ZAGREB, 22 Nov 2021 - French President Emmanuel Macron is the first French president to officially visit Croatia, and his visit on Wednesday and Thursday is exceptionally important for Zagreb, which will receive support for entry to the Schengen and euro areas and finalize a contract on the purchase of French fighter jets.

"The visit is in line with Croatia's strategic goals for 2022 - entry to the Schengen and euro areas and the strengthening of defense capabilities with the Rafale aircraft," a Croatian government source said on Monday.

Croatia expects the legal procedure for the adoption of a formal decision on its admission to the Schengen area of passport-free movement to begin in December this year, during Slovenia's EU presidency, and it expects the final decision to be adopted during France's presidency in the first half of 2022.

Talks with President Macron on Schengen, therefore, have a twofold significance - France is one of the main EU members and its EU presidency starts on 1 January, the source said.

The source noted that Croatia also expected to receive France's support for admission to the euro area.

The French president will arrive in Croatia on Wednesday evening, his formal host being Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, and the reason for that is that the French president, in line with his extensive powers in the presidential political system, is one of the few heads of state who sit on the European Council, which comprises mostly prime ministers. As such, Macron is a formal colleague to other countries' prime ministers, the source said.

Macron will on Thursday be received for talks by President Zoran Milanović, after which he will meet with PM Plenković.

The talks between Plenković and Macron will focus on bilateral relations, the Western Balkans, the Eastern Partnership, with emphasis on Ukraine and Belarus, the strengthening of the EU's strategic independence, and global topics.

France and Croatia already have an agreement on a strategic partnership but they will sign a new one covering a number of new areas, the source said.

The first visit of a French president is considered important also in light of the fact that France is the EU's leading military power, its only nuclear power, and the only permanent member of the UN Security Council from the EU.

After Plenković and Macron sign a new agreement on strategic partnership, the two countries' defense ministers, Mario Banožić and Florence Parly, will sign an agreement on the procurement of the Rafale jets.

Country's security to be raised to the highest level ever

The purchase of the Rafale jets, "the most modern, new-generation aircraft, for the least money and with the fastest delivery" will mean a huge step forward in Croatia's defense security, raising it to the highest level ever, government officials have said.

Croatia will obtain the most powerful aircraft in the area between Germany and Greece, which will enhance its geopolitical importance as there are no jets in its neighborhood that could be compared with the Rafale.

The jets are expected to arrive in late 2023, which is when Croatia will be able to control its entire territory for the first time, the government source said.

Zagreb in May announced that it would buy 12 Rafale jets to modernize its armed forces, opting for the biggest procurement of military equipment since its war of independence, the Agence France Presse has said ahead of Macron's visit.

Clear French support

The document on a strategic partnership to be signed by Plenković and Macron underlines France's clear support to Croatia's accession to the euro area as well as the Schengen area. France also supports Croatia's admission to the OECD, the Croatian source said.

The idea behind the new agreement on strategic partnership is for Croatia to "become a privileged partner to France in this part of Europe," the source said.

The other elements of the strategic partnership refer to economic relations and cultural, scientific, academic, and administrative cooperation.

Croatia is one of the two EU members, the other being Hungary, which Macron has still not visited since the start of his presidential term.

The French president will end his visit with a dinner, to be organized for members of Croatia's public, cultural, scientific and sports life, after which on Thursday afternoon he travels to Rome, where he will sign an agreement on strategic partnership with Italy, while on Friday he is scheduled to meet with Pope Francis in the Vatican.

For more on politics, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 22 Nov 2021 - President Zoran Milanović on Monday commented on an incident that had occurred during a protest against COVID certificates in Zagreb on Saturday, saying that attacks on journalists were outrageous and that the incident involved "a handful of louts".

"There were a lot of people at the protest. There were people who have nothing to do with this madness we have been listening to, who are educated, vaccinated, some of whom I know personally. They didn't come to hear that idiot Francišković or see some parliamentarians," he said.

