ZAGREB, 12 January, 2021 -  The chairman of the management board of the state-owned company Pleter, Marijan Mareković, said on Monday, that immediately after the 29 December earthquake, Pleter had started preparing meals in barracks for quake victims in Sisak-Moslavina County.

According to Mareković, in the evening of 29 December, Pleter commenced preparing meals for army troops deployed in the area as well as for beneficiaries of an old-age care home who were relocated to the barracks in Petrinja after the magnitude 6.2 quake.

In the meantime Pleter has been tasked with preparing meals for all quake victims in the area.

Mareković told the RTL commercial broadcaster that the company had been ready for this task all the time.

Asked how he commented on the fact that for the two weeks after the quake volunteering cooks and chefs had been included in the preparation of meals, Mareković said that that had been probably been decided by the task force for dealing with the aftermath of the quake.

In the course of Monday, Pleter delivered 7,000 hot meals and 5,000 other meals, he said adding that the same was planned for Tuesday.

The task force will inform Pleter of the number of meals they are expected to prepare and at what locations to deliver them.

For the latest information on the earthquake emergency, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

ZAGREB, 12, January, 2021 - Slovenia's Foreign Minister Anže Logar said on Monday that he was pleased with the support he received from parliament regarding the government's activities concerning decisions by Croatia and Italy to declare exclusive economic zones (EEZ) in the Adriatic Sea.

I presented lawmakers with the background to the events and all the options that Slovenia has after Italy and Croatia declared exclusive economic zones in the Adriatic, Logar said after a meeting of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee.

He added that the debate was constructive and that lawmakers were well informed of the matter and conveyed their support to the ministry's planned activities related to Italy and Croatia's plans.

Logar is satisfied with the trilateral cooperation with Italy and Croatia to date regarding exclusive economic zones after Slovenia was included in the consultations.

The foreign ministers of all three countries met in Trieste on 19 December and in that way established a "platform for cooperation," on the political and expert level, added Logar.

A new trilateral meeting will be held soon in Rome, he added, rejecting criticism in the media that the incumbent government should have opposed Croatia's declaration of an exclusive economic zone until Zagreb agrees to implement the arbitration ruling in the border dispute which Croatia has been rejecting, while insisting on a bilateral solution for the border in the sea.

Logar considers media claims that Slovenia will be left without access to the high seas and that Croatia and Italy will be able to stop Slovenian ships on their way to Koper port as exaggerated.

"It is difficult to believe that Croatia would act that way and violate one of the fundamental freedoms in the European Union, that is the right to free movement of goods," said Logar, adding that sea routes in the Adriatic are regulated by other conventions in any case.

ZAGREB, 11 January, 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Monday that he would take a stance on an inquiry commission after services in the field checked how many buildings covered by the post-war reconstruction in Sisak-Moslavina County had been damaged in the 29 December earthquake.

"Everything related to post-war reconstruction needs to be brought to light. I have requested that all services in the field precisely identify how many buildings that were damaged in the earthquake in Sisak-Moslavina County are buildings repaired or reconstructed under the post-war reconstruction scheme. When we see what it is about, then we will take a stance," Plenković said ahead of this year's first meeting of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) leadership.

As far as amendments to the law are concerned regarding reducing red tape to issue building permits faster so that reconstruction can start as soon as possible, Plenković underscored that a comprehensive solution was being sought and this would be discussed at the cabinet meeting on Thursday.

Asked to comment on claims by Petrinja Mayor Darinko Dumbović that he would sue the state if it turned out that there were irregularities and wrongdoings during post-war reconstruction, Plenković said that they were in constant contact and that he presumed that the DORH state prosecutor's office and police were already taking certain activities.

With regard to an appeal by parents in Zagreb that safe passage be ensured on the way to schools ahead of the second semester of this school year and that they are afraid that the financial burden will fall on them, Plenković welcomed any initiative that would ensure citizens' safety particularly for pupils.

He also said that during talks in the next two days with the Education Ministry a decision would be made in reference to the broader epidemiological situation regarding whether school would continue face to face in January when it is supposed to start on the 18th or whether it would be held in line with the measures that are still in force.

He recalled the €683 million from the EU Solidarity Fund that has been received and that the government was doing everything to speed up the process and to launch the reconstruction of privately-owned buildings.

ZAGREB, 11 January, 2021 - Health Minister Vili Beroš said on Monday he was happy with the turnout of Croatians to get COVID-19 vaccines, and that additional amounts of Pfizer vaccine jabs were pre-ordered earlier in the day in agreement with the European Commission.

