ZAGREB, 15 June, 2021 - The appointment of new members of the management and supervisory boards of the Zagreb Holding without a public call for the selection of applicants did not constitute a breach of the pre-election promise, the new Mayor of Zagreb, Tomislav Tomašević, said on Tuesday.

The multi-utility conglomerate Zagreb Holding's assembly on Monday relieved the supervisory and management boards of their duties, appointing Suzana Brenko Supervisory Board chair and Ratko Bajakić and Damir Topić its members. The provisional Zagreb Holding (ZGH) Management Board was appointed as well, with two new members, Nikola Vuković as Management Board chair and Ante Samodol as a member.

Tomašević said that the situation inherited from the previous local government forced them to react quickly and the direct appointment was the most responsible solution.

Commenting on ZGH's loss of HRK 305 million, Tomašević said that the current city administration had two options: to keep the incumbent management that obviously failed to put the situation under control or to dismiss them and leave the Holding without management several months for the duration of the public tender. 

Tomašević said that this was why he resorted to the direct appointment although in the run-up to the elections he and his party (We Can) promised the appointment of executives and management members of the city-owned companies only through public calls.

At a meeting held with Mayor Tomašević last Friday, the former ZGH management reported on the conglomerate's financial situation and losses incurred in 2020. An audited and consolidated report for 2020 shows that ZGH has for the first time in the last seven years incurred a loss of HRK 305 million, the mayor's office said on Monday.

Today, the mayor elaborated that the minimum number of members of the management and supervisory boards of ZGH were directly appointed and promised the advertisement of public calls for the remaining three members in the management board and the remaining members of the supervisory board.

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

June 15, 2021 - Zagreb continues its efforts to promote sustainability through art, this time highlighting the publicly available drinking water. Meet Pimp My Pump. 

A few months ago, I read an article about a journalist in his 50s who decided to try and live for a week without the Internet and return to the communications era of his youth. He spent an illuminating but very frustrating week in London trying to get through the basics of his day without resorting to going online. 

One of the observations which stayed with me from his article was his experience of walking the streets of London. Every other pedestrian, he noted, was looking down into their phones as they walked, while the journalist was looking up at the street signs to check he was going the right way. And not just the street signs. Walking around the city without the distraction of the smartphone in hand, he was able to view the city as he had not done in years, and admire all its beauty. 

Zagreb due to the pandemic is a little like that these days. Take yourself out of your phone and look around the city as you walk. The Zagreb Tourist Board has placed a strong emphasis on oudoor activities and the city's parks, lakes and open spaces. The Around Zagreb initiative with the Zagreb County Tourist Board has been an unqualified success, opening up the city's tourism offer to a diverse range of additional options.

Watch out as you wander the streets of the city, and see if you can spot some of the quirky art projects around the Croatian capital. As previously reported early this year, Street Triptych and Little Zagreb were new additions to the Zagreb scene (check out the videos above and below), and since May 31, there is a new addition to look out for, focusing o sustainability and an important source of life itself. Drinking water.

Is the water safe to drink? 

One of the most common questions asked on holiday in a strange country. The answer in Croatia, of course, is an emphatic yes. The drinking water in Croatia has always been excellent, and many tourists do not realise that you can drink the water from the fountains and city pumps. Rather than buying plastic bottle after plastic bottle, a little education can encourage a little more sustainability, replenishing an empty plastic water bottle, rather than tossing it aside and buying another. 

In order to highlight this, Zagreb has unveiled the Pimp My Pump initiative, merging its world-famous street art with a very sustainable message, while highlighting the availability of public drinking water all over the city. 

In cooperation with the Pimp My Pump Association, some 20 public water pumps (known locally as Iron Franceks (Željezni Franceki in Croatian) have been given a colourful makeover and a lot more visibility. Each pump is themed, some with local personalities, some with more of a global appeal, and each with their own individual story which you can learn via a QR code.

Looking to entertain the kids while delivering a message of sustainability? There are 20 pumps in all, dotted all around the centre, a rather unique way to entertain the little ones while you stroll around the Zagreb Great Outdoors. 

The pumps are located close to several of Zagreb's major tourist attractions, and if you wanted to enjoy the magic and tranquillity of Bundek Park, for example, there are five pumps to be found there alone. A great way for the kids to run around and burn all that energy, only to be looking for water to quench their ensuing thirst. And where better to do that that with fresh drinking water dispersed by the likes of Homer Simpson into a reusable plastic bottle?

