ZAGREB, November 20, 2020 - The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) have signed a new, €142.5 million loan agreement to  support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Croatia, the two financial institutions said on Friday.

This is the second tranche of a package worth a total of €400 million. It is part of the EIB's youth employment initiative under which companies that hire young people are granted loans under more favourable terms.

The initiative addresses the issue of youth unemployment as one of the biggest social and economic challenges faced by Croatia and Europe.

The loan is intended for SMEs requiring funds to maintain cash flow and jobs and for further investment to ensure faster recovery from the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, HBOR Board President Tamara Perko said.

This agreement is yet another confirmation of our good cooperation with the EIB and will provide us with an additional source of affordable lending and make it possible for us to further lower interest rates on loans to businesses employing people of up to 30 years of age, she added.

EIB Vice-President Dario Scannapieco said that the EIB continued to support faster growth and development of the Croatian economy, this time through support for SMEs.

This is the second transaction signed since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in March, providing a total of €240 million for favourable loans to Croatian SMEs and mid-caps, he said.

Last month the EIB and HBOR signed a €100 million credit line for Croatian SMEs and mid-caps affected by the COVID-19 crisis. 

To date the EIB has supported the economic and social development of Croatia by investing €6.71 billion in the most important sectors of the national economy. Another key component of EIB activities in Croatia is support for SMEs and mid-caps through the creation of long-term financing options in cooperation with local financial institutions. To date the EIB has supported Croatian SMEs by unlocking new sources of finances worth close to €3.75 billion.

ZAGREB, November 20, 2020 - A total of 2,958 new coronavirus cases and 57 related deaths have been confirmed in Croatia in the last 24 hours, the national coronavirus response team said on Friday morning.

Currently, there are 18,193 active cases in the country, of whom 1,992 are receiving hospital treatment, including 217 who are on ventilators.

Since February 25, when the first case was confirmed in Croatia, 96,837 people have been infected with the novel virus, of whom 1,257 have died and 77,387 have recovered, including 2,522 in the last 24 hours.

A total of 43,265 people are currently in self-isolation.

To date, 657,827 people have been tested for coronavirus, including 8,321 in the last 24 hours.

November 20, 2020 - Even stricter COVID-19 measures in Croatia will take effect from midnight on Sunday, November 22, and will last until December 15.

UPDATE: The measures are in effect from midnight on Sunday, November 22. The initial information Davor Bozinovic stated in the press release was incorrect.

"Since the beginning of the epidemic, 657872 people have been tested, and in the last 24 hours, 8321 people have been tested. The average age of those tested is 43. We have 1992 people in hospital, 217 are on a ventilator. That's 29 new patients compared to yesterday. 279 people were admitted to the hospital, and 186 people were discharged.

We have 57 deaths, and a total of 1257 people have died since the beginning of the epidemic in Croatia.  >We can say that we have high numbers, but we do not have an increase. Croatia currently has a 14-day incidence rate of 837.7, which puts us in 22nd place on the list of EU countries," said the head of the Croatian Public Health Institute, Krunoslav Capak, at a press conference of the National Civil Protection Headquarters.

"Following this situation with a growth rate that has stabilized to some extent, we concluded that we did not decline, and recording a decline is important to relieve the hospital system within the entire health system," commented the Chief of the Headquarters, Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic.

"Public gatherings are now limited to 25 people instead of 50, wedding ceremonies to 50, private ceremonies to 10 instead of 15. At funerals, the number is also reduced to 25 people. Sports competitions will be held without spectators, and all public events will have to end at 10 pm. At 10 pm, all catering facilities will have to close," said Božinović.

"Like shops, catering establishments must write down how many people are inside the space," he explains. There is also ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages from 10 pm to 6 am.

"For art performances and cinemas, additional restrictions have been introduced, and at least 4 meters must be maintained for each person present," he added.

"These decisions come into force at midnight," concluded Božinović.

More soon...

Source: Slobodna Dalmacija

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November the 20th, 2020 - The esteemed Croatian scientist Igor Rudan has found himself on a highly respected and prestigious list for the fourth year in a row. One look at his remarkable work and you'll see that this really shouldn't come as a surprise.

As Vecernji list/Zoran Vitas writes, Clarivate has published its annual list of the world's most cited scientists, a list that is widely considered to be the most relevant in the world. The list, officially called Highly Cited Researchers 2020, identifies scientists who have made a significant impact in their fields of scientific research with multiple cited papers over the past decade. The truly remarkable Croatian scientist Igor Rudan has found himself among them.