He commented on COVID certificates in army barracks, questioning what can be achieved with them considering that most soldiers are vaccinated. "There are people who do not want to be tested, which I don't quite understand this, but which genius has studied how this impacts the combat readiness of our healthy and young soldiers," said Milanović.

Commenting further on the protest, Milanović assessed that it was chaotic because it was a "spontaneous revolt." He questioned what the point was of restrictions if vaccinated people can pass on the virus almost as much as those who have not been vaccinated.

"If we are doing all this because of overcrowded hospitals, then why didn't we prepare ourselves for this excess. It's inhumane to divide people into those who have been vaccinated and those who haven't," he said.

For more on politics, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 22 Nov 2021 - A 351-page book about Croatian mountains and mountain peaks has been published by the AGM publishing company.

The book, titled  "Ne/pre/poznata Hrvatska - Putositnice (s) hrvatske planinarske obilaznice", is written by Professor Nikica Talan, who portrays mountain trails and summits, both well known and less known ones.

The book also contains multimedia content, with QR codes for mobile phones which will enable readers to view videos of the mountains described in the book.

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

November 22, 2021 - Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador Rax Suen announces two events this month - a drinks meetup on Wednesday, followed by a Nomad Panel and afterparty on November 30. 

It has been quite a year for Zagreb on the digital nomad scene, and we are not quite finished yet. After the success of the inaugural Zagreb Digital Nomad Week in June, a collaboration between Saltwater Nomads, TCN and Zagreb Tourist Board, the Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador Project began in July. This brought 6 nomads to spend one calendar month each in the Croatian capital at Doma Zagreb Aparthotel. 

So far, we have had nomad ambassadors and their partners from USA, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Israel. This month's ambassador, Rax Suen from Singapore, is bringing a little colour to the streets of Zagreb, and not just with his funky yellow glasses.

In association with the Digital Nomads Croatia Facebook group, TCN, Saltwater and the Zagreb Tourist Board, Rax will be holding two events this month, both of which promise to be enlightening. 

The first coincides with the monthly drinks meetup by the Digital Nomads Croatia Facebook group at Bustan Bar in Varsavka. An evening of travel stories, networking and general fun awaits. There will be speakers with their travel tales, and then an open mike to the floor. 

And then on November 30, at BIZkoshnica coworking space at Ilica 71, Rax will be hosting a Nomad Panel night with afterparty, as he hands over his ambassadorial duties to December's new arrival. The 'How to Become a Digital Nomad' panel will offer insights and tips into building remote careers and a travel lifestyle.  It all starts at 18:00, and if you are curious about the nomad lifestyle and wondering how you might get started, this is a great networking opportunity.  All welcome. 

For more about digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

November 22, 2021 - Mario Mandžukić has been added to the Croatia national team coaching staff ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar! 

After agreeing in principle with coach Zlatko Dalić on joining the Croatia national team coaching staff, Mario Mandžukić today formally agreed to cooperate with the president of the Croatian Football Federation Marijan Kustić and was appointed a coach in Croatia's professional staff, reports HNS.

Mandžukić joins Zlatko Dalic's professional staff after ending an impressive playing career this summer, including 89 appearances and 33 goals for Croatia and a silver medal at the World Cup in Russia. His outstanding club career was especially marked by periods at Bayern and Juventus, with which he won eight big titles each, a total of 23 in his prosperous career. With Bayern, he won the Champions League in 2013, scoring a goal in the final, while in 2017, his spectacular scissor-kick goal was not enough for Juventus in the final.

"Thanks to coach Dalić and President Kustić for the trust - we easily agreed on cooperation, which I am extremely looking forward to. I know how much the national team meant to me as a player, and I want to pass that passion and experience to the new generation. It's great that we have secured a direct spot in Qatar; we now have a year to peacefully prepare well for the World Cup through friendly matches and the Nations League. I enter this job with a lot of responsibility, desire, and ambition, and I will do my best to help the coach, colleagues in the staff, and, of course, the entire national team in the coming period," said Mandžukić.

