Wednesday, 30 March 2022

US Embassy in Croatia Announces ''The U.S.-Croatia Forum'' on April 4th-5th

March 30, 2022 - To mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the US and Croatia, the US Embassy in Croatia has announced ''The U.S.-Croatia Forum'' on the 4th and 5th of April. It will include panel discussions on topics such as investment, security, technology, climate change, women's leadership, and more.

Today, the US Embassy in Croatia shared a statement on its official website and social media accounts to announce "The U.S.-Croatia Forum" to mark 30 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The statement read as follows:

The US Embassy in Croatia is pleased to announce the U.S.-Croatia Forum, organized on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of US-Croatian diplomatic ties, in cooperation with the University of Zagreb Faculty of Economics and Business, AmCham Croatia, and the Croatian Office for Creativity and Innovation. The two-day U.S.-Croatia Forum will take place at the Hilton Garden Inn in Zagreb, Radnička cesta 21, on April 4th and 5th, 2022.

The U.S.-Croatia partnership continues to deliver for both the American and Croatian people. Our bilateral relationship is built upon shared values, shared interests, and exceptional people-to-people ties. The U.S.-Croatia Forum will include panel sessions covering topics of shared interest, such as the U.S.-Croatia business and innovation ecosystem, U.S.-Croatia leadership in addressing climate change, critical infrastructure and investment, cybersecurity and IT, European energy diversity, and regional energy security, scientific and technological collaboration, women’s leadership, as well as defense and security ties. This unique program will bring together the U.S. and Croatian government officials, defense and security specialists, business leaders, innovation-space influencers, and rising startup stars to advocate U.S.-Croatia policy partnership and private sector engagement, facilitate dialogue, and strengthen U.S.-Croatia economic, security and people-to-people ties.

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Snažniji Zajedno, a new digital platform launched by the US Embassy in Croatia. (Screenshot)

In connection with the 30th anniversary of U.S.-Croatia ties, the US Embassy in Croatia further launched SNAŽNIJI ZAJEDNO (''STRONGER TOGETHER''), a new digital platform sharing with Croatians various initiatives, projects, and partnership examples supported by the United States that have helped contribute to Croatia’s success and the strength of U.S.-Croatia ties. In addition to the collection of 30 projects featured on the website, Croatian citizens can share their own stories of the U.S.-Croatia partnership and the impact of past efforts continuing today in their local communities.

Learn more about the US-Croatia Forum HERE.

You can find and download the full program for the two-day event HERE.

For more news about Croatia, click here.

Wednesday, 30 March 2022

First Split Winter Tourism Committee Meeting held at HGK to Discuss Winter Flights

March 30, 2022 - The first official Split Winter Tourism Committee meeting was held on Tuesday at the County Chamber of Commerce in Split. 

This meeting was attended by Joško Stella (Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board), Joze Tomaš and Nataša Bušić (HGK), Pero Bilas (Split Airport), Arnoud Zaalberg (GM of Le Meridien Lav), Mario Šerić (MarCon), Jelena Tabak (Split Caterers Association), Maria Mustapić (Split caterers and hostels), Jasmina Kruščić (Split caterers), and Daniela Rogulj (TCN). 

This meeting was held specifically on the issue of bringing winter flights to Split, with two proposals presented to kick off the discussion.  

Initiative proposal

- Most logical - talk to airlines with a strong presence in the right markets

- Increase expectation

- Last weekend of October - first weekend after 3 Kings - January 6

- Extends season by 10 weeks

- Many people travel at this time already

- This period is beneficial for the private sector

- Gives time to create concrete products - events, conferences, city breaks, etc.

- Suggestion - connection with London - 2 airlines - British Airways and Easyjet

- Why? BA is a member of the Oneworld Alliance - gives us access to overseas customers - partner is American Airlines - 80% of the overseas market covered + the local market 

- The majority of the overseas market is covered if we have British Airways (OneWorld Alliance) in addition to Croatia Airlines 

- easyJet covers local British and Croatian market

- 6 flights - 3x week total

- 256 planes in BA fleet - 30 Airbus 319 with 144 seats, 67 Airbus 320 - 180 seats, 17 Airbus 320 neo with 180 seats

- Easyjet - 310 planes - 87 A319 or 320 with 156 seats, 167 A320 with 186 seats, 41 A320 neo wiith 186 sets 

- British Airways load factor - November 2018 - 80.6%, 2019 - 83.6%, December 2018 - 80.4%, 2019 -  83.7%

- easyJet load factor - November 2018 - 89.2%, 2019 - 90.8%, December 2018 - 89.2%, 2019 - 91.3% 

