September 16, 2020 - Will Croatia be one of the first countries to introduce a digital nomad visa? A closer look into what this means for the country.

Vecernji List reports that digital nomads are people that work online, and all they really need is a high-speed internet connection. Thus, they can have a temporary office on the beach, in a cafe, on a train, in a park, or wherever the internet is fast and accessible enough. For this reason, digital nomads like to switch up the places and countries they work, because they are their own employer or are almost never obliged to meet their employers. They are mostly IT experts, writers, journalists, designers, or various creatives, and there are more and more jobs that can be done remotely due to technological advances and the development of online tools. Soon, digital nomads could become frequent Croatian guests, and Croatia could be one of the few countries in the world that will regulate the status of digital nomads and issue them a digital nomad visa.

The first step has been taken, the institute of digital nomads has been included in the proposal of the Foreigners Act, which had its first reading in Parliament on Friday, and should be debated and adopted by the end of the year and come into force at the beginning of 2021. 

Credit is due to Dutch entrepreneur Jan De Jong, who is mostly responsible for bringing digital nomads to the attention of Croatian legislation. Namely, when asked what Croatia should do to improve its revenues, help Croatian companies survive, and make Croatia a year-round destination, not just a temporary visit for tourists in the three summer months, Jan answered that Croatia needs to regulate the rules on digital nomads, create a digital nomad visa, and open up the country to the world. 

"Unfortunately, we have seen that many Croats leave Croatia solely for economic reasons. They didn't leave because they did not like the lifestyle in Croatia. Who wouldn't want to live in Croatia if you could live here on a German, Austrian, Swiss or Dutch salary? And that's where I see a big new industry emerging in Croatia - digital nomad tourism," wrote Jan De Jong and listed the advantages of Croatia, such as EU membership, great lifestyle, good internet, amazing climate, security, and affordable private health care.

Jan De Jong is interesting from several angles and has been on the Zagreb - Split route living his Croatian dream for almost 14 years. He arrived from the Netherlands to study and stayed. He started a business, successfully sold it, started a new one, and is just about to start another. But this time, we won’t tell you the story of Jan, his companies, his family, and business plans. This is the story of his mission to push Croatia in the direction that unites tourism and work, and of course, consequently generates additional revenues for the state and the economy.

Jan De Jong did not invent digital nomads, the nomad trend strengthened even before the corona crisis, but what he did was openly send a letter to Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on his Linkedin profile, urging him to address the issue of digital nomads and Croatia's position on that map. The Prime Minister reacted, invited him for an interview, listened to and acknowledged him, and enabled him to explain his initiative to the authorities in the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Labor, and the Ministry of Finance. In his open letter, Jan very simply explained why the digital nomad visa is needed.

"Imagine, give these digital nomads the right to come and work from Croatia to the maximum. Twelve months - regardless of citizenship according to the digital nomad visa. Many apartments that are empty out of season could find new tenants. The salaries that digital nomads earn will be spent in Croatia, resulting in a huge boost to our economy through consumption. If we open Croatia to tourists, why not open this country to highly paid digital nomads?" he wrote to the Prime Minister.

Namely, considering his own experience of living and working in Croatia, the development of technology, and the conditions of the corona crisis, Jan De Jong considers Croatia an ideal destination for work, for all those who can work remotely. The result of the first post, which highlights Croatia's advantages, achieved an impressive 300,000+ views, more than 4,000 likes, and a series of messages from people from all over the world, who are seriously considering temporarily moving to Croatia. The main question in the messages was how to run it and defining the conditions that need to be met. A wheel that would enable digital nomadism to be regulated in Croatia has been launched. As Jan De Jong said, he will have a meeting with the Minister of Finance and more concrete talks on models and solutions for digital nomadism in Croatia.

According to his estimate, by the end of the year, we could have a complete model on the table. However, property census, taxes, health care, insurance, accommodation, and residence needs to be resolved. When we talk about digital nomads, in a broader sense of the word, we are talking about those who need only an office and the Internet to work. In the corona crisis, digital nomads also became everyone who moved work in the office to their permanent place of residence, or, for example, to their parent's home or a holiday house. The story is simple when it comes to the migration of people within their own country, but it is a bit more complicated if we talk about residents of European Union countries and the wider European economic area who work remotely, change countries, and rent a house or apartment for an extended period in Croatia.

However, digital nomadism is greatly complicated when we talk about third-country nationals who would like to spend a long time, such as a year, in Croatia, and work for Google, Facebook, or another foreign company or are freelancers. 

