ZAGREB, 29 May 2021 - Businesses in the Croatian tobacco industry posted the net profit of 81.9 million kuna in 2019, a rise by 72.5% compared to 2018, according to the data provided by the Financial Agency (Fina).

In 2019, only the three entreprenuers -- TDR, Hvatski Duhani and Tvornica duhana Udbian -- were registered in this business activity in 2019.

They had 902 people on their payrolls.

The total revenues in the tobacco industry were HRK 1.1 billion, and for instance in 2017, they totalled 1.4 billion while in 2003 and 2004 they reached more than 2.6 billion.

The number of workers in this sector fell from 1,106 in 2002 to 720 in 2010, while in 2019 there were 902 employees.

The average monthly salary per employee in this sector rose 64.6% from HRK 6,566 in 2002 to HRK 10,809 in 2019.

The average monthly salary in this sector in 2019 was by 85.9% higher than the Croatian average.

In terms of the total revenues, the best performer in 2019 was the TDR company with 715 employees and HRK 871.4 million in revenue.

(€1 = HRK 7.5)

May 29, 2021 – Close to Lastovo Island in the Dubrovnik archipelago, a local fisherman discovered a living specimen of the noble pen shell in Croatia. 

The title of this text would not be very interesting just a few years ago. Noble pen shells are some of the most beloved bivalves of the Croatian part of the Adriatic. They are popular with scuba divers and snorkelers because of their impressive size and beauty. Unfortunately, last year saw a massive dying-off of noble pen shells in Croatia.

It started five years ago in Spain. The mysterious disease killed off almost the entire population of noble pen shells in the Mediterranean. Tportal reports, Croatian Veterinary Institute (HVI) is researching the causes of the ecological disaster. A parasite called Haplosporidium pinnae in combination with micro bacteria is the most likely culprit. According to Zeljko Mihaljevic, pathologist and epidemiologist of HVI, this discovery is very reassuring. The Southern Adriatic seems to have lost virtually its entire population of noble pen shells. Any surviving specimens are very interesting to observe. They might have immunity that is potentially very important for the continuation of the research.

Observe and Report

He also went on to ask anyone who spots any noble pen shells in the Adriatic to check if they are alive. Simply passing your hand over the shell should make it close. It is sensitive to the commotion in the water. Any living specimen should be reported to the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development. Their central contact number is +385 1 3717 111.

Noble pen shell, also known as fan mussel, can be over a meter in length. They usually grow upright on sandy bottoms. It is endemic to the Mediterranean region and the biggest bivalve in the Adriatic. They are a good indicator of sea cleanliness. The Croatian government is enacting a program that aims to slowly re-establish the population of noble pen shells. It will not be an easy nor a quick process. Diving lovers in Croatia are hoping to once again enjoy the view of these darlings of the Adriatic.

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

ZAGREB, 29 May 2021 - The second round of local elections will take place on Sunday for the mayors of 57 cities and 87 municipalities as well as for the prefects of 14 counties in Croatia.

During the second round of voting, 3,231,000 citizens are eligible to vote at nearly, 5,500 polling stations that will be set up in 432 cities and municipalities.

Four biggest cities to get new mayors

The results of mayoral runoffs will show who will run the four biggest Croatian in the next four years. In the capital city of Zagreb, the mayoral candidate of the Green-Left Coalition, Tomislav Tomašević of the We Can party faces off Miroslav Škoro of the Homeland Movement party (DP), whereas in Split, the mayoral runoff includes Vice Mihanović of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and Ivica Puljak of the Centre party.

In Rijeka, Marko Filipović of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and independent Davor Štimac are vying for the mayoral of this northern Adriatic seaport, and in Osijek, Ivan Radić of the HDZ and Berislav Mlinarević, supported by the DP party and the Bridge party, are running in the mayoral runoff.

Those four cities will have new mayors, as none of the incumbents are in the mayoral race. In Zagreb Milan Bandić, who was at the helm of the city for 20 years, died of heart attacks on 28 February.