The papers of scientists whose names have been published in the list must be among the one percent most cited in the Web of Science, a database that is part of Clarivate. This database draws data from the world's leading journals from across all the many fields of science. The list of most cited scientists is compiled by experts from the Clarivate Institute for Scientific Information, and this list also makes it possible to identify the most successful institutions and countries in which these scientists work. This year, the prestigious list includes 6,167 researchers working in more than 60 countries. Just like every year, we're able to find several of eminent Croatian scientists on the list. It doesn't come as a shock that the doggedly determined and hard working Igor Rudan is present.

However, it should also be said here that the list doesn't recognise the nationality of the scientists included, so it is necessary to thoroughly browse the 639 pages of this list.

Prof. dr. sc. Ivan Djikic from the University of Goethe in Frankfurt, otherwise a Croat, has been included in the list of the most cited scientists for the third year in a row, just as he was last year, and this time he finds himself listed in the field of molecular biology and genetics. On that occasion, his university issued a statement stating that six more of Djikic's colleagues were also on that list. In addition to the names of the scientists on the list, their short profile is also connected. When it comes to Professor Djikic, it can be seen that 322 of his published publications were cited a total of 34,852 times.

Prof. dr. sc. Igor Rudan of the University of Edinburgh, who is also a member of the Royal Society there, is almost a veteran on this highly respected list. This is the fourth time the dual Croatian-British national has been included, first back in 2017 and then again 2018 for publishing in the fields of molecular biology and genetics, and then, over the last two years, he has been included for interdisciplinary fields of science. In total, 582 papers from Igor Rudan have been cited an incredible 60,526 times.

Professor Igor Rudan is an advisor to the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, the World Bank… The two most cited works of his have been cited more than two thousand times, an incredible feat indeed.

Croatian scientist Igor Rudan well and truly activated himself during the time of the pandemic, offering a calming, rational voice which was sorely lacking otherwise, especially back at the beginning when very little was known about the new coronavirus which had taken the world by storm.

His incredible talent for making a highly complex situation easy and enjoyable to read is a talent worthy of envy, and his English language works can be found on his Medium profile, and of course here on TCN. Find out more about Rudan's upcoming book, The First Wave/Prvi val here.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Suzana Varosanec writes on the 20th of November, 2020, the contract for the revitalisation of the hot water network of the City of Zagreb with a total value of 699.6 million kuna, of which 421.5 million kuna is financed by grants from EU funds, was handed to HEP Heating, the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds announced.

As they pointed out on this occasion, this is the 14th largest capital strategic project of the Republic of Croatia to be signed in the programming period between 2014 and 2020, and at the same time, it represents the largest amount allocated to Hrvatska elektroprivreda (HEP) so far from European Union funds. According to the Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds Natasa Tramisak, the implementation of this contract will revitalise 68.5 kilometres of the city's hot water network and improve the supply of 100,000 households across the City of Zagreb, which will ensure its citizens a reliable and continuous heating supply.

"With the delivery of this contract, we've signed large strategic projects worth more than 16 billion kuna, and all of them are being implemented and will be underway until 2023. Another important contract remains to be signed, and that is the construction of a broadband infrastructure network, which will be signed within a three week period,'' announced Tramisak, adding that in the next programming period between 2021 and 2027, within the set parameters and guidelines for a greener Europe, there will be a lot of support the development of such projects.

Works on the revitalisation of the hot water network of the City of Zagreb, which supplies more than 100,000 households, will be carried out over the following three years in several phases, and will include the replacement of almost a third of the existing hot water network. The works which will be performed by HEP Heating will take place in in 2021, 2022 and 2023 across an array of areas within the capital.

With this contract, the HEP Group has withdrawn funds in the amount of almost 1 billion kuna from the European Union in the last three years, and according to HEP CEO Frane Barbaric, a new high-efficiency plant worth a massive 900 million kuna will further contribute to the provision of a much better heating service in Zagreb, and the production of electricity and heat that will be put into operation in 2022.

With this revitalisation project, the technologically obsolete hot water network will be revitalised with more modern technology including the channelless laying of pre-insulated pipes, which will increase the reliability and safety of the central heating system of the City of Zagreb. This HEP Heating project will reduce heat losses by approximately 28 percent, running water replenishment losses by approximately 47 percent and the number of emergency interventions on reconstructed hot water sections by 90 percent in comparison to back in 2018.

