July 2, 2022 - Petra Martić was brilliant against the 8th-seed of the tournament to book a spot in the Wimbledon round of 16!

Croatia's best female tennis player Petra Martić (WTA - 80) continues with excellent form at the All England Club and has qualified for the Wimbledon round of 16 after defeating the 8th-seeded American Jessica Pegula (WTA - 9th) 6:2, 7:6 (5) in less than an hour and a half of play.

Martić played brilliantly against Pegula to win her third match at this year's Wimbledon without losing a set, reports HRT.

Martić played a set and a half almost without a mistake. During that time, she easily won the first set 6:2, while in the second, with a break advantage, she led 3:1.

However, Pegula came back from the middle of the second set, making it a quality and even fight. Pegula returned the break and had one set point on Martić's serve with a 5:4 lead.

Martić made it to the tie-break in which she led 5:2. The American tennis player gathered her strength and equalized at 5:5, but then Martić made it 6:5 with a good second serve, while Pegula made a mistake on the match point at the net for Martić to celebrate.

In the round of 16, Martić will play against Kazakhstani tennis player Jelena Ribakina, the 17th-seed of the tournament, who won against Chinese tennis player Qinwen Zheng 7:6 (4), 7:5 in the third round.

Martić reached the second week of Wimbledon for the third time in her career. She played in the round of 16 in 2017 and 2019.

"This victory means a lot to me, and I still have enough energy to go on. Pegula is a great tennis player, she has been proving how good she is for a long time, and I know that grass suits her. So I'm going to move on, match by match," said Martić immediately after celebrating against the American.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated sports section. 

July 2, 2022 - We're going to take a look at the destinations you can visit by ferry from the main Croatian ports. In this fifth installment of our Croatia Ferry Guide 2022, where to go from the port of Hvar Town?

When advertising the Adriatic Sea and the Croatian islands abroad, the experience of being on board a sailboat, yacht, or catamaran is usually highlighted. However, there is no destination a Croatian ferry can't reach, and why not mention that it's totally worth saving a good amount of euros on sailboat rentals and crews?

We know that in the past editions of this series of articles we have covered the destinations reachable from coastal cities such as Rijeka, Sibenik, Split, or Dubrovnik, but this does not mean that your ferry trips have to be limited to the classic trip from coastal city to island. A great travel plan is to go to one island, from there to another, and so on... that's where the concept of island hopping comes from. And so, today we tell you more about the island destinations you can reach from the ferry port of Hvar Town.

Photo: Mario Romulić

First of all, how to buy your ferry tickets? There are three ways. The first is via the official Jadrolinija website. In it, you can not only see the updated sailing schedules, but you can also buy your tickets online. Simply choose the port of departure, the port of destination, and the date of your trip, and you will find the available times. Once you have chosen the time and the number of tickets, in addition to completing all your personal information, you can proceed to pay for your tickets online with a credit or debit card.

The second way is through the official Jadrolinija mobile app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Playstore for Android. The application is very easy to use and, just like on the website, just select the port of departure and you will be able to see the ports that you can travel to from the one you selected. The process is very similar, and you will find that it is even more comfortable and intuitive to use. Payment also allows the use of credit and debit cards.

Finally, the third type of payment is the most traditional and has its benefits. All ferry ports in Croatia have a Jadrolinija office, where you can go to buy your tickets in person. Sometimes one can be a bit confused before buying their tickets both on the website and in the app, so having a Jadrolinija agent to guide you is a great help.

Where is the Hvar ferry port located? The port of Hvar Town is located at the end of its long riva. You can find it on the map below.

Bol

Starting on Friday, July 8, a catamaran of line 9811S (Dubrovnik - Korčula - Hvar - Bol - Split) will take passengers from Hvar to Bol on the island of Brač. From Monday to Sunday, a catamaran will depart from Hvar at 10:50 a.m. and arrive in Bol at 11:40 a.m. The price of the ferry ticket for both adults and children is 130 kunas.

Photo: Mario Romulić

Dubrovnik

Starting on Thursday, July 7, a catamaran of line 9811S (Dubrovnik - Korčula - Hvar - Bol - Split) will take passengers from Hvar to the Pearl of the Adriatic. From Monday to Sunday, a catamaran will depart from Hvar at 17:55 p.m. and arrive in Dubrovnik at 21:25 p.m. The price of the ferry ticket for both adults and children is 280 kunas.

