April the 14th, 2021 - Zagreb's ZET public transport system could be set to get its hands on some brand new multifunctional equipment which would boast similar services as some smart watches currently on the market.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes, there has been little to no tourism for not only Croatia but for the majority of the world over the last year, and Igor Knezevic, the owner of an agency for renting out apartments and events, had a choice of whether to sit at home being irritated and twiddling his thumbs or to come up with something new.

He chose the latter and a new challenge, a project that suits the times in which we live, which he believes has great potential in the country, but for outside of Croatia.

A pilot and engineer by profession, Knezevic designed the "smart handrail" Smart Medico intended for public transport, a device modelled on smart watches which measure a person's heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature. He is now in the final phases of the development of this project and is looking for partners with whom he could apply for money from European Union (EU) funds.

"As I normally deal with air transport and tourism, and all of that stopped because of the pandemic, I decided to dedicate myself to investing in the development of a socially beneficial project. Given the circumstances surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, it seemed to me that such a product could meet the interest of both the public and the public sector.
As an engineer, I independently developed and made a prototype device with 3D printing that is suitable for installation in vehicles, and we plan to enter the market this year,'' explained Igor Knezevic. His smart handrails can be placed in all public transport vehicles, could find itselt in the capital's ZET public transport system, and shows passengers the current condition of their body.

The product is protected and registered and is ready for production at a price of about 300-400 kuna per device. The device is not registered as a medical instrument, but serves instead as something useful for general users, and plays a similar role as the services offered by a smartwatch.

"A lot of public transport users don't use smartphones or smartwatches, nor do they have such applications which could boast similar services as our handrail can. On the other hand, market research has shown us that people are usually very interested in learning something about their current physical condition, which is why they're also frequent visitors to pharmacies that offer similar measurement services. These people are our potential beneficiaries,'' explained Knezevic, who is currently in the initial stages of talks with public institutions and companies that could be interested in cooperation.

As this is a socially useful product, intended for the general public, Knezevic believes that this is an excellent project for which he could apply for funds from the European Fund for Civil Society Development, and the project holders can be companies such as the ZET public transport system.

"So far, we've only informed them about what we have on offer and I expect that in the coming period there will be negotiations with ZET public transport, but also other carriers and other cities. They showed interest in our product in Graz, and Maribor is on our list for negotiations, to which we're just now sending out all the details about the product,'' he stated.

He explained that the handrail also boasts anti-theft protection, and after giving someone details about their body temperature and the like, it is automatically reset, so there is no possibility of data misuse. The Austrians, for example, could be tempted by such a device as they are interested in doing research on the state of health in the population using anonymous samples taken from trams and buses.

Knezevic is convinced that there will be interest in his innovation, and not only from Zagreb's ZET public transport, but from others too. He isn't intending on stopping there either, after the smart handrail, the development of a similar device will follow.

For more on Croatian innovative, make sure to check out Made in Croatia.

ZAGREB, 14 April, 2021 - US actor and producer Don Victor Cisternino has found himself on an international arrest warrant because the United States wants him for fraud of millions of dollars in subsidies for his employees affected by the pandemic, the Jutarnji List daily said on Wednesday.

I was afraid that the new administration under President Joe Biden would prosecute me for this kind of business, even though it was allowed during the Trump administration. That is why I decided to flee to Europe after the election in the US and seek asylum in Russia or some other country. And that's how I came to Croatia where I wanted to seek political asylum, Cisternino was quoted as saying.

The 45-year old actor and producer, known for his episode role in the television series ER, was arrested on an international arrest warrant on Sunday evening when he entered Croatia from Slovenia in a vehicle.

Over the past few years Cisternino has been running his own company, Magnifi Co, providing consulting services in the film and art industry. The state attorney in Orlando, Florida has charged Cisternino with embezzlement of $7.2 million of a state loan for support to companies affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Cisternino submitted fraudulent details to obtain a jobkeeping loan claiming that his company employed 422 employees, yet it only has two - Cisternino and his wife.

Irregularities were discovered by the tax authorities as Cisternino's tax return noted that all his workers paid the same tax of $3,356. However, due to tax deductions related to the number of children, unemployed spouse and other benefits, taxation varies from employee to employee which then raised suspicion as all 422 workers paid an identical tax amount.