The outgoing mayors of Osijek and Split, Ivica Vrkić and Andro Krstulović Opara (HDZ), decided not to run for a new term, citing health reasons.

The outgoing Rijeka mayor Vojko Obersnel, an SDP official, who has been at the helm of Rijeka since 2000,  said before these local elections that the time had come for younger politicians to take the helm and supported Marko Filipović of the SDP as his successor.

Another major cities, which are county seats, for instance Varaždin, Dubrovnik, Vukovar and Sisak will have the mayoral runoffs between the incumbents and the new opponents.

In Pula, which was run by Boris Miletić of the Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) until these polls, the IDS official Helena Puh Belci faces off independent candidate Filip Zoričić.

Six counties get prefects in 1st round, 14 to have runoffs

Six counties elected their prefects in the first round of voting on 16 May, when the winners won more than 50% of the ballot, and the remaining 14 counties will have runoffs for their prefects on Sunday.

Of those six winners in the first round, four are HDZ representatives: Antonija Jozić of Požega-Slavona, Igor Andrilović of Virovitica-Podravina County, Ivan Anušić of Osijek-Baranja County and Danijel Marušić of Slavonski-Brod Posavina County.

Social Democrat (SDP) official Željko Kolar was reelected prefect of Krapina-Zagorje County and Matija Posavec, an independent candidate, was reelected as the head of Međimurje County.

In the other 14 counties, the first two vote-getters will participate in the runoffs on 30 May.

Anti-epidemic measures to be implemented at polling stations

Voters going to the polls on Sunday are required to wear protective masks and they are also advised to have their own pencils. Although the epidemiological situation has improved since the first round of the voting, the same anti-epidemic measures will be implemented on Sunday.

Polling stations open from 7 am to 7 pm

The polling stations will open on 7 am and close at 7 pm. The course of voting will be observed by 8,334 monitors, and the lion's share of them have been proposed by political parties running in the elections, while a mere 17 monitors will be at polling stations on behalf of nongovernmental organisations

May 2, 2021 - The good news continues in the tourism sector just a few days into the summer season, Hvar olive oil triumphs in New York, and a painting reaffirms the identity of the Dalmatian dog. Here are our five highlights of the week, recapping the big events in Croatia from May 24 to May 30, 2021.

Croatia is preparing to enter the summer season, and in recent days the relaxation of anti-epidemic measures, the anticipated presence of European tourists, and the constant updates of international flights continue to awaken optimism in the tourism sector. But in addition to good news regarding the tourism and travel scene, more interesting events such as a painting confirming the origins of the Dalmatian dog breed or the successful performance of Hvar's olive oil in New York, also stood out in these last days: here's a quick review of this week in news.

Loosening of anti-epidemic measures announced

One of the main novelties of the new measures is the return to restaurant interiors. (Credits: Pixabay)

The month of May, regarding the management of the pandemic, was marked by rapid and efficient implementation of the vaccination program throughout the country, as well as a decrease in cases of infections. Due to this, and taking into account the approach to the summer season, some existing measures will be relaxed and some even lifted. These measures became effective as of Friday 28, in which the following mainly stand out: the return to the interiors of the restaurants, the extension of the service hours in catering and hospitality facilities as well as the sale of alcohol until 23:00, increasing the maximum number of guests at weddings and no more restrictions on the number of people present at funerals.

For everything you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, including travel, border, and quarantine rules, as well as the locations of vaccination points and test centers up and down the country, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.

More Germans in Croatia than all foreigners combined

The tourism sector was surprised by a large number of foreign visitors, led by Germans, who made early trips into the country to avoid the summer crowds. (Credits: Romulić and Stojčić)

According to the eVisitor system, there are currently 85,000 tourists in Croatia. Germans take the lead, who are already Croatia's most loyal and most numerous foreign guests. Namely, there are more German tourists in Croatia than all other foreigners combined! Although it is true that the month of May is one in which many tourists choose as the right time to travel due to the absence of crowds, it is still a positive indicator to take into account with the summer season around the corner. the corner. A decisive factor even in times of pandemic was the news on Friday 21, in which it was confirmed that Germany would remove Croatia from the red list, thus allowing fewer restrictions on the movement of tourism between the two countries.

