July 2, 2021 - One New Yorker founded the National Croatian Wine Day to mark Croatia’s proclamation of independence.

When the Parisian-born and raised Anna M. Vidučić moved to the US some twenty years ago, little did she know she would profoundly impact the recognition of Croatian wines in the US. Anna’s family hails from Zadar, and while growing up and schooling in Paris, she would spend her summers in Croatia, enjoying her family, the food, the beach, and of course, wine. Anna started her career in hospitality in Paris, working for the renowned luxury hotel, Hotel Lutetia, where she learned the intricacies of French hospitality, which opened opportunities in the US. As a sommelier and wine educator, Anna worked as a wine buyer for established restaurants and tried hard to bring Croatian wines to the menu. Today, Anna is tapping into her 20-plus years of experience and knowledge of the hospitality and wine industries to guide wineries through the intricacies of the U.S. trade, media, and consumer markets.

Fast forward to today, and this now New Yorker founded the National Croatian Wine Day to mark Croatia’s proclamation of independence. 

"As a wine buyer for New York restaurants, I thrived on introducing premium Croatian wines to my patrons," says Anna, who holds the WSET Level 4 accreditation.

"As I moved my focus into wine brand strategies and education, I could make a significant impact by creating an ongoing recognition among the American wine lovers to recognize Croatia and its indigenous wines."

During the uncertain pandemic times in 2020, Anna seriously rolled up her sleeves and successfully established the day that is now on all national calendars – National Croatian Wine Day. This year, for its first-ever celebration, and with the uncertainties of what this year could bring, Anna decided to make this celebration all about educating the Americans about Croatian wines, conducting two Masterclasses highlighting the Croatian wine regions and indigenous varieties: the morning session aimed at the media, and the evening session for wine lovers, which also included tastings.

Croatian wines are becoming more recognized in some parts of the country, but overall Croatia has a lot to do to educate the media and consumers about its wine regions and the indigenous wine varieties. In order to achieve her newest project, Anna joined forces with Croatian Premium Wine Imports, an online retailer with more than 60 Croatian wines available to ship through continental US states, to send the wines to participants for the virtual masterclasses and wine tastings. 

• While we’ve seen an increase of articles about Croatian wines, they tend to be written in conjunction with Croatia as a tourist destination, which is certainly a great start - said Win Burke, CEO of Croatian Premium Wine Imports. – But, the next step has to be the education of the wine and food trade media, and we are honoured to partner with a prominent expert like Anna while inviting the trade media which will have an impact on the buying patterns in the hospitality business. 

In her workshops, Anna extensively spoke about the Croatian map, the wine regions, and wine pairings. Invited to the conversation were two winemakers to talk about their winemaking in Istria and Dalmatia. Joining was Ana Ritoša, winemaker at Vina Ritoša, a boutique winery from Poreč, Istria, who discussed many micro terroirs in Istria, and Gorana Dominiković, assistant winemaker at Terra Madre Winery, one of the seven wineries in one of the youngest appellations, Komarna in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County. Gorana spoke about the organic production in the area, and wine varieties including Pošip and Plavac Mali, as well as rosé made from Plavac Mali. 

Vidučić with winemakers and the trade media, by Croatian Premium Wine Imports 

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ZAGREB, 2 July 2021 - Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Tomislav Ćorić said on Friday that vaccination is the only way we can all be responsible and that, if the tourism season fails, it will not be possible to find the necessary funding for all the needs in the years to come.

"Our economy is in the process of recovering, but it is highly dependant on tourism. If the tourism season fails, there is no magic wand with which we will be able to find additional funds to finance our needs, this year and in the years to come. That is why we all have to be responsible towards the country we live in and its economy, particularly to the most vulnerable groups of citizens. The only way for us to be responsible together is to be vaccinated," said Ćorić.

Asked about the possibility that entrepreneurs will have to be vaccinated if they are to receive aid, and whether this has been discussed with entrepreneurs, Ćorić said that that would be a responsible move.

Ćorić said that Croatia had the lowest percentage of inoculation of all Mediterranean countries.

"Anyone who is responsible should be rewarded and those who aren't should be subjected to criticism from the rest of us," he said. "Benefits should be linked to responsible behaviour above all."

Asked about the situation at the Brodosplit shipyard and whether workers should fear for their wages or dismissal, Ćorić said that the workers would fight for their rights.

"Brodosplit is a private company on the market. There are several companies within that conglomeration. According to information received, some of them have had their accounts blocked. Some of the problems are being resolved and I hope that Brodosplit, with more than 2,000 workers, will continue operating," he said.

