September 9, 2021 - The latest ECDC Corona Map on September 9, 2021, has been published, and the whole of Croatia has turned red.

Apart from Croatia, practically all of Western Europe is marked red, while most of Scandinavia has remained orange. Central Europe is mostly green on the new map, reports Index.hr.

For several weeks in a row, the situation in Croatia has changed for the worse on the ECDC map. On last week's map, eastern and central Croatia were red, but Zagreb, coastal counties, and northern Croatia remained orange.

The transition of Croatia to red was expected as the number of infections increased by 50 percent in the last week. Yesterday, 1237 new infections were recorded, and last Wednesday, there were 805.

Red means a 14-day infection rate of 75 to 200, with a positive rate greater than 4 percent, and areas where the 14-day infection rate is 200 to 500. Dark red areas mean a 14-day rate greater than 500.

The ECDC Epidemiological Map for Europe is published weekly based on the 14-day incidence and the proportion of positive tests in the total number tested.

Beroš announced on Twitter that Croatia had become a red zone. He says this is the result is thanks to the non-vaccinated population and non-compliance with measures.

"We are in the red. The result is partly non-vaccination and non-compliance with epidemiological measures. The way out is in as many vaccinated as possible, which raises the level of protection for all," he wrote.

Zvonimir Šostar, Andrija Štampar Teaching Institute for Public Health director, spoke to HTV's Dnevnik about the latest map. 

"The whole of Croatia has a problem due to non-reporting contacts," he stressed and added that the Delta strain is much more contagious than previous strains, and it is important that all contacts are registered.

He pointed out a problem with vaccination and appealed to everyone not to go to large gatherings if necessary, and to respect the measures, especially when it comes to wearing a mask.

"There are no hotspots; there are familial, horizontal spreads. As a result, more and more young people are hospitalized, and care should be taken," he warned.

For coronavirus resources specific to Croatia, including info on travel and the locations of vaccination points and testing centres, make sure to bookmark our dedicated section and select your preferred language.

September 9, 2021 - The Cris Pelo Mundo TV crew spent the past two weeks filming the beauties of Croatia and decided to dedicate the entire fourth season to documenting the best that Croatia has to offer.

In 17 days, the Brazilian film crew visited 14 different destinations and got acquainted with Croatia's rich cultural, gastronomic, and natural resources.

Cris Pelo Mundo is featured on the Travel Box Brazil pay-TV channel, which reaches more than 14 million families interested in traveling the world and ranks 5th among the target audience in Brazil - families looking for inspiration for their next trip.

The team consists of Cris Stilben, TV presenter, her husband Igor Duarte, TV presenter, their son Emmanuel, TV presenter, photographer Mirian Molinero, and cameraman Raphael Bellizzi.

"Croatia is truly a complete experience; it has everything! Great history, beautiful untouched nature, good infrastructure and is an extremely good destination for families with children ("kids friendly"). We are amazed by everything we have seen," said Cris Stilben.

"We enjoyed every step of discovering Croatia, and we were amazed by the ideal combination of historical and cultural heritage with natural beauty," added Igor Duarte.

The entire project in Croatia was designed by Marilia de Oliveira, a Brazilian with a Karlovac address and the owner of the travel agency Marzito Travel. In addition to launching the project on this trip, Marilia was in charge of all logistics, translation, and escorting the entire trip.

 As the whole world is struggling with the coronavirus pandemic, this year's trip was used to promote Croatia in the best way.

The trip is designed to present all the main Croatian destinations such as Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Pula, Rovinj… but also to focus on smaller locations that are very attractive but that the Brazilian audience may not know. A special focus was put on locations such as Karlovac, Nin, Buzet, Brijuni, Kamenjak, and more, which have a lot to offer, but the Brazilian audience has not had the opportunity to meet thus far. 

"Unfortunately, we only had 17 days to film the whole series, and I think we did a little miracle by visiting 14 destinations; I am thrilled and proud of these projects, and all the partners of the tourist board, CNTB, restaurants, hotels, and caterers who supported us and enabled us to achieve this big project. Despite the pandemic year, the project has shown that with the joint efforts of all employees in tourism, we can present Croatia in the best light," the Cris Pelo Mundo TV crew said. 

In addition to TV promotion, this project will be promoted social networks such as Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube, in addition to TV promotion. With the highest expectations, you can follow the new season on television at the end of this year!

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

September 9, 2021 - The age-defying Croatian football great Luka Modrić celebrates 36 years today. To honor the Croatia captain and Real Madrid star, we recount an unknown story about the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner. 

Although already in his finer years, Luka Modrić is still one of the core players of the biggest football clubs in the world, Real Madrid. But Luka's path to stardom was anything but easy, especially when recounting his early childhood days. 