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

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

Old Painting Confirms Dalmatian Breed is Croatian Dog

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković announced and supported the National Recovery and Resilience Plan in public (Credits: Fra. Branko Brnas/Morski/HTV/Dnevnik)

The Dalmatian dog breed is one of the most popular in the world, both for its well-known role as a firefighter dog in times past or for its unique spotted coat. In recent days, the sights are once again on the Dalmatians, due to the premiere of the new Disney film that revolves around one of its most recognized villains: Cruella de Vil. However, and despite the fact that its name should clear any doubt on its own, many are unaware of the origin of the dog breed in the Croatian region. One Croatian vicar from Makarska, Fra. Branko Brnas, believes he has substantial proof that the spotty, clownish, and friendly Dalmatian truly did originate on these shores. Inside the monastery of St. Mary, in the town of Zaostrog in Central Dalmatia, where the great folk poet Andrija Kacic Miosic spent part of his creative life, hangs a painting with the motif of the last supper from the 18th century. On the floor lies a dog that closely resembles the Dalmatian breed as we know it today. To most, this is proof that the famous Dalmatian breed is definitely an autochthonous Croatian breed. Oddly enough, it took a long time to admit that.

For everything you need to know about pets in Croatia, and more about the Dalmatian breed, be sure to check Total Croatia's 2020 guide, now in your language!

For more, follow Made in Croatia.

Hvar Olive Oil Makes Triumphant Return From New York Competition

Olive oil is a must on Croatian tables, but its impact and quality transcend borders. A great example is Hvar olive oil, which has made a triumphant return from an international competition in New York. (Credits: Romulić and Stojčić)

In addition to its natural beauty, history, and renowned nightlife, the island of Hvar's authority in the olive oil industry has been confirmed in recent years. The golden liquid is an essential element in Croatian cuisine, and its coastal regions have proven for hundreds of years to be the land of the best qualities of grapes to produce olive oil. But these conclusions do not come solely from local pride, and it is that in recent years Hvar olive oil has stood out in international competitions and critics. In fact, Hvar olive oil has made a triumphant return at the International Olive Oil Competition in New York, once again setting the reputation and category of Croatian olive oil high.

When it comes to olive oil, Croatia is one of the leading countries in the industry. From Istria to Dalmatia, you can find all the information you need to know about the origins, processes, and where to buy Croatian olive oil on the Total Croatia page, now in your language!

For more news like this, follow our Made in Croatia section.

16 Eurowings Flights to Croatia from Germany

In May, Eurowings renewed traffic on several routes to Split Airport. In the last week of May, the company will also operate in Rijeka, Zagreb, and Zadar, and in June, it will significantly increase its presence at Croatian airports. (Credits: Pixabay)

To close this new edition of the most important news of the week, we once again return to the travel updates, when it was learned that 16 Eurowings flights from Germany to Croatia were confirmed for the following weeks. If at the beginning of this summary the positive change in terms of anti-epidemic measures was anticipated, as well as the current presence of a large number of German tourists in Croatian territory, the increase in air traffic between both countries reaffirms a hopeful panorama of visits from that country in the very upcoming summer season. Three Eurowings lines from Berlin, Four lines from Hamburg, Three lines from Dusseldorf, Two lines from Cologne, and lines from Stuttgart to Zagreb, Zadar, and Split have been confirmed for next month. The German low-cost airline will have 16 routes (23 flights a week) to 6 Croatian airports in June; Zagreb, Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik, Pula, and Rijeka. 

For the latest flight updates, check out the TC Flights to Croatia page.

From Monday to Sunday, we list five events featured on the front pages of Croatia's news portals.

To follow all news from Croatia, subscribe to our newsletter.

