Promising Croatian Table Tennis Stars Win European Youth Silver and Bronze
October 17, 2021 - Two more international medals for Croatian table tennis this year as Ivor Ban and Hana Arapović win silver and bronze at the European Youth Top 10 in France!
Ivor Ban and Hana Arapović won silver and bronze respectively at the European Youth Top 10, which was played in France over the weekend. Croatian juniors won four bronze medals at the European Championships in Varaždin this year. Now in Tours, in the competition of the ten best European table tennis players, they have completed their collection with two more medals, announced HSTS.
In the end, Ban achieved seven victories and two defeats, as did the winner, Norwegian Haug, the third-placed Pole Kubik, and the fourth-placed Hungarian Andras. On the last day, Ban recorded two wins and a defeat. He was defeated by Haug (4:1), but was better than Slovak Klaiber 4:1, and in the end, beat Belgian Rassenfosse 4:3. As the other matches took place, the defeat in that last match could have pushed him to fifth place, but he managed to come back from 1:3 and crown a great three competition days. Along with Haug, the only defeat in this tournament was against Frenchman Poret (4:1).
Hana had a 3:0 score on the last day. She had a difficult match against the Turkish player Harac, where she returned from 1:3. Against the French player Cok (4:0) and the Italian Laurenti (4:1), she proved herself in two dominant matches with only one lost set. In the end, the round between three players with the same win-loss ratio (Zaharia, Arapović, and Voronina 7-2) closed, and the Croatian representative had 1:1 in that round, which was enough for third place. She lost two matches in the three-day tournament, the first against the silver Romanian Zacharia (4:3), and the second against French player Lutz (4: 2), who also won the Top 10.
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Vodnjan Oil Mill Opens Most Modern Oil Mill in Croatia
October 17, 2021 - Heritage, tradition, and expertise continue to form the core of the Vodnjan oil mill, which has been renovated and equipped with the latest technology and is entirely digitized with the most sophisticated software to control olive oil production.
When you mention olives and oil processing, it's not hard to think of Vodnjan, the first association with the oldest oil mill in Istria and Kvarner, reports Glas Istre.
Located in the heart of the city in Trgovačka Street, the Vodnjan Oil Mill has been dictating the latest trends in olive growing for many years. In addition to continuous investments in improving all technological processes to make the oil top quality after processing, they have always been guided by the idea that history and experience are their greatest value. As a result, the entire Vodnjan region is an inexhaustible nursery for hardworking farmers, and Vodnjan has established itself as a leader in olive growing in this part of Europe.
A significant contribution to the development of olive growing in southern Istria was created at the Vodnjan Oil Mill, where olives have been processed without interruption since 1911. As a result, the oil mill has become a recognizable symbol of olive growing in the Vodnjan region and the entire Istrian area. All this time, in collaboration with the local community and olive growers, they have successfully built the story of the best extra virgin olive oil in the world. Given that the oil mill building, which dates from the 19th century, has been located in the same place for 136 years, they are the pioneers of olive growing in Istria. At this plant, oil was obtained in the past by using stone mills and presses, and some of them, as witnesses of the time, are still exhibited today as valuable in the area of Vodnjan.
"This season, we have decided on a significant business step forward, certainly the biggest in the history of the oil mill. With the latest investments and the purchase of the most modern technology and machinery from the latest production series of the world-famous machine manufacturer in the oil mill Pieralisi, we have achieved what we have been striving for all along. Heritage, tradition, expertise continue to form the core of our plant, which has been renovated and equipped with the latest technology and has been fully digitized with the most sophisticated software to control the processing process," said the Vodnjan Oil Mill.
"In its long history, the oil mill has always kept pace with technological achievements in olive growing. The latest investment in mechanization ranks us among the most modern oil mills in Croatia. We have always wanted to be one step ahead, and we are glad to be recognized as leaders in olive growing in this part of Istria. In the last few months, the building, which has been in the same place since 1885, has undergone a complete renovation. At more than 460 square meters, the entire interior of the plant shone in a new guise, and the exterior of the building was renovated with strict protection and conservation. Since the Vodnjan Oil Mill is under the protection of the Ministry of Culture and, as such, is on the List of Industrial Heritage of the Republic of Croatia, it was a great challenge to implement valuable technological equipment that accelerates the process of accepting olives to the highest environmental standards.
After several months of intensive work on adapting the exterior and interior of the building, with which we hired about 20 local companies, Vodnjan has taken on a new, more modern look. Our goal was to keep the identity of the oldest olive processing plant on the Peninsula, and at the same time, modernize the plant and offer our customers recognizability. As a result, we managed to get a combination of a modern building with the most modern plant in the production of olive oil.