"At this moment I can be satisfied with the inoculation. Interest is high, I can say that (COVID) vaccines are in-demand. This shows that citizens have recognised the importance of the vaccination and that they have placed their trust in science, experts and medicine," the minister told the national broadcaster HTV on Monday evening.

He reassured the public that the government had done its utmost to ensure COVID jabs for the population.

He said that after today's agreement with the European Commission, Zagreb can count on an additional amount of 700,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

Beroš said that until the end of March, Croatia will likely have been provided with 264,000 Pfizer vaccine jabs.

On Tuesday, the first batch of vaccines developed by Moderna are expected in Croatia, and 52,000 doses of this vaccine are likely to be procured by Croatia until the end of February.

Provided that AstraZeneca vaccine gets approved on 29 January, Croatia can count on the procurement of 1.7 million dozes of that vaccination.

In this case, the minister expects a million citizens to be vaccinated until the end of March. 

Commenting on lower new infection and hospitalisation numbers, Beros told the national broadcaster (HTV) that there was still no room for relaxing anti-epidemic rules considering the third wave of the pandemic in other countries as well as considering the specific situation in the quake-hit Sisak-Moslavina County.

For more information and the latest news about coronavirus in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section.

ZAGREB, 12 January, 2021 - Montenegrin health authorities on Monday decided to allow entry into the country for foreign nationals without a negative test for COVID-19 thus partly relaxing current epidemiological measures even though around 1.5% of the country's population is infected with coronavirus. 

Health Minister Jakov Milatović said the decision was due to the fact that restricting entry into the country during the summer had caused Montenegro to lose close to half a billion euros even though "a negligible number of tourists were responsible for the transmission of coronavirus within Montenegro."

Health authorities have also lifted the ban on travel between municipalities on weekends while restaurants and bars will continue, as they have so far, to work from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. without live music.

The health authorities have said that the epidemic curve is stable even though there were significant epidemiological risks during the holidays.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

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January 12, 2021 - A look at the Split-Dalmatia County tourism numbers in 2020 as revealed by County Tourist Board Director Josko Stella.

Slobodna Dalmacija reports that in Split-Dalmatia County last year, 1.2 million tourists stayed in commercial accommodation and realized more than eight million overnight stays. Thus, in 2020, Split-Dalmatia County recorded 34 percent of arrivals and 45 percent of overnight stays compared to the record 2019.

Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board Director Joško Stella estimates that after a significant decline in tourist arrivals and overnight stays in the first half of the year, marked by the COVID-19 pandemic which interrupted travel around the world, encouraging recovery was recorded in July and then continued growth in foreign guest arrivals in August.

“After the inclusion of Split-Dalmatia County on the red list at the end of August, there was a significant drop in the number of arrivals and overnight stays from the markets of Germany, Poland, Austria, Slovenia and Slovakia in September compared to September last year, which was extended until the end of the year, especially after the introduction of lockdown throughout Croatia which made it impossible to hold Advent events, while facilities were closed and hotel NYE events canceled,” says Stella.

Thus, despite numerous difficulties in commercial accommodation in 2020 in the area of Split-Dalmatia County, 1,238,260 tourists realized 8,073,385 overnight stays, so in the whole of 2020, there were 34 percent of arrivals and 45 percent of overnight stays compared to the record year 2019.

Most foreign guests came from Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia, and the largest number of overnight stays was realized in Split, Makarska, and Omis, and Baška Voda.

Stella adds that the data on tourist traffic in the county's commercial accommodation should also include those from nautical tourism in which 82,179 arrived in Split-Dalmatia County in 2020, who recorded 567,465 overnight stays, thus achieving 36 percent of the traffic from 2019. Most arrived from Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia.

In 2020, Split Airport recorded 20.4 percent of passengers compared to the record 2019, i.e., 674.3 thousand passengers. Split Airport should return to traffic from 2019 in 2024.

In March last year, almost all European airports were closed, including Split, where regular international traffic continued only on May 29 and gradually grew until August 20. At that time, Croatia was painted red on the epidemiological maps of Europe, so the arrival of passengers stopped due to the suspension of flights.

Therefore, in 2020, Split Airport had only 40 percent of flights compared to 2019, with an average aircraft occupancy of 50 to 60 percent. 

Given that rapid implementation of vaccination is expected worldwide in 2021, the airport and the County Tourist Board expect that a return to the 2019 results could be achieved in 2024.

They also believe that accepting the aviation industry's proposal to apply a single antigen test to all departing passengers at airports with fast test results, which would avoid quarantine in incoming countries, would be a significant incentive for passengers to use air transport and speed up their return to 2019 results.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

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January 12, 2021 - Coach Lino Cervar has announced the final Croatia handball player list of 20 players who will travel to Egypt for the World Handball Championships.