Cisternino has declared that he objects to being extradited to the US. That means that his extradition won't be expedited and the formal extradition procedure will follow, the daily reported.

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

April 14, 2021 - At the fourth edition of the prestigious London Beer Competition, held on March 17, 2021, the Međimurje Lepi Dečki brewery won three silver medals, a gold medal, and the "Best beer in 2021 for price/quality" award, which is just further proof of the international quality of Međimurje beers.

To win these medals, selected beers from Lepi Dečki brewery had to meet three value criteria - quality, price, and packaging.

Lepi Dečki took home as many as four medals, one gold and three silver, and the title of the best beer in terms of price and quality. Four beers were registered and awarded: Međimursko beer in the lager category, Čakovecko beer in the pilsner category, Regoč as imperial IPA, and Hyperbola as Russian Imperial Stout.

"We are extremely proud of this important award and recognition of our work. We are carrying four medals from London and the title of the best beer in the price and quality category," said the owner of Lepi Dečki, Danijel Radek. "We create the beer that the customer wants, that is attractive, high quality, and enjoyed, and this has been recognized by the industry that has supported and rewarded our philosophy."

Sid Patel, CEO of the competition, spoke on behalf of Beverage Trade Network:

“The craft beer revolution has spawned many new and rediscovered lost and forgotten beer styles. Our beer judges extensively tasted and discussed the qualities of all registered beers from the customer, beer lovers, and beer sommeliers, and the experts. The quality of the beer itself is evaluated professionally, but it is important to evaluate the quality of the packaging and the price-quality ratio. "

Beer was judged on a scale of 1 to 100 at the London Beer Competition, where beers with over 90 points won gold medals, while those with over 76 points won silver.

Lepi Dečki was founded in 2016 in Čakovec, and since 2020 it has been operating in a new production plant with a production capacity of 600,000 liters per year. They have as many as 18 different beers in their beer portfolio, and at the competition in London, four were awarded medals.

The first beer produced was Međimursko, a lager that received 82 points, with which Čakovecko, Pilsner, one of the most popular beers in the portfolio, were rated. The third silver medal with 83 points went to Regoč, until recently the strongest and most intense beer of the Imperial India Pale Ale style, a thick, full beer that pairs well with food.

"From the very beginning, we have been producing lagers, pilsners, and that has been our focus, so these awards are just a confirmation that we are going in the right direction," adds Radek. "In addition to the basic lager portfolio, of course, we also do intense, demanding styles such as Regoč and Hyperbola, which are our best-rated and praised beers by default!"

The winner among the beers at the competition in London in the price-quality ratio category is Hyperbola, a thick, dark, complex beer in the style of the Russian imperial stout, with notes of chocolate, coffee, and spices. The density of beer and abundant earthy notes, flavors, and aromas of berries and milk chocolate can be felt on the palate.

All beers of the Lepi Dečki brewery are distributed nationally, and with this latest recognition, we do not doubt that exports will start soon.

For more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. To learn more about beer in Croatia, follow our Total Croatia page.

April 14, 2021 - After eight years at Palmižana hotspot Laganini, established Split chef Hrvoje Zirojević moves back home to lead the kitchen at seaside restaurant Dvor.

Split chef Hrvoje Zirojević invented new genres in Croatian gastronomy and catering at Laganini restaurant in Palmižana. With Zirojević's innovative and passionate but always elegant fish cuisine and excellent service set in the extreme conditions of a beach restaurant, Laganini has become a restaurant institution and a model for many similar attempts.

However, after eight intensive years at Laganini, Zirojević is taking over the kitchen at popular Split restaurant Dvor. He will be succeeded at Laganini by chef Matko Bukovec.

“I felt it was time for a new phase. No less ambitious, just different," Zirojević said for Plava Kamenica.

"Apart from wanting to be closer to my family, I want to apply in a new way everything that has proven to be a winning combination for both work and guest satisfaction."

Dvor, a restaurant in an attractive Firule location that Zirojević will run in cooperation with Split restaurateur Marko Balić, will boast a concept based on a specific interaction of traditional and modern cuisine that Zirojević very successfully established at Laganini, but applied in a different, broader way.

Dvor has an aquarium with live fish, fresh French oysters, and some classic French dishes such as cold duck breast. Still, the menu also includes risotto with shrimp and asparagus and Zirojević's signature dishes such as tuna rolls with goose liver, tartare with timut peppercorns, and onion and ceviche jam.