We are welcoming this year's harvest season equipped with entirely new Molinova olive processing machines from the Italian manufacturer Pieralisi, whose capacity is twice as large as before. These are the most modern mixers for receiving 800 liters of oil. The heart of our plant is the latest cry of technology in olive growing - a new centrifuge, or decanter from the latest Scorpion series - which makes us one of the latest technological generations of oil mills in Istria and Croatia. In the Scorpion decanter, the processing is carried out in two phases, without the addition of water. After each processing, the system is digitized so that the devices and separators are automatically washed so that each new batch of olives comes in thoroughly cleaned processing devices. This is extremely important for olive growers engaged in organic production, and they need to know with certainty that their olives do not mix with others.
The oil mill also has a new digital control to work their oil with the most modern separator or filter. This season we are entering with a significant increase in capacity of as much as 40 percent, so our plant can process about 4 thousand kilograms of olives in just one hour, which will ultimately contribute to increasing the total annual processing from our olive groves in Barbariga and Fazana, which so far amounted to about 1,200 tons per year," they added.
Also, increasing the capacity enables the processing of a larger quantity of olives in a shorter period to process as many olives as possible in the top season. But the most important thing is that the quality of the oil is even better.
"We also accelerated the acceptance of olives to enable our olive growers to get oil in the shortest possible time. The novelty is that we will distribute olive storage boxes to all olive growers at the very entrance to speed up processing even more and avoid waiting. The daily harvest of olives must go to the processing as soon as possible. The new investment will undoubtedly be suitable for all our customers who gravitate to the oil mill.
The oil mill is equipped with modern mixers with all the equipment for measuring temperature, mixing time, and lighting and a novelty is the so-called "deferrer" that removes leaves from olive fruits. As a result, the olives come into operation already practically cleaned, which makes the quality of the oil much better. The entire oil mill is digitized and has centralized control with on-screen control. So, everything that happens in the plant itself is displayed on the monitor, and our employees have control and display at all times which machines and how they perform processing. Of course, no computer can replace a human, so our employees decide when is the right time to put it in the centrifuge, for which they are professionally trained. The plant's central location is the olive grinding mill, which has been improved for organic production, and the novelty is the possibility of rinsing the inside of the mill and cooling.
In addition to new technology and the most modern decanter, the novelty is the control of the process at each stage of processing, which is especially important in producing extra virgin olive oil where the temperature is one of the most important criteria. Using new machines, the Vodnjan Oil Mill now has the possibility of cooling in the mill and temperature control of each individual mixer and access to each individual client and batch of olives.
"The reasons for this investment were primarily to increase the capacity and adjust the production process in the direction we chose. This direction is based on thinking that our oil mill will be a plant where we produce our olive oil and create our recognizable brands. A significant investment is also a completely new oil storage warehouse. All tanks are extra polished to maintain maximum oil purity, and each barrel is protected by inert nitrogen gas to keep the oil in the barrels in the best possible way.
We take care of the environment and take care of all environmental processes within the plant. We have installed a new wastewater treatment system, which means our production process achieves the highest environmental standards. The Vodnjan oil mill is more than olive growing because, over time, it has positioned itself as a central place where olives are brought for processing by olive growers from all over southern Istria, they have trusted us for years, and we try to justify it. Harvest time is a special event for the entire Vodnjan region. As leaders and pioneers in the development of olive growing, we are proud of the new, but the oldest oil mill, which these days began processing in the old town of Vodnjan," the concluded.
The oil mill building was built in 1885, and the processing was done by hand, in the traditional way practiced by the ancient Greeks. In 1911, the first adaptation of the oil mill took place, and then, for the first time, hydraulic machines for olive processing were introduced. In the 1930s, the oil mill went into its first expansion in Italy and was equipped with the then-latest processing machines. Since 1976, new technologies have been introduced, and cooperation has been started with the world's leading machine manufacturer - the Italian company Pieralisi - with which Vodnjan has been cooperating to this day. In the early '90s, the oil mill switched to the cold pressing process. In the last twenty years, the oil mill has been equipped with the latest technology several times, thus continuously following the latest trends in modern technology in olive growing.
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HNL Round 12 Recap: Rijeka and Dinamo Finish 3:3, Šibenik Tops Hajduk
October 17, 2021 - The 12th round of the Croatian First League was held from October 15 to 17, 2021. This round featured the thrilling 3:3 derby between Rijeka and Dinamo, while Šibenik upset Hajduk 2:0. Here is our HNL round 12 recap.
