Aer Lingus Flights to Split, Dubrovnik, and Pula Returning this Summer!
March 5, 2021 - Aer Lingus flights to Split, Dubrovnik, and Pula have been announced in the Irish carrier's 2021 summer flight schedule!
Croatian Aviation reports that the well-known Irish carrier Aer Lingus plans to return to three Croatian airports in the upcoming summer flight schedule, which will take effect at the end of March.
In the 2020 summer season, AerLingus did not operate to Dubrovnik and Pula, while the airline had relatively short and reduced traffic to Split Airport. In the upcoming summer flight schedule, Aer Lingus plans to renew all routes to Croatia, but this will primarily depend on restrictive measures between Ireland and Croatia, which in turn directly affects bookings.
From May 1, Aer Lingus plans to operate again on the Dublin - Pula - Dublin route. The line is scheduled to operate twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, until September 28. A320 aircraft have been announced on the route.
On 45 announced return flights to Pula, Aer Lingus currently offers as many as 15,660 seats.
The Dublin - Dubrovnik - Dublin line has been announced from March 30, but it is expected that Aer Lingus won't begin operating on this line until May. From May to the end of September, five flights a week have been announced, every day except Tuesday and Thursday, also with A320 aircraft. In October, the airline will reduce the number of rotations to three flights a week.
The Dublin - Split - Dublin line should also operate from May 1 to October 1, with two flights a week, every Tuesday and Thursday. This is also the only line on which Aer Lingus operated last year after the lockdown was lifted in European countries.
From the beginning of May, the airline also offers the Cork - Dubrovnik - Cork line, but there is a great possibility that flights will be withdrawn from sale and that this line will not be in operation in the 2021 summer season. Two weekly flights are available from May 5 to the end of September, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
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Wildly Successful Zagreb Agency Five Sold for 40 Million Dollars
March the 5th, 2021 - If you read the Croatian headlines, you´ll notice the trend of doom, gloom and everything is terrible. It isn´t quite so. There are many entrepreneurial stories up and down the country gaining both traction and deserved success, and the Zagreb agency Five is just one of them.
As Telegram/Ivan Luzar writes, the Zagreb agency Five, by this point already very well known as one of the most successful startups from Croatia, has been sold for an enormous amount and is becoming part of the international Endava software group. The amount of the transaction stands at a whopping 40 million US dollars, equivalent to about 250 million kuna, which puts the Zagreb agency Five on the list of the largest digital acquisitions on the Croatian market.
The Zagreb agency Five was founded back in 2005 by Viktor Marohnic, and five years later it was joined by current partner and co-owner Luka Abrus. They have 220 employees in Zagreb, New York, Osijek, Rijeka and Split, with a focus on programming and marketing services for American clients.
"For us, this is a new and exciting chapter," Five told Telegram. “As part of Endava, a company thirty times bigger than Five, we´re going to be able to undertake much bigger projects, for much bigger clients, than we could do on our own. This is as if we have accelerated five years of development and achieved it immediately,"
Negotiations lasted for months
Negotiations on this matter have been going on for months now, more precisely since November last year. Five’s customer, Endava, is a technology company specialising in business solutions, with 7,500 employees in 33 offices worldwide. They are headquartered in the British capital of London and are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The current market value of Endava shares stands at 5.4 billion US dollars.
In an official acquisition announcement, representatives of the group point out that the Zagreb agency Five was interesting to them because of its extensive American operations and its work with clients such as Rosetta Stone, Mariott, Starz, Napster, Penguin Random House, McAfee and other well known names.
“They´re a brilliant team and they will bring additional skills to Endava, especially when it comes to production strategies and growth optimisation,” said John Cotterell, the CEO of Endava. "Additionally, their reputation as a leading New York-based agency in Croatia is complementary to our strategy and further strengthens our presence in the Adriatic region."