The first step, therefore, has been taken, and that is that the Government has passed a proposal for the Foreigners Act, which also includes the term digital nomads when it comes to a residence in Croatia for residents of third countries. The current law does not allow third-country nationals to move to Croatia temporarily, for a longer period of time. To begin with, they need a visa, and when it is granted, it is usually issued for a maximum of three months, and even then it is only a tourist visa, which means that legally, they should not even work in that period.

The new bill would allow digital nomads to work during those three months, and their temporary stay can last a maximum of 12 months, with the proviso that they can request it again only after six months of living abroad. For now, the property census has not been determined, and it is only certain that it will be higher than the one prescribed for, for example, family reunification or other reasons why third-country residents apply for long-term work or residence visas.

However, this part, as well as a number of other parameters that should be regulated such as taxes and insurance, should be adopted separately, by Government decree. As Jan De Jong said, a kind of working group, composed of representatives of the ministries, have started working, and so far, they have been informed about the various forms for countries like Estonia and their regulations. De Jong believes that we should look at Croatia's comparative advantages, that is, how Croatia can be more competitive. For example, who would be a good consumer in Croatia and with what salary, should be discussed.

Digital nomads could become a new revenue-generating trend, especially when it comes to younger age groups, those without families and school children, but perhaps also families who tend to move their lives from destination to destination. It was the corona crisis that pointed to these opportunities, and it seems that the Croatian Prime Minister, at least judging by the reaction on social media after meeting with Jan De Jong, saw an opportunity for Croatia, and said that Croatia would be among the first in the world to introduce a digital nomad visa. The idea of digital nomadism and remote work that would be an additional lure for tourists to come and spend in Croatia has already been embraced and is actively considered in some cities, such as Dubrovnik.

Mayor Mate Frankovic said that they are preparing a lot for this part of tourism. He will soon hold a conference in partnership with Saltwater Workspace and Total Croatia News on the topic of digital nomads, and they already have projects and spaces ready that would be suitable for nomads, from accommodation to coworking spaces. He especially praised his cooperation with one telecommunications company on high-speed internet, because high-speed internet, according to Frankovic, is a very important precondition for attracting these hybrid guest workers.

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September 16, 2020 - A "Thank You" campaign launched by the Croatian Tourist Board will target 13 foreign markets. 

The Croatian Tourist Board has launched a new promotional campaign titled "Thank You" on social networks Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, thanking foreign tourists for choosing Croatia and Croatian destinations for their travels this year. The campaign is being implemented in 13 foreign markets, including Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Italy, Hungary, Belgium, France, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

"With this campaign, we would like to thank all foreign guests who, despite the prescribed epidemiological measures and travel protocols, have shown their confidence in Croatia in this challenging and unpredictable tourist year. Our goal is to keep Croatia's visibility in selected markets and to tell everyone that they are welcome in our country next year as well," said Croatian Tourist Board Director Kristjan Stanicic, adding that more than seven million tourists have visited Croatia so far this year, of which nearly six million are foreign.

The focus of the "Thank you" campaign is primarily Germany, Slovenia, Poland and the Czech Republic, or the markets that, along with domestic guests, achieved the largest tourist turnover in Croatia this year. For each market, the visuals of the three favorite destinations that the guests from the mentioned market visited the most and the tourist products they enjoyed the most were targeted. For example, Medulin, Porec and Rovinj were chosen for the German market, Dubrovnik, Hvar and Split for the UK market, Crikvenica, Rovinj and Vir for the Hungarian market, while Omis, Makarska and Baska Voda were chosen for the Polish market.

Let us add that in these countries, in addition to the visuals, prize games will be organized on social networks, and the winners will be able to win a gift package of Croatian souvenirs.

After the "Thank you" campaign, the Croatian Tourist Board will start implementing promotional activities for the post-season, during which the focus will be on nautical, the continental offer, eno-gastronomy and Croatian national parks and nature parks.

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ZAGREB, Sept 16, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said in parliament on Wednesday that President Zoran Milanovic was engaging in activism against the national COVID-19 response team.

Commenting on Milanovic's statement that the Constitutional Court got cold feet when it decided that all decisions made by the COVID-19 team were in line with the Constitution, except for a Sunday trading ban, Plenkovic said: "What do you think, do those who voted against have an opposed political agenda, engaging in some sort of activism, while the others acted in line with the law and Constitution, including the judges?".

He then answered affirmatively when asked if he believed that President Milanovic was the activist leading attacks on the COVID-19 team, adding that "a few people have stirred up the debate and this is one of the activist groups that have been identified."

"Everything is clear," he said when asked if the president and the constitutional court judges who voted against the court's decision were connected.

