRT where he will probably work as an engineer in the HRT technical department where he had also worked before being appointed the broadcaster's director-general.
Bačić thus appeared in the HRT building on Tuesday morning while the parliament was discussing the appointment of new HRT director-general, and Robert Šveb has been nominated for this post.
Grlić Radman: Croatia has Support for Stance on BiH and W. Balkans
ZAGREB, 19 October, 2021 - Croatia has received support from a large number of EU member states for its position that it is necessary to conduct an election legislation reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to eliminate all kinds of discrimination, Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlić Radman said on Monday.
"I received support from a large number of EU member states," Grlić Radman said after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
The ministers discussed the situation in the Western Balkans and the European prospects of that area.
Grlić Radman said that he had expressed concern about the situation in the region and in BiH due to the blockade of institutions and absence of a consensus to change election legislation that would remove all inequalities and discrimination that have been existing and thus enable all the three constituent peoples to exercise the same rights according to the Dayton peace accord.
"That can be achieved if political leaders in BiH truly agree and this appeal is directed to them to cease paralysing institutions and to resume negotiations and come to an agreement," underscored Grlić Radman, adding that he had received a lot of support for that stance.
"Croatia shares the longest border with Bosnia and Herzegovina is the most qualified to speak about that because it has direct experience and our position has received a good response," he added.
Grlić Radman expressed concern over the incidents in Montenegro and recent unrest on the border between Serbia and Kosovo.
"I received support from the EU, that it is necessary to dedicate more attention to that part of Europe. Conflicts in that area 30 years ago are a warning that that must not recur. The EU has to dedicate more attention with regard to the influence of third countries and pay more attention to the European prospects of those countries," concluded Minister Grlić Radman.
Coric: Much Higher Fuel Prices Without Government Intervention
ZAGREB, 19 October, 2021 - Economy and Sustainable Development Minister Tomislav Ćorić wrote on Twitter on Monday evening that due to the continued rise in oil prices we would have seen a hike in fuel prices at petrol stations if the government hadn't decided to temporarily cap fuel prices last week.
"Oil prices have continued to rise and if the government hadn't intervened, tomorrow we would be witnessing a significant price rise. According to calculations, compared with the price set by the decree, the price of Eurodizel would be higher by HRK 0.63, of Eurosuper 95 by HRK 0.39, while the price of Eurosuper 100 would exceed HRK 12 per litre," Ćorić wrote.
He also said that current data indicated that the global market should stabilise by the end of the year, "and we continue monitoring the prices and trends on the oil market and will soon be using all available mechanisms to alleviate the pressures on the economy and citizens' standard".
Last Thursday, the government passed a decree limiting the retail price of petrol, including Eurosuper BS 95, Eurosuper BS 98 and Eurosuper BS 100, to HRK 11.10 (€1.48) per litre and the price of diesel, Eurodizel BS, to HRK 11.00 (€1.46) per litre for the next 30 days. The decision was based on Article 9 of the Petroleum and Petroleum Products Market Act.
That article states that the government can pass a decree limiting the retail price of petroleum products for an uninterrupted period of up to 90 days in order to protect consumer or for other justified reasons.
Last week, oil prices on the London market rose for the sixth consecutive week, and they also continued to grow on Monday, reaching a new record high in three years.