May 29th, 2021 - After a busy year of drug busts, Ploče Port finally received an X-ray device called ‘Rapiscan’ - for the inspection of container cargo and new vessels to implement surveillance at sea. 

Metković News reports, the Customs Administration, using funds from the EU in order to strengthen the operational capacity of the control of goods and traffic in seaports, has deployed an X-ray device model for use - Rapiscan Eagle M 4507 - which was procured within the EU Fund "IPA 2007 - equipment for mobile teams of the Customs Administration for the Suppression of Smuggling", whose purchase value was HRK 9.3 million, of which the EU financed 74%, and the share of national funding was 26%.

The Ploče Port is an international port, open for the traffic of goods in maritime and railway traffic 24 hours a day, with the status of an international inspection border crossing where besides customs other inspection services are regulated (Border Veterinary, Sanitary, Phytosanitary Inspection) and on which the import, and export of all kinds of goods is permitted.

At the annual level in the Ploče Port, there are about 26,000 container units (TEU, 40 ′, and 20 ′ containers), or about 2.6 million tons of cargo (bulk and liquid) and about 60 thousand imported documents are processed in customs procedures, export, and transit.

Director of the Customs Administration, Mr. Mario Demirović stated:

“The X-ray device specializes in the inspection of a wide range of means of transport (containers, tanks) as well as all types of cargo since X-rays penetrate liquids, wood, and steel, which will greatly facilitate cargo inspection in the Ploče Port. 

This X-ray device model can inspect loads up to 2.8 meters wide and up to 4.6 meters high, and at high speeds outline the structure and components of scanned objects, whether it is the structure of the vehicle or vehicle, cavities, processed spaces, hidden goods and the like.

Under optimal conditions, up to 30 containers or tanks can be inspected on average and scanned in one hour.

The X-ray device is mobile, which means that it can be used in all locations where there is a need, so from mid-May 2021, it is deployed for use in the Ploče Customs Office for the purpose of inspecting container traffic in the Port of Ploče and the need to strengthen cargo traffic control capacity. to recent large quantities of seized goods (especially narcotics). "

To read more about news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

May the 29th, 2021 - The coronavirus pandemic has dealt a heavy blow to investments in Croatia, but could the Croatian private sector ever truly manage to reach planned goals, despite how unrealistic they might seem?

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Jadranka Dozan writes, as is more than usual for the pre-election period, the past few weeks have bore witness to a mini-review of recent investment projects with occasional "ribbon cutting" taking place. The first estimate of GDP for the first quarter is expected, which will show how things are with the level of investment activity compared to the end of last year, as well as the comparable quarter of last year.

Gross fixed capital formation in the last quarter of last year, after an annual decline in the previous two, recorded a 4.2 percent increase. Thus, the decline in investments in 2020 was reduced below three percent, which is more favourable than the Government's expectations from the revisions of the projections with the outbreak of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

In the May rebalance, the original plan for investment growth in 2020 was turned into an expectation of a 9 percent decline, and in October a reduction of six percent was expected. The final minus 2.9 percent is primarily due to the double-digit growth of general government investment of as much as 18.7 percent

In contrast, Croatian private sector investment, which has lagged behind the state sector for some time now, sank by a concerning 8.5 percent last year. For this year, the Government's projections envisage 9.9 percent growth in terms of such investments, with a slightly smaller, but still double-digit growth in state ones (15.5 percent), counting on the recovery of Croatian private sector investment, at a rate of 8 percent.

Investment plans, and especially their implementation, are difficult to think of, let alone see in the business sector. Despite that, from some large companies, plans are on track to increase capital investment. Thus, for example, the Fortenova Group, which recently now finally includes Mercator, has planned to realise 125 million euros or close to one billion kuna in capital investments this year alone.

Among other things, with the integration of Mercator, significant investments in the retail network await them. After 192 million kuna of capital expenditures last year, Podravka intended 40 percent more than that for investments this year, ie 272 million, and for the next two years - about 200 million.