Photo: Mario Romulić

Korčula

Starting on Thursday, July 7, a catamaran of line 9811S (Dubrovnik - Korčula - Hvar - Bol - Split) will take passengers from Hvar to the Korčula. From Monday to Sunday, a catamaran will depart from Hvar at 17:55 p.m. and arrive in Dubrovnik at 19:10 p.m. The price of the ferry ticket for both adults and children is 140 kunas.

Photo: Mario Romulić

Split

Split is perhaps the destination with the most frequent catamaran trips from Hvar. In addition, there are four different catamaran lines that connect Hvar with the Dalmatian city. One of them is line 9604 (Lastovo - Vela Luka - Hvar - Split), which has a daily catamaran trip. From Monday to Saturday, a catamaran leaves at 6:35 am and arrives in Split at 7:40 am. On Sunday, however, it leaves at 9:15 am and arrives at 10:20 am. The price of the adult ticket is 63 kunas, while for children (from 3 to 12 years old) it is 30 kunas.

The second ferry line from Hvar to Split is the 9811S (Dubrovnik - Korcula - Hvar - Bol - Split). This catamaran line will start taking passengers from Hvar to Split from Friday 8th July. Every day a catamaran of line 9811S will depart from Hvar at 10:50 am and will arrive at the port of Split at 12:55 pm. The price of the ferry ticket for both adults and children is 130 kunas.

Photo: Mario Romulić

The third ferry line from Hvar to Split is the 9602 (Vis - Hvar - Milna - Split), and works only every Tuesday, where a catamaran departs from Hvar at 8:15 am and arrives in Split at 9:20 am. The price of the adult ticket is 63 kunas, while for children (from 3 to 12 years old) it is 30 kunas.

The fourth catamaran line is the 9604S and the one with the highest frequency among the four. From Wednesday 13 July it will start making up to six direct trips from Hvar to Split every day. The itinerary is as follows: the first catamaran leaves at 10:15 am from Hvar and arrives in Split at 11:20 am, the next one leaves at 11:30 am and arrives in Split at 12:35 pm, the third departs at 12:45 pm and arrives at 13:50 pm, the fourth departs from Hvar at 14:45 pm and arrives at 15:50 pm, the fifth leaves at 18:00 pm and arrives at 19:05 pm, and the last catamaran departs from Hvar at 21:00 pm and arrives at the port of Split at 22:05 pm. The price of the ferry ticket for both adults and children is 130 kunas.

Ubli

Every day a catamaran of line 9604 (Lastovo - Vela Luka - Hvar - Split) departs from Hvar in the direction of Ubli, on the island of Lastovo. It leaves Hvar at 16:25 pm and arrives in Ubli at 18:25 pm. The price of the adult ticket is 63 kunas, while for children (from 3 to 12 years old) it is 30 kunas.

Image: Lastovo Tourist Board

Vela Luka

Every day a catamaran of line 9604 (Lastovo - Vela Luka - Hvar - Split) departs from Hvar in the direction of Vela Luka, on the island of Korčula. It leaves Hvar at 16:25 pm and arrives in Ubli at 17:20 pm. The price of the adult ticket is 48 kunas, while for children (from 3 to 12 years old) it is 22 kunas.

Photo: Jose Alfonso Cussianovich/Total Croatia News

Vis

One catamaran departs from Hvar and arrives at Vis, and that is the 9602 (Vis - Hvar - Milna - Split), and works only every Tuesday, where a catamaran departs from Hvar at 17:15 pm and arrives at Vis at 18:05 pm. A change in schedule will be introduced from Tuesday 30th August, and the catamaran will leave Hvar at 16:30 pm and arrive in Vis at 17:20 pm. It is worth mentioning that this catamaran will work until September 27. The price of the adult ticket is 63 kunas, while for children (from 3 to 12 years old) it is 30 kunas. The price of the adult ticket is 48 kunas, while for children (from 3 to 12 years old) it is 22 kunas.

Photo: Mario Romulić

The ferry lines mentioned above are those with confirmed schedules for the next three months. Prices are subject to change. Visit the official Jadrolinija website for more information on other ferry lines from Hvar.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

ZAGREB, 2 July 2022 - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković met in Osijek on Saturday with city and county officials and said the numbers showed that after years of stagnation, Osijek, Osijek-Baranja County and the Slavonia region were growing and making progress.

He met with Osijek-Baranja County head Ivan Anušić, Osijek Mayor Ivan Radić and Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Nataša Tramišak.

Speaking to the press afterwards, he said Slavonia and Baranja-County for many years were seen in a negative light due to political instability, emigration and economic stagnation.