"I have no idea what inspired those judges to vote against... I couldn't care less. You have Article 16 of the Constitution, the law was adopted, the government formed the team, the team made decisions, the coronavirus was defeated in May, we organised elections before the second wave, the tourist season was 50% of the projections, and I find that good," he said.

"Those who say that the Constitutional Court got cold feet, why didn't they address the court themselves," he said, adding that he was referring to Milanovic.

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ZAGREB, Sept 16, 2020 - There have been 280 new cases of the coronavirus infection and six fatalities in Croatia in the past 24 hours, while the number of active cases stands at 2,103, the national COVID-19 response team said on Wednesday.

A total of 293 patients are hospitalised, including 20 who are on ventilators.

With the six latest fatalities, the coronavirus death toll has risen to 236.

Currently, 8,505 people are self-isolating.

Since February 25, when the first case of the disease was reported, 14,029 people have contracted the disease and 11,690 of them have recovered.

A total of 236,938 people have been tested to date, including 6,353 in the last 24 hours.

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ZAGREB, Sept 16, 2020 - President Zoran Milanovic said on Tuesday that the Constitutional Court got cold feet when deciding about the constitutionality of epidemiological measures adopted by the national COVID-19 response team, noting that its ruling would not put an end to discussions about the team's work.

"(Those measures) suspend certain human rights and they do so for a longer period of time. A very vague and loose legal framework was adopted and the Constitutional Court got cold feet, but that's only human," Milanovic told reporters in a comment on the Constitutional Court's decision that the COVID-19 response team's epidemiological masures are in line with the Constitution.

"The ruling is as it is, there will be problems because of it, in my opinion, it is not wise and in that sense, I take note of it. I cannot go against it, but I will not keep silent and will defend the Constitution and constitutional freedoms the way I understand them," Milanovic told reporters.

The Constitutional Court is a political body, which in the case of the COVID-19 response team has made a political decision, the president said, adding that this was a rule of democracy.

President Milanovic, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Croatian Armed Forces, was answering reporters' questions at Pleso Airport, where he attended a welcome ceremony for the 12th Croatian contingent returning from the Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan.

Milanovic reiterated his position that there was a state of emergency in Croatia, a state of natural disaster, just as in the whole of Europe, and that debates about the constitutionality of decisions made by the team managing the coronavirus crisis would not stop.

He added that a few months ago he had warned that "in the case of the COVID-19 team a house was being built without legal foundations."

He believes that the situation could have been avoided elegantly and one could have avoided "questions about jurisdiction, whether one has the right to issue orders and whether those orders exist or are fiction."

Milanovic believes decisions of the Constitutional Court should be debated because they concern important social topics.

"That is called making the nation literate. People should be able to discuss anything, and if something is unjust, they should be able to oppose it. This is simply fear of criticism," Milanovic said when asked to comment on the view of some HDZ members that decisions by the Constitutional Court should not be debated.

Milanovic, however, does not share the view of some of the opposition parties that the Constitutional Court should be abolished.

"Of course not; but it is a political institution, it is not a regular court. There is no close connection with classic adjudication," he added.

The decision on fighter jets political

Asked about the condition of MiG jets, which at the time of his government's term in office were overhauled in Ukraine, Milanovic said that the jets were in the best possible condition compared to the condition they could be in.

"When their age is taken into account, one can say that they were saved with the overhaul in Ukraine, which cost the state US$ 10 or 15 million. That's an insignificant amount for the state. It was an absolutely good job back then. If we had not done it, we would not have any jets today, but we still have a certain number of jets that fly... it was a necessary move, but it has its shelf life," Milanovic said.

He repeated that now one should buy new planes, that the government was in charge of the process but that he believed the US offer should be given priority for a number of reasons.

"They have just donated us two helicopters. Those are all factors that should be taken into account when making a decision. The government must be as neutral as possible but eventually, the decision is a political one," Milanovic said.

September 16, 2020 - The latest news for flights to Croatia as Air France announces to Zagreb and Dubrovnik this October, and AirBaltic launches postseason routes to Split and Dubrovnik. 

Croatian Aviation reports that AirBaltic has announced a line to Split and Dubrovnik in the postseason.

As we wrote earlier, the company made its last flight from Riga to Split in August (more precisely, on August 21) and canceled all flights after that date for this season.

However, AirBaltic announced that from this week, it would offer flights to as many as 37 destinations in Europe, including Dubrovnik and Split. Judging by the new flight schedule, AirBaltic will operate on the Riga - Split line from this Friday, September 18, once a week until the end of the month. Direct flights on this line are announced even in October, also on Fridays, until October 23, when this line should stop operating for this year.

The same goes for the Riga - Dubrovnik line. The company made its last flight on August 20 and canceled all flights after that date. But on September 14, the connection between the two airports was re-established. Flights in the post-season should operate once a week, every Monday, until October 19 this year.