The situation at Brodosplit is a reflection of the situation on the global market as many shipyards have lost ground to the competition, above all, China, he said.

"Want we want is that workers get their wages. That is what the government wants," Ćorić said.

He recalled that the government had bailed out shipbuilding for years through state guarantees on loans.

"One of the preconditions for guarantees was that all obligations to the Tax Administration had been settled," he underscored.

Ćorić was attending  the EveryDayGreen campaign at the Rijeka farmer's market dedicated to reducing the use of plastic packaging.

The campaign is aimed at reducing the use of disposable plastic packaging and promoting the purchase of fresh produce on the occasion of Planet Day.

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ZAGREB, 2 July 2021- People who are not vaccinated should not be discriminated against, the STUH tourism union said on Friday commenting on a statement by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on the possibility of not approving jobkeeping aid to those who have not been vaccinated against COVID.

"STUH has called on and is still calling on its members and workers in hospitality and tourism to get vaccinated and we understand the prime minister's efforts and wishes for Croatian citizens to be vaccinated, considering that that would resolve many problems, from returning to a normal life to reducing government costs. We agree with the prime minister and it would be absurd to stimulate anyone who is being vaccinated now with a financial reward, but at the same time, it is unacceptable to create disincentives for those who do not want to get vaccinated," STUH said in a press release.

STUH called on the prime minister to refrain from such statements and to discuss the possible repercussions with his associates.

The union underscored that Croatia's biggest problem in tourism was the shortage of labour.

STUH said that a Council of Europe resolution, passed at the end of January this year, states that vaccination in the EU is not obligatory, hence people who are not vaccinated should not be discriminated against.

The SSSH union federation said on Friday that conditioning government support with vaccination constituted unacceptable pressure on workers who do not want to get vaccinated.

As long as vaccination is voluntary, withholding government support from those who have not been vaccinated is ripe soil for discrimination. SSSH said.

SSSH was one of the first to call on workers to be vaccinated, but workers must not suffer any sanctions if they are not vaccinated, it said.

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2 July 2021 – One TCN intern spoke with theater director and actress Anastasija Jankovska to learn about cultural events in Croatia this summer and streamlined it for the public. A look at summer events in Croatia this year. 

The Croatian coast is full of events in the summer season, but informing the public is still not well-organized. ”Even we do know about some event in advance only if our participation in it is announced,” Anastasija Jankovska and her colleague Niksa, actors from the Croatian National Theater in Split, joked.

Every joke has a kernel of truth. Visiting Croatia as a tourist, I’ve never caught any show, opera, or movie theatre, even though I didn’t have a language barrier. Therefore, now as a local, I asked a local expert in the field of art about upcoming events in 2021 and created a list. Hopefully, it will help you to be at the right time at the right place.

• Sibenik

There are two prominent places to go for cultural evenings in Sibenik. It’s two city fortresses – Tvrdava Sv. Mihovila and Tvrdava Barone. Cinema Wednesdays and Saturdays have already started at the Tvrdava Barone on the 23^rd of June. It will continue till August, 28^th. A program is international (available here). Subtitles are put in Croatian and English. You can buy a ticket at the entrance of the fortress on the same day from 8:30 pm.

Tvrdava Sv. Mihovila will host several great music events this season. Tickets are not yet sold out to the concerts of Rade Serbedzija, Vlatko Stefanovski&Trio V3, Vojko V, Daleka obala, Vanna, Asaf Avidan, Mostar Sevdah Reunion, Let 3, Nino Belan&Fiumens sviraju Davole, TBF + ZO. It’s a good possibility to plunge into Balkan musical culture enjoying live concerts in this historical place. Tickets are available online here.

• Trogir

Moondance festival in Trogir took place even last summer and it’s with us in this summer season. An inevitable price for this kind of stability during hard pandemic times is a covid permit needed (to see details here). Moondance music festival will settle as usual in the fortress of Kamerlengo and last from the 30^th of July to the 1^st of August. Tickets will be distributed online through websites for Croatian and international guests.

• Split

The summer cinema on the main city beach Bacvice already started in June. Movies are playing in the open air every evening at 9:30 pm. Movies come from different countries, for example, the Netherlands, Greece or Sweden. Subtitles are in Croatian and English, thus it is accessible to broad public. This kind of entertainment can be also combined with travelling from Split, because distributing company ‘Kino Mediteran’ has several locations on the island of Brac, Hvar, Vis, and some others. You can buy tickets by clicking this link.