Hr. Dragovoljac v. Lokomotiva (2:2)
Dragovoljac and Lokomotiva opened the 12th round on Friday, October 15, 2021, in front of 83 spectators.
Kulenovic scored the first goal of the match for the Lokomotiva lead in the 9th minute. Kacavenda made it 0:2 in the 17th. An own goal by Mersinaj gave Dragovoljac hope in the 30th minute at 1:2 before Lukic equalized in the 58th for 2:2, which was the final score.
Pasaricek was shown a red card in the 78th minute, forcing Dragovoljac to play with a man down for the remainder of the match.
Dragovoljac is currently in the last place with 10 points, while Lokomotiva is in 6th with 15.
Gorica v. Istra 1961 (1:1)
Gorica and Istra met on Saturday, October 16, 2021, in Velika Gorica.
Mlinar scored an own goal in the 12th minute for 1:0 Gorica. Bande didn't equalize until the 53rd for 1:1, which was the final score of the match.
Gorica is currently in 5th place with 17 points, while Istra is in 8th with 11.
Rijeka v. Dinamo (3:3)
Rijeka and Dinamo met on Saturday, October 16, 2021, at Rujevica Stadium.
Drmic and Velkovski made it 3:0 for Rijeka already at halftime with goals in the 7th, 38th, and 41st minutes. Dinamo woke up in the second half as Petkovic scored a penalty for 3:1 in the 58th minute, another penalty less than 10 minutes later, and Adric scored the equalizer for 3:3 in the 82nd minute which was the final score.
Rijeka is currently in 1st place with 24 points and one game less, while Dinamo is in 3rd with 23 and two games less.
Slaven Belupo v. Osijek (0:2)
Belupo and Osijek met on Sunday, October 17, 2021, in Koprivnica.
Hiros scored for 0:1 Osijek in the 22nd minute, before Nejasmic made it 0:2 just before the halftime whistle.
Belupo is currently in 9th place with 6 points, while Osijek is in 2nd with 24.
Sibenik v. Hajduk (2:0)
Sibenik and Hajduk closed out the 12th round on Sunday, October 17, 2021, in Sibenik.
Mina scored the first goal for 1:0 Sibenik in the 25th minute. A penalty for Curic made it 2:0, which was the final score.
Sibenik is currently in 7th place with 13 points, while Hajduk is in 4th with 20 and one game less.
You can see the full HNL table HERE.
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Study Reveals Significant Inequalities in Access to Social Services
ZAGREB, 17 Oct, 2021 - The first national study on access to social services shows that members of different vulnerable groups in Croatia do not have equal chances of obtaining quality social services, with inequalities being greater at regional and local levels.
The study was conducted by the Stress and Trauma Rehabilitation Centre and the Zagreb Law School Social Work Study Centre in the period from March to May 2021 and it covered 395 cities and municipalities.
Data was collected from two sources - representatives of local government units and representatives of providers of social services in local communities (431 local professionals).
The study covered access to social services for various vulnerable groups: children and young people at risk, families at risk, poor citizens, persons with physical and mental disabilities, elderly and infirm people, and members of ethnic minorities and refugees.
The study confirms unequal access to social services and lack of access to individual services. Its findings reveal poor availability of social services for young people, families at risk, persons with physical and mental disabilities, members of ethnic minorities and refugees.
More available are social services for children, poor citizens and elderly people but it could not be concluded for most of these services either that they are generally available.
Significant regional and development-related inequalities were identified as well, with citizens who live in smaller, rural areas under the national development average having less access to social services on which their health, wellbeing and social inclusion depend.
Social services least available in Pannonian Croatia
Social services were the least available to people in Pannonian Croatia, which covers local government units with the lowest development index.
Experts believe that it is necessary to invest in the development of risk-prevention services and services that facilitate social inclusion, activation on the labour market and psychosocial empowerment once risks emerge, for all groups of users. They consider as less necessary services related to the provision of accommodation in their communities, the exception being accommodation for elderly and infirm persons.
The study was financed by the Active Citizenship Fund in Croatia, through financial mechanisms of the European Economic Area and the Kingdom of Norway.
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Minister Attends Course in Medical Response to Major Incidents
ZAGREB, 17 Oct, 2021 - Health Minister Vili Beroš on Sunday attended a course in medical response to major incidents at the "Dr. Josip Benčević" Hospital in Slavonski Brod, saying that the course integrated the competence and experience of the entire health system.