Marohnic, Abrus and Marusic all plan to stay with the Zagreb agency Five until further notice
In an interview with Telegram, managers Marohnic, Abrus and Sven Marusic all say that their decision was not easy, but they believe that they did the best for the company and all of its dedicated employees. At the operational and management level, they plan to stay with Five until further notice and work on projects as if nothing has changed.
"Last year I thought I would spend my whole life in this company," says Marohnic. “I founded Five with a simple idea: to create jobs for young and busy developers like I was. At the time, we were reading about the successes of startups in the Silicon Valley in the US and we wanted to get a chance to show how we can be just as good as them. At first, I was just happy to be able to pay my bills.”
It was time for a new and daring business jump...
The Zagreb agency Five, meanwhile, was developing extremely rapidly - about 500 people have passed through the agency in just fifteen years, he says - and it was time for a new venture. In recent years, Marohnic, Abrus and Marusic had been thinking about possible steps forward for Five. They considered, they say, buying smaller companies, as well as seeking out strategic investments that would significantly accelerate business growth.
The third option was to sell the Zagreb agency Five to a much larger group, within which they could take up even more advanced and interesting jobs. After meeting people from Endava, they concluded that they have very similar business and cultural values, and decided to talk to them. “After a lot of thinking, I decided this was the best decision. I guess it’s like with kids, as they grow up, it’s time for them to spread their wings and leave home. It is emotionally difficult, but you know rationally that it´s the right thing,¨ said Marohnic.
Opportunity for growth in all segments
"We´re looking forward to having a joint market presence, new opportunities that will open up to us as a result of this cooperation and opportunities for growth across all business segments," noted Marusic. ¨With this transaction, our people will get the opportunity to work on even bigger projects, with global clients. We believe that this strategic turn in business enables us to make a quantum leap into the future of digital agency business.¨
Over recent years, acquisitions and investments in Croatian startups have taken place more and more. Back in December last year, it was announced that the well known Croatian gaming company Nanobit had been sold for 148 million euros, and large investments were being handled by companies such as Rimac Automobili and Photomath by Damir Sabol.
For more on Croatian companies, follow Made in Croatia.
Dubrovnik Cruiser Trends - Daring to Hope for Recovery in 2021
March the 5th, 2021 - Dubrovnik is very well known (both in a positive and a negative sense) for its cruise ships, and with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic still holding a firm grasp on tourism, just where do things stand? It seems that the Dubrovnik cruiser trends are improving, be that good or bad.
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes, after the government lifted a previously introduced ban on large cruisers entering Croatian ports a few days ago, which was entered into force last year to fight the coronavirus pandemic, conditions were created for preparing for a tourist season that could be significantly better than last year for Dubrovnik, Croatia's main cruise destination.
According to the announcements of global cruise companies, Dubrovnik could generate 80 percent more cruise traffic throughout the year 2021 than it managed last year, or 60 percent of the pre-pandemic traffic seen back in 2019, but only if the epidemiological situation stabilises and the conditions for crossing European Union (EU) borders are properly defined as soon as possible.
In addition to the above, protocols for dealing with various possible scenarios should be introduced as soon as possible, from how to act in the case of an infected passenger onwards. Dubrovnik cruiser trends for this summer are hanging on many factors being properly accounted for, both at the national and at the European Union level.
The City of Dubrovnik has therefore prepared a draft protocol that Mayor Mato Frankovic sent to the Croatian Government on Wednesday, modelled on what both Greece and Cyprus boast, as these are currently the European countries most active in their work and efforts to see tourism make a comeback along their shores in summer 2021.
"We´re monitoring what our competitors are doing across the rest of the Mediterranean and we have used their solutions to compile our own protocols for action, and we expect to have the quick support of the Government, which responded to our request to define the situation with cruisers. We met several times with representatives of the World Association of Cruising Companies (CLIA) and agreed and defined everything, which was very important to do on time. That´s why we insisted, along with the Government, on the conclusion of a proper decision as soon as possible allowing large ships to enter. It is very important that shipping companies know their destinations on time, so that they can start selling tickets,¨ explained Frankovic when discussing 2021´s potential Dubrovnik cruiser trends.