The Riga - Rijeka line is not in traffic, while the Vilnius - Dubrovnik line has been operating regularly all this time. The last flight on this line has been announced for September 25. 

Furthermore, Croatian Aviation reports that Air France has made operational changes to its flight schedule by the end of October this year. This well-known airline will continue to operate to Dubrovnik and Zagreb next month.

In July, Air France launched its international routes from Paris (Charles de Gaulle Airport) to Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik. Since then, the routes have operated regularly without significant cancellations of individual departures.

The traffic on the lines to Croatia increased at the end of July, and the company had 34 weekly flights until the end of August. Namely, on the last day of August, the Paris - Split route stopped operating, on which Air France ran as many as 6 times a week.

Even before the outbreak of the pandemic, the company announced the introduction of a second flight a day to Zagreb (a total of 14 flights a week), but the plan was suspended after the lockdown. The company then planned to fly twice a day to Zagreb four times a week, but only a few flights were made and after that, they were withdrawn from sale.

At the beginning of September, Air France reduced its traffic to Dubrovnik (from 4 to 3 weeks of flight), while traffic to Zagreb remained the same, with one flight a day. According to current announcements, this flight schedule will be in effect until the end of October.

Namely, the Paris - Dubrovnik line is on sale 3 times a week through October, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday (until October 24 this year). The Paris - Zagreb route should operate daily through October, but it remains to be seen whether Air France will reduce the number of weekly flights on this route in the winter flight schedule, which will be in effect from the end of next month.

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September 16, 2020 - After the first edition of the gourmet street food fair in April 2019, Split Spring returns on September 18 for a special late-summer edition that will last until September 27. 

As in the first year, Split Spring by Staropramen is bringing Split restaurants to the streets, despite the unpredictable corona era. Namely, from September 18 to 27, 2020, the famous Dardin park will feature various street food specialties by Split staples such as Sug and chef Duje Kanajet, ArtiCok, Misto, Mazgoon, Maka Maka, Biberon sushi, Fabrique, Kabinet, Biberon Maestro and special guests from Varazdin American bar Dollar.

The central Split park will be arranged as a relaxing daily picnic area with various picturesque corners designed by Staropramen. There will be a children's zone Baby Center, a corner for reading by Mozaik knjiga, but also five humanitarian corners by the Animal Protection Foundation of Split where you can learn all about foster care for abandoned dogs.

There will be gigs and performances by jazz, blues and RnB performers every day in the early evening and evening. Mate Grgat, Dino Petric, Chuck Borris and DJ Bake, DJ Borna Kokic and many others will perform across the 10 days of the festival. 

A pleasant late-summer atmosphere, excellent street food, cold Staropramen, ice-cold Coca-Cola, gemist by Kutjevo Graševina, cocktails, a quality program, fun activities and photo corners await the people of Split, and all this following epidemiologically recommended measures by the Civil Protection Headquarters!

It's your time to enjoy the outdoors this Friday at Split Spring by Staropramen, September edition. The working hours of the festival are from 12 pm to 11 pm and on Fridays and Saturdays until midnight.

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September 16, 2020 - The company "Split parking" has been approved a maximum of 75 thousand kuna without VAT for the purchase of electric bicycles after applying to the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund's public call co-finance the purchase of energy-efficient vehicles.

Slobodna Dalmacija reports that the maximum subsidy of the state institution is 5,000 kuna per vehicle on two wheels, which means that the Fund will subsidize a total of 15 of the 120 already ordered electric bicycles that should arrive on the streets of Split at the end of October. Since the vehicles that can be rented in our city are more expensive than the mentioned amount of support, the rest of the value will be paid by the utility company.

"Funds are intended to increase energy efficiency in transport, and the project achieves energy savings and reduces emissions of greenhouse gases and other harmful substances," says Split parking.

This, they say, is in line with Split Parking's plans to promote alternative forms of transport in Split, which from month to month, holds the position of a record holder in Croatia in the use of public bicycles, so new bicycles will certainly provoke positive reactions from residents.

"When we saw the tender, we immediately decided to prepare all the necessary documentation and apply and use the opportunity for subsidies. We have been up to date enough, and the funds are there now. According to the contract, we are obliged to spend the funds within a year, but since the bikes have already been ordered because we planned to increase the number of bikes in the public bike system, it will happen much earlier," said Split parking.

In addition to the purchase of new electric bicycles, Split parking will also purchase 50 classic bikes. All of them will find their place at the new stations set up in the city's busiest locations. Preparatory works should start at the end of September, and about 35 new stations are planned.

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