Luka's war history has been retold many times because as a six-year-old boy, he had to leave his family home in Zaton Obrovački, where in front of that house, Chetniks killed his grandfather Luka, after whom he was named. 

For many years, Modrić lived with his family in refugee hotels in Zadar - he was in the Kolovare Hotel until 1997, and then he moved to the Iž Hotel. He would go to school and training and moved his focus solely to football, which eased the pain of life's everyday difficulties. 

The separation, time of war, and everything that accompanied Luka's early years in Zadar were anything but pleasant, but there were many people with big hearts who tried to make those days better.

Namely, Luka received help from a Scottish humanitarian association founded during the war in former Yugoslavia, and its founder Magnus MacFarlane-Farrow (53) admitted his run-in with now football great Luka Modrić on The Scottish Sun.

“Little did we know that among the crowds of kids there was one who would grow up to be a global superstar. But now we can celebrate an amazing moment in the Mary’s Meals story," said funder and CEO of Mary’s Meals, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow. 

“Today, two million children ate Mary’s Meals in a place of education. When we set out on this path nearly 30 years ago, we were overwhelmed by people’s goodness in donating – and that’s been the story ever since."

In the beginning, Magnus personally came to Medjugorje with his brother Fergus and delivered help for those in need. And in 2019, to mark the 10th anniversary of the Mary's Meals branch, he visited Croatia. 

"In 2019, my Julie and I travelled back to Croatia for the ten-year anniversary of Mary’s Meals support there.

We enjoyed an amazing evening of dancing and singing in Slavonski Brod, a town we had last visited nearly thirty years previously when it was being ripped apart by war and home to many thousands of refugees.

At the main event in the capital, Zagreb, the following evening, I received a very wonderful surprise when I finished making my short speech.

One of the volunteers climbed onto the stage and presented me with a parcel, which on opening turned out to be a Croatia football top.

I was happy enough with that, being a big fan of their amazing national team, which had reached the World Cup final the previous year, but only when I turned it over in my hands did I realize it was much better than that.

It was a signed gift from Luka Modrić, who was the holder of the Ballon d’Or - so recognised as the best footballer on the planet.

He and his family support Mary’s Meals partly because they were themselves refugees in the coastal town of Zadar when Julie and I used to deliver aid there.

Little did we know that among the crowds of kids there was one who would grow up to be a global superstar."

Luka Modric won the Golden Ball at the 2018 World Cup, where he also became a finalist with Croatia. He went on to win the Ballon d’Or and was named the men’s best player by FIFA and UEFA for the 2017/18 season. He also won the Golden Ball at the FIFA World Club Cup with Real Madrid, and helped the club win their third consecutive Champions League title. But that's only part of it, and there is no stopping him yet. 

Happy 36th Birthday, Luka!

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE.

September 9, 2021 - 36-year-old Croatian football referee Ivana Martinčić from Koprivnica will be the first female referee to lead a Croatian First League match. 

The Croatian Football Federation has confirmed that Martinčić will be the head referee this Friday (September 10) in the first match between Gorica and Hrvatski Dragovoljac in the 8th round of the Croatian First League (HNL), reports Jutarnji List.

This will make Croatia the fifth country in Europe where a woman will be the main referee in the football competition's elite class. Women served as main referees at elite matches in France, Wales, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine before Croatia.

"This is a clear example of the direction in which Croatian football is heading, in the spirit of unity, equality, and progress," said HNS.

Ivana Martinčić has been successfully working at the second league level since 2017. In 2018, she refereed the European Under-19 Football Championship final, and in 2015 the European Under-17 Championship final. In June last year, Martinčić was the fourth referee in the Hajduk - Varaždin match. Since 2017, she has refereed Second HNL matches. Since 2019, she has been an elite international referee and is also a candidate for the 2023 Women's World Cup, held in Australia and New Zealand. The head of Croatian football referees, Bruno Marić, has followed Ivana closely and thus decided to give her a chance on the biggest stage. 

HNS president, Marijan Kustić, is very proud to witness the historical moment of the First HNL on Friday.

"It is a great day for Ivana Martinčić, but also the entire HNS. I have often said that we want to keep up with the world on all issues, and this is just one way to show it concretely. We expand our horizons every day, we show our neighbors, but also many in Europe, that we work in all fields, and of course, Ivana deserved such an opportunity with her work. I believe that its success will encourage many, including us in the HNS, to give more attention to women's football in Croatia together," said Kustić.

The president of the HNS Referees Commission, Bruno Marić, is equally proud.