The Croatian Employers' Association (Hrvatska Udruga Poslodavca/HUP) points out that their members, in addition to the investments that will be encouraged by the recovery programme, have launched their own investment cycles that are taking place now or will be completed at some point this year.

One of the most attractive investments in the eyes of the Croatian media at this moment in time is that of Rimac Automobili, Mate Rimac's remarkable company which is in the phase of building a new campus, a factory and a test site. At the same time, HT and A1 are continuing their projects of modernising their network and embracing the much talked about 5G.

Following some tribulations, AT has been busy with work in Kanfanar and has invested over 200 million kuna in new lines for the production of heated tobacco products, and Vetropack Guard has started a new investment cycle. It is planning a greenfield investment on the HUM-Zagreb stretch, which will increase their production capacities, and it also intends to complete the project this year.

Furthermore, in the Porec zone, Pical Valamar will realise investments in the total amount of 1.5 billion kuna by the end of the year. This includes the Pinea Hotel, the largest single investment in the Croatian tourism sector worth a massive 790 million kuna, the construction of which began back in the autumn of 2020. Algebra is also completing investments in advanced IT infrastructure and international networks, and is also building a new University campus.

The above speaks volumes about the state of investments, at least those which have been pre-planned, in the Croatian private sector when compared to Government hopes and projections. That being said, the coronavirus pandemic continues to hold the keys to everything, and epidemiological changes for the worse could throw a proverbial spanner in the works.

"Part of the already prepared investments for this year have been stopped due to the coronavirus crisis, and members of the Croatian Employers' Association have expressed a total readiness for about 40 billion kuna of investments in high value-added projects that will stimulate economic growth and development, as well as create 100,000 jobs in the Croatian private sector,'' they pointed out from HUP.

However, as they have been warning for months now, they reiterate that without encouraging investment through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NPOO) and the EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), many planned investments will not start because our country's investment climate is still not good enough to attract significant foreign eyes, and as such foreign investment. That is why, they say, the NPOO is an opportunity like no other that Croatia must not and cannot afford to miss.

Government projections

These sources of funding were also taken into account in the projections recently presented in the Government's Convergence Programme. In addition to the expected capital inflows from EU funds, and especially new instruments financed primarily by funds from the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism, it also envisages significantly faster growth of investment activities next year - at the general government level of more than 30 percent, and in the Croatian private sector, about 13 percent.

The Ministry of Finance expects, as they say, the continuation of favourable dynamics in the construction sector in the short term, largely due to the need to renew the housing stock after the earthquakes which rocked both Zagreb and Sisak-Moslavina back in March and December 2020.

"As a result of the projected effects of the NPOO, but also of the favourable base effect due to decent achievements from back at the end of 2020, expectations for the remaining types of investments have been significantly raised," the Programme states.

However, the ongoing coronavirus crisis has placed the focus primarily on preserving financial stability for many and threatening the balance sheets of many others. This is especially true for small and medium-sized enterprises. In any case, in the corporate sector, the forthcoming period will impose the need to strengthen those enfeebled balance sheets for many, if not for the vast majority.

Doing business in a global pandemic

When it comes to large companies, one of the largest Croatian investors for years is of course INA, with annual investments at the level of between 1.5 and two billion kuna in the last ten years alone. Last year was one of the most challenging for this massive company, as it was for the global economy amid harmful lockdowns and difficulties with imports and exports.

According to INA, business operations during 2020 were adjusted to preserve the company's financial stability and thus protect their long-term strategic investments, such as the project of building a processing plant in Rijeka, which will ensure the sustainability of INA's business in the future.

This is an investment worth about four billion kuna, and thanks to the new plant, the product structure of the Rijeka refinery should be improved in such a way that the share of profitable white products, ie motor fuels, will increase. Work on the plant is underway, they say, and completion is expected by the end of 2023.

This project is part of the INA R&M New Direction 2023 programme, which envisages the concentration of oil refining in Croatia at the Rijeka Oil Refinery.