- 6-weekly flights - 3x each airline - 30 flights a month - 8,800 passengers each way - 10% locals (-800) - 2-3 overnights - 17-18k guest overnights total - growth of 12/13% in Greater Split area

- Private sector to promote and create offers, public to give support

- Promotion directed to the British market

- BA used to fly to Split in the winter of 2006-2007

- Find out why BA does poorly in Dubrovnik in winter

- London is only one example of a destination (i.e., we could do the same for Amsterdam or Paris)

County Tourist Board proposal

- Push shoulder season like the last 10 years

- Flights started in May-late September

- Shoulder season really broadened since 2019 

- Tourist boards propose to give 136k euros to airlines - HTZ must accept it

- The tourist board will get info on airlines with the most passengers during the year, out of these, which fly the most in April in October

- Let's meet with easyJet, Eurowings, and Ryanair and see if they'll fly 2 weeks before the summer flight schedule/2 weeks after (4 weeks total - March & November)

Hotel perspective

- Anyone can do business in the summer

- The difference for Le Meridien / Radisson, etc. is group business - their year is made if they have a good April / May / June - October / November

- Split is an excellent congress destination

- We rely too much on private accommodation, County approach continues this trend

- Initiative approach covers and gives more to everyone

- We need stability with flights for MICE markets

What is realistic?

Split Airport perspective 

- Airbus 320 is costly for return flights

- London is the biggest hub in the world but Britain is now a 3rd country, and Croatia is joining Schengen

- When Croatia joined the EU in 2013, traffic doubled - 1.5 million to 3 million passengers

- This will be a huge change when we join Schengen - it’ll be one big domestic flight

- Not sure what the best way is - to focus on one airline or several

- Croatia Airlines announced their summer flight schedule with 21 international destinations in total - 18 from Split Airport - 15 from Zagreb - 7 or so from Dubrovnik

- Croatia Airlines has been hugely impacted by Ryanair - but maybe this was a good thing

- Croatia Airlines did a study that revealed they shouldn’t stay in Zagreb but move to the coast

- Croatia Airlines will likely speak to Split Airport

- Potential Zurich flights planned 2-3 times a week

- Croatia Airlines is Split’s second-biggest airline - 17% of all traffic when looking at a total of 50 airlines

- Croatia Airlines is 80% of all traffic at Split Airport in winter

- Let's work on a Croatia Airlines winter flight and use it as an example for other airlines

Key takeaways

- Common goal of the private sector is to extend the season in November and December 

- Understanding and willingness to help expressed by Split Airport

- Assumed strategic shift of interests by Croatia Airlines from Zagreb towards Split

- Possibility to negotiate with Croatia Airlines to extend the season by introducing direct winter flights to Zurich as well as winter flights to other destinations

- County to meet with Croatia Airlines next week, Split hoteliers to get together to work on aligned offseason packages

For more, check out our travel section.

Wednesday, 30 March 2022

Sinj Tourist Board Celebrates World Water Day with Sutina Area Cleanup

March 30, 2022 - To celebrate World Water Day on March 22, the Sinj Tourist Board, in cooperation with NOPD Koćari and with the support of the City of Sinj organizes a Sutina area cleanup this Saturday, April 2. 

About the significant Sutina landscape:

The significant landscape of Sutina was protected in 2000 on an area of ​​426.80 ha and includes the upper canyon part of the Sutina stream, a tributary of the Cetina. The canyon of the Sutina mountain stream, with its unusual arrangement of vegetation, is a typical example of botanical inversion. From the lowest point of the canyon towards the peaks of the surrounding hills grows beech (Fagus sylvatica), black hornbeam (Ostrya carpinifolia), white hornbeam (Carpinus orientalis), and oak (Quercus virgiliana), while on rocky meadows there is immortelle (Helicrysum italicum), sage (Salvia officinalis), Satureja Montana, oregano (Origanum), and thyme. Their nectar-seeking flowers are adorned by butterflies such as the swallowtail (Papilio machaon), white hawthorn (Aporia crataegi), and members of the families Pieridae, brush-footed butterflies (Nymphalidae), satyrs (Satyridae) and gossamer-winged butterflies (Lycaenidae).

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Diverse vegetation, shrubs, hollows, and rocks allow many species of birds to nest. A mountain shepherd (Motacilla cinerea) nests on the cliffs of the canyon. The dense forests of the canyon are the habitat of the black beetle (Dryocopus martius). On the rocky plateaus of the protected belt in the grass, the crow bends its nest, as well as the partridge. Shrews and hawks nest on tall pine trees. At the exit from the canyon, where the erosive effects are strong and sandy slopes have formed, there are beehive canals in which this species raises its young.