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November 21, 2020 - How difficult is it to learn Croatian? Slavonia students from one high school learned it's really not so easy for people to correctly use their own language

How difficult is it to learn Croatian? Well, it's pretty difficult. Croatians know this best of all and will be reasonably impressed if you make any advances in trying to speak their language. A professor of linguistics from Zagreb University once told this writer that to be able to regard yourself as wholly proficient in the Croatian language, you would have to study it to no less than university level. Naturally, not every speaker of Croatian has done so.

Slavonia students from a high school in Slavonski Brod were recently tasked with looking for mistakes in the use of Croatian language in public places. So complex is the Croatian language, spelling and grammar mistakes are commonplace. The teacher assigning the task, Vesna Nosić from Matija Mesić high school, was no doubt confident her students would uncover some mistakes. However, the grand total of 300 spelling and grammar mistakes the Slavonia students found is possibly more than was bargained for. Particularly as those found were all assigned to public places.

Matija Mesić high school in Slavonski Brod, where Slavonia students made their findings © Matija Mesić high school

The misspelling or incorrect translation of food items on a restaurant or tavern menu is a regular cause of amusement in Croatia. But, the mistitling of public places - streets, squares, companies, monuments, traffic signs and even schools – is perhaps more surprising. These are places you walk past every day.

The Slavonia students were given the high bar of the official standards of Croatian language set by the Institute of Croatian Language and Linguistics. Their teacher, Vesna Nosić, has published their findings in the popular science journal Hrvatski jezik (Croatian language), which is published by the institute. Croatian language is something of a national obsession in Croatia, its acceptance as the official language very closely linked to the country's struggle for autonomy. For most of its history, the lands of modern-day Croatia were controlled by empires for whom Croatian was not their language. The use of foreign tongues has been imposed on the population of Croatia for centuries.

The most common mistakes made in the Croatian language are related to the incorrect use of the sounds ć and č, đ and dž. The letters here come from Gaj's Latin alphabet, devised by Croatian linguist Ljudevit Gaj in 1835. It is the Latin script used across the region in which to write the similar languages of Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, and Montenegrin (in Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro, the Cyrillic alphabet is used as well as Gaj's Latin alphabet).


The contemporary version of Gaj's Latin alphabet (it originally contained Dj, which was replaced by đ. This alphabet ihe easiest part of learning Croatian - within 15 minutes, almost anyone can correctly pronounce all Croatian words by using this. In comparison to the Latin alphabet used by English speakers, the letters q,w,x,y are omitted. Instead, we get the additional č, ć, dž, đ, lj, nj, š and ž. Looks difficult? It isn't. Almost all of these sounds exist within the English language. Except for lj which, to English speakers, is torturously missing some kind of vowel © Albatalad

Mistakes between the ć and č or đ and dž sounds are understandable if you can pronounce Gaj's Latin alphabet. And anyone can. The easiest part of learning Croatian is Gaj's Latin alphabet – all of the sounds exist within the English language, all of the letters are always pronounced in exactly the same way (unlike English). The difference in sound between ć and č or đ and dž in spoken Croatian is difficult to perceive if you are not a native speaker (often, even if you are!)

Some of the mistakes found by the Slavonia students are perhaps more forgivable – the standard of Croatian their comparisons was made against is rigid. Thus, pekarna (bakery) instead of pekarnica, or dućan (shop) instead of trgovina were classed as mistakes, but are actually in everyday use on streets across Croatia.

Other mistakes found relate to grammar, spelling and the misuse of upper case or lower case lettering. For instance, Ulica Pavleka Miškina should be written Ulica Pavleka Miškine (the word ending changes to denote it is the street of Pavlek Miškina), Crkva Gospe od brze pomoći, should be crkva Gospe od Brze Pomoći; Muzej Brodskog Posavlja should be Muzej brodskoga Posavlja and Šetalište Braće Radić should be Šetalište braće Radića (denoting it is the promenade of the Radić brothers).
Not sure which words should be in upper case or lower case in Croatian? Write everything in upper case - problem solved!  © Slavonski Brod Tourist Board

Sitting to one side and watching how others do something, judging them, then informing them they are doing it incorrectly is not the most pleasant way to occupy your time. However, for the purposes of this study, this not-uncommon activity in Croatia is exactly what was asked of the Slavonia students. However, as noted in today's coverage of this story in Index, there is a great saying in Croatian that serves as a response to any unwanted judgments coming from those on the sides - “clean up the trash in front of your own doorstep before you discuss that which lies in front of your neighbour's”. And, that's exactly what the Slavonia students did – and found out that the name of their own school was spelled wrong.