At the same time, sustainable alternatives are planned to be developed at their Sisak site, including bitumen production, a logistics centre and a solar power plant and potentially a bio-component refinery, all of which fit neatly into the European Green Plan and increasing global aspirations towards a low-carbon society.

''The biorefinery is a strategic project with an estimated value of around two billion kuna. We're currently working on "further development and opportunities for additional co-financing of this project, which is a key prerequisite for making a final investment decision," they said from INA.

For more on the Croatian private sector, follow our business section.

May the 29th, 2021 - As on-demand services become more and more important in the way we carry out our daily lives, the Croatian Printee platform has done well, reaching an impressive 270,000 visitors in just seven months.

As Ivan Tominac/Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the main feature of on-demand services across the world is to correctly and comfortably define convenience and accessibility at a time when we want precisely that.

The idea of ​​on-demand services also gave rise to the Croatian Printee platform, which brings together several internet retailers that offer unique products. Each trader on their platform uses a unique link and then sells whatever product has been chosen by the end user through their own online store.

In this way, the Croatian Printee platform has enabled sellers to, without starting and investing in their own store, have a place where their followers, fans and customers can find their products. In that way, they are closer to the average customer, and Printee's online design program Uneekat allows each person to print their desired design, photo or some other, third idea.

This different concept was discussed with Ivan Krajinovic, one of the founders of the idea and co-founder of the innovative Croatian Printee platform.#

‘’It's a place to connect all those who sell their unique “merch” and those who want to buy those products, all the people who want to buy a product from their favourite author, influencer or designer. Printee's business model is based on a just-in-time production model - in our case it regards printing on various products (T-shirts, canvas bags, etc.) at the moment when the customer orders the product,'' explained Ivan Krajinovic.

Printing on demand has been developing around the world for about five years, and it has been talked about in Croatia since pandemic-dominated 2020. Although everything is still completely new, it didn't scare off these two students, Ivan Krajinovic and Zdeslav Markoc, and they turned their idea into action.

Back in June 2020, they secured an investment of 50,000 euros from Fil Rouge Capital, and their idea was supported by Katarina Guja, who is today the director of this young Croatian startup.

In the meantime, they were joined by Anja Milkovic, who is engaged in marketing, and graphic artist Renata Tremski. Today, there are a total of five of them, just enough for the idea to keep on rolling. ‘

''Our story started to be written when my colleague Zdeslav and I met at the student association Ekonomska klinika (Economic clinic). We started working together on projects to promote entrepreneurship and financial literacy, and soon ran for management positions within the organisation. We simply "clicked" and realised that we can count on each other in both life and entrepreneurship.

The story of the Croatian Printee platform wouldn't be complete without our co-founder Katarina who with her expert knowledge, mentorship and work helps Printee succeed. We met Katarina while volunteering at the LEAP Summit, where she is the head of the agenda and finances,'' Krajinovic added.

Both founders of the idea were "persecuted" by the idea of ​​making something of their own in life and leaving a legacy that will create added value. It was never a question of whether they would enter the often challenging waters of entrepreneurship, but rather a mere question of time. In the end, they did, and in that, they add, volunteering helped them out the most, and the big advantage of this startup is the Printee community.

The Croatian Printee platform successfully brings together several dozen well-known Croatian and foreign individuals that attract their own respective audiences to their platform, and among them stand out some foreign entrepreneurs in Croatia like Dutchman Jan de Jong, writers like Bruno Simlesa and many other names.

In order to reach an audience and as such potential customers, they use all social media that are common in Croatia, and they try to promote themselves through participation in projects, panels and the like. Given that the platform itself was launched just seven months ago, 270,000 visits to their site in that relatively short time period alone means they know what they're doing.

''Anyone who wants to start their own business in this form, ie start selling their own products on our site, can become a creator. The process is very simple and painless for anyone who wants to sell things, and after all, it doesn't matter that you have experience in design, since Renata can turn all ideas into action. In addition, it is important to emphasise that the process is free and we don't charge any access fees or anything like that. We give an opportunity to everyone who is willing to invest in themselves, and in the end, the more you invest in yourself, the more you earn.