Although there are a lot of inquiries when it comes to Dubrovnik cruiser trends for 2021, there is still work to be done to reach the maximum potential of the summer tourist season, according to the mayor, who mentioned the current bad epidemiological situation in Dubrovnik-Neretva County, which has already jeopardised some previously planned programmes.
“We should always keep in mind that Dubrovnik is just one of the destinations on any given cruise route and that everything will depend on the epidemiological situation. Thus, for example, the idea of cooperation with American Viking failed, due to the bad epidemiological situation in the county. In addition, some companies have launched programmes under some bilateral agreements between countries. For example, Royal Carribean has launched programmes for Greece, but only for guests from Israel, and only vaccinated ones,¨ Mato Frankovic pointed out.
Sales are beginning despite all uncertainties...
Royal Caribbean International has announced that it will launch a voyage from Israel in May, with a combination of a three- to seven-night cruise programme on the Greek islands and then on to Cyprus. Ticket sales start on March the 9th, and the cruises themselves will begin departing as of the month of May.
The programme is the result of a bilateral agreement to introduce the controversial ¨Covid passports¨ between Greece, Cyprus and Israel, and a mitigating circumstance is the high vaccination coverage of Israeli residents. On their new ship "Odyssey of the Sea", for which this is the premiere voyage, everyone over the age of sixteen will have to have been vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.
In fact, as discriminatory as the request for vaccination of tourists may seem and most do not officially advocate it, it seems that most cruise companies will ask their guests to be vaccinated against the new coronavirus at the time of boarding, to avoid "hostage crises" and additional related health complications.
Last week, the same move was announced by luxury travel company Crystal, which found when undertaking market research that this would be one of the criteria for their customers to choose a cruise. Prior to them, back in January, the British cruise company announced that it would ask all guests to be vaccinated two weeks before boarding.
The same criteria are being introduced by U.S. river cruisers, after their potential guests also said they would feel safer with fellow travellers who have been vaccinated against the virus. Frankovic pointed out that this actually suits the destinations that the ships are heading to.
"It will actually be convenient for us as destinations, and it will facilitate all of the needed protocols. For guests who have not had the vaccination, we will introduce a protocol for them to visit the city in small groups, as well as all institutions, museums, walls, for which there will be no need for vaccinated guests. There will certainly not be opportunities for cruise guests to tour the city individually like they did before,¨ he explained.
Frankovic is more than aware that the level of vaccination against the novel coronavirus in the destinations these enormous vessels head to is also of paramount importance. That is why the people of Dubrovnik are very active in getting everyone vaccinated as soon as possible, in order to welcome the summer tourist season as safely as possible.
So far, about 4,000 people have been vaccinated in Croatia´s southernmost city and tourist Mecca, a mass vaccination of about 1,000 citizens is planned for Monday, and by June, the majority of Dubrovnik´s residents plan to be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, according to Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Frankovic, who still hopes Dubrovnik cruiser trends will manage to rescue some of this year´s tourist season down in southern Dalmatia.
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Jadran Crikvenica Weighs Up Upcoming Tourist Season with Caution
March the 5th, 2021 - Jadran Crikvenica stood out during a difficult 2020 for its continued business expansion despite the less than favourable economic circumstances which saw many other companies shelve planned investments and put their keys in their locks. How do things stand now?
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Suzana Varosanec writes, the Crikvenica-based hotel company Jadran was saved from bankruptcy´s proverbial jaws. After that, and after going through all of the associated pre-bankruptcy agony, it was privatised under the ownership of two pension funds and is currently facing a unique challenge, very well known in the Croatian hotel industry to smaller entities.
As touched on above, during the difficult pandemic-dominated year of 2020, Jadran Crikvenica was one of the few large Croatian hotel companies to significantly expand its business capacities, partly through the long-term lease of new capacities and partly through the reconstruction of existing capacities started back in 2019.