You can get more information about the project, as well as download a PDF of the map above from the official tourism board website.

For the latest news about Zagreb, click here.

Jun3 15, 2021 - Many tourism businesses rode out the pandemic hoping for better times. Dubrovnik has been quietly working away, successfully wooing the important US market, and now stands ready to reap the dividends of a quietly effective strategy. 

I don't think I have been more wrong about a destination in Croatia than I have been about Dubrovnik. Pre-pandemic, with the VERY notable exception fo the Feast of St Blaise (simply the best time to visit the city in normal years in my opinion - read why here), it was a city I avoided due to the stereotyypes of overtourism, overcruising, and expensive Dubrovnik. All three labels were not without foundation, but I took little time to explore them to find out the reality. 

Then came the pandemic, and a Dubrovnik transformed. Overtourism became undertourism, the cruise ships and day trip buses vanished, and one was left with a magnificent city to enjoy without the crowds. As painful as it was for the local economy and its tourism businesses which account for up to 90% of the local economy, could the devastation of COVID-19 be a longer term blessing in disguise?

July, 2020 in Dubrovnik was a joy. Having the entire city almost to myself at the height of summer, it made me wonder if it was possible to reset a destination's tourism strategy entirely. The Pearl of the Adriatic had certainly gone a little too far with its cruise ship love, and it was accepted before coronavirus that something had to be done. The empty old town might have been devastating to the local economy in the short term, but could it allow the city to breathe and think about a fresh approach?

When I met Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Frankovic for the first time last July to pitch the idea of digital nomad tourism and Dubrovnik as the remote work lifestyle capital of Europe, I was impressed not only at his readiness to embrace new ideas, but also to repivot his city on a path of sustatinable and higher-quality tourism than had been in evidence in the last few years. We got to work on the digital nomad project the next day, and my involvement and interest in the city has been a lot more involved over the last 12 months as a result. It gave me an opportunity to observe the city and its strategies to prepare for tourism in the post-overtourism age. And there was one market where Dubrovnik has been putting some serious effort.

The United States. 

It is no secret that American tourists are the highest spenders, the highest tippers, and generally very appreciative of all they experience. Dubrovnik has been a magnet for them for many years, althouth the crowds have been an issue in recent times. What if, rather than chasing every tourist to boast numbers, numbers, numbers, a strategy of attracting high quality guests might yield a much better result for the city and its tourism providers?

The pandemic was kind to Dubrovnik's desire to engage with the US market, but there was also plenty going on behind the scenes. When ABC News contacted our Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community about featuring a Mediterranean destination welcoming American tourists, Dubrovnik opened every door it could, and more to the ABC crew. The result? Six prime time reports on how Dubrovnik was welcoming American tourists as the rest of the EU closed its borders, including one on Good Morning America which was watched by 12.5 million people. 

(Photo credit Dubrovnik Tourist Board)

ABC was certainly not the only positive media in the important US market. Only last week, Richard Quest embraced Dubrovnik culture ahead of a big feature on Dubrovnik Tourism for CNN's Quest Means Business show. The relationship with CNN and Mayor Frankovic dates back a few years, and it has been carefully cultivated, leading to the latest broadcast. 

Mayor Frankovic managed to get his messages of Americans welcome, sustainable tourism, and no return to the days of overtourism across well. 

In March, 2021, a 3-month campaign across 73 US airports showcased a 30-second promotional video of Dubrovnik, reaching an estimated 35 million people. And, at a time when many airlines were downsizing their schedules, Dubrovnik managed to do post-pandemic which it struggled to do since the Homeland War - direct flights from the United States. 

The good news just kept on coming. Firstly, United announced that it would be flying directly from Newark to Dubrovnik, starting in July. So strong were early bookings that more rotations have been added, even before the first plane has landed. Soon after, Delta Air Lines announced that they too would put on four flights a week from New York JFK directly into Dubrovnik, from next month. 

There is also the possibility of a third carrier to bring addtional American passengers, with Pragusa.One announcing direct Dubrovnik from both JFK and Los Angeles. My latest infromation is that slots in all three airports have been secured, and final approval from the American Department of Transport is pending. 