"I always say that Croatia players should stay close to the national team, and that is why I am thrilled that Mario is with us again. In talking to him, I was convinced of how dedicated, interested, and willing he is to help, and I think his exceptional experience will be beneficial. I think we got a valuable reinforcement in the staff because I know with how much effort and commitment Mario approaches everything in life, and that is why I look forward to working again," said coach Zlatko Dalić.

"Of course, as a federation, we supported the agreement between the coach and Mario, which will certainly make an important contribution to the work of the professional staff. His playing career, both the national team and the club, can be a role model for every young player, and I do not doubt that everyone will learn a lot from him. As a player, he was a symbol of fighting spirit, hard work, winning guard, and unwavering character, and I am glad that he will be able to promote these values as a coach in the A national team," said the president of the Federation Marijan Kustić.

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

November 22, 2021 - 2022 Ultra Europe will take place in Split for the first time since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The confirmed dates are set for Park Mladezi from July 8 to 10, 2022!

The organizers of the Ultra Europe festival can officially confirm that the largest, most anticipated, and most important international event in Croatia is returning to Split! Electronic music lovers could sense something on Friday, when a short video teaser was published on social media, announcing without many words what the Ultranauts have been waiting for - that Ultra will once again return to the most beautiful summer stage in the heart of Dalmatia.

Split will host the 8th edition of Ultra Europe from July 8 to 10, 2022, at the Youth Park (Park Mladezi), followed by a destination festival trip to Brac, Hvar, and Vis reports Dalmatinski Portal.

The Ultra Europe music festival is part of a large Ultra Worldwide family that, after a long break, is returning stronger than ever. New Year's Resistance in Sydney sold out in just a few days and final preparations are underway for the Ultra Music Festival in Melbourne. The festival is returning to the location where it all began, to Bayfront Park in Miami, from March 25 to 27. This news marked the reawakening of the international electronic music scene.

As the second-biggest event of this great festival family, Ultra Europe continues where it left off - continuing to set new records, bringing even bigger music stars to Croatia, discovering magical local sites, and creating unforgettable experiences for many foreign guests. Equally, it continues to generate immeasurable marketing and economic effects and continues to boldly step towards conquering the very top of the international festival scene. The 8th edition will be held with the support of the Croatian Government, Split-Dalmatia County, the City of Split, and the Croatian National Tourist Board, and special attention will be paid to implementing and respecting all measures related to Covid-19 to make the whole event and all destinations safe for visitors, the organization said.

The Ultra Europe festival has been recognized worldwide for years as the leading destination music festival. This is the only festival in the world that offers an unforgettable seven-day trip to numerous magical locations in Croatia in addition to top music performers and production. With more than 9 million visitors, Croatia has been named the most successful and safest European tourist destination in 2021, which is just further confirmation that Split, Dalmatia, and Croatia will be not only ready and safe for the summer of 2022 but also at the top of the most desirable tourist destination for tourists from all over the world.

The 8th edition of the festival officially begins on Thursday, July 7, when the Opening Party is scheduled, followed by the three-day Ultra Music Festival at Youth Park in Split, from July 8 to 10. Ultra Brac traditionally follows in one of the most beautiful open clubs in the Mediterranean, 585 Club. Finally, on July 12, festival-goers travel to the sunniest Croatian island, where visitors can expect a slightly different experience and a refreshed program concept. Namely, the afternoon beach party is moving to the Pakleni Islands, where, in addition to the Ultra Beach program, the evening program Resistance Hvar will be held at the Carpe Diem Beach Club. Resistance Closing Party Vis is the last destination station. It will take place on July 13, in the intimate and exclusive atmosphere of the 200-year-old Fort George Fortress on Vis, better known as Fortica. More will be known in the coming days.

What makes Ultra so unique and a 'bucket list' festival for fans worldwide can be seen in the figures recorded after the 7th edition of the festival. More than 150,000 fans arrived in Croatia from a record 143 countries, most from Spain, Great Britain, Norway, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Austria, the USA, Canada, and the Netherlands. There were more domestic fans than ever, over 35,000 of them, and the millionth visitor was recorded, making this festival by far the largest international event in Croatia.