"I think this is a historic day for Croatian refs and the HNS. Opening the First HNL to female referees was part of my program when I ran for the position of President of the HNS Referees Commission. We are entering the world elite in terms of referees in men's football because only four countries - France, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, and Wales - have female referees at the most elite level of national competition. Ivana Martinčić is thus becoming a serious candidate for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, held in 2023. Ivana also completed her VAR education, and I am especially proud to say that she is probably the only one in the world to run men's referee standards at the last seminar. The region we live in does not have such a referee; we are avant-garde in that respect. I am convinced that Ivana will respond to all the challenges brought by the First HNL. My great mission is to bring Ivana to the point of refereeing men's European matches, and she can certainly do that," concluded Marić.

Other refeees for the Fist HNL 8th round matches: on Saturday, Dinamo and Šibenik play (main referee Tihomir Pejin from Donji Miholjac) and Rijeka and Slaven Belupo (Duje Strukan from Split). Dario Bel from Osijek will referee on Sunday in Pula, where Istra 1961 will meet Hajduk. In the last match of this round, the clash between Lokomotiva and Osijek, the main referee will be Mario Zebec.

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE.

September the 9th, 2021 - American actor Neil Patrick Harris was recently seen holidaying on the Croatian coast with his husband and two children, and he clearly can't get Croatia's premier island of Hvar out of his head as he makes an Instagram anniversary post mentioning the Dalmatian island once again.

As Morski writes, this summer, the well known actor from the popular American show ''How I Met Your Mother'' enjoyed cruising the Mediterranean in the company of his husband and two children. An unmissable stop for the family this year was, unsurprisingly, the stunning Dalmatian island of Hvar, where the actor has been coming for the last few years.

His Instagram profile is full of photos and videos where he can be seen enjoys the joys of the Croatian Adriatic sea with his family, jumping into the crystal clear water from various locations on ​​the island of Hvar.

Neil Patrick Harris recently posted a photo on his Instagram profile in which he and his husband David Burtka are standing together without a T-shirt, in their bathing suits in front of a beach club on Hvar, which is excellent free promotion from the actor for the island which is famed for boasting the most sunshine.

''Seven years ago today, we got married in Italy. Last week, we were swimming in Croatia. Who knows where we’ll wind up next, but there is no one I’d rather travel the world with than you, David Burtka. Your adventurous spirit combined with your nurturing heart continues to impress and inspire. Our children are so fortunate to be surrounded by your love, your dedication, and your light. We all are. Happy anniversary, bubba. Can’t wait to see what happens next. @dbelicious #grateful #anniversary'' writes the actor.

For more on celebrities in Croatia, make sure to check out our lifestyle section.

September the 9th, 2021 - The Rijeka robotics startup Stemi has been invested in by Damir Sabol and the remarkable Vodnjan company Infobip, which has become widely known and well respected over the last few years.

As Novac/Bernard Ivezic writes, Infobip and Damir Sabol have invested in the Rijeka robotics startup Stemi, a startup which successfully developed the very first Croatian educational robot and created an educational platform around it that reaps good results across the Atlantic in the USA.

The trio announced the above at the jubilee tenth Infobip Shift conference in Zadar, and this is Infobip's first investment in a startup so far. The Vodnjan company has received many investments from others, but hasn't, until now, made one itself.

They didn't want to reveal any of the details for now, and instead, Stemi has stated that they are preparing a big surprise for the end of September in the City of Zagreb. Stemi has recently been heavily involved in the promotion of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in education, and has been supported in this by Infobip. In addition, Rijeka robotics startup Stemi is one of the first members of the programme in which the Croatian unicorn encourages young technology companies from around the world to use its technology - the much talked about Infobip Startup Tribe.

The Infobip Shift conference is being attended by more than 13,000 visitors this year. In Zadar, over 3,000 live visitors gathered physically in the Kresimir Cosic Hall, and over 10,000 bought tickets for the online following of the conference. Thus, this year's Shift conference, the first organised under Infobip, has grown into the largest developer conference not only in Croatia but also in Europe.

Ivan Burazin, Infobip's board member for developer relations, boasted at the opening of the conference that Infobip has the best communication platform in the world, which is sold according to the service model.

''This year, we're under the auspices of Infobip for the first time. That's why it's now called Infobip Shift, but we're still Shift and this year we're dealing with what developers are doing - problem solving,'' explained Burazin.

Izabel Jelenic, the co-founder and chief technical officer, then took the stage, greeted the audience briefly and told them that they were "just starting". This is the slogan of Infobip, which, after becoming the first Croatian unicorn, is strengthening its operations and actively taking over other companies. It first took over the American OpenMarket, then the Croatian franchise of the Shift developer conference, and then the Irish company Anam Technologies. That's why it is speculated that the market value of the first Croatian unicorn far exceeded last year's billion dollars.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated business section.

September the 9th, 2021 - Numbers for Kvarner in August 2021 are impressive, as the rest of 2021's tourist season across the country has been. They're close to reaching the figures we saw in record, pre-pandemic 2019.

