ZAGREB, 6 Oct, 2021 - Croatia's industrial producer prices jumped by 12.1% in September 2021 compared with the same month in 2020, their highest rise since January 2011, according to the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics.

This was the seventh month in a row to see an increase in industrial producer prices on an annual level, following the 9.3% rise in August.

The positive streak began in March this year with an annual rise of 3.5% and was followed by increases of 5.8% in April, 7.6% in May, 7.2% in June and 7.9% in July. 

The rise was mainly driven by energy prices. Excluding energy, producer prices in September were 0.5% higher than in August and 3.5% higher than in September last year.

On the foreign market, industrial producer prices in September 2021 increased by 1.0% compared with August 2021 and by 10.1% compared with September 2020. On the domestic market, they rose by 3.2% month on month and by 13.7% year on year.

Broken down by main industrial groupings, in September compared with August, prices of energy on the domestic market increased by 9.4%, prices of capital goods by 0.5%, prices of intermediate goods by 0.4%, prices of durable consumer goods by 0.1%, and prices of non-durable consumer goods by 0.1%.

On an annual level, prices of energy on the domestic market rose by 42.2%, prices of intermediate goods by 6.2%, prices of durable consumer goods by 2.5%, prices of capital goods by 2.5%, and prices of non-durable consumer goods by 1.2%.

For more about business in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page

October 6, 2021 - Just a short drive from the Zagreb is part of Croatia's fantastic wine story. A new autumn initiative from the Zagreb County Tourist Board brings art, music, food and cinema to Zagreb's vineyards. Meet Via Vino. 

One of the things that visitors to Zagreb often comment on is just how accessible it is.With its abundant parks, it is a great city to walk in. 

Those who are a little more adventurous are discovering just how accessible - and fascinating - the region around Zagreb is. The launch of the Around Zagreb initiative last year, bringing the very best of the city of Zagreb, Zagreb County, and now also Zagorje, has added a new dimension to Zagreb tourism.  

The Zagreb County Tourist Board has been particularly active in recent times promoting the authentic treasures of the region, as well as helping to bring the indigenous products of its producers to the market. One small example of this is the development of the Zagreb truffle hunt, something that perhaps even many locals are not aware of. Local producers are bying into the brand of authentic Zagreb County and its local products, and one can now enjoy Zagreb truffles in strukli, as well as pralines. And the latest Zagreb truffle delicacy was unveiled at the Via Vino press conference this morning - ajvar with black truffles. 

A new initiative called Via Vino has been launched by the Zagreb County Tourist Board, which was unveiled at a press conference in their office in Zagreb this morning, complete with new promotional video of the wine roads of Zagreb County. The Croatian capital is blessed with several wine regions surrounding the city on all sides - Sveta Ivana Zelina, Samobor, Jastrebarsko, Ivanic-Grad, and Zapresic. 

From October 15 to November 15, the wineries of Zagreb County will be welcoming visitors to experience their wines, while also combining that experience with some signature events combining art, food, wine and music. 

Via Vinaria takes place every Friday and Saturday within the month, when more than 50 wineries in Zagreb County will open their cellar doors for wine tasting. A great day out from the city, and a chance to enjoy the county's alluring nature while sampling its finest wines. 

Looking to catch the latest Bond movie in some style?  Via KINO is the place to be on October 15 at the Braje vineyard in Plesivica, where chestnuts and Portugiesac will accompany 007's final mission. Additional sustenance will be provided by Marin Medak and his Food Truck.

Via KINO will take place on October 23rd. in the central park of Velika Gorica. Although this is not a wine region, the screening of the film will feature an exhibition of photographs of winemakers, accompanied by homemade spirits by Brigljević distillates and gin. As this area is known for truffle hunting, you will have the opportunity to taste truffles in typically continental dishes.

Via VINO will also enrich the Via ART event, which takes you along the picturesque Samobor road of pleasures, with recognizable wines, selected delicacies and an exhibition in the vineyard! It takes place on November 6 and follows the well-known feast of St. Martin, patron saint of winemakers. Take a look at the exhibition of photographs of winemakers from Zagreb County in the Samobor Museum.

