September the 25th, 2021 - In a series of rules and measures that are adopted every now and then at different levels with the aim of combating the spread of the novel coronavirus, epidemiologists' instructions to Croatian fruit pickers have also appeared, Jutarnji list reports.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, an announcement appeared on the official website of Dubrovnik-Neretva County and special instructions for Croatian fruit pickers, particularly those picking mandarin oranges, have been published in an attempt to slow the spread of the disease.

''Taking into account all the specifics of the work which takes place during the mandarin harvest season, the basic division of labour would be working outdoors on plantations and then working indoors in purchasing and sorting centres,'' the statement said.

Here is the list of the epidemiological measures Croatian fruit pickers should adhere to during the mandarin harvet season:

VACCINATION

Since the vaccine was approved in 2020 and in 2021 the vaccination rollout against COVID-19 was started, as the most effective measure in the fight against this disease, we should certainly give priority to those workers who have been vaccinated and encourage those who haven't to get their vaccines.

All employees should be properly informed about all of the measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as well as the proper behaviour and protection measures.

People with symptoms of the disease, those who are sick and people in self-isolation cannot participate in any activities.

If a person becomes ill/develops/notices symptoms before or during their time of work, the person must not come to work/immediately stop work, go home and telephone their chosen doctor to assess further procedure.

Daily records of all employees (names and surnames, dates of birth and mobile/phone numbers) should be kept.

OUTDOOR WORK (harvesting the fruit)

Workers must adhere to basic hygiene habits during the harvest period (hand washing, social distancing) and everything listed in the ''General protection measures''.

INDOOR WORK (sorting plants)

Since this is an enclosed space where a large number of people gather together and where close contact inevitably occurs during work, the risk of possible occurrence and spread of the disease is difficult to avoid. To somewhat reduce this risk, we recommend:

Temperature measurements with a non-contact thermometre for each person when they arrive at work.

People with body temperatures of 37.2 ° C or higher that day must not be included in the work process.

In a visible place, it is necessary to post information on all of the hygienic procedures or post information with the guidelines on proper behaviour and protection measures.

At the entrance and at several workplaces in the area, it is necessary to provide dispensers with alcohol-based disinfectants not less than 70 percent with a prominent notice of the obligation for people to disinfect their hands on arrival and during work.

Work clothes must be provided to employees, and they should be materials/goods that are easy to wash and iron.

For work indoors at all work sites, it should be mandatory to wear protective masks over the mouth and nose. Masks can be disposable (surgical) or reusable (cloth masks that are properly maintained/washed).

A mask should be worn outdoors if social distancing cannot be maintained due to the nature of the activity.

Wearing gloves isn't mandatory, but it may be recommended that hands be disinfected regularly after their removal.

Large groups of people during work should be avoided, and people should make sure they try to maintain a physical distance of at least two metres between each other.

If it is possible to organise work in several shifts with a break between those shifts of at least half an hour, then that time should be used for the cleaning and disinfection of the premises.

Basic hygiene habits (such as hand hygiene and decent behaviour when coughing/sneezing) should be maintained.

Glasses, dishes and other items should not be shared with other people during lunch breaks.

Good conditions for ventilation should be ensured (the use of air conditioners and indoor heating should also be avoided as much as possible).

Sanitary facilities should have increased ventilation, cleaning and disinfecting procedures.

For more, follow our lifestyle section.

September the 25th, 2021 - Croatian startups are set to get further financial boosts as a new cycle of the Startup Factory programme headed by Zicer (the Zagreb Innovation Centre) begins.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes, the Zagreb Innovation Centre (Zicer) has launched applications for a new cycle of the popular Startup Factory programme, in which development teams and young startups are distributed grants in the amount of 800,000 kuna, with intensive educational, mentoring, promotional and infrastructural support. As stated in the announcement made by Zicer, the Startup Factory programme accelerates the development of technology-oriented teams and startups from across the country.