As Novac/Barbara Ban writes, the beginning of September brought with it some great news for Kvarner. According to the official data of the eVisitor system, more than 5.5 million overnight stays were realised in Kvarner in August 2021, which is 90 percent of the overnight stays registered from the record 2019! As such, in August 2021 in Kvarner, there were 35 percent more overnight stays realised when compared to the same month last year.

Since the beginning of the year, tourist overnight stays have reached 77 percent of the overnight stays registered from back in 2019, meaning that when compared to overnight stays realised from the same period in 2020, 29 percent more have been achieved.

"Since the beginning of this year, Kvarner has been at the very top of Croatia in terms of tourist results. Information from the field and the state of booking for both during July and August gave a hint that the numbers were set to be above all expectations. Thanks to joint efforts, we managed to preserve a good epidemiological picture in the region and this year the main season is lasting for longer, and the whole tourism sector was more than ready for this situation.

If we look at the tourist results of July and August together, we can see how successful the main part of this year's tourist year was - in those two months, slightly more than 10 million overnight stays were realised, which is 87 percent of the amount of overnight stays when compared to July and August 2019, meaning 28 percent more overnight stays compared to July and August 2020.

With a lot of effort and conscientiousness from all of Kvarner's tourism and healthcare professionals, we've preserved a stable and favourable picture of health for our population and guests, which is a great success since a very large number of people holidayed in Kvarner's destinations and moved around Kvarner. Although our county is one of the best vaccinated counties in Croatia, the Teaching Institute for Public Health of Primorje-Gorski kotar County is still conducting their vaccination campaign because even greater vaccination in the future will mean milder measures,'' said Dr. Irena Persic Zivadinov, the director of the Kvarner Tourist Board.

The most numerous guests in August 2021 in Kvarner were guests from Germany (almost two million), Croatia (800 thousand), then Slovenia (slightly more than 700 thousand) and Austria (420 thousand). At the same time, it is certainly important to emphasise that certain markets during August achieved a higher number of overnight stays than those from the record 2019:

• Guests from Germany realised 33 percent more overnight stays compared to 2019 and 62 percent more compared to 2020;

• Guests from the Czech Republic realized 11 percent more overnight stays compared to 2019 and 25 percent more compared to 2020;

• Guests from Switzerland realised 14 percent more overnight stays compared to 2019 and 45 percent more than in 2020;

• Guests from Serbia realised 8 percent more overnight stays compared to 2019 and 50 percent more compared to 2020;

• Guests from Poland realised almost the same number of overnight stays compared to 2019 and 2020.

When we talk about foreign guests, the good news is that in Kvarner in August 2021, guests from neighbouring Italy returned in greater numbers than were present there last year.

As such, during August, they realised 48 percent more overnight stays than they did back in 2020. Italy was one of the countries that was hit hard and extremely seriously by the coronavirus pandemic when we talk about the number of seriously unwell patients and the state of the economy. Unlike our other important and close markets, Italy as a Mediterranean country has access to the sea and a really large number of coastal cities and destinations.

Like many other countries, the Italian Government has worked hard to encourage its residents to spend their holidays in their own country to boost the economy. Namely, Italian tourism is also continuing to suffer losses because Italy as a destination hasn't managed to record a large number of foreign guests in 2021.

For more on Kvarner tourism, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

September the 9th, 2021 - Croatian road users have yet another reason to watch out while driving as the Croatian police begin using a brand new, modern app which allows them to see if you've committed any offences in the Republic of Croatia, even if you're driving a vehicle that is registered outside of the European Union's borders.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, As of 31st of August, 2021, the Croatian police situated at the country's borders are stepping up their game in terms of the use of new technology and monitoring. It no longer matters where your car is registered or what you might have done, they'll know about it, and you'll no longer be able to escape any fines.

''In continuation of the comprehensive project of the modernisation and digitalisation for the traffic police, Croatian police officers began working with a new application.

With the help of this application, they have an insight into the records of vehicles with foreign registration plates from countries which lie outside of the territory of the European Union (EU), with which drivers have committed a traffic offense while driving in the Republic of Croatia.

During the process undertaken while at border control, the Croatian police officers will determine who the owner of the vehicle is, regardless of where it is registered, and process any traffic violations through the aforementioned application,'' the Ministry of the Interior (MUP) recently announced.

According to a report from Vecernji list, upon arrival at the border crossing, Croatian police officers will deal with the perpetrators of misdemeanors who don't have their permanent residence address registered in the Republic of Croatia, but still have unpaid fines for the committed misdemeanors, through the application.

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

For all you need to know about driving in Croatia, as well as tips, ferry connections and laws you might be unfamiliar with, have a look at our dedicated section.