Could that fateful decision now end up firing back at them like a boomerang? Possibly. The treatment of new units when it comes to being permitted state aid for job preservation is not yet known and it is doubtful whether the development will be treated positively in order for the company to use this measure in the continuation of business activities in rented facilities for the Easter period. Perhaps it is better not to begin working yet, in the case that the turnover of accommodation units which were not in use back in 2019 is not excluded from the company´s income.
All these investments bring greater competitiveness and higher prices, and thus the comparison of revenues in 2019 and 2021 should be taken with a grain of salt. Things, under these dire circumstances, continue to sit firmly in the hands of the state, which would have no real negative effects if Jadran Crikvenica, as well as other such smaller entities in the tourism industry, were to be approved such measures, because if there was no lease agreement, the financial aid would be paid out to the actual hotel owners.
The high level of indebtedness of the parent company and the Jadran Group does not jeopardise current liquidity, but it is a logical business interest that the capacity for hotel business within Jadran Crikvenica, which increased by 25 percent last year in the sense of solid capacity and more than 17 percent in terms of total capacity, do not just sit there empty.
They still have a lot of units of lower categories, but for the second year in a row they have to consider the Lisanj Hotel in Novi Vinodolski, which will have 220 accommodation units, and the Garden Palace Resort in Umag with 109 such units. Hotel Noemia in Baska Voda also has 63 4-star accommodation units.
All these new capacities were created as a classic "green feel" or through the reconstruction of existing old capacities of a lower category. These are facilities that are new, and were taken out on a long-term lease precisely in order to create the preconditions for extending the tourist season, and thus enable the better use of existing resources, with an emphasis on the employment of permanent workers.
While the Esplanade Hotel in Crikvenica opened its doors this Monday, for the hotels in Novi Vinodolski and Umag, as they claim, management wants the same because of the high quality and the fact that they are located in destinations one can more or less easily drive to.
"By opening up these facilities, we want to send out the message that we are here, we´re present on the market, and that we are above all else confident in these new circumstances, and that is why we want to enter the market as soon as possible," said Jadran Crikvenica´s CEO Goran Fabris.
With the earlier opening of these facilities, new revenue wil be generated, the local tourist board will be able to collect the sojourn/tourist tax, the state will get its VAT, and employees will actually be able to do some work, which brings with it higher salaries. However, the prices realised in the early season are not at the level of those in the peak of it, so profitability is naturally reduced. Looking exclusively through the glasses of maths, sometimes it is better not to work and exercise the right to grants instead, than to work and lose that right entirely.
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FT Lists Croatian Submarine Among 1000 Fastest Growing European Companies
March the 5th, 2021 - The Croatian Submarine company has been spotted by the Financial Times and its impressive reach of sixteen million people around the world.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Financial Times (FT) a leading and highly respected publication which deals with all things related to politics and finance and has been around for more than 130 years now, has turned the spotlight on no less than the Croatian Submarine.
"In the autumn of 2020, we were contacted by the London office of the Financial Times. They requested documentation related to our business, for the purpose of possible inclusion in the prestigious list of the fastest growing European companies. From the very beginning, the Croatian Submarine company´s approach has been complementary in some segments to the business of technology companies. We´re really flattered by the fact that we, as a company from the non-technology industry, have ended up side by side with tech companies. This is a recognition for the entire company and the entire Submarine team. The imperative has always been the satisfaction of our employees because without it there can be no successful company,¨ said Aleksandar Lazinica, founder and co-owner of the Croatian Submarine company.
A place on the Financial Times list cannot be purchased for any money, and the entire business has been analysed in detail over the past five years. To be considered for the list at all, the company had to have an annual revenue of a minimum of 100,000 euros and then at least 1.5 million euros back in 2019. Consequently, the company had to record growth above 35.5 percent. By comparison, Submarine achieved total growth of 221.4 percent, its company revenue in 2019 stood at a staggering 4.5 million euros, and had 77 employees.