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In the dense forests of Sutina, with its karst, maquis, and rocky meadows, mammals such as wild boar, which is a permanent resident of these areas, as well as foxes, rabbits, white martens and badgers find food and breeding grounds. In the waters of Sutina, there are amphibians such as the yellow tortoise, the great green frog, and the spotted salamander. Shallow ponds that remain in the hollows of the canyon during the dry season enable the survival of trout and crabs. Of the snakes that inhabit this area, only the viper is dangerous to humans, and the wall lizard is the most common lizard.

According to the geomorphological composition, the Sutina canyon is built of limestone and dolomite, and the erosive action reveals many fossils to visitors. The Sutina stream is a torrent stream that is poor in water for most of the year. Its main source is located at the foot of the hamlets of Mijići and Jurići in the village of Sutina. However, the Sutina stream also receives water from other sources, among which the source of Bila vrila certainly stands out.

Next to this spring, there is an old mill, which is proof that the power of the Sutina stream has been used for ages.

The significant landscape of Sutina is managed, in accordance with the Law on Nature Protection, by the Public Institution for the Management of Protected Natural Values in Split-Dalmatia County.

The Sinj Tourist Board invites all those interested to join the action to raise awareness of the impact of man on the environment and awareness of the importance of its preservation.

All interested citizens and nature lovers can join the action. Kindly apply by e-mailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., stating the name of the action: Sutina - cleaning action, as well as the name and surname of the participant. The group will meet at 8 am in the settlement of Đipalo. In case of bad weather conditions, the action will be postponed and participants will be informed in a timely manner.

Wednesday, 30 March 2022

23,000 Zagreb Overnight Stays Realised During Festival of Lights

March the 30th, 2022 - Zagreb overnight stays have been very impressive over the Festival of Lights period, with 23,000 of them having been realised in the capital.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, according to the Zagreb Tourist Board (TZGZ), during the Zagreb Light Festival, arrivals increased by 179 percent, while the number of Zagreb overnight stays increased by 117 percent when compared to the same period last year.

As such, during the fourth edition of the Festival of Lights, in the period from the 16th to the 20th of March, 10,876 arrivals and 23,072 Zagreb overnight stays were registered. Most arrivals were from people coming from other parts of Croatia, followed by those from neighbouring Slovenia, Italy, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, and as far as Zagreb overnight stays were concerned, most guests were also from other parts of Croatia, followed by visitors from Italy, Germany, the USA, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia.

"We're very pleased with the results achieved, the interest and especially the comments on the organisation of this year's edition of the Zagreb Light Festival.

We also received the preliminary results from our online promotional campaigns which took place on the markets of Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Slovenia and Serbia, according to which the festival's ads racked up more than 43 million views. Our advertorials have been read more than 76,000 times, and the leading markets are Slovenia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

During these continued uncertain and difficult times, it was a real challenge to organise the Zagreb Festival of Lights, so I'd once again like to thank all of the partners and institutions that helped us in its realisation. Thank you to those of you who live here and thank you to our visitors for all the words of support and praise, and I'd like to especially thank the residents of Lower and Upper Town (Donji and Gornji grad) for their understanding for the occasional crowds that were created,'' said Martina Bienefeld, the director of TZGZ.

For more, make sure to check out our travel section.

Wednesday, 30 March 2022

Projects Aimed at Both Tourists and Residents Launched in Labin, Rabac

March the 30th, 2022 - In the gorgeous Istrian towns of Rabac and Labin, projects have been launched which are aimed not only at tourists, which is often the case in towns which rely heavily on visitors from abroad, but also at locals.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, at the assembly of the Tourist Board of the City of Labin, Labin Mayor Valter Glavicic announced some new investments and works that will follow in both Labin and Rabac, and in addition to tourism, they're also important for the local population, as reported by local portal Glas Istre/The Voice of Istria.

One of the major investments is the announced architectural study for the arrangement of the very centre of Rabac, more precisely for the Rabac waterfront. The first meetings are already getting underway, which is what has officially kickstarted the preparation of the study because public bodies have been invited to get better acquainted with the planned news, followed by hoteliers, private renters, local enterprise owners, as well as the companies and local residents of Rabac. The entire process is being led by architect Idis Turato.

The plan, as can be heart, is to make something everyone can be proud of from the waterfront in Rabac, and it is an area spanning approximately seven hectares. After all of the discussions and public participation, the study will define the micro locations within the project, which will require an architectural solution.

"I'd like to invite you to be active participants in something that will define the further development of Rabac as a destination for the next thirty years. Everything is related to the activities of not only hoteliers and those in the hospitality and catering sector, but also to all those who have something to do with tourism, all of the residents of Labin, and therefore I'm inviting you to get involved with as many suggestions as possible, because at the moment we have a "white paper". That's why it's up to all of us to do quality work together for the future of this region. This approach is different than the usual one, it isn't the classic bureaucratic one, there will be a lot of public participation through talks, which is extremely important considering what kind of project it is,'' said Glavicic.

