Oldest and Best Preserved Shipwreck in Adriatic Discovered Near Ilovik
September the 10th, 2021 - Did you know that the best preserved shipwreck is from the 2nd century BC and was found in the waters surrounding Losinj near the island of Ilovik? This important archeological discovery was discovered at a depth of only two and a half metres, and previously undertaken research has confirmed that it is indeed the oldest ancient ship ever discovered in the Adriatic.
As Morski writes, this ancient wooden ship was built using the technique of "joining grooves and tabs", and in the process of its creation, the formwork was first constructed, and then the skeleton of the ship was placed onto it, all of it connected by wooden wedges.
It is merchant ship that sailed along an important maritime route, right next to the island of Ilovik in Croatia. The ship is between 20 and 25 metres long, and given that it sank into its watery grave at a depth of a mere two and a half metres, it is a real miracle that it remained so well hidden for centuries.
The ship was discovered quite by accident by Slovenian archaeologist Milan Eric while anchoring in this particular Ilovik bay. After that, the research started, which has been being conducted since 2018 by the Department of Underwater Archeology of the Croatian Restoration Institute, in cooperation with French colleagues from the University of Marseille (Aix-Marseille University, the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), and the Camille Jullian Centre), and the Losinj Museum. This is all being done with the logistical support of the Diving Centre of the Special Police of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia (MUP) and the Subseason Diving Centre.
The research procedure in the waters surrounding Ilovik was carried out by the most modern methods of documentation, using photogrammetric techniques. The movable archeological material found on the ancient sunken ship confirms the dating of the ship's wood, which undoubtedly belongs to the older horizon of ships sailing the Adriatic, and testifies to the importance of the Losinj archipelago in the context of ancient waterways.
The site of this ship near Ilovik is extremely significant because of the shipbuilding tradition to which we attribute it, its dating, the ship's cargo and the very shallow working conditions that both facilitate and complicate research and pose a challenge to preserve the site. Since it is a site on loose sand, the archeological excavation itself was difficult due to the constant backfilling of the site, so a dam was built in parallel with the excavation,'' they said from the Losinj Museum.
Upon completion of the research and the preparation of documentation, the remains of the ''Ilovik ship'' were covered with sand, geotextiles, then again with sand and with iron nets, which are connected by concrete blocks. The movable archeological finds discovered there were brought back up to the surface, added to the list of finds, and were stored in the premises of the Croatian Air Force in Split during the desalination process.
Upon the completion of the conservation and restoration works, the findings from the Ilovik wreck will be stored in the Losinj Museum.
For more, check out our lifestyle section.
Minister Davor Bozinovic Hints at Mere Extension of Existing Measures
September the 10th, 2021 - Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic has touched on what might be the situation with the country's epidemiological measures next week as cases of infection in Croatia continue to rise.
Croatia has just been ''painted'' red on the latest update of the ECDC coronavirus map, and while the tourist season has gone remarkably well and the country continues to record excellent numbers as we head into the post-season and then into autumn, some believe an extension of the current measures, at the very least, should occur.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said that, as things stand now, next week the National Civil Protection Directorate will mainly go in the direction of the extension of the country's existing measures, emphasising that the best weapon against serious clinical pictures, hospitalisations and deaths is to take one of the several available coronavirus vaccines. Being vaccinated with any of them has been proven to be very effective in protecting people against more serious forms of the disease.
"As the autumn months approach, people will typically be spending much more time indoors and that's why it is important to follow the basic anti-epidemic measures and recommendations of the Croatian Institute of Public Health,'' said Minister Davor Bozinovic.
He also presented the data from the supervision of the implementation of anti-epidemic measures over the past week, during which inspectors conducted a total of 15,597 inspections. They issued two written warnings, eight notices of violations, nine oral rulings, eight indictments, and three fines for those violating the measures.
For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, including travel and border rules, as well as the locations of vaccination points and coronavirus testing centres located up and down the country, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.