It is excellent that the course is being held in Slavonski Brod but we must train experts in other regions as well, Beroš said, announcing that the Croatian Emergency Medicine Institute would finance ten such courses across the country in the next two years.
Beroš recalled that a result of training of Croatian medical workers was also the timely response to an accident that happened this past summer, when a bus with Kosovo registration plates overturned on a highway in Croatia. The accident resulted in a large number of injured passengers and 10 fatalities.
The natural disasters that have hit Croatia over a short period of time also point to the importance of enhancing the competencies of the emergency services, he said.
"In this hospital courses like this one have been held for 15 years. So far 449 professionals have attended them and an additional 60 are attending this course," he said.
The Slavonski Brod course is a post-graduate course of the European Society for Trauma and Emergency Surgery. It has been organised for the eighth year by the Health Ministry, the Croatian Institute for Emergency Medicine and the Slavonski Brod-based Croatian Society for Disaster Medicine.
The director of the "Dr. Josip Benčević" Hospital, Josip Samardžić, said that the hospital has competent staff as well as experience from the 1991-95 war, which it has transformed into a modern response to major disasters.
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Šuica Calls on Croatians to Participate in Discussions about EU More
ZAGREB, 17 Oct, 2021 - European Commission Vice-President Dubravka Šuica of Croatia believes Croatians are insufficiently interested in participation in the Conference on the Future of Europe, launched by the EU to convince citizens of its 27 member-states that their opinion, too, is important in decision-making.
Numerous citizens believe they have no influence on decisions made by EU politicians and bureaucrats so the EU's three main institutions - the European Commission, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament - have launched an online platform where citizens can offer their proposals on topics important for the bloc.
"More is expected of Croatia and Croats because so far they have reported 25 events and made 500 proposals and around 100 comments on our platform," Šuica, Commissioner for Democracy and Demography, told the Yammat FM radio station.
She considers these figures to be low.
"We (Croatians) like to speak when it is too late," she said, calling on Croatian citizens to present their ideas on the Conference on the Future of Europe website.
Debates can be organised by citizens and groups of citizens at county and local levels and conclusions can be reported on the digital platform by the end of the year.
"Their ideas will be taken into account in an analysis next spring," Šuica promised.
On Friday, she opened in Strasbourg the last of four panels at which randomly chosen EU citizens discuss topics relevant for the EU.
Among the 200 EU citizens whose travel and accommodation expenses as well as daily allowances have been paid for are three Croatians - two pensioners and a student, from Istria and Zadar- They will present their opinions on the EU in the world and migration at the panel, to last until Monday.
In September and October, 800 EU citizens have taken part in the panels, after which additional online panels will follow. Their proposals are expected to be formulated into a proposal to the European Commission in spring.
Šuica claims that the EC will take those proposals into account, mostly when making laws.
"The main purpose of this conference is to debunk the myth about the Brussels bubble and make EU citizens participants in the creation of European policies, so they can see that they themselves can influence the final outcome," she said.
"Until now people thought that that was not possible or happened only here. That's not true but such is the perception," she said.
Fifty-eight percent of Croatians do not trust the EU and only 38% trust it, shows a survey by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, conducted in September 2020.
On average, 47% of EU citizens trust the EU while 45% do not.
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Vagrancy in Croatia Increases by 20% This Year - Večernji List
ZAGREB, 17 Oct, 2021- A recent court ruling under which a 55-year-old man from Knin was found guilty of vagrancy and given a conditional sentence of 15 days in prison has brought attention to the issue of vagrancy in Croatia, which has increased by 20 percent this year compared with last year, Večernji List newspaper said earlier this week.
According to data provided by the Ministry of the Interior, 408 persons were reported for vagrancy and begging in 2020, while 490 such cases were recorded in the first eight months of this year, the newspaper said, noting that vagrancy is an offence under the Public Order and Peace Offences Act.
In Croatia, vagrancy is punishable by a fine of between 25 and 100 euros or a prison sentence of up to 30 days. The Knin man was given a conditional prison term of 15 days, but he will not go to prison if he does not repeat this or similar offence over the next year. The 60 kuna (8 euros) he "earned" by begging was taken away from him and will be returned to the injured parties. Because of his financial situation, he was exempted from paying court costs, Večernji List said.
