ZAGREB, June 20, 2020 - Public Administration Minister and HDZ official Ivan Malenica said on Saturday that after it won the elections, the party would reduce the number of ministries, halve the number of local officials and do its best to make public administration efficient.

"We will digitise local government and connect it with central government registers and numerous services, applications and platforms," Malenica told a news conference.

Digital signature to be introduced for entire country, public administration

He added that the HDZ would introduce the digital signature for the entire state and public administration by the end of its term. "An efficient state, a resilient state and a digital state is something we will insist on in the next term."

Malenica said the system of local government would be divided into several categories, with each local government unit having a defined scope of duties and activities to be conducted based on the principle of self-sustainability and self-sufficiency.

"We want to oblige local government units to cooperate," he said, adding that digitisation increased the efficiency of the private and public sectors, education and society in general.

ZAGREB, June 20, 2020 - Dalija Oreskovic of the Party with a First and Last Name said in Rijeka on Saturday that Croatia was not divided into the right and left camps but into those who stole and those who had been robbed, and that, she said, should be the main topics of the election campaign, "instead of wombs".

Presenting candidates of the coalition comprising her party, Pametno and Fokus, Oreskovic said that the antagonism between the SDP and the HDZ prevented people from seeing what was happening with the country.

"Our future depends on how many people will realise that what the HDZ is at the national level, the SDP and the IDS are at the local level. That is why Rijeka is the right place to fire a torpedo at attacks by all those who think that when there is nothing left to plunder, they should encroach on our personal rights and freedoms," said Oreskovic.

Oreskovic also commented on a campaign on social networks in which numerous women have posted photos of themselves with their middle finger held up in protest at Homeland Movement leader Miroslav Skoro's statement that if a woman gets pregnant after being raped, she should consult with her family about what to do.

"We should show our middle finger not only to those who would want to encroach on our wombs, we should show it to the policies of both camps that over the past 30 years have not known what to do with this country."

"All those Raspudics and the likes are here to obscure the main problems that bother our citizens - the emigration of young people and the lack of strong state institutions," she said, in an allusion to Nino Raspudic, a professor and political analyst, who will run in the coming elections as a candidate of the Bridge party.

Oreskovic also called on women to go to the polls in large numbers to fight back attacks on their freedoms.

June 20, 2020 - Did you know that one of Europe's major restoration centres is in Varazdin County? Or that it was at a Ludbreg conference that Croatian war experiences helped to preserve much Syrian art and cultural treasures in the recent conflict? 

One of the things I love about writing about Croatia is that there is always a story untold around the corner. This country is FASCINATING, and to give you a hint of how much fun and discovery you can enjoy here, here are 30 great discoveries I made in 2019 alone. 

And if there is one place in Croatia which continues to surprise with every visit, it is the town of Ludbreg in northern Croatia. It is known to many here as the 'Centre of the World', but very few people even in Croatia know that it is home to the only certified miracle in all Croatia. You can read about the Ludbreg miracle here. 

There are plenty of other unusual things to find in Ludbreg as well, as I noted after my first visit in 2016 in Ludbreg, the Most Fascinating, Unusual Little Town in Croatia? 

Among them was the Ludbreg Restoration Centre, one of three major centres of restoration of Croatian art and cultural treasures. Tucked away on the upper floors of the impressive Batthyany Palace in the centre of town. For there you will find a team of some of the most skilled and dedicated professionals painstakingly restoring the many cultural treasures partially destroyed during the Homeland War and other events. 

I visited the centre again recently, as part of our filming for the One Minute Ludbreg video series, which we will be starting shortly, only to be stunned all over again. 

Not only was the centre doing outstanding work, but it was also winning international awards for its excellence. Take a look at the video below, for example, of the incredible restoration job on the equally incredible St Martin's Church in Stari Brod, near Sisak. 

The careful restoration won an award at the 2017 European Heritage Europa Nostra Awards - you can read more about that here, as well as enjoy this fabulous little church in the video below. 

And, as we went around filming for One Minute Ludbreg, I learned SO much more on this, my second visit. How the chief restorer of the Sistine Chapel is a regular visitor to Ludbreg, and how a number of international restoration conferences are held in this miracle town. 

During one such Ludbreg conference several years ago, at the height of the fighting in Syria, the topic on the table was how to protect Syrian cultural treasures during such a destructive conflict. 