The best news is that Igor Karačić is on the list, who was previously dropped due to recovery from injury, reports HRS.

"The players did their best, and of course everyone would like to play in the World Champs, but we had to choose 20. I have to praise the players for their attitude towards the national team, but we already have two wings in that position, and Lovro Mihić understood that it was a logical decision. Šime Ivić has been called up several times and is always in the national team, but we already have two left-handers. At this moment, when we have Cindrić and Karačić, who did not train at full strength today, as well as Duvnjak, who is exhausted, we had to give priority. They have, of course, contributed to our work. Igor Karačić is going with us, he works under a special program, and I think that in the end, when needed, he will do his best," said Červar after the list was published.

Croatia will play against Qatar, Angola, and Japan in the first round of the World Championships. The top three teams from each group go further. Croatia wants to reach the maximum number of points (4) in the first round, as they transfer to the second round. Croatia's first match is on January 15 at 6 pm Croatian time (7 pm local time) against Japan. Two days later, at the same time, Croatia will meet Angola, and on January 19, again at 6 pm, Qatar awaits her.

Due to the coronavirus, the World Handball Federation (IHF) allowed each national team 20 players to compete in Egypt. The World Championships are played in Alexandria. Croatia will leave today by charter from Zagreb.

The World Championships in Egypt will be Croatia's 14th. Croatia has not missed a single World Championship since it became independent, and thus won one gold medal (2003), three silver (1995, 2005, 2009), and one bronze (2013). The bronze medal from Spain from eight years ago is the last Croatian medal at the World Championships.

There is a strong motive for this generation to end this dry spell. Croatia is in seventh place together with Denmark when looking at total medals won. France leads with six world titles, one silver, and four bronze. Croatia has played 111 matches at the World Championships so far and has 82 wins, 4 draws, and 25 losses.

Final Croatia List:

MARIN ŠEGO – MONTPELLIER HB
IVAN PEŠIĆ – MC MESHKOV BREST
MATE ŠUNJIĆ – US IVRY HANDBALL
IVAN ČUPIĆ – RK VARDAR 1961
ZLATKO HORVAT – RK METALURG SKOPJE
MANUEL ŠTRLEK – TELEKOM VESZPREM HC
DAVID MANDIĆ – RK PPD ZAGREB
ŽELJKO MUSA – SC MAGDEBURG
MARINO MARIĆ – MT MELSUNGEN
ILIJA BROZOVIĆ–TSV HANNOVER-BURGDORF
MARIN ŠIPIĆ – RK PPD ZAGREB
LUKA CINDRIĆ–BARCA
DOMAGOJ DUVNJAK–THW KIEL
JANKO KEVIĆ–RK NEXE
IGOR KARAČIĆ -LOMZA VIVE KIELCE
MARKO MAMIĆ–SCDHFK LEIPZIG
HALIL JAGANJAC–RK NEXE
JOSIP ŠARAC – RK CELJE PIVOVARNA LAŠKO
IVAN MARTINOVIĆ–HCHANNOVER-BURGDORF
LUKA ŠEBETIĆ–TREMBLAY EN FRANCE HANDBALL

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

January 12, 2021 - Continuing our look at Croatia as it once was in the distant past through 3D animations, daily life in the impressive Pula Forum during the Roman Era.

As beautiful as the Croatian coast is today, can you imagine what it must have looked 500 - or even 1000 - years ago?

An era long before mass tourism and the apartmanisation of the Adriatic, leaving the magnificent historic cities and stone buildings which comprise major tourist attractions today.  

A coast which is dominated by historic Dubrovnik in the south, the walls of Ston, great island settlements such as the towns of Korcula, Hvar and Stari Grad. Diocletian's Palace in Split, Salona in Solin, the old town of Trogir, and the magnificence of Zadar and Sibenik. 

And not forgetting Istria.

A cursory walk around the city of Pula indicates the sense of history and heritage that exists in the Istrian capital, and it was a great civilsation in the Roman era.

The most obvious remnant of those golden days is the Roman amphitheatre, the Pula Arena, which dominates the waterfront of the city, and which we visited 2000 years ago yesterday in the form of Stipan Ujgur's excellent 3D animated construction, which you can see above. 

The amphitheatre was the seat of entertainment for the Roman city, but the seat of power was a short walk away in the Pula Forum, where today's authorities continue that tradition. The local administration and mayor's office are located in Forum, and it is one of the city's most popular squares. 

It was also very vibrant many years ago, as one can see from the latest 3D animation from Stipan Ujgur in our series.

Now take a look at how life was in Dubrovnik before the 1667 earthquake, an age when the Republic of Dubrovnik ruled supreme. 

life in Dubrovnik before the 1667 earthquake.