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Children’s Film “My Grandpa Is an Alien” Wins Two Awards at Film Festival in Iran
ZAGREB, 17 Oct, 2021 - The children's film "My Grandpa is an Alien" ("Moj dida je pao s Marsa") by Dražen Žarković and Marina Andree Škop won two awards at the 34th International Film Festival for Children and Youth, which took place in the Iranian city of Isfahan.
The film won two Golden Butterfly awards, as the best film chosen by the young jury members and as the best artistic achievement of directing, the Croatian Audio Visual Centre (HAVC) reported on Thursday.
To date, the film has been screened at over 50 international festivals and it has won 16 awards.
In addition to being distributed in all seven co-production countries, "My Grandpa is an Alien" has been internationally distributed in a total of 26 countries, including the US, Russia, Japan, Spain and Ukraine.
The film was produced by Zagreb's Studio Dim in cooperation with the Croatian Radio-Television, Luxembourg's Wady Films, Norway's Filmbin, Czech MasterFilm and MagicLab, Slovakia's Artileria, Slovenia's Senca Studio and Art Rebel 9, and Bosnia and Herzegovina's Fabrika.
The screenplay was written by Pavlica Bajsić Brazzoduro and Branko Ružić, based on motifs of the story by Irena Krčelić.
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Plenković Says Intraparty Elections in HDZ Democratic, Transparent
ZAGREB, 17 Oct, 2021 - Prime Minister and HDZ party leader Andrej Plenković said on Sunday that intraparty elections at which the leaders of the HDZ's city and county branches will be elected, were democratic and transparent.
"Anyone who wanted to run as a candidate could do so, and the process has been transparent and democratic. I do not see any relevant objections or anything that is not in line with democratic standards," said Plenković, who cast his vote in regular intraparty elections.
He expressed hope that local HDZ branches, which are to elect their presidents and vice-presidents today, would contribute to their local communities as well as the HDZ's national policy.
HNB governor should explain his statement about loan installment increase
Plenković was also asked to comment on Croatian National Bank (HNB) Governor Boris Vujčić's warning in an interview with the Novi List daily that loan installments of debtors with long-term loans approved with a variable interest rate could increase from 10% to as much as 20%. Vujčić did, however, note that that scenario was not very likely.
"I have not read the interview, he should explain what he meant. As far as I understand, that is not a very likely scenario. If he has an opinion on the matter, he should make a statement," Plenković said.
In a comment on the International Day to Eradicate Poverty, which is observed today, Plenković said that the government's national development strategy stated that maximum effort should be invested to reduce the number of Croatians who were at risk of poverty or were poor.
"The 20% rate is still very high, as an EU country we must reduce it, not only through social policy but through a policy that enables wage growth and a general atmosphere of equal opportunities," he said, adding that his government would continue working towards that goal in the next three years.
Plenković believes that the progress made in the past five years in the fight against poverty is visible, albeit not as great as one would want it to be.
He wondered what the percentage of people at risk of poverty would be if the government had not intervened with job-keeping measures during the coronavirus crisis.
Asked about the investigation into police violence against migrants on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Plenković reiterated that the case was contrary to the government and Ministry of the Interior's policy, that it was an isolated incident and that the government would do its best to prevent any similar incidents.
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Zagreb for Digital Nomads: A Destination on the Rise
October 17, 2021 - Word is getting out - Zagreb for digital nomads. A look at the rising popularity of the Croatian capital, recently featured in the top 5 most-liked cities in a Nomad List survey.
It is almost 2 years since I wrote my first article on the potential of digital nomad tourism in Zagreb. Rereading Why Zagreb is Increasingly Attractive to a Growing Number of Digital Nomads 21 months later, it is interesting to note how much has changed, and how much has not changed.
The ten key reasons cited back then all remain compelling reasons why digital nomads will find Zagreb to be attractive - its proximity to the Schengen border, excellent Engish language, safety, accessibility, affordability, a thriving tech scene, a great tourist destination, great food and wine, world-class medical tourism for your budget, and a relaxed cafe lifestyle.
And yet so much has changed.
When I wrote this article in January 2020, few people were very familiar with the digital nomad concept in Croatia. For this was before a certain Dutchman elevated the discussion to a national level by successfully inviting the Croatian Prime Minister, Andrej Plenkovic, to introduce a digital nomad visa for Croatia. Along with a number of initiatives, the introduction of the new permit on January 1, 2021 helped focus global attention on Croatia as a new DN hot spot. And while the initial expectation may have been that all nomads would be flocking to the coast, the fact is that there have been a growing number heading to Zagreb instead.
And they are liking what they are finding.