Now, he added, a lot of money from the state budget and EU funds is coming here and the effects on the quality of life are visible.

Money is being invested in infrastructure and logistics projects as well in agriculture, the economy and science, Jandroković said, adding that today's meeting also discussed sports development, the IT sector in Osijek, and the further strengthening of the cooperation between the state and local levels.

When there is political stability and the city and the county function, that cooperation is much stronger, he said.

As a member of the EU and soon-to-be member of the euro and Schengen areas, Croatia is significantly changing its position, which impacts counties and region, he added.

Tramišak said HRK 7.6 billion was being invested in economic, municipal, health and school projects.

Croatia's east has proven that it can be more progressive in terms of the economy and development and to attract people to live there, she said, adding that the programming process had ended and a partnership agreement was sent to the European Commission yesterday for approval.

This means new funds and opportunities for enterprise and much higher aid for those who want to start a business here, Tramišak said.

Prefect Anušić said that under parliament's recent change of statistical regions, Osijek-Baranja County was now part of the Pannonian Region and that this facilitated development and EU fund absorption.

Mayor Ivan Radić said Prime Minister Andrej Plenković's visit yesterday and Jandroković's today showed how much attention was being paid to eastern Croatia.

We have very good tourism results as well as good economic and demographic indicators, he added.

Tonight, Jandroković will open the 22nd Osijek Summer of Culture.

For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB, 2 July 2022 - Croatia has registered 1,078 new coronavirus cases and three related deaths in the last 24 hours, the national coronavirus response team reported on Saturday.

The number of active cases now stands at 6,191, including 257 infected persons who are being treated in hospital, of whom eight are placed on ventilators, while 3,335 people are self-isolating.

To date, 4,946,180 persons have tested for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, including 2,810 in the last 24 hours.

A total of 5,258,754 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered, and 59.55 per cent of the total population, or 70.82 per cent of adults, have been vaccinated. 2,315,567 persons have received at least one dose and 2,245,251 of them have been fully vaccinated, which is 68.78 per cent of the adult population.

For everything you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, bookmark our dedicated section and select your preferred language if it isn't English.

ZAGREB, 2 July 2022 - The security of a job in state administration is no longer attractive, Jutarnji List daily said on Saturday, adding that ministries cannot find employees even for jobs with a starting monthly wage of HRK 8,000.

On 25 May, the Justice and Administration Ministry advertised 22 vacancies where the starting wage would be HRK 8,000 and has received no applications, receiving only one for a position  where the starting wage would be HRK 9,000 net.

The problems faced by private employers, who cannot find domestic workers for shortage occupations and are increasingly importing foreign labour, is increasingly spilling over to state administration.

Job security used to be attractive, notably during crises, when the private sector was forced to lay off workers, but today, when there is a shortage of workers everywhere, no one wants to work for the state, where the average pay is relatively small and advancement is not based on merit but political affiliation, with jobs even being made up for the selected so they can advance.

The starting monthly wage of administrative staff with high school education is HRK 5,000, while expert associates earn HRK 6,000. The pay system is not equal, so the pay differs for the same job in different services, depending on whether it is in state administration, an agency or public service.

Croatia has a huge number of employees in the public sector and state administration, but the number of those in state administration keeps falling.

In three months alone this year, the ministries have lost 165 people. At the end of March, they had 16,435 employees, 324 fewer year on year, and it is estimated that in the coming period a large number of administrative staff will retire, Jutarnji List concluded.

(€1 = HRK 7.5)

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, 2 July 2022 - The 56th Đakovački vezovi folklore festival opened in Đakovo on Friday and this year's partner is Ukraine.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said this festival in the heart of the Slavonia region showed how rich Croatian culture, tradition, heritage and folklore were.

He said that "in this difficult moment for Ukraine, Croatia, and notably Slavonia, know and understand what sacrifice is, what it means to be attacked, and what solidarity and support for friends are when they need it most."

That's why these past few months Croatia has taken in Ukrainian refugees and extended strong political, humanitarian and financial support to Ukraine, a victim of Russian aggression, Plenković said.

We say that on the ninth anniversary of Croatia's EU membership and just a couple of days after Ukraine won EU membership candidate status, with strong, firm and big support from Croatia and the Croatian people, he added.

Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said many MPs from different political groups gathered at the opening of Đakovački vezovi and that this showed how much they cared about nurturing Croatian tradition, identity and roots.