Have you ever experienced a classical music concert in a vineyard? A good wine is like a good concert, it lasts a short time, but it is remembered for a lifetime. It’s new in every sip and changes with each new note. Therefore Via NOTE on October 16 brings concerts to the fairytale environment of the falling slopes of the vineyards of the Schwartz manor in Nespeš, in Sv. Zelini. The atmosphere will be enriched by the offer of dishes from Food Truck by Marin Medak, as well as a selection of wines from the Litterarii winery.

"We all already know that Zagreb County is the green living room of Zagreb. It offers sustainable tourism, numerous outdoor facilities but also an unforgettable eno-gastronomic experience, 365 days a year," said the director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board Ivana Alilović.

"As a year-round destination, it offers new facilities every season. Thus, our wine roads and events related to eno-gastronomic content are currently very attractive. The rich gastronomic offer and the increasingly strong development and branding of wine roads - from Plešivica to Zelina and Ivanić-Grad as the home of škrlet - are one of the strongest assets for the tourist and economic development of Zagreb County.

"We are proud that for the first time the Zagreb County Tourist Board is conducting such a large destination campaign in which over 60 key entities in the area of ​​the Zagreb County wine scene are participating. For us, this is a big step towards positioning the entire Zagreb County as an authentic boutique destination." 

For visits to wineries it is necessary to make an appointment in advance.

Admission to the events is limited, and for those who do not have a Covid passport at the entrance, a Covid test will be organized which is included in the ticket price.

The Via VINO event is organized by the Zagreb County Tourist Board, who you can contact for more information.

Learn more about the direction of tourism in Zagreb County in this TCN interview with Zagreb County Tourist Board director Ivana Alilović.

ZAGREB, 6 Oct, 2021 - The parliamentary Judiciary Committee on Wednesday gave a positive opinion on judges Radovan Dobronić and Marin Mrčela as candidates for Supreme Court president while Dobronić, whom the President already announced as his recommendation to the Sabor, received unanimous support from the committee.

The committee that interviewed candidates at the start of September unanimously supported Judge Dobronić with 11 votes while Mrčela received seven votes in favour, one against (Nikola Grmoja) and three abstentions.

The Judiciary Committee will forward its opinion to President Zoran Milanović, who then recommends his candidate to the Sabor. The President has previously said that his candidate will be Zagreb Commercial Court Judge Dobronić, known in public as the judge who presided in the case against banks over Swiss francs.

This means the end of the crisis in appointing the highest position in the judiciary.

The selection of a new president for the Supreme Court has gone through three public calls, with five candidates applying in the last one - Judge Dobronić, Supreme Court acting president Marin Mrčela, Judge Lana Peto Kujundžić, and attorneys Šime Savić and Barbara Gundić. 

The president of the Supreme Court is appointed and relieved by the Sabor following a previous opinions by the court's general assembly and the parliamentary Judiciary Committee, at the recommendation of the President. The court president is appointed for a term of four years and can be reappointed for only one more four-year term.

Judge Mrčela was given 29 votes from judges on the Supreme Court general assembly in early September, while Judge Dobronić was given four votes.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page

October 6, 2021 - As the country recedes from the summer season, in the Dalmatia and Gorski Kotar regions the weather appears to be less merciful, after a storm warning in Croatia was announced, with heavy thunder and rain to be expected. Through text messages, citizens are asked to be careful with electronic devices at home.

The climate in Croatia is truly enigmatic. Last week I was in Zagreb, and the presence of autumn was more than evident: thousands of orange leaves on the sidewalks, residents of the capital wearing long pants and jackets, and relatively low temperatures throughout the day. What do I find when I arrive in Split at the weekend? Blue skies, considerable heat, and people on the beaches. Almost a mirage of the previous months.

However, it seems that those impressions of the Adriatic summer are slowly disappearing, and it is that this week started gray and with strong winds on much of the coast. Worse still, today the day started with thunderous noises in the sky, and the DHMZ (the State Hydrometeorological Institute), has issued a storm warning in Croatia, and through the telephone operators in the country, has recommended citizens to be careful with electronics at home.