In the year when the coronavirus spread across the world, the Croatian Submarine company exceeded the annual revenue they acheived in 2019 by an impressive 30 percent and it will be interesting to observe the order on that same list for 2021, writes N1. Of course, these are just a few of the strict criteria that companies had to meet, and with its results, Submarine became the only non-technological company from the Republic of Croatia to be listed, ranking as the 720th fastest growing company according to the Financial Times.
This is not the only recognition for the team behind Submarine. It is worth recalling that back in 2019 they entered the list of 50 places in which you can eat the best burger in the world according to the readers of the Big 7 Travel portal, which has a community of 1.5 million readers.
"We totally adjusted the way in which we do business way back at the very beginning of the pandemic. Agility and adaptation to new business conditions is the key to any company's success. Investing in knowledge, new technologies and strengthening the management team has borne fruit. We´re extremely proud of this recognition and I once again would like to congratulate all members of the Submarine team!¨ concluded Dragoljub Bozovic, the founder and CEO of Submarine.
Despite the ongoing pandemic and all of the economic knock-on effects which accompany it, the Croatian Submarine company opened two new restaurants. In 2021, they plan to open five more throughout Croatia, thus fulfilling their mission to provide pleasure and the enjoyment of organic burgers throughout the country.
For more on Croatian companies, follow Made in Croatia.
Zagreb County Grants HRK 70,000 to Enhance Accommodation
March 5, 2021 - To help tourism entrepreneurs add value to their facilities, Zagreb County grants HRK 70,000 to enhance accommodation in the area.
Jutarnji List reports that the coronavirus pandemic changed the habits of travel enthusiasts last year. Departures to other countries were very limited and, in some cases, almost impossible, which is why tourists explored their own country instead. This trend has not bypassed Croatia either, where domestic guests have replaced foreign tourists. They know this well in Zagreb County, which last year launched two campaigns - "Holidays Closer than Ever Before" and "Around Zagreb" to attract locals. The mentioned actions certainly paid off because there was an 11 percent increase in domestic guests at accommodation facilities. Ivana Alilović, director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board, states that this trend will have an upward trajectory this year.
"People's habits have changed and staying in nature, excursions, and escaping from mass tourism will surely mark this year as well. According to indicators of sales platforms in tourism, 60 to almost 80 percent of guests are ready to go on vacation as soon as the epidemic situation allows it, which shows an unquenchable hunger for travel. A stronger opening is expected, however, only in the second quarter of 2021, and this strengthens our assessment of the reorientation of our activities to domestic tourism," says Alilović and states that Zagreb County will certainly remain the most attractive weekend destination in Croatia.
That the trend of domestic excursions will continue is also shown by the research of the tourist platform Booking.com, which last year conducted a survey among travelers from 28 countries (including Croatia) about the future of travel. According to their data, 55 percent of travelers from Croatia will continue to plan travel within their own country soon. Half of the respondents said they plan to explore a new destination within their region.
These data indicate a further growth in local travel, which means that domestic renters will have to fight for their share of domicile tourists. Namely, the research conducted by National Geographic last year on the impact of the pandemic on tourism shows that travelers will increasingly insist on a responsible way of traveling and health and environmental protection and at the same time choose destinations more carefully depending on quality. That is why domestic renters and tourist facilities must adapt to the new mindset of tourists.
"New times require a personalized, honest, and thorough approach to the guest who wants to experience the local community authentically based on experience. The focus is also on sustainable coexistence with local communities, nature, culture, and the history of these areas," says Alilović.
The Zagreb County Tourist Board director also points out that the interest in holiday homes is constantly growing, and that is why it is necessary to raise the quality of accommodation and strengthen the content. To help its renters, Zagreb County has announced a tender worth one million kuna for entrepreneurs in tourism.
"The pandemic will pass, tourists will come again, and that is why we support entrepreneurs in adding value to their accommodation facilities. Tourism in Zagreb County has great potential, and in addition to new hotels, there are more and more rural holiday homes that have proven to be a complete success," said Prefect Stjepan Kožić.