It helps in validation, market entry and access to first buyers and investors, and it is also an internationally awarded and the first such acceleration programme in all of Croatia. The programme is intensive and competitive in nature, all selected participants will receive knowledge through workshops, lectures and mentoring, and the best financial support from the City of Zagreb from a total fund of 800,000 kuna.

"Six years ago, we launched the first pre-acceleration programme in Croatia. Startup Factory has so far successfully passed 76 teams, and the best 28 startups also received non-refundable financial support for the development of their technological products in the amount of more than 3.5 million kuna. The intensive support we provide to future startups through this programme ensures progress in a short time. The programme is such that it requires fast and concrete results, more than 90 percent of startups that have passed the programme are now operating successfully. For them, Croatia is a small market, and they're out there conquering the world,'' pointed out Frane Sesnic, the director of Zicer and the initiator of the popular Startup Factory.

Teams or new Croatian startups developing high-tech solutions can apply to this year's Startup Factory, and the main recommended areas are healthcare and quality of life, energy and sustainable environment, transport and mobility, security and cyber security, food and bio-economy, education, robotics, fintech, tourism and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

For more, follow our dedicated business section.

September the 25th, 2021 - Croatian Health Minister Vili Beros has issued a clear message to those not wanting to get vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, and those who don't want to frequently test for it to ensure they're negative.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Vili Beros has stated that safety has no price, and that although costs can always be discussed, safety and security will always come before anything else.

''The process around covid certification is aimed at increasing safety, and safety like that has no price. We can talk about costs, but we will insist on safety above all. We're planning to carry out testing twice a week. We don’t know what to do with those people who choose to refuse a test and also refuse vaccination. In order not to discriminate against anyone, we've introduced the possibility of testing.

It will be free at first, but it can't be like that forever. If someone doesn't want to be tested for the virus, then they will have to enter it in the records of their working hours and will not be able to attend work and will create a problem for the system and for themselves. I can't talk about further actions at this moment in time, but everything will be done in accordance with the law,'' Vili Beros pointed out.

"No responsible person should resort to forgery. As far as I know, there have been no forgeries within the Croatian healthcare system,'' added the Health Minister.

Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic emphasised that covid certificates cannot be forged due to their specificities. Vili Beros repeated the fact that althoug he wants to avoid discrimination, he didn't know how long the testing procedure would be free for healthcare workers who don't want to be vaccinated against the virus.

"The funds for it been secured, but I can't say what the amount is. It's known that there is sick leave control, you have to have a justification for being off work if you're too unwell, and not wanting to be tested is not yet included in the classification of those diseases,'' he warned.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, including the locations of testing centres and vaccination points, as well as travel rules, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and choose your preferred language.

September 25, 2021 - A bilateral meeting between Slovenian and Croatian business people was held at the Hotel Esplanade in Zagreb as part of the Lifestyle CHECK IN brand.

The beauties of Slovenia are widely known. From Lakes Bled and Bohinj, Triglav, cities of Ljubljana and Maribor to Kranjska Gora and the Julian Alps, this green country is located in southern Central Europe, offers a wide range of opportunities for a quality vacation, but also for a comfortable life, work, and education. This, as well as the many other qualities of this country, through numerous examples and with guests from economic and diplomatic life, was discussed by the participants of the "Beauty of Slovenia" event, held at the Hotel Esplanade in Zagreb.

During the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union to further strengthen the traditionally intensive and successful economic cooperation and cultural exchange between Croatia and Slovenia, the event brought together numerous Croatian and Slovenian business people from various sectors. Thus, it was an opportunity for even better mutual acquaintance, exchange of experiences, but also to establish concrete business relations.

The event was attended by Mr. Bernard Šrajner, Counselor for Economy at the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Zagreb, who emphasized the excellent connection between the two neighboring countries on many levels. "The global health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic may have slowed us down for a while, but it has not and will not stop us from deepening our economic and other ties between Zagreb and Ljubljana," he said.