According to Net.hr, during the last evening, a significant change in the weather arrived in Croatia, which will bring with it a drop in temperature, heavy rain, and storms in the next few days. A thunderstorm is expected in the Adriatic area on Wednesday, which is why the State Hydrometeorological Institute issued an orange warning, while heavy rain will prevail on the mainland. A flood warning was also issued.

"Due to heavy rainfall expected today (October 6, 2021) in the northern Adriatic, Lika, Gorski Kotar and the interior of Dalmatia, and tomorrow (October 7, 2021) in central Croatia, Lika, Gorski Kotar, and the southern There is a possibility of torrential and urban floods in the Adriatic", warns the DHMZ.

Due to unfavorable weather conditions, Hrvatski Telekom also issued a warning to users in the coastal area: "A thunderstorm is expected in your area today. To protect your devices, we recommend that you unplug the telephone and power cables from the socket," reads their message.

If you want to learn more about the weather in Croatia, be sure to check out Total Croatia's guide here.

For more, make sure to check out our lifestyle section.

October 6, 2021 - Makarska's Hotel Dalmacija will be the second hotel to join the new Valamar Places brand. 

The Imperial Riviera d.d. Supervisory Board approved an HRK 67 million investment in repositioning Makarska's Hotel Dalmacija as a Places hotel by Valamar. The investment continues the announced five-year cycle of investments in Croatian tourism worth HRK 1.5 billion, jointly launched by AZ pension funds and "Valamar Riviera."

After the successful privatization of the companies "Imperial" and "Hotel Makarska," and the subsequent merger and increase of capital in "Imperial Riviera," investments in the total amount of HRK 580 million were made, and the hotels "Parentino," "Meteor," "Padova," "Imperial" and Camp Padova were repositioned.

The COVID crisis has temporarily halted and slowed down the investment plan, which is why investments started in 2019 were finalized only in 2021. The approval of the Hotel Dalmacija investment represents a partial restart of the investment cycle. The tourist season has shown the potential for a rapid launch of Croatian tourism and an opportunity for further growth and development of high value-added tourism.

As Slobodna Dalmacija reveals, with the HRK 67 million investment, Hotel Dalmacija will undergo complete reconstruction and refurbishment following the standards of the Valamar Places brand. Recall, the Valamar Places brand is "a new hotel concept for modern travelers seeking freedom of choice and a vibrant Mediterranean holiday by the sea in properties that introduce guests to the destination in a unique way with full respect for nature and the environment."

Hotel Dalmacija will become the second hotel operating under this Valamar brand from next season. 

"After the successful investment in the renovation, modernization, and repositioning of the Valamar hotel "Meteor" in the last two years, totaling HRK 90 million, Imperial Riviera continues to invest in its facilities in Makarska. An additional impetus for the continuation of investment was provided by this year's successful tourist season, which showed the potential for a rapid recovery of Croatian tourism in the still present COVID circumstances.

The investment includes reconstructing the existing facilities and constructing a new swimming pool, with a sun deck and a new pool bar, and reconstructing the 190 accommodation units and all other spaces in a modern lifestyle design. In addition, the existing restaurant, ground floor, and lobby are designed as one unit, thematically separated by zones, and the current wellness facility will be branded in the Places Spa.

The focus will be on the unique atmosphere, ambiance, offer of local food and dishes, with people at its center. The target markets will be the UK, Scandinavia, Germany, Austria, and, of course, the domestic market," said Imperial Riviera, adding that lifestyle hotels today are a particular genre in the hotel industry, based not on the classic features of luxury and high gastronomy but on a specific type of service intended for target consumer groups who value unique experiences with people of similar affinities and affiliations.

"Makarska is a destination that has already successfully positioned itself in the market, so it was chosen as an ideal place to implement this type of hotel. This means contributing to the continuation of diversifying the hotel segment, not only in Makarska but also beyond," concluded Imperial Riviera.

For more on lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

October 6, 2021 - After having been given its first award back in 2020, seeing the gorgeous green region of Lika awarded Green Destination 2021 this year provides some hope for this lovely, but poor and deserted region.