One of the huge assets of Dvor is a beautiful terrace with a garden on the sea, in which there will be a lounge area. Although preparations for the season are still ongoing, Zirojević is already receiving guests at Dvor.

"We started calmly and quietly; the situation is still uncertain due to the pandemic; it requires experience and caution. But regardless of that, I think that the restaurant must promote quality first of all, and we still have a lot of plans in that segment. If you are really good, you will find people wherever you are," says Zirojević.

Dvor, however, will not be difficult to find. It is located in one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Split, behind one of the most beautiful terraces in Split, and has one of the best Croatian chefs.

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

April 14, 2021 - The 10 winners of the innovative Dubrovnik Digital Nomad-in-Residence (DNiR) competition have been announced. Meet them one by one. Next up, Rob Schubert.

The DNiR programme, which has been designed by Saltwater Nomads, in partnership with Total Croatia News, the CIty of Dubrovnik and the Dubrovnik Tourist Board (and financed by the latter two), is an innovative direction for the Pearl of the Adriatic, as it looks to diversify its tourism strategy away from overtourism and in the wake of the pandemic. 

You are a DN-i-R winner. Congratulations! How do you feel?

I know it's not really a good habit to check my phone first thing in the morning. Anyway, I did check my phone with my still sleepy eyes and read that I am a DN-i-R winner! First thought was that I was still dreaming... Double-checking I was awake, I started to realize the dream became reality! Before I knew it I had a dance party on my bed! The party-buzz is still in me, I am beyond excited to meet the other interesting winners to exchange stories and ideas to make Dubrovnik digital nomad paradise.

How did you hear about the competition, and why did you decide to apply? 

I've been a while already in Estonia, a small northern country that has implemented a digital nomad visa as one of the firsts. To keep up to date with the developments in Estonia I follow a few pages on LinkedIn. I'm not exactly sure anymore how the journey went, but with a few clicks, I went from the digital Estonia pages to a post about Croatia exploring the potential to become a digital nomad hotspot. The potential is clear! Croatia is such a beautiful country and has been high on my list for a while. Therefore when I found out about the competition it was a no-brainer to apply. Quite surreal that I am going now.

Which particular skills and ideas will you be bringing to the party?

I believe my start-up experience can be quite valuable. I implement the design thinking method on a daily basis and I am aware of the (European) start-up trends/needs. Besides that, I lived in a few and travelled to a bunch of countries. With this experience, I am able to communicate and emphasise different perspectives.

What are you most looking forward to about DNIR?

I foresee many people transforming into digital nomads in the not so distant future. I think Dubrovnik is taking a step in the right direction by thinking to host these interesting modern nomads. To me, it's very exciting and motivating to help a community prepare for this new wave. To discuss, listen and share my perspective about the future of a place with so much history feels like an honour! Besides all of this, I am looking forward to meeting the local and digital nomad community and explore the beautiful surroundings.

Let's get you involved in the Dubrovnik community. Who or what would you like to connect with?

I would be interested to get in touch with the local startup community. It would be great to exchange experiences and stories with people who are on the "same boat". Also, if there are any communities that organise active stuff like hikes or cliff jumping I would love to meet them to feed my exploring appetite.

Here is Rob's application video:

You can learn more about the programme here. 

Saltwater Nomads' Tanja Polegubic on Dubrovnik Digital Nomad-in-Residence Programme

Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Frankovic on Digital Nomads, US Flights, 2021 Season

For the latest digital nomad news from Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section.

The winner announcement video:

Other winners featured so far:

Albert Cañigueral in Barcelona

Marlee McCormick in Texas

Ron Tardiff from USA in Budapest

Kelsey Kay Love from Texas in L.A.

April 14, 2021 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Austrian flights to Split and Dubrovnik resume later this month, and LOT announces regular traffic between Warsaw and Dubrovnik from April 28.

Croatian Aviation reports that Austrian Airlines will resume operations on its seasonal routes from Vienna to Split Airport and Dubrovnik Airport by the end of April. Although these lines in previous years mostly started with traffic as early as the end of March, due to the impact of the pandemic, this will happen a month later this year. 

