February 16, 2021 - Top tennis will again be enjoyed in Split's Firule neighborhood, as the Split Open 2021 ATP Challenger tournament returns for its 2nd edition.

With original plans to launch in April 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the new Split Open sporting event to the end of September and the beginning of October last year - though changing the term did not seem to affect its success. 

"The tournament returns to its original date, April. This is an extremely attractive date because this year we will play from April 12 to 18, when there is no other tournament in Europe except ours and the one in Monte Carlo. This also guarantees attractive names that do not enter the Monte Carlo draw," announced Ismar Moralić, director of the ATP Challenger in Split, for Slobodna Dalmacija.

Was it difficult to arrange a second tournament in just half a year?

"Well, not really. It is always difficult to put together the first edition; later, the story is practically arranged, the details are corrected. The financial situation caused by the pandemic is no better than last year. In short, we are working with what we have, and we believe that we will once again make the tournament at the highest possible level, which will be recognized by the audience again."

What were the reactions after the tournament last year?

"I believe that the presence of the audience is the best answer to that question. Some looked for a ticket for days. From the first day, the tournament was extremely well attended. We believe that we would have sold out the maximum capacity of the club in normal conditions. Certainly in this context, the praise of ATP should be mentioned, who themselves, in addition to exceptional organization, also emphasized that the tournament was recognized by the audience, which surprised them, especially at this pandemic time. We are just sorry that the tournament was not covered a little better by some national media, especially HRT, which did not even come close to fulfilling what they announced. When two Croatian players rank the best in their careers and enter the semifinals of one Challenger, the only Croatian professional ATP category tournament that year, and national television does not recognize it, it is clear that someone in the editorial office did not do their job well. I hope that they learned from their mistakes and that they will stick to what was agreed this year because the subscription is paid by everyone, including those who love tennis and those who play it."

What does it mean that the tournament is during the same week as Monte Carlo?

"It's extremely good for the tournament. The Monte Carlo draw is 64, which means that all tennis players who want to play in a European country have the opportunity to play only with us. I believe that we will see a certain number of players from the top 100 in Split. Especially if we take into account that last year we had a stronger draw than some tournaments from the higher category, i.e., the official calendar of the highest category."

Are there any confirmed names yet?

"It is too early to talk about that two months before the tournament; let's leave something for later. I will say that we guarantee the Split audience a strong tournament this year as well and that we do not doubt the response of the local fans, which, we believe, is the most important thing for the audience."

Would it be useful to open the stands, at least partly?

"Unfortunately, there are things that even we directors cannot influence. Tennis is played primarily for the sake of the audience, as are all sports. A tennis stadium where there are only two players in the presence of a referee is an incredibly lonely sports arena. We see what is happening now in Australia, where a lockdown is being introduced in the middle of the tournament. We hope that two months in the case of this pandemic is a very long period, that things will turn out best for the tournament, the audience, and the players themselves," concluded Moralić.

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

February 16, 2021 - The Split public bicycle system continues to set new records, with new stations and bikes on the way.

Dalmatinski Portal reports that in December, the Split public bicycle system welcomed a total of 10,241 rentals, in January over 13,000, and in the first 12 days of February, 8,835 rentals were already realized. In recent months, the number of users has also increased significantly, with 1,137 new users in December, 985 in January, and 681 new users since the beginning of February. If we add the results so far, a total of over 110,000 rentals have been realized since the beginning, and over 14,500 users have registered.

This weekend, five more new stations have enhanced the public bicycle system in Split. Thus, the latest active locations are Bračka, Brda - Ravne Njive, City Centar One, Kocunar, and Neslanovac. A total of 46 stations are now available to users, and most bicycles from the new contingent have been opened to traffic.

The latest expansion of the system has contributed to the growth in the number of rentals and users, and the trend is expected to continue. In January, despite somewhat colder weather, the record in the number of daily rentals was broken, which was repeated in February and now amounts to 870 rentals per day.

"The citizens' initial reactions to the system were excellent, and the demand grew, which is why we decided to expand it. The goal of the system and its expansion are primarily to provide an alternative form of transportation that is faster, healthier, and cheaper. For 200 kuna a year, you can ride an unlimited number of times for up to 30 minutes, which is enough in Split to get from one desired location to another. This is, I believe, an extremely affordable form of mobility. We are now talking about an average of about 400 rentals per day, which puts Split at the very top in terms of use in Croatia and the region. We continue to monitor the needs of citizens and adapt and improve our service," said Marko Bartulić, director of Split Parking.

To complete the planned expansion, five more stations are to be set up, for which alternative locations had to be sought. Then the necessary documentation and approvals were obtained. This is at Gajo Bulat Square, where the station was installed, and the technical setups need to be resolved before commissioning, the elementary school Žnjan Pazdigrad, elementary school Kamen Šine, Mertojak near the Health Center, and Sirobuja. Their installation is expected by the end of the month, and the system will then count a total of 51 stations across the city.