At this point, I should point out the role of the Zagreb Tourist Board. Together with Dubrovnik, Zagreb has been incredibly receptive and supportive of initiatives to promote Croatia as a DN destination. When I first pitched the idea of Zagreb Digital Nomad Week (ZDNW) back in June last year in partnership with Saltwater Nomads, the concept was agreed immediately, and had it not been for the pandemic, it would have taken place as part of Advent in Zagreb last year.
In the event, Zagreb Digital Nomad Week took place in June, 7 days with 7 themes, in multiple locations all over the city. Although it was a hybrid event, several keynote speakers jumped at the chance to come to Zagreb and attend their first conference or public event in over a year. Among them was Nimrod Dean Kuchel, an Israeli world traveller with his own DN community of 25,000 people.
His presentation, which you can see above, was one of the highlights of the week. And for a man who has visited over 100 countries in the last 8 years, his was a persepctive that I was keen to hear. Just how was Zagreb doing as a DN destination, and what was it missing?
"Zagreb ticks all the boxes," commented Dean at the end of the week. "The only thing missing here is more digital nomads."
To prove his affection for Zagreb and its potential was genuine, Dean was back a couple of months later as the official Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador for September. An extension of ZDNW, the ambassador project, in partnership with Doma Zagreb Aparthotel, has been bringing in an international digital nomad for a month from July until December.
Each ambassador comes from a different background and engages in Zagreb in a different way. Dean was extremely active, organising events with the Digital Nomad Facebook group which now numbers an impressive 7,000 members. At the end of his stay, Dean caught up with TCN before heading off to speak at the Budva Cross Border Coworking Conference earlier this month.
For a man who can't stop travelling, he clearly was not so keen to leave. His reflections on the month in Zagreb are interesting, and they mirror some of the same messages coming from previous ambassadors - the outstanding English, safety, excellent WiFi, great coworking spaces, a green and very walkable city with a fantastic food and wine story, full of friendly locals and just a short drive to the coast.
Veronica Mulhall, the first official Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador in July, had similar feelings. She loved the walkability of the city, often taking meetings on the phone, and deemed Zagreb the perfect training ground for her planned climb of Kilimanjaro.
Both she and partner Julian fell in love with a city that they did not know anything about before Veronica applied. And now they are considering buying property in Zagreb and making it a part-time home. Julian also gave a very interesting interview, including his experiences in the city as a black tourist in the interview above.
August brought Rudi Witkowsky from South Africa, who put Zagreb's gyms and outside spaces through its paces with his fitness regime.
All these ambassadors have helped to add to a story which is growing nicely, and the wider Zagreb population is beginning to grasp the DN opportunity. Tanja Polegubic, CEO of Saltwater Nomads and the architect of Zagreb Digital Nomad Week, has noticed the progress.
"Zagreb has really made a mark in 2021 as a digital nomad destination. The regular feedback I hear from digital nomads there is the sense of constant discovery - which is getting rarer these days. There's something happening everywhere you go, and a real diverse offer of food and entertainment. The Croatian capital really does win over many a remote worker's heart."
Zagreb is well on the way to establishing itself as a leading DN destination not only in Croatia and the wider region, but also in Europe (it was the only European city in the top 5 Nomad List survey, for example). Here are just a sample of things that have happened to the Zagreb digital nomad story since that first article 21 months ago:
- A Croatian digital nomad visa was proposed by Dutch entrepreneur, Jan de Jong. As a direct result, a Croatian digital nomad permit has been in effect since January 1, 2021.
- Zagreb Digital Nomad Week won two international awards at Conventa 2021 in Ljubljana, thus further promoting Zagreb as a DN destination.
- Zagreb ranked 43 in the world in the global Work from Anywhere Index.
- A Nomad List 2021 extensive survey of its members named Zagreb in the top 5 most liked DN cities in the world after Tokyo, Taipei, Mexico City and Taipei in October.
- There has been an explosion in opening of coworking spaces all over the city, with at least 18 now offering services. Here's the TCN guide, with map.
- Data extrapolated from Nomad List showed that Zagreb was attracting more digital nomads per month than other hot spots in the region, including Budapest, Prague and Krakow.
- Zagreb named in top 10 best congress destinations in New Europe, 3rd best for large congress facilities.
- The arrival of Ryanair has already opened up Zagreb's accessibility to new markets, with some 40 destinations from Zagreb planned by next summer, with 24 already announced and in operation (some already, the rest in December).
There is a really good energy in Zagreb at the moment, one which I think will only improve as more nomads discover it and add to the community. Why not come and visit and check it out?
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