The Croatian experience of the Homeland War was that if a building was an obvious cultural treasure, it tended to be targeted, and so the advice to the Syrians was to remove any signs of cultural status from the buildings they wanted to preserve. As a result, many were spared which otherwise might have been destroyed. 

I could have spent hours in there, just watching experts and masters in their crafts quietly going about their daily business, with a passion that was enviable. Experts such as Dunja, for example, who was delicately applying 24-carat gold leaf to historic wooden surfaces. 

One Minute  Ludbreg will start next month. 

For more details on the incredible work of the Croatian Conservation Institute, visit the official website.

For the latest news from Ludbreg, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

ZAGREB, June 20, 2020 - Homeland Movement leader Miroslav Skoro on Saturday criticised former President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic for launching "a middle-finger coalition" against him, after his statement about raped women and abortion caused an outrage.

Skoro's statement, made during a recent election debate, that if a woman becomes pregnant after being raped, she should agree with her family what to do next, has triggered an avalanche of reactions and comments on social media, especially among women, who showed him their middle finger in protest. Grabar-Kitarovic joined them on Thursday by posting a photograph of herself with a raised middle finger in support of women.

Skoro was in the eastern city of Osijek on Saturday to present the election candidates of the Homeland Movement for Constituency 4. The party's list for this electoral unit is headed by his sister, Vesna Vucemilovic.

Skoro accused Grabar-Kitarovic, Plenkovic and Jandrokovic of ignoring the will of Croatian voters and referendum initiatives. He said that the ruling HDZ was in a coalition with the leftist faction of the European People's Party (EPP) in the European Parliament which includes Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's people.

"That makes it clear why (Croatian Serb MP) Milorad Pupovac supports Plenkovic and why Plenkovic does not want to and cannot renounce him," Skoro said.

"The Homeland Movement advocates traditional Christian Democratic values, protection of life from conception, reforms, and a better life in Croatia. Young people are key to survival and it should be made possible for them to educate themselves, work and start their families here," he added.

Skoro said that his statements were "maliciously taken out of context" to raise a fuss, but that "all masks are off now."

The press conference was also addressed by Tado Juric, the party's expert in demography and youth issues, who said that the Slavonia region was "a demographically scorched country" as far more young people had emigrated than official figures indicated.

"Young people think that this country and this society has morally declined. It is high time we changed that. Unfortunately, right now we don't have patriotic elites to raise the issue of emigration to the EU level," Juric said.

ZAGREB, June 20, 2020 - Social Democratic Party (SDP) and RESTART coalition leader Davor Bernardic spoke at an election rally in Split on Saturday, noting that the coastal city was unsafe to live in many regards.

That, he said, refers primarily to violence, lack of jobs, as well as the fate of people who had lived or were living off tourism.

He noted that Croatia as a whole was an unsafe country, with many pensioners having low pensions.

"Many people in Croatia lack safety because they are losing their jobs due to the government's belated decisions... permanent seasonal workers lack safety as well and the unemployed will not have any chance to find work this year."

Also unsafe are members of ethnic, religious and sexual minorities because they are exposed to growing violence, intolerance and hate, he said.

He also noted that 150,000 young people had emigrated from the country due to lack of prospects and that there was also a lack of legal security.

Bernardic said one of his coalition's main goals was the reform of the judiciary to make Croatia a safe country for all its citizens as well as for entrepreneurs.

He said that if it came to power, the RESTART coalition would abolish investment taxes as well as income tax on wages that amount to less than HRK 5,000.

The SDP leader also announced a 10% VAT rate in tourism and catering as well as the adoption of measures to retain jobs, including shorter working hours.

He announced the abolishment of the lump sum tax for small renters and pledged a further reduction of the tax burden on the tourism sector.

Asked how election rallies would look like considering a recent increase in the number of new coronavirus cases, Bernardic said that they had warned about potential risks but that "the government and (PM) Plenkovic made the decision, so responsibility rests with them."

The SDP believes that Croatia has to prepare much better for a second wave of COVID-19.

Commenting on a campaign during which many women have posted their photos on social networks showing them with their middle finger held up at Miroslav Skoro's statements about abortion and rape, Bernardic said that his coalition's view was that women should have the right to choose.

"Such statements push us back to the 19th century and it is good that we have ratified the Istanbul Convention and I believe Skoro and Bridge will support its implementation in the next parliament," said Bernardic.