Ana Hrnic, who took up the position of Dubrovnik Tourist Board Director in February 2020, just as the pandemic was about to hit, is clearly pleased with the results of the Dubrovnik strategy:

"Throughout the pandemic, we have made great efforts to promote the city, to maintain the visibility of the destination, with special emphasis on the U.S. market. Our efforts have paid off, 8 direct flights a week with the US are a huge success for Dubrovnik tourism. The American market is the second most represented market in Dubrovnik, right after the UK. This year we expect excellent results from this extremely important market for us, and we hope to see continuous growth in the years ahead."

There were similarly impressive steps taken locally as well as efforts to bring flights. Last week Dubrovnik hosted ASTA Destination Expo 2021, a conference of U.S. tourism experts over 4 days. This was an excellent opportunity for the Pearl of the Adriatic to showcase its considerable offer to those whose job it is to sell to American tourists. 

And spare a thought for that digital nomad concept last July, which is where my reevaluation of Dubrovnik began after my meeting with the mayor. Mayor Frankovic quickly grasped the opportunity, Interest in the Croatian digital nomad permit has been global, with the story being featured on CNN, Forbes, the Washington Post and many others. the strongest interest so far has been from the United States. Dubrovnik was the quickest to react to the opportunity, hosting the first digital nomad conference in Croatia back in October, followed by the world's first-ever Digtial Nomads-in-Residence program from April 23 to May 23 this year. 

The program, which included four American nomads-in-residence, co-created a new strategy for the city's approach to the digital nomad opportunity, which TCN (a co-organiser of the event) will be exploring in more detail over the summer. If implemented correctly, will bring a new wave of American tourists. Ones who will find that four weeks in the city is just not enough, as our resident nomads concluded when they discovered Dubrovnik Beyond the Walls. 

Croatian tourism is often described as tourism which just happens, or accidental tourism. When those planes with the first tourists from New York touch down at Dubrovnik Airport, the process that brought them here was anything but accidental. 

For the latest news from Dubrovnik, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

ZAGREB, 15 June, 2021 - The National Anti-Corruption Council on Tuesday interviewed the dismissed head of the radiology ward of Zagreb's Sisters of Charity Hospital, Dijana Zadravec, who presented her evidence of criminal activities used to siphon money from the hospital.

Zadravec, who has been on sick leave since May, told members of that parliamentary body that she learned yesterday from the media that acting hospital director Zoran Vatavuk had given her a warning before dismissal for harming the hospital's reputation, noting that the hospital's reputation was harmed by corruption and those who committed and covered it up.

Zadravec said that her fight against corruption started in 2016, when her persecution and harassment started as well.

She said that as the deputy hospital head she reported in 2016 the charging of fictitious overtime work which the then director Mario Zovak had covered up, adding that she had reported this to the prosecutorial authorities and the Health Ministry.

Zadravec said that in late 2020 she discovered a criminal network at the hospital, with public money being siphoned by doctors, which was why she reported them for abuse of office.

The doctor, who claims to have extensive documentation proving her allegations, says that offers to suppliers with whom the hospital did business without public tenders, since the last public tender was conducted in 2019, were signed by doctors Vladimir Kalousek and Branimir Čule, and that the offers exceeded HRK 30 million.

She also cited cases when less material was used for operations than the quantity ordered from suppliers.

Commenting on Zadravec's allegations, the State Secretary and chair of the Sisters of Charity Hospital Steering Board, Tomislav Dulibić, said that hospital documentation was being checked by inspectors from the health and finance ministries and the HZZO health insurance agency.

"According to preliminary information, no significant departures have been found, except for some minor irregularities. Eleven inspectors are working on this, invite them to testify," Dulibić told the Anti-Corruption Council.

He said that the decision to carry out the inspection at the hospital was made a couple of weeks ago, noting that the relevant proceedings were underway.

The chair of the Anti-Corruption Council, Nikola Grmoja, asked if anyone had responded to Zadravec's claims, to which Zadravec said that after she reported the false charging of overtime work, Health Ministry inspectors were called in and concluded that the matter should be investigated by the hospital director.

Allegations should be investigated as soon as possible 

After conducting the interviews today, the Anti-Corruption Council adopted a conclusion asking the ministries of health, finances and economy as well as the prosecutorial authorities and the USKOK anti-corruption office to determine facts related to the case as soon as possible.

