World Festival of Croatian Literature Starts
ZAGREB, Nov 17, 2020 - The World Festival of Croatian Literature started in Zagreb on Monday with a discussion on the need to establish a Croatian cultural institute that would be named after Marko Marulic, the most important Croatian writer in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
Marko Bosnjak, an advisor at the Office for Croats Abroad, said that the Croatian people, despite unfavourable and difficult circumstances, had managed throughout history to preserve and develop its language, culture and national identity.
He pointed to the need to even more actively and more systematically promote the Croatian language and culture, noting that by establishing the institute, a structure would be developed and an opportunity created for systematic cultural work.
This would strongly contribute to the development of modern Croatian unity at the global level, including all Croats and all Croatian citizens, Bosnjak said.
Writer Stjepan Seselj said that it was high time to continue with efforts to establish the unity of Croatian literature and culture.
The World Festival of Croatian Literature was launched to connect Croatian writers who live and work in different parts of the world and to help open new and discover old topics that "we are possibly not familiar with", as well as promote a different kind of study of the Croatian language and culture in schools and at universities, Seselj said.
Croatian Writers Society president Zlatko Krizic, too, supported the establishment of the institute, noting that it should primarily promote the study of the Croatian language and literature.
Croatia will be Pride of People Again, Says Dalic Ahead of Portugal at Poljud
November 17, 2020 - Croatia national team coach Zlatko Dalic held a press conference before the final Nations League match this season when the 2018 World Cup finalists will host the 2016 European champions Portugal at Poljud in Split.
Everyone must do their best
"In Portugal and in the first half in Sweden, we were not aggressive, combative, compact, we ran a little, and against such quality rivals you can't be at 80 percent, but everyone has to do their best. We were in trouble there. In Portugal, we didn't manage: they played their game, and we were weak. This game means a lot to us, we want to stay in League A, and I hope for an interesting and solid game."
We will be the pride of our people again
"I am aware that the results and our game are not good; no one has to tell me that. This is not the level of a year or two ago; this is our reality. This is the process of creating a new national team, and I stand behind it. I am sure that we will do everything to make it much better in March and at the Euros, to be competitive. I told the players that they must not stop believing in themselves and their quality and that one or two defeats cannot erase all the good from the past and that we will be at the level again, a national team that is the pride of our people. It doesn't look like that now, but it is the best that Croatia has now. We are fighting, we agree, and we are going to get a good result tomorrow to finish this year nicely."
A coach full of motivation and energy
"I am frustrated with the situation around me, but this is my job. I must not show dissatisfaction, and I have to get the most out of it because it was my dream to be the Croatia coach, and I am proud of it. I am full of motivation and energy to do something, and nothing will shake me. I'm a coach; I know the pressure is huge, but I'm not afraid of anything; I'm doing the best I can. I've done everything I imagined."
Let them show and prove themselves
"Pongračić dropped out today, we don't have seven or eight first-team players, and we have a lot of problems that we have to solve from hour to hour. I have an idea of the lineup; Bradarić will go to the left flank; I want to give him a chance at his stadium because I think he is the future. Lovren is our only stopper so far, so we called Škorić, there is also Juranović. Everyone is in rhythm, everyone is playing, and they will get a chance, let them show and prove themselves. Neither Budimir nor Petković can last the whole game. We miss the last midfielder; without that, we have problems, and we will try to find a solution so that Modrić and Kovačić can be turned towards the attack. We always want to win."
Portugal is one of the best
"Portugal is a great team, it has quality players, and they want to win every game, just like us. We don't expect an easy job, Portugal is one of the best. They have young players like Felix and Jota, who fit in well with the older ones like Ronaldo and Pepe. They rightly hope for a great result again. We are second in the world, and we try to stay that way. We are going through a change of generations, so we are not at the level we were, but we will be there again, and we will be competitive with the best like Portugal, Spain, and France."
Cristiano Ronaldo
"The fact that Ronaldo came to play this game that is not the fight for first place spoke enough about his motivation and desire. He came to play against Croatia, he was not in previous matches, and he is a really great player. Like our Luka, he is doing his best at the age of 35."
Source: HNS
To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Flights to Croatia: Ryanair Pulls 15 Lines to Croatia for Summer 2021
November 17, 2020 - The latest news for flights to Croatia as Ryanair pulls 15 lines to Croatia in the 2021 summer flight schedule.
Croatian Aviation reports that Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair has pulled 15 international routes to Croatia for the summer of 2021. These are lines to Pula, Rijeka, Zadar, and Split.
Namely, Ryanair has revised its flight schedule for the 2021 summer season and has stopped sales on numerous international routes, including as many as 15 to and from Croatian airports - Pula, Rijeka, Zadar, and Split.