Besides him, the diplomatic delegation also included the Ambassador of Romania to the Republic of Croatia, HE E. Constantin - Mihail Grigorie, Honorary Consul of Romania in Croatia Mr. Stjepan Roglić, Mr. Ilario Schietto First Secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of Italy in Croatia and Attaché for Trade Promotion at the Institute of Foreign Trade, Ms. Sandra di Carlo.

Mr. Joze Tomaš, President of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce - Split County Chamber, also pointed out the positive results from the cooperation between the two countries' chambers of commerce. He emphasized that this event, organized by the international platform Lifestyle CHECK IN based in Split, is an additional input to the excellent cooperation between Croatia and Slovenia. "This project brings foreign entrepreneurs closer and presents to them the most valuable thing we have in Croatia - our unique lifestyle in a unique natural environment. I believe that the citizens of Slovenia, as well as many other international guests, will recognize the off-season potential of our country as a place for professional work and development, thanks to the benefits that Croatia offers to the growing business category - digital nomads. Working from some of the Croatian locations by the sea, their lives will be more pleasant thanks to the mild and pleasant climate and significantly reduced stress," added Joze Tomaš.

The artistic part of the program included the performance of the renowned jazz singer Jadranka Juras, and numerous Croatian and Slovenian artists and designers were presented, such as the sculptor Hrvoje Dumančić with his recognizable and unique horse sculptures and the painter and graphic artist Leon Zakrajšek with his works.

The colours of fashion design were 'defended' by the designers Ivana Jurić and Draž Knitwear who on this occasion showed some of their models, adorned by beautiful jewelry by world-famous Slovenian designer Olga Košica. The event was moderated by the Croatian presenter with a Slovenian address, Ivana Šundov, who briefly presented numerous business people from Croatia, Slovenia, but also Austria and Germany, among which: Quintessentially – global luxury concierge lifestyle club, SAMSIC – European leader in facility management and ORBICO – leading Croatian distributor of numerous high-quality brands. 

Lifestyle CHECK IN is one in a series of events aimed at bringing together business and diplomacy. “Before this event, with all the organizational challenges brought by the pandemic, we held the events with Austria Romania as partner countries. The ones to follow soon will focus on other European countries and their numerous beauties," announced Monica Ioanițescu, an entrepreneur based in Split and founder of the Lifestyle CHECK IN platform.

For more, follow our lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, 24 Sept 2021 - The Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Husein Kavazović, on Friday expressed his satisfaction during talks with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, with the status of the Islamic community in Croatia.

Plenković met with Kavazović in Government House where they exchanged opinions on the status and activities of the Islamic community in Croatia and on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a government press release said.

The Muslim dignitary said he was extremely satisfied with the quality of the status of the Islamic community in Croatia, which, he said, enjoys the most extensive rights in Europe and is very well integrated in Croatia.

He underscored that for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia is a country with the greatest importance, advocating the best possible cooperation and for Croatia to continue supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina on its Euro-Atlantic journey.

Plenković stressed the importance of finding satisfactory solutions regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina's election law to ensure democratic rights and legitimate and just political representation for BiH Croats in state institutions and at all levels of government in the spirit of the Dayton-Paris Accords, which, he said, was key to its stability and progress.

He reiterated Croatia's full support to BiH's European integration and readiness to deepen bilateral cooperation with full respect for the equality of the country's three constituent peoples and its sovereignty.

It was stated that strengthening the dialogue between Bosniaks and Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina and deepening their cooperation and building partnership are of the upmost importance for Bosnia and Herzegovina's betterment, the press release said.

For more on politics, CLICK HERE.

ZAGREB, 24 Sept 2021 - Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy Minister Josip Aladrović on Friday confirmed the possibility of a third call for the payment of the COVID-19 allowance for pensioners who meet the requirements and have not received the allowance so far.

Aladrović said the government was considering this move while speaking to reporters after a conference organised by the Pensioners' Convention of Croatia (MUH).

According to MUH data, 140,000 pensioners have not received the COVID-19 allowance even though they are entitled to it.