Croatia Cooperates With Iran to Improve Halal Industry and Tourism
September 10, 2021 - The head of Croatia’s Halal Industries Center, together with the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, has agreed to increase the cooperation between the two countries in boosting the halal industry including food, medical, and tourism in the country.
Halal tourism in Croatia has increased significantly over the years with an observed 40% growth in the number of visitors coming from the Middle East, Persian Gulf, and North Africa this year. Due to this, Croatia continues to strive in keeping up with the international halal standards.
According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Ambassador Parviz Esmaili and Aldine Dogonić reached an agreement last Wednesday to co-sponsor the 2nd Iran-Croatia Halal Industry to be conducted in Tehran this year. Further details on the upcoming 2021 Zagreb Halal Industry Seminar were also discussed which included the introduction of Iranian firms and their possible collaboration with Croatia's Halal Industries Center.
As specified by Croatian National Tourist Board, the growth of Islamic tourists in Croatia proves the importance and relevance of improving halal tourism in the country. According to them, Islamic visitors should be able to enjoy their stay as much as possible without neglecting their religious beliefs, practices, and commitments. Halal tourism does not only include halal food and preparation but also requires Halal-certified hotels to provide Quran, prayer rugs, and minibars that do not contain any alcoholic beverages.
The Halal Industries Center of Croatia has reported over 200 Croatian companies including food and medicine production, as well as tourism, which have products that are in compliance with the international halal standards. Currently, there are 21 hotels and 7 tourist agencies throughout Croatia which are halal certified and the number of applications for certification is predicted to continuously increase for the next 5 years as Croatia attempts to be the new halal-friendly destination.
For more on halal, visit Croatia's Center for Halal Qualification Certification.
For more on lifestyle, follow TCN's dedicated page.
CLICK HERE for Croatia's latest news updates.
Jandroković Meets With Chilean Counterpart: Croats in Chile Most Successful Diaspora
ZAGREB, 9 Sept 2021 - The Croatian diaspora in Chile is the most successful Croatian community in the world, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Thursday after meeting with his Chilean counterpart Diego Paulsen Kehr.
"A large number of Croats live in Chile. They are successful in politics, business, science, education, and many other areas," Jandroković said after the meeting.
"We consider the Croatian diaspora in Chile to be one of the most successful Croatian communities in the world," he added, describing the Croatian minority in Chile as a bridge between the two countries.
According to Chile's foreign ministry, there are more than 200,000 people of Croatian descent living in Chile, which is almost 1.3% of the total population, as reported by the Central State Office for Croats Abroad.
Paulsen is a member of the party of President Sebastián Piñera, one of the wealthiest people in Chile.
After the meeting with Jandroković, Paulsen said that his visit, as well as a forthcoming visit by Chile's defense minister, is aimed at developing economic cooperation. He added that of all the EU countries his country invests in Croatia the most.
Noting examples of good cooperation, the two officials mentioned the Lukišić family from Chile as one of the biggest investors in the Croatian tourism sector.
They said that the cooperation between the two countries in the coming period will particularly focus on multilateral organizations, especially with regard to sustainability, climate change and green policies, and the fight against autocratic regimes in the world.
For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
More and More Younger COVID Patients on Ventilators, Health Minister Warns
ZAGREB, 9 Sept 2021 - Health Minister Vili Beroš said on Thursday that more and more unvaccinated people from younger age groups were being admitted to hospital due to COVID-19 infection.
By comparison, the average age of COVID hospitalized patients in the fourth wave is six years lower than in the third wave, and the average age of COVID patients placed on ventilators has fallen from 69 to 64 years, Beroš told the cabinet meeting.
94% of patients on ventilators not vaccinated against COVID
The minister emphasized that 94% of COVID patients on ventilators had not been vaccinated against the disease. He added that since the start of September when 5,360 new cases had been registered, 81.2% were unvaccinated cases.