Lika, the largest Croatian region, remained among the hundred top green and sustainable destinations in the entire world in 2021. This valuable recognition (which Lika was first recognised for in 2020), was assigned by the Global Green Destination trust fund. The organisation started rating global destinations worldwide seven years ago, and as their website says, they benefit the destinations, representatives, and stakeholders in "green" communities. The end game: making places better and more sustainable.

''Adopting these GREEN values will help destinations to enhance their quality, attractiveness, and competitiveness; it will help attract ''green travellers'', respectful visitors who will spend more in these destinations. These GREEN values are the basis of our programmes for policy improvement, Destination Awards and certification. Green Destinations works together with the tourism business and media partners in order to make the green offer of destinations more visible on the marketplace,'' explains Global Green Destination.

The Lika Destination tourist cluster is very much aware of all the benefits which go hand in hand with this recognition for which they worked really hard. As N1 reports, Lika Destination does its work under the motto ''Smart sustainable destination''.

''Lika is special for many reasons. Almost 60% of its surface is protected. There are eight protected areas here, including three national parks, and the pure nature allows for the growth of quality products,'' the Lika Destination cluster told N1.

They added that they are proud that international experts recognised their efforts in promoting Lika and building up the region in an eco-friendly matter.

''For this year's admission, we had to fulfill 30 criteria, which is as twice as much than was necessary last year. In addition, we had to submit a story of good practice which this year, just as before, focused on local products with the mark ''Lika Quality''. Connecting local manufacturers with other tourist actors is something we've worked on in this cluster since day one. That's the main factor of Lika's development,'' concluded Lika Destination for N1.

That progress is definitely needed. As Večernji List recalled, Lika used to be an agricultural Mecca capable of feeding half of Croatia. Sadly, much like Slavonia, the region was devastated during the Homeland War and all of the former industry is now gone. One hundred years ago, Lika boasted over 200,000 residents, and now there are only around 40,000 left.

Naturally, it is expected that the number will be even lower when the 2021 population census is completed.

Speaking of Lika's many green areas, the oldest Croatian National Park, Plitvice Lakes, is also located there. Learn more in our TC guide.

For more about Lika, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 6 Oct, 2021 - The World Homeless Day (observed on 10 October) and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and Social Exclusion (observed on 17 October) will be marked in Zagreb on Monday, 11 October, to draw attention to the problems faced by 2,000 people in Croatia who live in abject poverty.

The data on the number of homeless persons in Croatia vary. The Croatian Homeless Network estimates that about 2,000 people live in abject poverty, or without a roof over their heads. However, if persons with insecure and inappropriate housing are taken into account, their number rises to 10,000, the Pet Plus association said on Wednesday.

The associations Pet Plus, Dom Nade and Stijena Resoc will gather together at Zagreb's central train station at 2 pm on Monday to raise public awareness of the needs of homeless people and the reasons why people sometimes end up on the street. 

The associations say that poverty is the reason for homelessness in 69 percent of cases, and that as many as 88 percent of registered homeless people are of a working age. That is why they are calling for their employment as a way of helping them out of homelessness.

The associations highlighted the problem of getting identification documents, saying that homeless people often cannot get them and that that is why the number of registered homeless people in Croatia is much lower than their actual number.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 6 Oct, 2021 - Croatia registered 1,925 new cases of the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours while 18 people died as a consequence, and there are currently 8,813 active cases in the country, the national COVID response team reported on Wednesday.

There are 820 hospitalised patients and 116 are on ventilators, while 16,186 people are self-isolating.

To date, 411,917 cases of contagion have been registered and 8,722 people have died, while 394,382 people have recovered. A total of 2,874,479 tests have been conducted, including 10,083 in the past 24 hours.

54.31% of the adult population vaccinated

As of Tuesday, 3,460,702 doses of vaccines had been administered, and 45.28% of the total population or 54.31% of the adult population had received at least one dose of a vaccine.

Yesterday, 8,144 people were vaccinated, of whom 5,073 received the first dose.

A total of 1,837,585 people have received at least one dose of a vaccine, while 1,721,731 have been fully vaccinated, which makes up 50.97% of the adult population.

For more about COVID-19 in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.