‘Splitsko ljeto’ is literally the Split summer festival that will take place for the 67^th time. The festival starts traditionally on the 14^th of July on the Peristil square in the center of Diocletian’s palace. The program includes opera, drama pieces, ballet, and music concerts. Tickets will be on sale from the beginning of July.

For opera, you will probably go to Peristil. ‘Aida’, a Split summer trademark, is usually played there amidst columns and sphinx brought from Egypt. Besides, Mascagni’s ‘Cavalleria rusticana’ and Verdi’s ‘Nabucco’ and ‘Lumbardi’ are planned for this season.

Ballet and drama shows will be performed at park Sustipan. Therefore, keep in mind that Sustipan is not only the best city park for families and a nice place to see a sunset in Split, but also a cultural place with vibrant nightlife. Apart from the Split summer festival, there will be a mini-fest known under the name ‘San Sustipanske noci’ (San Sustipan nights). Within this fest, two famous Croatian singers Josipa Lipac and Gibonni will give concerts on the 14^th and 15^th of July accordingly.

Ballet and drama programs are quite diverse. For ballet, one show is prepared by French choreographer Thierry Malandain and another show – by Croatian ballet dancer Aaron Kok. A helpful thing to know before going is that both artists turn from classic to less conventional and more modern dances. Don’t hold onto a classic ballet; let them broaden your look!

The theater program includes troupes from all over Croatia. Every national theater will bring some piece to a Split summer festival – Osijek, Varazdin, Rijeka, Dubrovnik. They will perform ‘Oedipus rex’, ‘The Cherry Orchard, ‘Anna Frank’s Diary’ and other shows. Also, Split summer will host one show prepared by the Israel troupe.

For musical events, you can ask either on the square in front of the Croatian National Theater (Hrvatsko nacionalno kazaliste - HNK) in Split or in the Mestrovic Gallery. The square in front of HNK actually attracts by its closeness to the old city and the first two concerts they will take for free. Trombone quartet will please the public by ‘Queen’ covers, while the guitar quartet will perform classic maestros. In the Mestrovic gallery Tonci Hulic’s pop-mass ‘Missa Mediteranea’ will be held.

• Split surroundings

Solinsko ljeto (Solin summer) festival will last one week from the 27^th of July to the 2^nd of August. The program consists mostly of music concerts and drama shows. One day there will be a children's show as well. Events will be held in different places across the Solin as Gaspic Garden, Amphitheatre, and Tusculum garden. Tickets can be bought right at the place of events an hour before the beginning  (to know more here).

Omis FDK, that is, the Dalmatian Klapa Festival, began last week of June. ‘Klapa’ is a multipart singing, one of Dalmatian folk traditions included in UNESCO’s Intangible cultural heritage list. You can meet the tradition on the Stjepan Radic square (Trg Stjepana Radica) in Omis on the 4^th of July at 9:00 pm (for more info here).

• Dubrovnik

72^nd Dubrovnik summer festival starts with an opening ceremony on the 10^th of July. Dubrovnik festival presents a set of theater shows, musical concerts, and masterclasses. For example, Ivana Kuljeric Bilic will hold a percussion workshop. Petrit Ceku will offer a guitar masterclass from 18 to 24 July. For those who prefer listening to music, a festival will offer Croatian Radio and Television Choir, Lindo Folklore Ensemble, and several classical concerts.

In the meantime, you will also be able to visit eternal Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ or modern Croatian shows like ‘Mata & Kata’, M. Drzic’s ‘Grizula’, I. Salevic’s ‘Lion house’ and others. Several events for children are announced for August. You can learn a full program of the Dubrovnik summer festival on its updated website.

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ZAGREB, 2 July 2021 - Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman on Friday donated 10,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to North Macedonia, saying that "efficient vaccination is the only way out of the COVID-19 pandemic."

"Efficient vaccination is the only way out of the COVID-19 pandemic, of course, while maintaining the necessary balance between gradually opening borders and people's health," he said in Skopje.

Assistance to North Macedonia is continuing because the Croatian government decided yesterday to donate another 20,000 vaccines, Grlić Radman said.

North Macedonia's Foreign Minister Venko Filipče thanked Croatia for the donation. The additional 20,000 doses will be from AstraZeneca or Moderna, "which would be the first batch of that vaccine" in the country, he said.

Grlić Radman said Croatia would continue to underline "the importance of Southeast Europe for the EU and support EU initiatives for delivering COVID-19 vaccines to countries in Europe's immediate neighbourhood."