The Vienna - Dubrovnik - Vienna line will operate from April 23, once a week, every Friday, and as early as the beginning of May, two more flights a week will be added, so Austrian will operate to Dubrovnik every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.

The Vienna - Split - Vienna line has been announced from April 30, also three times a week, on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. E195 aircraft and aircraft from the A320 family have been announced on both mentioned routes.

Polish LOT Polish Airlines has announced the resumption of regular traffic between Warsaw and Dubrovnik. The line should be in operation from April 28. Until the second half of May, two flights a week have been announced, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. E195 aircraft have been announced on this route, which can carry up to 112 passengers in the Polish national transport fleet.

Both companies, Austrian Airlines and LOT Polish Airlines, have resumed traffic to Zagreb Airport. Austrian currently operates four times a week to Zagreb (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday), and Polish LOT also operates to Zagreb on the same days. 

Furthermore, Ex Yu Aviation reports that Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) will restart its seasonal line from Kyiv to Pula this summer and has announced its return to Split after seven years. Both lines will run two flights per week and begin on June 2 and June 3. Boeing 737-800 jet will operate on this route. You can find more information about the Kyiv - Pula line here.

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.

April 14, 2021 - The Croatia Olympic uniforms have been presented 100 days before the Games occur in Tokyo this summer! 

In anticipation of the Olympic Games in Tokyo (July 23 - August 8, 2021), the Croatian Olympic Committee (COC) marked a hundred days before their opening with a short ceremony in the area next to the Zagreb fountains.

The event was organized following current epidemiological measures. It was enhanced by Japan's ambassador to Croatia, HE E. Misako Kaji, Vice President of the Croatian Olympic Committee Sanda Čorak, the experienced rowing Olympian Damir Martin and two debutants - taekwondo fighter Kristina Tomić and swimmer Franko Grgić.

"We must be aware that it took extraordinary effort and perseverance of athletes and their coaches, clubs, and federations, all to ensure an Olympic appearance. We are looking forward to the Games in Tokyo, regardless of the unusual circumstances. The most important thing is that a whole generation of athletes will get a chance to realize their sports dream, and we are especially looking forward to the performance of our representatives," said the vice president of the Croatian Olympic Committee and president of the Croatian Judo Federation Sanda Čorak.

The light effects above the fountain sent a message of togetherness on the way to achieving Olympic continuity by holding safe Games this summer, and white lanterns were released as a symbol of good luck for the Tokyo Games.

"The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games start in 100 days. Despite everything, the organizers and hosts from the local community are working hard to prepare for the Games. They are held as a symbol of diversity and global unity, proof of overcoming the pandemic and rebuilding the country after earthquakes and tsunamis. Viewers around the world will participate in the Tokyo 2020 Games through IT technologies. Well done to the Croatian Olympians and Paralympians; let's head to the sun! The cities of Tokamachi and Marugame, as well as the whole of Japan, await you warmly," is the message of Ambassador Kaji.

The Olympic hero from Rio 2016, Damir Martin, returned to the rowing elite after an injury.

"I am a big supporter of holding the Olympic Games in Tokyo, even if they are the most unusual so far. If they did not take place, many athletes would go eight years without achieving their Olympic ambitions. That is why I am preparing for the Tokyo Games with great optimism, and I believe in their success. I also believe that I will be personally successful in my third Olympic appearance," said rower Damir Martin, who is also the Croatian Olympic Committee vice president.

In addition to participating in the event as ambassadors of the COC's "To the Sun" campaign, Olympic debutants Kristina Tomić and Franko Grgić, together with Damir Martin, promoted the 4F Olympic collection for the Tokyo Games. Praising the Olympic collection, they emphasized its airiness and elasticity.

The Croatian Olympians will perform in Tokyo in the dynamic equipment of the Polish company 4F, with recognizable red and white checkers of various sizes. Attention was also paid to Japanese symbolism, such as the motif of a circle (in this case - the rising sun) on zippers and size labels. Due to the Tokyo climate, fabrics of reduced weight were used, with a well-thought-out design and choice of colors for the female and male collection.

"When it comes to athletes' performances at the Olympic Games, we are aware of the importance and the smallest details. That’s why we’ve focused on lightweight materials with high breathability, which ensures great comfort when used. When designing and creating the collection, we did not forget to consider the issue of sustainability, hence the high percentage of recycled materials in the collection, mostly European production," explained the chief designer of the Olympic collection Wojciech Harus.