Profession should decide about institute of "parental alienation"

In a comment on a case involving the Zagreb Child and Youth Protection Centre, whose head Gordana Buljan Flander resigned on Thursday, Aladrović said that the City of Zagreb was the founder of the Centre and that its representatives made decisions on the Centre's Steering Board and, indirectly, on its head.

He would not comment on Buljan Flander's resignation, saying only that the interest of children comes first in the social welfare system.

Buljan Flander resigned following negative reactions to her demand for a court injunction to stop the H-alter website writing about her and the Centre.

The injunction by Zagreb Municipal Court judge Andrija Krivak came after the nonprofit website in the past few weeks ran a series of articles by reporter Jelena Jindra problematising the work of the Zagreb Child and Youth Protection Centre and its head.

Reporters inquired about the legal regulation of the institute of parental alienation, which has caused strong reactions in a part of the public which claims that children are being taken away from their mothers and given to abusive fathers to care for.

Aladrović said that this was not a matter of laws and regulations but of methodology.

A possible solution is for psychologists, psychiatrists and psychotherapists to have a broad debate about the matter to determine if the institute is good, he said.

Whether a method is good should be determined by the profession, the minister added.

The social welfare system is very complex so occasional manipulation or insufficiently conscientious work cannot be ruled out, but the Ministry is trying to reduce such phenomena to the minimum, which is why it has stepped up controls, he said.

COVID-19 certificates

COVID-19 certificates will be introduced for employees in the social welfare system as of 1 October, and the minister said he did not see any rational reason for unvaccinated employees to refuse to get tested, with the cost being covered by the state.

"If there are employees who do not want to get vaccinated and refuse to get tested, employers will act in line with the Labour Act," he said, adding that such cases would not be tolerated, for the sake of responsibility towards other citizens.

ZAGREB, 24 Sept 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Friday received for talks representatives of the International Judo Federation (IJF) and the Croatian Judo Federation, on the occasion of the IJF World Judo Tour - Zagreb Grand Prix 2021.

IJF president Marius Vizer, Croatian Judo Federation president Sandra Čorak, Croatian Judo Federation honorary president Tomislav Čuljak, and Hrvoje Lindi, secretary general of the Croatian Judo Federation attended the meeting. The prime minister was accompanied by Tourism and Sports Minister Nikolina Brnjac.

They discussed the upcoming Grand Prix in Zagreb, a competition important for promoting judo and Croatia in the world, which PM Plenković will officially open today.

PM Plenković congratulated the International Judo Federation and the Croatian Judo Federation on their many activities and expressed the government's continued support for developing sports and encouraging sport activities for a healthier and more active life, especially among young people. Also, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports provides continuous financial support to the activities of the Croatian Judo Federation.

The meeting underscored the importance of popularising judo among young people and its participants mentioned Croatian judoka Barbara Matić's success and her gold medal at the World Judo Championship in Budapest.

For more on sport, CLICK HERE.

ZAGREB, 24 Sept 2021 - The Croatian DOK-ING company on Friday signed a letter of intent with the Croatian Orqa and Slovenian MIL Sistemika, Bijol and Defensphere OU companies on forming a consortium of complementary companies in the field of security and defence.

An agreement was signed at the same time between Croatian and Slovenian defence industry competitiveness clusters with the aim of supporting the two countries' defence industries in absorbing available EU funds.

The signing ceremony was held at the 8th International SOBRA Defence, Security, Protection and Rescue fair, which is being held from 23 to 25 September in Gornja Radgona, Slovenia, DOK-ING said on Friday.

The new Croatian-Slovenian consortium comprises members of the two countries' defence industry competitiveness clusters and opens opportunities for joint applications to the future European Defence Fund and use of EU funds for defence.

The consortium is a result of years of promoting the connecting of companies which, through the transfer of know-how and joint action, strengthen their capacity to develop high-tech products and position themselves on the international market.

For more on business, CLICK HERE.