For everything to work perfectly, more than 2,000 people participated in the organization. More than 250 DJs played on 12 stages in 5 cities. All this was carefully followed by more than 300 accredited domestic and foreign journalists. Youth Park shone with new splendor and powerfully presented itself to the world as the new host of the festival. It is important to note that the 7th edition will be remembered for the smallest number of interventions of all services in history.

The list of performers was impressive, including the mega trio Swedish House Mafia, who added Ultra Europe and Split among their first reunion shows. This was the most extensive and most expensive lineup ever. Among the many records was the 67.50-meter main stage, which went down in history as one of the longest stages in Europe and never seen before in our region. The equipment arrived in 50 trucks, including more than 1,800 light devices and more than 1,200 square meters of LED screens.

The Ultra Europe Aftermovie is another trademark of the festival, and so far more than 13 million people have seen them. Charly Friedrichs and Diogo Camargo and the Final Kid Films crew direct and edit the nine-minute work, which shows Zagreb for the first time, as well as numerous other fairy-tale Croatian locations. All shots were taken with RED digital film cameras and state-of-the-art equipment, and to make the visual experience complete, everything was shot in 4K resolution. More than 3 million kuna was invested in the production to remind festival-goers of the best moments. The live stream from Split was watched on YouTube and Facebook in more than 124 countries with more than 7 million views. This is another record of the year that will be remembered thanks to the live stream that could be watched for the first time on separate channels from Resistance and the main stage.

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

November 22, 2021 - Despite recent massive protests against the mandate to use COVID certificates, the use of these to enter restaurants, cafes, and other businesses is supported by more than half of the population in a recent survey.

As the numbers of positive COVID-19 cases and the number of daily deaths continue to rise in Croatia, two parallel realities are facing each other in the country. On one hand, the imposition of the use of COVID certificates to enter public institutions and soon private businesses has motivated thousands of Croats to get vaccinated in recent weeks. On the other hand, this has unleashed a mass movement of thousands of citizens who oppose the measure and demand that the government desists from the restrictions imposed.

Last night in the central Dnevnik of HTV, market research - HReiting was published, and one of the topics of the research was whether citizens support the introduction of COVID certificates for entering cafes and restaurants, reports HrTurizam.

When asked if you support the introduction of COVID certificates for entry to cafes and restaurants, hairdressers, gyms, following the example of other countries, a small majority of respondents support them. Namely, 55% of them support the introduction of COVID certificates for entering cafes and restaurants, while 40% of respondents do not. Others do not know or are not sure, ie. they do not want to answer.

The survey was conducted from November 15 to 17 on a sample of 1,400 respondents. The largest sample error is +/- 2.62% and the research reliability is 95%.

Croatia has registered 1,327 new coronavirus cases and 73 COVID-related deaths in the last 24 hours, the national coronavirus response team reported on Monday.

This is the largest number of deaths in a single day during the fourth wave of the pandemic, while the absolute record of 92 deaths was registered on 16 December 2020.

As of 21 November, 3,985,860 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, with 52.38 percent of the total population, or 62.54 percent of the adult population, having been vaccinated. 2,125,514 persons have received at least one dose, while 1,896,361 have been fully vaccinated, which is 56.04 percent of the adult population.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.

ZAGREB, 22 Nov 2021 - Following an increased demand for Pfizer/BioNtech's COVID-19 vaccine among the unvaccinated population in Croatia in recent weeks, the Slovenian government has decided to approve Croatia's request to lend it 40,950 doses of the vaccine.

The vaccine has not yet been delivered to Slovenia. so the operation will be carried out as a double donation. This means that Slovenia will first lend the vaccine to Croatia and then Croatia will return it to Slovenia by 31 December at the latest.

The contract for the double donation will be signed by the Health Ministry and the National Public Health Institute, which is also in charge of preparing the vaccine doses for transport, delivery, logistics and notifying the producer about the donation.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.