He said that "in such challenging times, firm roots are extremely important." Our firm roots come from our tradition, history, faith, identity and culture, and Đakovački vezovi is a festival celebrating everything Croatia has and what the Croatian people has built over the centuries, he added.

Đakovo Mayor Marin Mandarić said the festival was a top cultural and tourist event in Croatia.

Ambassador Vasily Kyrylych extended his thanks for the invitation that Ukraine be this year's partner country and for the strong support to Ukraine and the reception of its refugees. He also thanked the Croatian parliament for being the first in Europe to adopt a resolution on the situation in Ukraine and its support to his country.

The main event of Đakovački vezovi is on Sunday, when 50 folklore groups with 2,000 participants from Croatia and abroad will take part in a procession through the city centre. The festival includes exhibitions, workshops, concerts, cuisine and children's programmes.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

July 2, 2022 - It's no surprise that Split has been busy, but just how packed the bustling Dalmatian city is can be seen in the Split tourist traffic this weekend. And Ultra Europe isn't even here! 

Split Airport expects 49,000 passengers on 205 planes this weekend, while more than 62,000 passengers and 13,000 vehicles will pass through the ferry port, reports Jutarnji List.

Mate Melvan, the head of the reception and dispatch service at the Split Airport, said that 205 planes and 49,000 passengers are expected at Resnik this weekend.

He reminded us that the Ultra Europe music festival starts next week and that they expect travelers from more than 140 countries worldwide. Intensive preparations have already begun, and they believe the traffic will be even greater, as the influx of passengers has been noticeable for days.

"We can say that the traffic is reminiscent of 2019, which was a record year in terms of the number of tourists, that is, we are certainly at the level of that year, and according to the announcements, even higher. It is important to see how the problems at airports around the world and flight cancellations will develop. Certainly, from today until the end of July, we expect between 20 and 30 thousand passengers per day," announced Melvan.

He added that they expect between 25 and 40 private planes to land at Split Airport this year because of Ultra, which will bring many DJs.

More than 62,000 passengers and 13,000 vehicles will also pass through the Split city port this weekend. Jadrolinija coordinator Jelena Ivulić says that on Friday, in addition to many regular lines, they also had an extra line to Supetar. While they are running all regular lines today, given the great interest of passengers, an extra line to Brač could sail by the end of the day.

"The situation in the port is such that all our ferries are full on all routes. Therefore, I can freely say that the crowding in the port is constant, and it continued today," Ivulić pointed out.

You can see photos of the crowds in Split on Jutarnji List. 

July 2, 2022 - An 11-year-old Australian-Croatian boy won first place in a Travel Expo school project by presenting Croatian history, culture, traditions, and folklore to his teachers and classmates. TCN had the privilege to talk with his mother, Irena, about their Croatian ancestry.

Arkie Kokoris, an 11-year-old boy from Melbourne, Australia, won first place in a Travel Expo school project, which consisted of presenting information about a country, where he and his 2 colleagues chose Croatia due to his families ties. They were tasked with presenting a Travel Expo stand, encouraging people to visit their chosen country, and were asked to provide information on the natural attractions, climate, tourist destinations, cuisine, culture, history, wildlife, and more.

Arkie's presentation included local products, flags, shirts, traditional costumes, and more. (Photo: Irena Kokoris)

Arkie attends a private Christian school and he’s currently in year six. He included some fact sheets about Croatia and a hand-drawn map which they placed on the wall and a slideshow presentation on interesting facts and the history and culture of Croatia. They included historical buildings and landmarks, nature parks, food, and animals. For the visual display, they included the flag, various souvenirs from Croatia, traditional food items, some sporting memorabilia including a soccer jersey from Dinamo, an authentic Croatian costume from Zagreb, a cookbook, and another book on famous landmarks and buildings in Croatia. One of the students has a 3D printer and made lithographs of famous buildings which would be placed in front of a torch to show the image.

A smaller Arkie with a Croatian football shirt. (Photo: Irena Kokoris)

His presentation obtained first place after a voting process, and a humble first prize of a certificate and a round of applause followed. His fellow classmates had to vote on their favourite display and Croatia won by a landslide.

Total Croatia News interviewed his mother, Irena Kokoris, who, in addition to being great support of her son in the process of designing and executing the project, proudly shared the achievement on social media. Irena’s heritage story is, perhaps, one of the most interesting and touching I’ve read, and I’m really glad that you can learn from it through her own words.