A new price list for the public bicycle system is in operation, which also offers new options such as a weekly subscription and renting two bicycles at the same time through one user account for all weekly and annual subscribers. The yearly subscription price and all the benefits it includes remains the same, i.e., 200 kuna per year, and consists of an unlimited number of rides of up to 30 minutes.

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

February 15, 2021 - In game two of the Olympic Qualifiers in Rotterdam, Croatia water polo defeats the Netherlands (25:8). 

The Croatia water polo team jumped into Rotterdam's Zwemcentrum pool for the second time on Monday, just 24 hours after an impressive performance against Romania to open the competition. Recall, Croatia's 16:6 victory against Romania kicked off a strenuous eight days of water polo in the Netherlands for the Olympic qualifying tournament. The three top teams will secure a spot in Tokyo this summer.

On Monday, Croatia met the Netherlands, a team that surprised the national team of Germany the day before (11:10). 

Croatia kicked off the match with a goal by Josip Vrlic for 1:0 in the first minute, and Maro Jokovic increased Croatia's lead to 2:0 with 5:28 to go. Javier Garcia scored for 3:1, followed by two more goals for Jokovic for 5:1 with a minute to go. Two goals by Luka Bukic in the final minute saw Croatia leading 7:1 into the second quarter. 

Loren Fatovic and Lovre Milos opened the second quarter with goals for 9:1. Andro Buslje scored for 10:2 with 5:45 to go. Bukic and Fatovic scored for 12:3, and Milos scored for 13:4 with two minutes to go. 

Bukic increased Croatia's lead to 16:5 with 6:42 to go in the third quarter, and Vrlic scored for 17:5 one minute later. Milos scored for 18:5 and Bukic for 19:6 to end the third quarter.

Jokovic opened the final quarter with a goal for 20:6. Fatovic made it 21:7 with 4 minutes to go. Rino Buric scored for 22:7 with two minutes left. Luka Loncar scored for 23:8 with a minute and a half to go in the match. Buric scored his second goal of the game for 24:8 with less than a minute left, and Ante Vukicevic scored the final goal of the match for 25:8. 

Croatia will meet France (Tuesday, February 16, at 8:30 pm), Russia (Wednesday, February 17, at 2:30 pm), and Germany (Thursday, February 18, at 8:30 pm) next.

Following the group stage, the quarterfinal stage will commence on Friday, February 19, in which the four best teams from each group will meet.  The pairs will be determined by their positions in the standings (A1 - B4, A2 - B3, A3 - B2, and A4 - B1). 

The four winning teams will play in the semifinals on February 20. The finalists of the qualifying tournament, as well as the national team that wins the match for third place on February 21, will qualify for the Olympic Games in Tokyo, which are scheduled from July 24 to August 8, 2021. 

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

ZAGREB, 15 February, 2021 - Osijek has built a crematorium, worth HRK 3.5 million, and has thus become the second Croatian city to offer cremation services in Croatia, after the capital city of Zagreb.

The crematorium building in Osijek's main cemetery will be formally opened on Tuesday.

Addressing a news conference, Boris Piližota, a deputy mayor in this biggest eastern city, said that the idea to build a crematorium in Osijek had appeared 15 years ago.

In Zagreb, this facility was built in 1984.

Piližota said that Osijek would try to follow European trends. He noted that in Germany, a half of funeral arrangements include cremation, while in Sweden this is even 95% and in Slovenia 88%.

So far, the cost of cremation services for Osijek residents, which also include the transport of the deceased person to Zagreb and back to Osijek, has been HRK 6,300, while the new facility in Osijek's cemetery will reduce this cost to HRK 3,435.

ZAGREB, 15 February, 2021 - Politician Vladimir Šeks said on Monday he had sued Croatia at the European Court of Human Rights because he was not given access to documents of Croatia's first President Franjo Tuđman, adding that it was in the national interest to reveal, not conceal that period in recent history.

The documents in question are from the archives of the President's Office which Šeks requested at the time of former President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović. He was denied access to some with the explanation that they are secret, a decision later upheld by the Administrative and Constitutional courts.

Speaking to Hina, Šeks said those two courts "for some odd reasons found, completely wrongly, that the publication of President Tuđman's transcripts would threaten national security" and damage national interests. He said he had no other option but to resolve the matter at the European level.

Šeks said he was denied access to 29 transcripts of Tuđman's talks with various statesmen and politicians from 1992 and 1993 which he needs for his memoirs. Among them are Tuđman's talks with the leadership of the HDZ party's Brod-Posavina County branch and an association of returnees, he said, adding that he could not see how they could be a threat to national security.