Zadravec was told to submit copies of the reports she had sent to the competent authorities as well as the text message in which, she claims, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković lobbied for Zovak's reappointment as the hospital head.

The Anti-Corruption Council will send the audio recording of today's hearing to the prosecutorial authorities, and it will ask the Health Ministry to submit all documents on inspections conducted at the hospital since 2016 or explain why no inspections were conducted.

The Council will also ask the government to secure additional conditions for the employment of financial investigators at courts in four big cities.

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

June 15, 2021 -  The US Department of Homeland Security officials in Croatia will continue to work in strengthening diplomatic relations with Croatia and ensuring visa-free travel between the two countries situated on opposite sides of the Atlantic.

Officials from the US Department of Homeland Security are currently in Croatia on a weeklong visit. As reported by US Embassy on social media, the visit is in regard to Croatia's progress towards Visa Waiver Programme Membership.

If Croatia joins the programme, Croatian citizens will not need a visa to travel to the USA for tourism, transit, or even for work as long as they don't extend the 90 day limit placed on their stay in the country.

As TCN reported earlier this year, The American Embassy in Croatia formally confirmed back in February that Croatian citizens will be able to finally enjoy the right to travel to the USA without the need for a visa later this year, by the 30th of September 2021 at the very latest, as was reported by Večernji list.

The final prerequisite for the removal of visa requirements was the issuing of 2000 further visas before the end of November 2020. Back then, sources inside the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed this criterion had been met, and thus the annual level of rejected applications will be less than 3%. That final bar was set by the USA to Croatia.

''Our two governments are continuing their close cooperation on meeting the requirements for the Visa Waiver Programme participation. US Department of Homeland Security officials are currently here, working with their Croatian Government partners on further advancing our shared goals, as well as addressing any remaining technical and policy requirements. People-to-people ties between the United States of America and the Republic of Croatia are robust,'' says the press release by the US Embassy in Zagreb.

They added that the US Embassy is continuing to focus on strengthening ties between the two countries and that Croatia is a trusted partner, and these new travel arrangements will also contribute to deepening bilateral relations.

This bit of news comes as a refreshment when taking into account some other recent events. Croatia and the USA enjoy a close connection thanks to their NATO membership, and recently, Croatian president Zoran Milanovic stated that he would not accept a NATO closing declaration if it failed to mention the Dayton agreement and Bosnia and Herzegovina's three constituent peoples.

That statement was criticised even by Željko Komšić, the Croatian member of the tripartite BiH Presidency, saying that ''the concept of constituent peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina is obsolete.''

Additionally, a bit of challenge can be seen with the fact that while the US Embassy has a diplomatic mission in Croatia, there is no appointed Ambassador to Croatia at the moment. But nevertheless, cooperation and friendly relations between the two nations remain tight.

As TCN reported back in May, Croatia participated in a military exercise of transporting American military supplies, before that, in March, the US donated the GeneXpert Machine to Zagreb's Infectious Diseases Hospital and also invested $480,000 in the Upgrade of Rijeka's Offshore Emergency Response Centre.

In addition to their cooperation in terms of safety and health issues, the US additionally cooperated with the science-technology park - Step-Ri to bring entrepreneurship expertise to the Croats. With this diplomatic friendship evident and constantly being nourished, visa-free travel between the two countries is both fully deserved and now needed.

Learn more about visas in Croatia on our TC page.

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

June 15, 2021 - Dinamo and Valur from Iceland will meet in the first round of the Champions League qualifiers after a draw decided the pairs on Tuesday. 

Dinamo found out about their opponent in the first round of the Champions League qualifiers, reports Index.hr.

The Croatian champion will play against Icelandic club Valur in the 1st qualifying round. Other potential rivals were Northern Ireland's Linfield, Maltese Hibernians, and one of the four clubs playing the preliminary round: Folgore (San Marino), Pristina (Kosovo), HB Torshavn (Faroe Islands), or Inter Club d'Escaldes (Andorra).

Valur last played in Europe in the 2019/2020 season, when they were eliminated by Slovenian club Maribor 5:0 in the Champions League, and then lost 5:1 in the Europa League against Bulgarian club Ludogorets. The season before that, the Icelandic representative reached the third qualifying round of the Europa League and lost to the Moldovan club Sheriff because of an away goal. 