November 20, 2020 - The City of Trogir and Hajduk are moving forward with the construction of a modern football camp, Hajduk’s most important infrastructure project in the 21st century.

On Thursday, HNK Hajduk president Lukša Jakobušić held an operational meeting in Trogir accompanied by the President's head of office Jelena Mikačić, Trogir Mayor Ante Bilić, and his associates, Deputy Mayor Viktor Novak and City Council President Ante Piteša.

This is a continuation of the project initiated by the former Hajduk President Marin Brbić, who in July signed a contract for the construction of a capital infrastructure project at the Divulje barracks near Split Airport as a solid foundation for the development and progress of the Split club.

Several important topics were discussed with the priority of transferring land from the Ministry of Defense to the City of Trogir. It is usually a longer process, but with joint efforts, all participants in the meeting believe it will be completed soon. Among other things, project financing was discussed, and various options for external funding sources were considered. Mayor Bilić reported that the City is already working intensively on land parceling and that registration in the cadastre can be expected in about 10 days. Also, the City has already initiated Amendments to the Spatial Plan at the City Council.

A working, conceptual solution already exists, but given the space's value, it was agreed to make an architectural and urban tender for this scope. They will contact the Society of Architects Split, with which the City of Trogir has been cooperating for the last few years to conduct the competition as professionally and as well as possible. Upon completion of the project and complex financial construction, there are permits. The camp's construction is planned in phases, and the joint conclusion of the City and Hajduk is that the camp will be in full operation in the next four years.

"This was a working meeting with the representatives of the city of Trogir, whom I thank for their exceptional cooperation and concreteness. We don’t want to waste time, but be productive. The camp's construction is, along with the success and result of the first team and the creation of a winning mentality, one of the most important projects of my term. I am aware that four years are concise for realizing the project, but the plan is for the camp to be built and put into operation during that period. I will personally participate in the project until a member of the Board is appointed who will, among other things, be in charge of building the camp," said Jakobušić, who gifted jerseys to the representatives of the City of Trogir after the meeting.

"We are happy that this project remains among the priorities for President Jakobušić, as well as with the steps we agreed on at our first operational meeting. Since the signing of the contract and the council session, we have communicated with the Ministry of Defense, and I believe that the transfer of ownership will soon be formally completed. Hajduk's camp is important for Trogir for many reasons, primarily because of the new modern sports infrastructure that does not exist in this part of Europe that will benefit our citizens, and depending on the final appearance of the project, be part of our additional tourist offer. Initially, we planned to build the stadium on our own. Still, the renovation of our Batarija with the infrastructure that we will get through this camp with Hajduk as a partner is a better solution from its aspect. There is no need to talk about the pride of my fellow citizens that Trogir will become the second home of Hajduk. There is still a lot of work ahead of us, but the plan presented to us seems sustainable and rational," said the Mayor of Trogir Ante Bilić.

Source: Hajduk website

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November 20, 2020 - The latest on Split Advent 2020, which will be held without the famous holiday houses this year.

The safety of visitors is a priority of the City of Split, the Split Tourist Board, and Spalatum D.M.C., longtime organizers of Advent events in Split, reports Dalmatinski Portal and Slobodna Dalmacija.

"Following the epidemiological situation in Croatia and keeping in mind the health of its fellow citizens and visitors, a decision was made that this year's Advent offer in the city will still take place without houses that serve food and drinks and sell souvenirs. The company Spalatum D.M.C., otherwise in charge of their maintenance, will continue its engagement as technical support at Advent, as every year so far," D.M.C. announced.

"It is almost unthinkable nowadays to set up Advent in any city without the favorite houses, but the epidemiological situation and the health of our fellow citizens must come first. We monitor the situation in the country every day to respond in a timely manner to all instructions and warnings related to the SARS-CoV-19 virus because Advent is made up, above all, by humans. The decision on the absence of houses was made as a proactive measure, which, I believe, will significantly increase the security of the entire event. I thank all the caterers and craftspeople who have expressed interest in participating in Advent, and I hereby ask them to understand. I believe that we will all work together to ensure that we have the opportunity to work together again next year," said Ante Šunjić, director of Spalatum D.M.C.

Advent in Split will be held this year, but in a different edition than ever before. The program is still being finalized in accordance with all the necessary epidemiological measures and will be available soon, both on the Split Tourist Board website and on social networks.

Stay tuned.

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