Šeks said the Administrative and Constitutional courts made their decisions arbitrarily, not based on the law, and that they made a mistake by closing those documents to the public.

"We have no reason to be ashamed of anything in the Croatian people's struggle for the Croatian state and obfuscation only paves the way for those who falsify the Croatian struggle for statehood, freedom and sovereignty."

Šeks's lawyer Višnja Drenški Lasan said Šeks filed an application at the ECHR, which has considered that application and decided that Croatia's legal representative is required to respond to that by 20 May at the latest.

ZAGREB, 15 February, 2021 - During archaeological excavations at the site of a medieval cemetery near St. Francis' Church in Šibenik, archaeologists have unearthed more than 600 skulls.

The archaeological exploration of the area started after some artefacts were discovered during construction works for the Šibenik Agglomeration project.

Archaeologist Slavko Galiot said on Monday that there were many similar cemeteries across Dalmatia, however, this was a record high number of skulls found at one site.

The experts included in the exploration say that of the 600 remains, 200 skeletons belonged to children.

The last burials in this cemetery were held in 1827.

The church near the cemetery was built in the third decade of the 14th century, said Galiot.

ZAGREB, 15 February, 2021 - Agriculture Minister Marija Vučković on Monday presented the director of the Split Port Authority, Vice Mihanović, with a decision to build a fishing port, worth €5 million, in Komiža on the southern island of Vis.

€5 million is the maximum possible support that can be granted for fishing infrastructure through the EU's Maritime and Fisheries operational programme, Vučković said. This is very important because Croatian fishing infrastructure has not been modernised for decades, she added.

"This port is one of the preconditions for fast delivery of high-quality and fresh Croatian fish," the minister said, adding that the project would "prevent a conflict between tourism and fishing" and address the needs of the local population.

Responding to questions from the press, Vučković said that fish processing in Croatia was on the rise.

"Investment in aquaculture and fish processing through the Maritime and Fisheries operational programme is increasing, and there has been a considerable rise in exports of basic aquaculture products as well as processed products, so that this is becoming an important export industry, which is recognised by the Aquaculture Act," the minister said.

Mihanović said that Komiža was the cradle of the Croatian fishing industry and that the €5 million was intended for the first phase of construction of the fishing port. "That is the most important phase because it covers the construction of breakwaters and operational space, which will be enough for fishing boats to berth," he said.

Komiža mayor Tonka Ivčević said that the construction of the fishing port would be of great importance to local fishermen. "We have over 60 small fishing businesses, and young people are also showing a growing interest in fisheries," the mayor said.

For more about Komiza, the island of Vis and the rest of the Dalmatian coast, check out the dedicated TCN travel section here.

ZAGREB, 15 February, 2021 - Health Minister Vili Beroš said on Monday he had engaged all stakeholders and requested reports from all medical institutions about possible irregularities in COVID-19 vaccination. 

Data are being collected via the vaccination register and a commission has been set up to oversee vaccination, and if there are any discrepancies, it will order an inspection, he told the press. If there are omissions, the cases will be referred to the professional chambers, he added.

Beroš said he was confident he would receive reports from most medical institutions, "as well as from the digital platform," today already. "Very accurately, as stipulated."

Asked if the director of Zagreb's infectious diseases hospital, Alemka Markotić, had abused her office by having her mother vaccinated against COVID, Beroš said the opinion of the relevant institutions was important, not his.

Speaking at the same press conference, Markotić said professionals had said everything concerning her mother's vaccination and that what she said last Friday about the vaccination of one journalist was misinterpreted.

"I didn't enable any journalist to be vaccinated. I know a lot of people. One journalist boasted to someone I know about being vaccinated, it doesn't matter for what, out of turn."

She said her intention had been to prevent condemnation because it was not known if that person, given their medical condition, had reason to be vaccinated. She added that before judging whether someone was vaccinated out of turn or should have been vaccinated, it was necessary to know if indeed anything wrong had been done.

Markotić said her mother qualified for the vaccine, "which has been confirmed by a score of top professionals."

Beroš: We must unanimously say that AstraZeneca's vaccine is effective for the elderly

The press conference heard that 120,603 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered to 67,825 persons, including 52,778 who received the second shot, and that the incidence of positive PCR tests is still mildly declining.

Epidemiologist Bernard Kaić said that in theory seven doses could be extracted from one vial.

As for an instruction from Primorje-Gorski Kotar County that those older than 65 should not be given the AstraZeneca vaccine, Minister Beroš said all public health institutes must send a unanimous message about vaccination.

"In talks with the manufacturer and after analysing the questionable elements, we, like many other states, have assessed that, since this vaccine prevents the development of more serious illness and death, it is absolutely justified to vaccinate older people too."

Beroš also said that as of next week people should be able to register for vaccination via a digital platform.

For more on coronavirus in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section.