The Croatian Printee platform takes care of everything, from the first contact, making the design, setting up the store, IT and customer support to the final contact with customers and even product delivery,'' concluded the co-founder of the Printee platform, Ivan Krajinovic.

For more, follow Made in Croatia.

May the 29th, 2021 - Split Tech City, which is authentically Croatian, is not only working to strengthen the IT sector, but is showcasing this historic Dalmatian city as a place which can be ideal for both life and work.

 As Novac/Ljubica Vuko writes, when the very first OpenCoffee was held back in 2008, nobody could have dreamed that this meetup would reach its 130th sequel and that the Split Tech City association would emerge from connecting several technology and entrepreneurship lovers.

The latest Split Tech City announced a get together which took place on the 27th of this month, and a new panel discussion was held with people who came from other cities and countries to live and work in Split. The presentation of a new website also took place.

''The community is constantly growing and progressing and we'll continue to contribute to Split being globally recognised as a technological hub where a balanced business and family life can be led,'' stated Toni Trivkovic, the founder and president of Split Tech City who performs this function on a voluntary basis. He is also the owner and director of the "Agilo" agency, which was launched back in 2011.

With the aim of connecting the technology community, Toni Trivkovic launched the OpenCoffee meetup thirteen years ago, which connects people from the technology sector. At these events, they meet, socialise, exchange their experiences, learn from leading Croatian and foreign technology experts who are guests as lecturers sharing their knowledge.

The Split Tech City Association was launched back in 2015, and today it has about 60 members, of which 45 are companies, and the rest are individuals.

''Split Tech City actively participates in the development of the local technology sector. When we started our activities back in 2015, our main motivation was to participate in building an advanced community, which will grow and where young people will stay, organise events where people can connect and learn something new, and also promote Split as an ideal place to work and live,'' explained Trivkovic.

He added that they constantly listen to the needs of the community, so the activities they carry out are successful because the community recognises that it is intended for them.

''We organise events where you can always learn something new, and through the portal split-tehcity.com we create content that inspires and advertises jobs. We're followed by students and professionals to find out about opportunities in the local technology community and this is of great value to companies because we provide them with visibility and access to potential staff,'' Trivkovic emphasised.

He also noted that he is most proud of the conference "Live locally, work globally" where more than 220 young people listened live, and many more followed through social media, to the stories of entrepreneurs who motivated them and showed that it is possible to create global companies from Split.

''Motivation is best spread by directly transferring experiences, sharing lessons learned by the method of one's own mistakes and pointing out all the good bits. The life and business stories of young people who, despite all the obstacles they've encountered, have started a successful business in their city, are also inspiring for others who are thinking about their futures. As soon as possible, we will organise the second edition of that conference,'' stated Toni Trivkovic.

He also pointed out that the association is financed exclusively from the contributions of its members, and thanks to that they have hired one person permanently and one person part-time. One deals with web content in Croatian, the other in English and contacts people from the IT sector who have moved to Split, mostly from abroad, and are developing their businesses here.

''We come into contact with people from other countries or from other cities in Croatia, there are already many people who have come to Split and want to stay here longer. We want to contribute to even more of them coming here,'' explained Split Tech City's Toni Trivkovic.

Today, Split Tech City's Agilo consists of 11 professionals, operating globally as a B2B (business-to-business) partner for digital design and web and mobile application development. Through their volunteer work, they also refreshed the Split Tech City brand and created a new website.

''The main inspiration is picigin, an authentic game from Split, where there are no winners, but it's important to keep the ball in the air as much as possible by passing the ball around. This also outlines what our association is about, so we chose the circle element as a trademark. We're creating a healthy story that is based on the market,'' added Trivkovic, noting that they still have a lot of ideas and plans under their belts, including the organisation of a festival of technology and entrepreneurship. He also said that Split Tech City inspired some other young IT experts from across Croatia who contacted them in order to organise themselves in a similar way in their own respective cities.

For more, follow Made in Croatia.