My parents are from the region of Zumberak, Karlovac. They grew up on farms, tending to animals and the land as well as attending school and doing their homework by candlelight. They left in 1971 for Australia as a young and newly married couple, hoping to start a new life together with opportunities for their future children. Upon arrival, they were met by only one relative.

Irena with her father Zdenko Rados, her mother Katica Rados, and her younger brother, Marko. (Family album)

They spent some time in an immigration camp before finding rental accommodation and finding work. They both worked full-time jobs their whole working lives, as well as raising 2 children. They have 6 grandchildren. My father passed away suddenly last year at the age of 69 leaving a large hole in our family. My mother made sure to include the grb on his gravestone, he was a very proud Croat.

Irena's father, Zdenko. (Family album)

What kind of Croatian traditions and customs did you have at home when growing up? Were there Croatian recipes and food as well?

We always celebrated the Catholic holidays with the family, having a pig cooked on the spit, lots of sides, and lots of beer and wine. My parents had many family and friends of Croatian heritage and we always had some kind of gathering to attend on the weekends. Dinner dances, weddings, holy communion or confirmation, birthdays, etc. Mum taught me how to make sarma, gulas, cevapi, kiseli kupus, as well as many other traditional foods. There would be sunka, slanina, kobasice, wine, and sometimes rakija as the seasons allowed.

Irena with a Croatian traditional costume. (Family album)

Was there a Croatian community where you grew up? Have you been a part of it? How? 

We’re a part of the Hrvatsko Vinarsko Drustvo, Mladi Hrvati Folklore, the Croatian Golf Club, Croatian Saturday School, our church was Sv Nikola Tavelic, and there were many dinner dances organised by the church as well as New Years Eve parties. I danced for many years, into my early 20s, my brother also attended for a few years. Being part of the dancing group, attending many events was some of the happiest memories of my teenage years. One year (around 1990), a large group of Croatian singers and the President of Croatia Stipe Mesic visited the Melbourne Knights soccer club and we sang the Australian National Anthem and danced for them.

Irena with former Croatian president, Stjepan Mesic. (Family album)

Have you visited Croatia? What was your impression?

Visited in 1985 as a teenager, spent most of the time in the village, but travelled to Slovenia, Rijeka, Zagreb and Karlovac. Visited Plitvice and a few other locations. Spent a lot of time in the forest and on the farm. Picked cherries from the fields and mushrooms from the forest. My parents went back to Croatia in 2014 and took my oldest son Arthur with them for 6 weeks.

Irena's father Zdenko in 2014 trip to Dubrovnik. (Family album)

They travelled more extensively that time and saw more sights, including Dubrovnik and Split and my son really enjoyed his time there. My dream is to return for a visit and bring my family to see the country of their mother’s heritage. Croatia is such a beautiful country and I feel strong ties. We were planning to go in 2021, but the pandemic changed our plans! My children are old enough now to travel and it is definitely on my bucket list!

Irena's older son, Arthur, went to visit Croatia with his grandparents. (Family album)

What makes your connection to Croatia so strong and special? What is it that you like the most about your Croatian heritage? 

Growing up hearing my parents talk about their homeland with such fondness (apart from the hardship). They were mindful to pass on their love and pride in their country to us. We attended Croatian school on Saturdays for many years, learning history, geography and language. I remember our teacher didn’t know any English, so we had to speak Croatian the whole time! Having visited there in 1985 as a young girl, I have such fond memories and loved the land and the carefree attitude of its people.

The Rados family during the 50th year of marriage celebration between Zdenko and Katica. (Family album)

I love that I am of Croatian heritage, I am proud of it and proud that I had the opportunity to participate in the Australian Croatian community for many years in my life. After I married, I became less involved and moved into becoming a mother and wife – of which I am also very proud.

In which ways do you try to teach your children to embrace their Croatian heritage?

I always remind them that despite their surname – they are half Croatian! They have all shown an interest at some stage in learning the language and have picked up a little over the years. They love all the Croatian cuisine – especially the kolace! I involve them in learning some recipes such as punjene paprike, cevapi and raznjici. We have attended a few dinner dances over the years and I think my older two may attend Croktoberfest this year!

Irena's children are of both Greek and Croatian descent. (Family album)

What’s your favorite thing about Croatia? 

My favourite thing has got to be the culture around folklore dancing! I think it is beautiful, elegant and regal. The costumes are divine and the music is amazing. I miss dancing so much but am so glad I was a part of it for so long.

Irena dancing with a friend. (Family album)

Thank you Irena for sharing your story with us!

For more news about the Croatian diaspora, visit our dedicated section.