The tender is open until April 1 this year, and the beneficiaries can be family farms, companies, institutions, cooperatives and crafts, and small businesses engaged in tourism who want to increase the standard and quality of service and offer in existing hotels, camps, and other catering facilities. Grants are awarded for renovating and equipping accommodation units and developing and improving additional facilities such as swimming pools, wellness, and other recreational, sports, and entertainment facilities. Costs related to works, equipment, and services for the applied project can be co-financed. The maximum amount of support that an individual beneficiary can receive is up to HRK 70,000 or up to 60 percent of eligible costs. It is important to point out that the investment must be at least HRK 75,000.
The public call, instructions for applicants, and the application form can be found here, and more information can be obtained at the phone number 01 / 6009-425 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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Croatian Bureaucracy, a Love Story: 2. Foreign Father Attending a Birth
March 5, 2021 - Continuing the new TCN series documenting the absurdity of Croatian bureaucracy for future generations, a look at the procedure a foreign father must endure to attend the birth of his child in a Croatian hospital.
There are many things which change in life when you find out that you are about to become a father. It was something I had never planned, as I really couldn't imagine myself responsible or capable enough to raise another human, let alone two - and my kids will no doubt confirm that my fears were not unfounded). One of the main early decisions to make was of course:
Would I be attending the birth of my first child?
The answer was of course an emphatic yes - what an incredible moment for any man. I gave little thought (at the time) about whether of not there would be any issues as a foreign father in this beautiful land attending the birth of his child.
Welcome to the second in our new series, Croatian Bureaucracy, a Love Affair, an attempt to snapshot the absurdity of life in Croatia in a time of massive change. My grandchildren will have no concept of Croatian Bureaucracy as It Once Was, and so this is a humble attempt by this foreigner to give something back for future generations. Croatian bureaucracy has been good to me over the years in terms of writing material, from having to deal with the indignity of having my third name Raymond shortened to Raym to being told by Privredna Banka Zagreb that I would have to travel 160 kilometres round trip to Zagreb and wait two weeks until I could open a bank account, Thankfully, my new best friend Nenad allowed me to open an account at Raiffeisen in Varazdin, a wonderful experience would took precisely 46 minutes.
Before we relieve that unforgettable Sunday night in Rijeka back in 2006, I must reference the first article in this series, whose theme inspired the series.
It all began when I got a parking ticket in Varazdin, despite having paid by SMS parking. The next day, the same thing happened in Zagreb. The car I was driving was not the one I usually do, and so perhaps there was an issue with the licence plate.
Boy, was there an issue with the licence plate. You can read all about it in Croatian Bureaucracy, a Love Story: 1. The Car Licence Plate.
When is a 0 an 0, and when is it a O?
One of the things I love about Croatia is that there are a number of people much better versed in the peculiar ways of Croatian bureaucracy, and they take great pleasure in celebrating its absurdity at every turn. The champion of this, of course, is my good friend Marko Rakar, the man who put 'anal' into Croatian bureaucracy analysis. He is currently engulfed in a quite superb series of correspondence with one of his service providers.
Marko shared the article on Facebook, and his dedicated disciples in absurdity helped to provide some more insights, my favourite of which was from Sasa, above.
My long-suffering wife wrote emails of appeal to both Varazdin and Zagreb, pointing out I was a stupid foreigner, and it is impossible to detect any difference.
And we have a response!
Varazdin, which has always been super efficient in my experience, wrote back the next day agreeing to cancel the ticket, but with a warning that this will not be possible in future. Very reasonable.
From Zagreb, nothing yet, but it has only been 4 days, and there are 11,000 people working at Zagreb Holding, so it could take some time to find someone who actually does any work.
Back to 2006 and my imminent change in status to foreign father...
We (ok not me) decided to have the birth in Rijeka, as KBC Rijeka had the best reputation in Croatia for the birthing experience back then. I absolutely wanted to be there at the birth, by my wife's side at this amazing moment for us both.
But there was a problem.
In order to attend the birth, I would have to attend a pre-natal course. This wasn't a problem in itself, although I tried to point out that I was not the one actually giving birth.