In the period from 30 August to 5 September, 16.6% of new cases were children mainly aged between 15 and 18.
The minister said that the overall costs concerning the coronavirus pandemic increased to HRK 3 billion.
The costs of treatment have so far reached HRK 1.17 billion, which is equivalent to the cost of building a new hospital at Sušak in Rijeka, he said.
Interior Minister Davor Božinović announced the possibility of the current anti-epidemic rules being extended over the next period.
(€1 = HRK 7.476883)
For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, including travel, border, and quarantine rules, as well as the locations of vaccination points and testing centers across the country, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.
New Post-Earthquake Reconstruction Program Adopted
ZAGREB, 9 Sept 2021 - The Croatian government on Thursday adopted a new program for the reconstruction of earthquake-damaged buildings in five counties to correct prices of reconstruction work due to a rise in market prices and extend deadlines for the submission of requests for reconstruction.
Also, the status of a legalized property is no longer required for owners to seek grants for temporary assistance and emergency interventions, Construction Minister Darko Horvat said, noting that the changes would help step up the reconstruction process.
The program includes results of a study the purpose of which was preliminary identification of risky geological process, soil liquefaction, and landslides and which was conducted in cooperation with the Zagreb Faculty of Mining Geology and Petroleum Engineering, Horvat said.
Under the new program, owners willing to reconstruct their houses on their own in disaster areas will be able to arrange the making of the design study and project documentation as well as reconstruction work on their own while supervision over finished reconstruction work and payment will be done by the Central State Office for Housing.
The program defines more clearly than before the content of important technical documentation related to reconstruction, the final report by the supervisor engineer, and the written statement by the contractor, and it additionally regulates the necessary elements for all key stakeholders in the reconstruction process and extends deadlines for the submission of applications.
As of now, citizens will be able to seek grants not only for the general design for reconstruction work but also for designs for structural reconstruction and total reconstruction, with the deadline for such applications being extended until 31 December 2030.
The deadline for the submission of applications for grants for the temporary protection of damaged properties has been extended until 31 December 2022 while applications for the removal of destroyed residential buildings, combined residential and office buildings, and office buildings may be submitted until 31 December 2025.
For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
PM: Croatia's Turning Red on ECDC Map as Expected
ZAGREB, 9 Sept 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said at a government session on Thursday that Croatia's turning red on the epidemiological map of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) was as expected given the spread of the much more contagious Delta coronavirus variant.
"After it was orange and green on the ECDC map the whole summer, Croatia has now turned red, which is as expected considering the rise in the number of infections," he said.
"We are faced with the much more contagious Delta variant, which is more aggressive and spreads faster, and Croatia is already seeing an increase in the number of infections. We continue to insist that vaccination is the best and most efficient way to protect ourselves," he stressed, noting that so far close to 52% of the adult population had been vaccinated.
He recalled the basic epidemiological measures, such as room airing, physical distancing, mask-wearing, and personal hygiene, warning citizens against relaxing entirely.
The epidemiological restrictions applied in Croatia were appropriate to our mentality, health protection, and economic and financial trends, Plenković said, adding that compared to other countries, they had enabled a very good quality of life for Croatian citizens.
"Now it is important that the figures that are relevant at the moment - the number of hospitalizations, the number of patients in serious condition and the number of fatalities - be kept as low as possible," he said, adding that of the ten latest fatalities, only two had been vaccinated.
Most important part of tourist season without alarming situations
He expressed satisfaction with the tourist season, noting that there had been no alarming situations during the peak season.
Commenting on the coming census, he said that for the first time citizens would be able to self-enumerate via the e-Citizens (e-Građani) system.
The census will be conducted digitally from 13 to 26 September, after which data will be collected by around 8,000 census-takers, who will be in the field until 17 October, Plenković said.
For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
28th Anniversary of Grabovica Massacre Commemorated
ZAGREB, 9 Sept 2021 - The 28th anniversary of the massacre committed by the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina against 33 local Croats in Grabovica was commemorated in that village north of Mostar on Thursday.