Only one line less to Pula and Split
Until the beginning of November, Ryanair had Berlin-Pula and Vienna-Split routes on sale, but they have been withdrawn from sale, and it is currently not possible to buy tickets on this airline for next summer. In the 2021 summer flight schedule, Ryanair will operate on some lines to Pula and one to Split (from Dublin).
Two long-standing lines to Rijeka are no longer for sale
The airline currently offers only one line to Rijeka Airport for the summer of 2021. This is the Frankfurt Hahn-Rijeka line, which also operated this summer season. In 2019, Ryanair operated from Frankfurt's main airport to Rijeka, a far better option for passengers than Hahn, 115 kilometers away.
There are currently no lines from London and Brussels to Rijeka on sale for the next summer season, while the long-standing Stockholm-Rijeka line was canceled earlier. According to the currently available flight schedule, only the Frankfurt Hahn to Rijeka route will be in traffic.
As many as 11 lines to Zadar were withdrawn from sale
Zadar Airport had big announcements from Ryanair and partner company Laudamotion for the 2020 summer season. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, most of the previously announced routes were not launched. The company offered all lines for the next summer season, thus leaving space for aircraft bases in Zadar and great expansion in the Croatian market.
At the beginning of November, Ryanair withdrew 11 lines from Zadar for next year. The following lines are no longer on sale:
Aarhus - Zadar,
Hamburg - Zadar,
Maastricht - Zadar,
Bremen - Zadar,
Toulouse - Zadar,
Riga - Zadar,
Kaunas - Zadar,
Liverpool - Zadar,
Cork - Zadar,
Dublin - Zadar,
London - Zadar.
Most of these lines were supposed to start operating in the summer flight schedule this year, but this did not happen for obvious reasons. Ryanair obviously has no plans to base aircraft in Zadar next year. It is even more surprising that there are no flights from Dublin and London to Zadar, which did not operate this summer either. This airline had an excellent occupancy on these lines in previous years, and ticket prices were often high, especially in the peak season.
The flight schedule is available on the Ryanair website and is still subject to change. This has been confirmed to Croatian Aviation from the airline's headquarters, and we will have to wait until January when the final 2021 summer flight schedule for Croatia is announced to see if there will be any further changes.
This will certainly depend on the epidemiological situation and the demand itself.
For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.
Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages.
Draskovic Palace in Dugo Selo Becomes Community Culture Centre
November 16, 2020 – Dating back to the end of the 19th Century, the Draskovic Palace in Dugo Selo has lay abandoned since 2003. In part thanks to EU money, it will become a cultural centre for visitors and the community by 2023
An abandoned but nationally-protected building in Zagreb County has secured EU funding in order to become a cultural centre for its community and visitors. Draskovic Palace in Dugo Selo will see an investment of HRK 14.4 million, with an 85% share coming from the European Regional Development Fund. The remaining 15% will be covered by the City of Dugo Selo.
The Draskovic Palace in Dugo Selo dates back to the end of the 19th Century and is named after its first owners, the family of Count Draskovic. Although a major landmark in the City of Dugo Selo, the building has lay abandoned since 2003.
The 1,485-square-metre Draskovic Palace in Dugo Selo will undergo construction and infrastructure works that will last until the end of November 2021. Following these works, a museum space will be built on the ground floor which will house a permanent exhibition of Saint Martin's heritage (Saint Martin is the patron saint of Dugo Selo). There will also be exhibits of Templar tradition in the town and exhibits of the city's industrial history. On the first floor, a multifunctional hall of the Mayor's office is planned. In addition, there will be seven educational classrooms built and another space for public events. The building is scheduled to be opened in 2023.
The Draskovic family is one of the oldest recorded noble houses in Croatia. The first written mention of them dates back to the 15th century. Notable family members included Juraj II Drašković (1525–1585) former bishop of Zagreb and Ban (Viceroy) of Croatia, Ivan I Drašković, younger brother of Juraj, a commander of Croatian and Hungarian forces under the command of Nikola IV Zrinski, Ivan II Drašković, Ban of Croatia between 1595 and 1608, Ivan III Drašković (1603–1648), Ban of Croatia from 1640 and the highest Croatian dignitary in the Hapsburg empire, Ivan V Drašković, Ban of Croatia from 1732 to 1733, Janko Drašković (1770–1856), a pro-Croatian autonomy politician, Juraj V Drašković, a soldier ranking as Major-General under Ban Jelačić, Karlo Dragutin Drašković (1873–1900) was a noted amateur photographer, Julijana Drašković (1847–1901), a painter and Maria Drašković of Trakošćan (1904–1969) who, as wife to the Duke of Bavaria, was the matriarch of the House of Wittelsbach and, as such, the dispossessed Catholic heir to the throne of Great Britain.
All images © Grad Dugo Selo
For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.
Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages.