He said that the RESTART coalition was willing to form a coalition with anyone who passes the election threshold and shares the worldview of RESTART member-parties.

ZAGREB, June 20, 2020 - Prime Minister and HDZ leader Andrej Plenkovic said on Saturday that the HDZ would invest maximum effort in the reconstruction of Zagreb and its historical centre damaged in the March 22 earthquake.

Speaking at a presentation of party candidates running in the July 5 elections in Constituency No. 1, Plenkovic said that the damage to the city had been estimated at €11.5 billion euros.

He said it would take at least ten years for the city to be reconstructed in such a way "to be safe and for its citizens to be given what they need after that big natural disaster."

Plenkovic recalled his government's results, citing an increase in employment and a decline in unemployment, a healthy economic growth, an increase in wages and pensions, etc.

He said that this was the reason why his party had wanted to hold parliamentary elections in the summer, when the intensity of the COVID-19 pandemic is lowest, to win voters' trust and continue working to the benefit of all citizens.

Plenkovic said that his government would continue reducing taxes, noting that the tax burden on citizens and the business sector had been reduced in the amount of nine billion kuna.

He went on to say that his government would reduce income tax and VAT on all food.

The HDZ wants to create conditions by the end of the term for the average wage to grow from the current HRK 6,700 to HRK 7,600, to raise the minimum wage to HRK 4,250 and to secure an additional HRK 10 billion for active employment measures, as well as create an additional 100,000 jobs, he said.

This will be possible to achieve through the EU's new seven-year budget which, in its current form, envisages 11.5 billion euros for Croatia, he said.

In addition to that, we will get more than €10 billion through the EU's plan for economic recovery, said the PM.

June 20, 2020 - Split restaurants Kadena, Zoi, Zrno Soli, Dvor, Konoba Trs in Trogir and Konoba Jeny in Tucepi have received a Michelin recommendation, while Konoba Trs and Solta Island's Konoba Škoj received the Michelin label Bib Gourmand. 

Slobodna Dalmacija reports that a total of 70 restaurants from all over Croatia are included in the Michelin guide for 2020, which has enriched the Croatian gastro scene with seven new local restaurants bearing the Michelin recommendation.

"Congratulations to all the restaurants from Split-Dalmatia County that deserved the prestigious Michelin awards. We are proud that top Croatian restaurants are our long-term partners and that with their skills and dedication to the top experience of their visitors, they have earned a place in the Michelin guide.

The quality of Croatian restaurants is confirmed year by year by Michelin awards, and we at METRO are extremely glad that the cooperation with the Michelin guide allows us to be a part of the success of top Croatian restaurants in this way as well.

In the current circumstances, when caterers face business challenges, Michelin awards can contribute to positioning Croatian restaurants on the gastronomic map of excellence and that is why I am glad that METRO can further support the promotion of Croatian gastronomy in this way," said Ivana Verunica, director of METRO center in Split.

METRO is a longtime partner of the Michelin guide, which is an international reference for fine-dining and recommends more than 30,000 restaurants in 30 countries.

Split's Konoba Fetivi is also included in the Michelin Guide for 2020, and was first included in the list back in 2018. 

You can see the list of all Croatian restaurants included in the Michelin guide for 2020 HERE.

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

As Morski writes on the 20th of June, 2020, the recommendations provided by the Croatian Institute of Public Health relate to the implementation of the necessary measures when travelling on yachts, boats and other vessels, and have been given in order to protect the crew and their passengers with respect to adhering to the measure of maintaining a physical distance of 1.5 metres.

Recommendations for the implementation of general hygiene measures:

It is necessary to place a clear notice of the obligation to comply with general hygiene measures and physical distance measures for all passengers entering a vessel, before or immediately after entry, in a visible place as well as in the cabins.

Passenger registration:

Passengers should be encouraged to use as many online and mobile applications as possible for their registration and booking so as to reduce the need for physical contact.

Hand disinfection:

At the entrance to the vessels and at the entrances to saloons, the wheelhouse and crew cabins, it is necessary to have dispensers with disinfectant (based either on alcohol or another agent safe for use on human skin with its declared virucidal action and manufacturer, and in a concentration of no less than 70 percent) with a notice of the obligation for passengers to disinfect their hands on arrival. These dispensers should be placed in the corridors where the accommodation units are located, such as near the stairs, at the main guest door and at the entrance to the wheelhouse and crew cabins.