We were informed that there was a 4-week course twice a week, after which I would receive a certificate. The certificate would grant me entry into the delivery room.
All clear and understood.
But there was a problem.
Living on Hvar, the closest course was in Split, which wasn't a problem in itself, the problem was in the timing. Twice a week for four weeks, Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting at 20:00.
The last ferry to the island departed at 19:30.
Unable to commit to two nights in Split each week for a month, I resigned myself to not being allowed to participate in the birth.
"Let's see if we can find a way when we get to Rijeka," suggested my sage wife.
Slightly higher blood pressure one afternoon led to us taking the decision to drive to the hospital early as a precaution. This meant the last ferry from Stari Grad to Split, followed by driving through the night to Rijeka. We arrived in Opatija at 06:00 and decided to have one last coffee together before she went into the hosptial.
Having driven all night, I was gasping and ordered a beer.
"Sorry, Sir, by law, we cannot serve alcohol until 08:00."
Who came up with that one? If it is an attempt to battle alcoholism, then fine, but then why allow people to start at 08:00?
And so we settled into a routine. My daily visits as she prepared to let Nature do its course. My wife explained that this foreign father wanted to attend the birth but was unable to attend the course. Was there any possible way?
Of course!
We were told that at the moment my wife went into labour - but not a moment before - I should go to the reception, fill out an official payment form (uplatnica) for 300 kuna, then take the receipt to the delivery room and bang loudly on the door. Upon presenting the receipt, I was given the protective clothing and allowed to be with my wife for the birth. My left arm still has the fingernail marks to prove I was there.
it is important to note that this was not a bribe. I was effectively buying a ticket to watch the show.
My British friend in Split had the same decision to make a couple of months later. He spoke no Croatian whatsoever, but paid for and attended the course faithfully for 4 weeks. He had no idea what was being said but passed the course with ease and gained entry to the delivery room.
My experience with Croatian bureaucracy as a foreign father was not yet done, as I still had to negotiate the official handover of my new-born treasure to my punica, or mother-in-law.
As we returned to Jelsa, she was waiting for us at the bottom of the steps. I have the best punica in the world, but I will never forget this moment as long as I live.
My wife went up the stairs to our apartment, followed by my punica, with me carrying my daughter bringing up the rear.
My wife went straight into the bedroom to lie down and rest, followed by my punica. I was just about to enter when my punica turned around, took my daughter, thanked me kindly, then shut the bedroom door in my face.
My job as a foreign father was done.
You can follow progress on this and other wonderful adventures into Croatian bureaucracy in our new Croatian Bureaucracy, a Love Affair section.
If you have a story of bureaucratic pain that deserves a wider audience, send your submission to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Bureaucratic Love.
LEN Champions League: Jug Dubrovnik is 2nd in Group A as Second 'Bubble' Tournament Completed
March 5, 2021 - Jug Dubrovnik is 2nd in Group A as the second preliminary 'bubble' tournament of this season's LEN Champions League comes to an end in Ostia, Italy.
Water polo club Jug AO from Dubrovnik completed the second preliminary tournament in Ostia with two wins and two losses this week, finishing in 2nd place with 15 points behind Pro Recco with 21.
Jug's first match on March 1 was against CC Ortigia, in which they opened the tournament with an 8:6 win.
Jug, unfortunately, suffered its heaviest defeat in European history in round 2 on March 2, with Pro Recco outclassing the Croatian side 18:3.
It was a duel of two undefeated teams in Group A, and a derby was expected, but Dubrovnik didn't stand a chance. Jug scored only one goal in the first three quarters (and from a penalty), while the remaining two goals were scored in the last quarter when Pro Recco gave the bench players a chance.
Loren Fatović scored two goals for Jug, and Marin Tomasović scored one.
Fortunately, the heavy defeat did not have serious consequences for Jug, who beat Spandau 04 12:10 on March 3.
Jug's game dropped after a 2:0 lead, and Spandau led 5:3 in the middle of the second quarter. Jug regained their advantage for 9:6 just before the end of the third quarter.