Zadar to Get Better Drainage System Through EBRD Loan and EU Funds
ZAGREB, November 16, 2020 - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved a €4.5 million loan for the completion of a capital drainage system project in Zadar, in addition to €42 million approved from the EU Cohesion Fund for the Zadar utility company, EBRD said on Monday.
The EBRD loan will be used for the reconstruction and expansion of Zadar's drainage system.
The project involves the construction and reconstruction of more than 100 kilometres of pipelines and collectors, 17 pump stations and increasing the current rate of 75% of households connected to drainage to 95%. The Odvodnja utility company manages wastewater collection and treatment for about 80,000 residents in the Zadar area.
This capital investment will significantly impact the quality of life for local residents and will enable the sustainable development of Zadar and neighbouring municipalities, which prior to the coronavirus pandemic recorded more than 1.4 million tourist arrivals a year, head of EBRD operations in Croatia, Victoria Zinchuk, said.
Mayor Branko Dukic said that Zadar was "faced with an extensive construction project, including the reconstruction of the water supply system, which will lead to significant savings of water as well as enabling the construction of all streets where the new pipelines will be laid... The project will resolve the problem of rainwater in the Bokanjac area and enable connecting 95% of Zadar's households to the public drainage system," said Dukic.
Odvodnja director Grgo Peronja said that the new system will help protect the sea and coastland from pollution.
EBRD recalled that the first projects in Croatia financed by EBRD were agreed in 1994 and since then EBRD has invested more than €3.9 billion in 219 various projects, particularly in infrastructure, entrepreneurship, financial institutions and energy.
EU Recovery Plan Big Opportunity for Croatia - Conference
ZAGREB, November 16, 2020 - The EU recovery plan is a big opportunity for Croatia, which has four or five key years to use, European aid from various funds through good projectsfor a relatively quick recovery from the corona crisis and for economic growth and development, a conference heard on Monday.
The videoconference on the EU recovery plan was organised by the European Investment Bank, the European Commission Representation in Croatia and Hanza Media, and its goal is to create a stimulating environment and platform for raising awareness of the opportunities offered by the EU recovery plan, with special focus on financing sustainable and climate-friendly projects.
EU leaders agreed in July on a comprehensive recovery plan for Europe. The Next Generation EU plan was adopted in synergy with the multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2021-2027, and it should repair the economic and social damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic, kick-start European recovery and protect and create new jobs.
Slightly over €12.6 billion from the new MFF and €9.4 billion from the Next Generation EU instrument will be available to Croatia.
Finance Minister Zdravko Maric expects a new investment cycle in Croatia, also thanks to EU assistance, as well as a relatively quick recovery.
European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni said that Europe had started to recover in the third quarter of 2020, but then a new wave of the epidemic started.
According to him, EU countries will see an average economic decline of 7.4% this year, and next year they will recover at an average rate of 4.1%.
He added that differences between EU member states were noticeable, and that countries dependent on tourism and hospitality activities were affected more.
So far, the EU has had an adequate response to all challenges caused by the pandemic, Gentiloni said, adding that Croatia will be one of the biggest recipients of EU recovery aid.
Every state is preparing its own plans for reforms and investments, and those national plans must be in accordance with the EU plans. Most of the funding should be used for digital and green projects.
Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, Dario Scannapieco, focused on the climate plan in his presentation, saying that by 2050 the green transition will open half a million new jobs in Europe.
Minister Says No Switching to Online Classes
ZAGREB, November 16, 2020 - Education Minister Radovan Fuchs has said that his ministry is still of the view that one should not switch to online classes except in cases when the situation in a school requires it and when physical classes are not possible.
"The ministry has been monitoring the system of primary and secondary schools and still considers that one should not switch to online classes except when the situation in an individual school requires it," the minister said, adding that online classes so far had been introduced in schools where the teaching and auxiliary staff had been reduced to such an extent that it had brought the holding of physical classes into question.
"We have been monitoring the situation closely and will act accordingly but one should not resort to any panicky decisions because that is the worst scenario," he said.
He noted that no country had closed schools without applying stricter general measures and that there were cases where very stringent restrictions were in force but where schools functioned normally.
1,366 students, 549 school staff positive for coronavirus
The minister said that the latest data showed that 1,366 students and 549 school staff were positive for coronavirus, which was 81 fewer students than on Sunday, when a slight decrease was recorded also in relation to Saturday, and that the latest data also showed that 34 fewer teachers were positive for the virus.
"If the current trend stays, it will be good. We can't speak of an abrupt decline, but we can say that the curve is relatively flat," he said.
What is the Number of Ventilators in Croatia?
November 16, 2020 - When the global COVID-19 pandemic reached Croatia, one of the things everyone wanted to know was: how many medical ventilators are there in Croatia to help those suffering from the worst damage to their lungs?