Physical distance:

It is necessary to follow the rules of maintaining a physical distance of 1.5 metres.

Cleaning and maintenance:

Surfaces that are frequently touched, such as handles, handrails, light switches etc, need to be cleaned and disinfected regularly. The proper instructions for cleaning and disinfection are available here.

The need for additional disinfection measures may arise in the case of the transport of persons suspected of being infected with the new coronavirus or suffering from any highly contagious viral disease. The proper recommendations are available via this link from the Croatian Institute of Public Health.

Hygiene and ventilation of the passenger compartment:

The interior of the passenger compartment must be regularly cleaned and disinfected after each voyage, during anchoring or docking in a port. Surfaces that are touched often, such as the head and armrests, light switches, window panes and door handles, should be frequently wiped down with disinfectant. The interior must be regularly ventilated when sailing, anchoring or docking in a port. The use of air conditioners and heating should be avoided.

Isolating the captain's seat:

If it doesn't already exist, the Croatian Institute of Public Health has recommended to set up a physical barrier between the captain's seat and the passengers (made of Plexiglas or something similar), and if that isn't possible, then there will be a need to instruct passengers to respect the rules of physical distance.

Physical distance between places for sitting and lying down:

Separate the deckchairs in such a way so as to ensure physical separation and disinfect the deckchairs several times per day, after a certain passenger is no longer using a deckchair and when another passenger wants to use it. If the spaces on the vessel provide for other seats, they should also be arranged at a distance of 1.5 metres.

Air conditioners, heating and ventilation (HVAC):

When using ventilation and air conditioning systems, pay special attention to monitoring the condition of the filter and maintaining the correct condition of the air exchange rate indoors. The proper functioning of ventilation and air exchange equipment should be checked according to common protocols. Ventilation with an increased percentage of outdoor air circulating within the system and a recirculation-free mode are recommended to encourage air changes that reduce the concentration of potentially infectious pathogens.

Water supply:

The functioning of water-related infrastructure for human consumption should be carried out in the usual way.

Sanitary facilities:

It is necessary to ensure the more frequent cleaning, disinfection and, if possible, ventilation of sanitary facilities. Passengers need to be provided with the means for proper hand hygiene and disinfection.

Food and beverage service areas and trade facilities on yachts and other vessels:

Shops and catering facilities on yachts and boats should operate in accordance with the decisions of the Civil Protection Headquarters.

The instructions for the operation of stores are available here.
The instructions for catering facilities are available here.

Staff awareness:

Before starting work, the crew and staff must be educated about all the measures that are being implemented by the Croatian Institute of Public Health.

Reduced crew contact with passengers:

Vessel crew members should avoid close contact with passengers, and when communicating with them and other staff, it is necessary to maintain an appropriate distance (1.5 metres). After handling luggage, it is necessary to disinfect your hands.

Face masks:

Inside enclosed spaces of the vessel, it has been recommended that staff wear medical masks or face masks that cover their mouths and noses. Protective masks and disinfectants for employees must be provided by the employer.

Crew health monitoring by daily temperature measurement:

Before starting work, all crew members must measure their temperatures in the morning and cannot start working if it is higher than 37.2 ° C and/or they have respiratory problems. In case of the development of a fever and/or respiratory problems with or without a fever, employees need to contact their employer and their competent family doctor by phone. They cannot start working until the cause of their respiratory issues or fever is determined.

Passenger records:

The Croatian Institute of Public Health has recommended that staff keep records of passenger contacts and passenger entries and exits, so that in case of the detection of a sick person on board, territorially competent epidemiologists can identify and inform the patient's contacts as soon as possible and implement the proper measures to prevent the further spread of the new coronavirus infection.

Procedures in case of symptoms indicative of the new coronavirus:

Crew/staff must advise a person displaying symptoms of respiratory disease or fever to stay in their cabins, with the door closed; offer them a surgical mask and tissues in sufficient quantity and instruct them not to leave the room and to contact members of staff by phone if necessary.

Guests who are part of the same group or the same family must also stay in their cabins until returning to the nearest port.

Staff are advised not to enter a cabin where a person suspected of having a SARS-CoV-2 infection is staying, and other guests should be instructed that their bed linen replacement and cabin cleaning will not take place at normal intervals and in the usual manner. In such cases, each guest must maintain the cleanliness of his or her living space on his or her own.

For more on coronavirus and the Croatian Institute of Public Health, follow our dedicated section.