"Only through joint effort and a solidarity-based approach will we create the conditions for sustainable social and economic recovery after the pandemic," he said.

For more news, follow TCN's dedicated news page.

ZAGREB, 2 July 2021 - Croatia must not give in to political pressure aimed at changing the policy of preventing illegal migration, Croatian MEP Karlo Ressler said on Friday, adding that Social Democratic Party (SDP) MEPs had been known to be "fall" for "campaigns lambasting" Croatia.

"From the very start of this European Parliament, we have been exposed to political pressure because of our protection of the external border and because of our ambition to become a member of the Schengen Area," Ressler told a virtual press conference called "Asylum, migration and the Schengen Area's functioning" that was organised by the EP's office in Croatia.

Several NGO's and some MEPs claim that Croatia is illegally pushing back migrants to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

As we draw closer to joining the Schengen Area, the pressure in the EP has increased, said Ressler, adding that it is necessary to underline that there cannot be any double standards and that it is a duty to protect the EU's external border.

He added that that entails "respecting all human rights, all high Croatian, European and international standards."

Earlier this year four Italian MEPs (S&D) tried to get to the border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina and they were prevented from doing so by Croatian police. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković then said that it was an attempt to mar Croatia's reputation. SDP leader Peđa Grbin and his deputy Biljana Borzan, who is also an MEP, then condemned the fact that the Italian MEPs were prevented from getting to the border.

Ressler said that strong awareness exists among European leaders and institutions that "there is no room in Europe for illegally crossing borders."

State-secretary in the Interior Ministry Terezija Gras said that due to the accusations against Croatia that it was violating the rights of migrants, Croatia would allow an "informal visit" to the Croatian border so that the Commission and member states could be convinced of what Croatia has done with regard to improving its technical equipment on the border with BiH and to strengthen its police capacities.

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

ZAGREB, 2 July 2021 - The Slovenian Council of the EU presidency absolutely supports the Schengen entry of Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania, and is willing to put that on the agenda as soon as the member states reach agreement on it, Slovenian Interior Minister Aleš Hojs said on Friday.

Frankly, we are most interested in Croatia's entry, for understandable reasons, because they are our neighbours and that would ease many of the problems we have on the border, for both Croatia and Slovenia, Hojs told a group of Brussels correspondents invited to Slovenia on the occasion of its Council of the EU presidency, which started on 1 July.

Over the next six months, Hojs will chair the Home Affairs Council, which is in charge of Schengen enlargement.

He said he was willing to put the issue of the three countries' Schengen entry on the agenda at any moment, but that he felt it was not a good idea before all member states agreed on that.

Hojs said it was smarter not to vote until there was full consensus. He added that as chair, he would do his best to convince those states that were still sceptical about Schengen enlargement that it was the right decision.

Early in June, the European Commission called for enlarging the Schengen Area to Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania, which meet all the technical requirements for membership.

The Schengen Area consists of 26 states, including four that are not in the EU - Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. All EU member states are in the area without border control except Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus and Ireland.

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

July 2, 2021 - Fans at Maksimir Stadium will be allowed for the 1st qualifying round of the Champions League only if they have an EU digital Covid certificate, which is a prerequisite for purchasing tickets. 

GNK Dinamo has decided that in the 1st qualifying round of the Champions League between Dinamo and Valur on July 7, starting at 7 pm at Maksimir Stadium, fans will be allowed to come to the stadium in compliance with all the above measures and conditions, which means mandatory EU digital Covid certificate, published the Croatian First League on the official website, as reported by HRT.

Every fan is obliged to present the EU digital Covid certificate when buying a ticket because it is a condition to purchase the ticket, while it is mandatory to have the same certificate (in printed or digital form) when entering Maksimir Stadium and during the match due to possible supervision of competent institutions. The procedure applies to each individual match of GNK Dinamo.

Tickets for the lower north stands are on sale at a price of 80 kuna and upper north stands. Ticket prices for the upper west stands will be 100 kuna, and the lower west stands 120 kuna.

One person can buy a maximum of five tickets upon presenting an EU digital Covid certificate for each individual person for whom they buy a ticket. The data on the ticket and the data on the EU digital Covid certificate must be identical.

A prerequisite for purchasing tickets for all fans will be presenting a valid identity document (identity card or passport, birth certificate or passport for children) and an EU digital Covid certificate. Furthermore, all tickets are personalized and read the name and surname, announced GNK Dinamo with detailed instructions.

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