Marking "100 days to Tokyo", the Croatian Olympic Committee organized a photoshoot of Olympians at the Zagreb Fire Brigade as a link between firefighters' exceptional efforts during last year's earthquake in Zagreb and national sports heroes. On that occasion, more than 20 Olympians premiered the new Olympic collection for Tokyo, and all of them rated it as very high quality and comfortable to wear.

One hundred days before Tokyo, Croatia has 40 Olympic candidates (from 11 sports), 28 in individual sports, and 12 in team sports (water polo). A dozen more individual athletes are expected (cycling, boxing, judo, karate, archery, tennis) and possibly another team - basketball. The optimistic estimate is that around 65 athletes will wear the new Olympic collection 4F at the Tokyo Games - Together to the sun. 

Source: HOO

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

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

April the 14th, 2021 - The Croatian Health Ministry has admitted that it encountered an error as young and healthy people with little to no underlying health conditions were accidentally invited for vaccination against the novel coronavirus.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, younger, healthier people and those without comorbidities have been receiving invitations for vaccinations at the Zagreb Fair (Zagrebacki Velesajam) since Sunday. The move should have been to fill up places that were intended for priority groups, ie those over 65 and those with comorbidities who refused to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is now being used for vaccination at the aforementioned Zagreb vaccination point.

This draws us to one important question, how is it possible for healthy 30-year-olds to receive calls for vaccination when those twice as old, such as 60-year-olds with diabetes and hypertension, not yet being invited?

The Croatian Health Ministry has since stated that regardless of when the application is registered on the cijepise.zdravlje.hr platform, senior citizens and patients with chronic diseases have priority, and calls to younger and those without chronic diseases are sent out only in the case of those from priority groups dropping out. That is done according to an algorithm that calls upon replacement candidates based on their age and health status. However, they claim, their system encountered some technical problems.

"Due to a technical error in the automatic processing of the files for Tuesday, and only for the remaining dates, the deadlines were not filled up according to the confirmed algorithm," they stated from the Croatian Health Ministry for Jutarnji list, emphasising that they are working hard to eliminate the error.

As for the method of calling on people and creating priority groups, the Croatian Health Ministry says that those interested in getting vaccinated who belong to the priority group of those over the age of 65 and with chronic diseases have priority regardless of the method of application. They explain that patients with chronic diseases are put on a priority list by their family doctor, and then priority by age is then automatically dealt with by the cijepise.zdravlje.hr platform.

Because the platform filters by age, the Croatian Health Ministry says they are in contact with Google because they have noticed that some of the messages are going to emails categorised as promotions.

Contacts with Google

“As a last resort, due to the observed ''behaviour'' of some of the e-mails, which continue to end up classified as promotion e-mails, and only if they are accessed through Google client applications, we're in contact with Google to properly classify these messages,'' they explained from the Croatian Health Ministry.

They added that the existing information system of CEZIH and the e-mail of the Ministry of Health were both upgraded last week. They added that people who should be vaccinated in the third phase and who have reported to their family doctors about the matter, will be invited when their turn comes.

"Since last week, the possibility of synchronising the lists of interested parties by family doctors with the central system of people registered via cijepise.zdravlje.hr has been delivered to the platform. Regardless of the fact that the lists themselves are synchronised, it is still possible that in a situation of priority need for vaccination, family doctors can assign an appointment to a high-risk patient,'' they stated.

The waiting list

They also emphasised that the ordinal number in front of the application for vaccination in the cijepise.zdravlje.hr system does not represent a waiting list on the basis of which citizens receive an appointment for vaccination. It is a unique application identifier that serves to register the number of total registered interested citizens and nothing more than that.

Monday was the fourth day of mass vaccination against coronavirus at the Zagreb Fair, and it was marked by a very good response from the invited indivituals. Only in the first shift, which lasted until 13:00, 1599 invited people were vaccinated, while in the second shift, from 14:00 to 19:00, a little less than that initial number was expected.

In total, up to three thousand patients are invited for vaccination daily, although the maximum capacity of numerous vaccination points is as much as five thousand patients per day.

For more on coronavirus in Croatia, including border, travel and quarantine rules, as well as the locations of testing centres up and down the country, make sure to bookmark our dedicated page.