Several months later, one thing remains almost exactly the same: it’s almost impossible to tell what the exact answer to that question is. Unofficially, the number that has been floated around by many, including the Croatian President Zoran Milanović is that there are around 800 ventilators in Croatia. Back in March and April, I tried finding some confirmation for the number being thrown around, and the most official sources back then kept repeating the mantra “the information is not made public because of the security precautions, there are enough ventilators in Croatia, and they will be distributed as needed”. One other thing often mentioned by any official source was that Croatia was planning to procure more ventilators, to make sure we had enough if the second wave hit. A long time ago, way before this current pandemic, Croatia was ranked quite high in terms of the number of critical care beds, corrected for the population. The scientific paper published in intensive care Medicine scientific journal had Croatia on the seventh place in that metric in Europe.
Well, the second wave did, in fact, hit and now it seems that the number of ventilators in Croatia might again be the question worth asking. And, recently, a report by the RTL seems to give a definitive answer: there are 867 ventilators in Croatia. The report also provides the distribution of the ventilators within the Croatian hospitals, divided into stationary and mobile ventilators. At the same time, the article itself mentions the number of 1,168 ventilators, without even trying to address the discrepancy between the two figures! The report does not say anything about how they got their numbers, so it’s almost impossible to fact-check them. They do, however, acknowledge that the officials have said that the ventilators will be sent to where they will be needed the most, depending on what’s going on at any given moment with the epidemic in Croatia. And it would appear that no major procurement of additional resources took place during the summer in preparation for the second-wave (we knew was coming).
Today, as I’m writing this article, there are around 16,000 active cases of COVID-19 in Croatia, with 191 patients on the ventilator. And while we might not know exactly how many ventilators there are in Croatia or where they are, for now, we can be certain that there are enough ventilators in Croatia for the current extent of the epidemic. It's important to keep in mind that it's impossible for all of those ventilators to be used to help COVID patients, as a ventilator is often needed for any type of major surgery, and there are still patients having medical emergencies and having surgery, COVID notwithstanding. At the same time, that doesn’t give us a free pass to behave irresponsibly, as each and every one of us and our behaviour is the key factor in how bad the epidemic is going to get, and how many people will end up needing the ventilator to survive.
For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.
Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages!
Contract for €70 mn Project Signed at Rudjer Boskovic Institute
ZAGREB, November 16, 2020 - A signing ceremony for a €70 million contract for the establishment of scientific infrastructure and procurement at the Croatian Rudjer Boskovic Institute (RBI) took place in Zagreb on Monday, with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic attending the event.
The O-ZIP project (Open Scientific Infrastructural Platforms for Innovative Applications in the Economy and Society) is a key part of the Institute's development strategy and is based on strengthening the IRB's most competitive parts with the aim of a closer cooperation with the industrial sector, and it is the largest investment in research infrastructure in Croatia in the last 30 years, it was said.
Plenkovic said that the government's goal is to increase funding for research and science to 2.5% of GDP. Our ambition by 2030 is 3% of GDP, and we want a real connection between science and the economy, he said, recalling that in the past three years investments increased from 0.85% in 2017 to 1.11% of GDP in 2019.
All of this is part of a policy enabling scientists to contribute to the development of the country and young people to get quality education and become more competitive on the labour market, the Prime Minister said.
Science and Education Minister Radovan Fuchs said that this was the largest project in the field of science in Croatia. It will provide the Rudjer Boskovic Institute with excellent infrastructure, the lack of which has been an obstacle to its development for the last 15 years, he said.
RBI director David M. Smith thanked all those who had worked on preparing the project, as well as the authorities for their support. Since 2012, when this project was launched, this is the fourth government and the seventh minister, he said.
The project will turn the Rudjer Boskovic Institute into a contemporary science institute that will be able to compete with others in the field, Smith said, adding that the RBI employs excellent scientists, five percent of whom are foreign nationals, and that it accounts for more than a half of Croatian science in leading scientific databases.
The RBI, which this year marks its 70th anniversary, employs a total of 956 people, 738 of whom work in science. The RBI staff lead 34 projects financed from the European Structural and Investment Funds and 102 projects financed by the Croatian Science Foundation.
Pametno and SIP Join to Form New Party Called Centre
ZAGREB, November 16, 2020 - The parliamentary opposition parties Pametno (Smart) and the Party with a First and Last Name (SIP) joined to form a single party, called Centre, at an online convention on Sunday, they announced in a statement on Monday.
The new party will not have a leader, but will be headed by four co-leaders - Dalija Oreskovic, Marijana Puljak, Marin Racic and Dario Carev.
The first unification of two political parties in Croatia on an equal footing is aimed at bringing together as many respectable individuals as possible to push for more civil liberties, less state influence on the economy and strong anti-corruption policies, the statement said.
The new party said it would prepare for local elections in May by offering a programme and candidates who can effect true change.