By the end of the match, Jug managed to keep their led and record their fifth victory in the Champions League this season.
Loren Fatović and Alexandros Papanastiou scored four goals each to be the best for Jug.
Jug recorded their second defeat in Group A on Thursday, with Marseille winning 15:13. Marseille gained an advantage already in the first quarter, which they won 5:3, and Jug was only a goal behind in the third quarter, which they won 3:2. Marseille won the final quarter 4:3 and ultimately the victory.
Loren Fatović was the best for Jug with three goals, while Javier Garcia, Marko Žuvela, and Paulo Obradović scored two goals each.
After seven games, Jug is second in the standings with 15 points, behind the first-placed Pro Recco. Marseille is fourth with seven points.
To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
VIDEO: Drone Reveals Super Close Encounter Beneath Zadar Whale Chasers
March 5, 2021 – Two locals look fragile and exposed against the gigantic secrets of the sea beneath them as newly revealed drone footage shows a super close encounter for Zadar whale chasers
Upon hearing a whale had strayed in the Karin Sea, Igor Goić and Sandra Župan, decided to set off to try and get a closer look. They became Zadar whale chasers for the day. On 4 March 2021, Croatian media Vecernji List described the pair as great lovers of travel and exploration of natural beauty.
A couple of months ago, the Zadar whale chasers travelled to the bay, some 30 kilometres from the city, to try and catch a glimpse of the sizeable mammal. Two days ago, they published a drone video from the day which made them realise only now that the whale was much closer to them than they thought.
Zadar whale chasers spoke to the media
“Last year, on October 10th we followed a fin whale that got sidetracked in Karin bay. We thought that the closest he got near us was around 5-6m. Today, by checking some footage from the drone we found this,” they wrote on Instagram.
The Zadar whale chasers' drone footage was transferred to processing software, which sharpens the contrast and "fixed" the colours a bit. This allowed the pair to find out they were much closer to the whale than they previously thought. In fact, he passes directly beneath the Zadar whale chasers boat.
“When you are in a kayak, low above the (water) surface, you do not see anything from the empty glare,” said Zadar whale chasers cameraman and director Igor Goić to Morski.hr “and as we tested with the paddle, the visibility was maybe up to 2 meters (when you dip the whole paddle you can't see the other end).
Goić explained to the media that not only had the fixed footage revealed the surprise and previously unknown passage of the animal beneath them. There is also another shot where it comes alongside the Zadar whale chasers kayak and then turns on its side for a minute so it can watch them. Getting up close to nature is one thing, but when your kayak is dwarfed by such an amazing creature of the sea, perhaps some nearness is too close for comfort.
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Opposition Says Agricultural Production in Ruin
ZAGREB, 4 March, 2021 - During Thursday's debate on amendments to the Agriculture Act, the parliamentary opposition said Croatia's agriculture was collapsing due to poor policies, while Minister Marija Vučković dismissed such claims and said that agricultural production was growing.
Željko Lenart (HSS-HSU) said 33,000 hectares of valuable farmland from the former Agrokor conglomerate was now owned by the foreign Fortenova and that pig farming and milk production were collapsing.
He said the Farmland Act was not being honoured, that a stay on the sale of farmland to foreigners would soon end, and that the smallest farmers were being destroyed because only 6.5% of the biggest producers received the bulk of the aid.
Mišel Jakšić (Social Democrats) said the state of agriculture showed that the policies to date had not produced results because import was high and there was no self-sufficiency despite the potential.
Marija Selak Raspudić (Bridge) said 88 million tonnes a year was thrown away due to expiration dates and pushed for donating food to the needy and establishing a food bank.
Vučković said cereal production and cattle-framing were up and that food donations had gone up 13%, adding that it was necessary to reduce food waste.
Marijana Petir (ruling HDZ) pushed for regulating the aid system to facilitate the development of small and medium farmers. She announced a call for applications for HRK 120 million to help farmers in earthquake-hit areas.