The families of the victims and other participants in today's commemorative events underscored that the remains of 17 victims, including a four-year-old girl, had not yet been found even after 28 years since the atrocities were committed.
So far, partial remains of 16 of the 33 victims have been identified, while the remains of the other 17 victims have not still been found.
The families also point out the command responsibility of senior officers of the B-H army.
To date, five members of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina have been sentenced for the murders of the Zadro and the Mandić families, however, although we have presented plenty of evidence, no one has been held responsible for this massacre, based on command responsibility, said a representative of the families of the Grabovica victims.
Thus, Nihad Vlahovljak, Sead Karagić, and Haris Rajkić were given 13 years each for the Grabovica atrocities, whereas Enes Šakrak was sentenced to ten years and Mustafa Hota to nine years.
In 2007, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia acquitted General Safer Halilovic, former Deputy Commander and Chief of the Main Staff of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, of charges pertaining to his alleged command responsibility for murders committed by Bosnian Army troops in the villages of Grabovica and Uzdol in the Jablanica and Prozor areas of Herzegovina in September 1993.
In July 2014, the Bosnian State Prosecutor's Office indicted two former members of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) -- Rasema Handanović and Elmedin Čaušević- who were members of the Zulfikar special unit, for torturing a Bosnian Croat married couple in the village of Grabovica in 1993.
For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Infobip Shift Developer Conference Held in Zadar
ZAGREB, 9 Sept 2021 - The international developer conference Infobip Shift, held in the coastal city of Zadar on 7-8 September, brought together 3,000 participants from around the world and an additional 10,000 online participants.
The event ended with Infobip co-founder Silvio Kutić's message that the company wanted to present Croatian know-how to the rest of the world and link domestic experts with the biggest global companies.
The event, which was addressed by more than 60 experts-speakers, presented the latest topics in the developer and IT world.
"We brought in one place representatives of global technology giants like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft and of excellent domestic startups, including Orqa, Robotiq, and Stemi, as well as a large number of people from Infobip. We wanted... to present to the rest of the world Croatian know-how and expertise as well as enable direct contact for our developers with the industry's biggest names," said Kutić, who is also Infobip's executive director.
Infobip, an IT and telecommunications company based in Vodnjan, in May this year launched the Infobip Startup Tribe program, designed to find and connect the most innovative domestic and foreign startups, step up their development and follow their growth. The program currently covers 54 startups from 34 countries and the company received more than 200 applications in a short period of time, Infobip said.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated business section.
First Croatian Union of Platform Workers Established
ZAGREB, 9 Sept 2021 - The Union of Platform Workers (SRDP), the first trade union of that kind in Croatia, has been established as part of the SSSH trade union federation in response to the unenviable status of those workers and the restriction of their rights, the SSSH said on Thursday.
The SRDP was established in June, after which it was registered with the Labour, Pension System, Family, and Social Policy Ministry.
SRDP leader Mile Krivokuća said that self-employed platform workers do not have, among other things, the right to paid sick leave or holiday, they do not have a determined minimum price of labor or insurance against occupational injury or other labor-related rights.
The fact that according to Eurofund, 10.7% of Croatians have worked via digital platforms and that platform work is increasingly the only source of income for workers makes this topic important, notably in the context of amendments to the Labour Act which are aimed at regulating this issue, the union said, noting that it would fight for dignified working conditions and better entitlements for those who work in that fast-growing sector.
Platform work in Croatia is not regulated by law
"Almost eight years after the arrival of digital platforms in Croatia, platform work is still not legally regulated, which results in frequent irregularities and violation of platform workers' rights, which are not penalized," union secretary-general Iva Filipović said, warning that there was a large number of cases where platform workers were not paid their salary or their employers did not pay wage contributions or cases of undeclared work.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated business section.