Transfermarkt estimates the value of Valur at three million euros, and the most expensive footballer is the Danish striker Patrick Pedersen (400 thousand euros). Valur also has three footballers who have registered appearances for the national team. Birkir Mar Saevarsson played 98 games for Iceland, goalkeeper Hannes Thor Halldorsson defended in 76 games for the Iceland national team, and Kaj Leo Bartalsstovu wore the Faroe Islands jersey 27 times.

The draw for the second qualifying round, also in Nyon, will take place on Wednesday, starting at 12:00. Dinamo will then find out who they will play should they beat Valur. 

The first match of the 1st Champions League qualifying round will be played on July 6 or 7, while the return match is scheduled for July 13 or 14. Dinamo hosts the first game.

Due to great results in Europe in recent seasons, the Croatian champion will be the leader in all qualifying rounds.

Pairs:

Fola Esch (Luxembourg) - Lincoln Red Imps (Gibraltar)
Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia) - Shamrock Rovers (Ireland)
Malmö FF (Sweden) - Riga (Latvia)
Bodo Glimt (Norway) - Legia Warsaw (Poland)
Connah's Quay Nomads (Wales) - Alashkert (Armenia)
HJK Helsinki (Finland) - Buducnost Podgorica (Montenegro)
CFR Cluj (Romania) - Borac Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Shkendija (Northern Macedonia) - Mura (Slovenia)
Teuta (Albania) - Sheriff Tiraspol (Moldova)
Dinamo Tbilisi (Georgia) - Nefchi Baku (Azerbaijan)
Maccabi Haifa (Israel) - Kairat (Kazakhstan)
Ludogorets (Bulgaria) - Shakhtar Soligorsk (Belarus)
Ferencvaros (Hungary) - winner of the preliminary round
Žalgiris (Lithuania) - Linfield (Northern Ireland)
Flora Tallinn (Estonia) - Hibernians (Malta)
DINAMO ZAGREB (CROATIA) - Valur (Iceland)

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

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

June 15, 2021 - Smart LED lighting in Skradin can now be found throughout the entire city! 

The City of Skradin has wholly replaced the 20-year-old city lighting with innovative LED solutions. This project, worth 300,000 euros, was implemented in cooperation with the Hungarian company Tungsram and the Croatian company Luma Energy. The most important result is the annual energy savings of 70% and a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, reports Dalmacija Danas. 

With this extremely valuable investment, as many as 366 units of smart LED lighting have been installed in Skradin, of which 200 units have been installed on roads and streets, 100 units in the city center, and 66 units in the Skradin Elementary School system. In addition, as part of this project, the City of Skradin received an innovative bench that offers citizens free wireless internet and the possibility of charging via a USB port by providing electricity through its solar panels.

In addition to the new LED lighting being a more sustainable solution for people and the environment, this project also sets an excellent example of good practice. It brings the City of Skradin one step closer to the title of the first smart city in the region.

"Thanks to this commendable project, the City of Skradin shines much brighter, smarter, cheaper, and most importantly, more environmentally friendly. These are the key reasons why we decided to achieve this wonderful cooperation and a significant project between the City of Skradin and the companies Tungsram Group and Luma Energy," said Antonijo Brajković, Mayor of Skradin.

Due to increasing CO2 emissions and high energy costs, which significantly burden urban infrastructure and budgets, we are increasingly confronted with the idea of smart cities. At the same time, such initiatives are almost always associated with urban and technologically developed metropolises. However, the City of Skradin, as the Croatian pearl of cultural heritage, convinces us just the opposite. With tremendous energy savings, this project has resulted in a highly positive impact for people and the environment, ranging from better lit and safer roads to school modernization.

"Tungsram had an office in Zagreb in the first half of the last century, which represents our commitment to Croatia, which we see as one of the critical parts of our home region. So it is natural that we provide our latest and most modern solutions here. We are happy to enrich the natural beauties of these Croatian cities with beautiful lights, which also offer entry points for Tungsram's intelligent solutions that are useful for both villages and larger towns.

We are also delighted to be partners with Luma Energy, and we are pleased to have indicators of our work in addition to such a wonderful national park," said Joerg Bauer, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Tungsram Group.

Tungsram Group and Luma Energy also applied their knowledge and innovations in the Municipality of Jarmina, where they installed a total of 300 LED devices on the roads and in the school. This project, worth 200,000 euros, contributes to sustainable development through environmentally friendly, smart solutions with numerous benefits such as significant energy savings.

"This project has provided exceptional benefits for the City of Skradin and the local community, primarily in the form of significant energy savings and a large reduction in maintenance costs. Furthermore, Skradin has received a smart and sustainable solution, which with high energy efficiency, offers better and more uniform lighting in traffic and public places, which greatly raises the overall quality of life in the city. In addition, a smart bench has been set up as part of this project, and how important this innovation is for the citizens of Skradin is shown by the fact that in the last year, the bench has been used by over 9,000 users, for which it provided 1.3 TB of data and produced 129, 5 kWh of electricity," said Toni Vlaic, Executive Director of Luma Energy.

Ultimately, a smart city is not a status but a process that allows cities to respond more quickly to environmental and technical challenges, such as creating a more comfortable living environment for citizens. In this process, smart lighting is the first step because the innovative LED device platform allows installing many other smart applications in the future. LED devices with sensors and smart controls can be connected to smart applications and used for various purposes, from parking facilitation, through traffic monitoring to emergency signals. Therefore, there is no doubt that future similar investments will significantly contribute to raising the quality of life of many communities worldwide.

The recognized name Tungsram returned to the global market in 2018 as an innovative, top European brand by acquiring general lighting business for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey by GE Lighting and a global presence in the automotive industry. Tungsram wants to help tackle the crucial challenges of our time, such as food security, lower energy and cost living environments, safe and rehabilitated environments - or, in short, “human well-being.” Therefore, Tungsram has decided to systematically enhance its heritage of innovation, knowledge, and technology, and materials, taking advantage of our state-of-the-art teams and infrastructure in the heart of Europe. Therefore, the company is moving from analog products to data-based solutions - providing turnkey solutions, often including alternative financing models for our customers.

Tungsram is reviving a 125-year-old tradition of leadership in manufacturing technology and service solutions. Its highly productive supply chain is focused on its five factories in Hungary, working to the highest quality standards with its 3,700 employees and a network of 1,600 suppliers and partners worldwide. In addition, Tungsram Group invests in technologies that are safe for the future and ready for dynamic and growing global markets, such as smart solutions, smart cities, indoor farming, and healthcare, while strengthening the lighting core of its business.

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

ZAGREB, 15 June, 2021 - The emigration of Croatian citizens, in addition to having incalculable implications for the country's pension, education and health care system, has also lead to a rise in corruption in Croatia, Večernji List newspaper said on Tuesday, citing a study by Tado Jurić, a political scientist and historian from the Croatian Catholic University.

The study showed that corruption and emigration were interrelated.

Jurić compared corruption and migration trends from 2012 to 2020, notably the number of Croatians who emigrated to Germany, the country where most Croatians go to in search of work and a better livelihood, and the ranking of Croatia in the global corruption index, and found that corruption was more pronounced when the number of people who left the country was higher. Croatia ranked 63rd among 180 countries included in the corruption index in 2019 and 2020, and 50th before the emigration wave reached its peak.

"Common sense says that if people who are not involved in corruption networks emigrate and those who stay are involved in such networks, corruption activities will be even easier to carry out and more frequent. If critics leave, all the better and easier for those criticised," Jurić says, adding that corruption is deeply rooted in Croatian society and has become a parallel system that undermines the economy.

"Corruption has done even more damage to the Croatian national identity, the sense of unity and solidarity, and to Croatian culture in general than it has done to the economy, which is unquestionably enormous. The main negative effect of corruption affected the country's human resources and political stability. In Croatian society, corruption has become a privilege of the elites, but so-called major corruption, political corruption and clientelism should not be confused with so-called civil corruption.

"So-called elite corruption has given rise to a special phenomenon in society which could be called 'a revolt of the elites'. It is the elites that use the media for their everyday protests against the media, citizens and institutions, making citizens accustomed to the practice that they should not express their dissatisfaction with politicians, but that politicians should express their dissatisfaction with them," Jurić said.

The study shows that 65.3 percent of 178 small, medium and large companies polled said that corruption has been on the rise in the last five years, while 32.4 percent believe that there has been no significant change.

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