He announced that the most favourable bidder for dealing with the very core of the old town had now been selected, with whom a contract on the main project would be signed.

"After the preliminary design and location permits, the company Fluming from Rijeka was selected and the main project is now underway to complete the reconstruction of the communal infrastructure, starting with all of the installations, ending with the ground floor and replacement of all stone surfaces. I believe that the project will be finished by the end of this year,'' said Glavicic

In about twenty days, work will begin on the second phase of the reconstruction of the road through Kapelica, which is being financed by the County Road Administration, with partial co-financing from the City of Labin, and it is an investment worth about 8 million kuna in total. The first phase was worth about 5.5 million kuna, and when the works of the second phase are completed, the road will be completely renovated with a sidewalk built all the way from the roundabout at the beginning of the settlement to Morcaki.

Works worth around 7.5 million kuna are also being completed in Vinez, most of which are being co-financed with money from EU funds, through which Vinez received sewerage, a new water supply network and a complete road from the school to Marciljani. The mayor of Labin also mentioned that investments have recently been made in the road and in the area of ​​Ripenda, and next year, the plan is to continue towards the settlement of Ripenda - Kosi.

An important topic is the Agglomeration project worth a massive 776 million kuna, which is probably the largest project in the history of Labin, for which the director of Vodovod Labin signed a contract with the Government of the Republic of Croatia during an Assembly, which co-financed it all with a grant worth more than 4 million kuna.

“The project of all projects is definitely the Agglomeration and we expect to get all of the necessary location permits this year. The requests have been submitted, and after that, I hope, by the spring of next year, the building permits will be issued, from the purifier on the site of the former TPP Vlaska, to the sewerage network. I believe that we'll be able to start some of the work next year. Many things are related to this project, as are the works on the roads because part of the sewerage system will be pulled along the routes of roads, for example in Gornji Rabac, so we'll renovate a part of the road as part of these works. These are just some of the investments and I believe that next year will definitely ho down in the history of our region in terms of the strength of the investments that are set to follow. Things are heading in the right direction, we're going to continue to build Labin together, and most importantly, develop the infrastructure in all parts of the city,'' concluded Mayor Glavicic.

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

Wednesday, 30 March 2022

Speak Startup to Facilitate Croatian Language Learning for Ukraine Refugees

March the 30th, 2022 - The European Speak startup from Portugal is set to help the Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in the country with Croatian language learning.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes, the European startup Speak, founded in Portugal to support the social inclusion of migrants and refugees, has launched the international platform "SPEAK For Ukraine" for the integration of refugees from Ukraine across Europe.

The platform connects refugees, volunteers and organisations with the aim of integrating Ukrainian refugees as quickly as possible, including offering emotional support groups and the framework for learning local languages, this includes Croatian language learning.

It is a company which, since its founding back in 2014, has created a community of more than 50,000 people across 23 cities, including more than 500 Ukrainians across Europe, and "SPEAK For Ukraine" was launched on March the 12th, a mere 16 days after the war in Ukraine broke out, in cooperation with the Representation of the European Commission in Portugal.

Free and easy access

This platform connects volunteers with organisations and people who need support to break down the language barriers and create an informal help network, and in the first days alone, hundreds of applications were registered through it from more than 60 cities around the world.

The platform can also be used by volunteers and refugees in Croatia, where there are currently about 9,000 displaced people from Ukraine. According to Speak, the platform will allow refugees from Ukraine to have free and easy access to language groups, where they can learn the language of their host country, as well as emotional support groups, to help them and their families integrate into their new communities.

The platform allows volunteers to organise language learning groups, translation and interpretation services from Ukrainian or Russian into many other languages, and helps various organisations to guide refugees.

''Through "SPEAK for Ukraine" we want to complement the work that Speak is already developing with the aim of integrating refugees and migrants on the issue of language barriers in different cities around the world. With this platform, we've created a solution for integration not only at the individual level, but also at the family level. In this way, we guarantee families that they can overcome language barriers and build an informal support network in their host country, by expanding our community to countries where Speak is not yet actively present.

At the same time, we're striving to ensure that organisations across Europe working with refugees at SPEAK For Ukraine find all the language and integration support they need,'' says Hugo Menino Aguiar, the co-founder and CEO of Speak.

A concrete opportunity

In addition to the language barrier, SPEAK For Ukraine also responds to more urgent communication needs, by activating an international network of translators and interpreters, and the needs of psychological support for those who have fled the war in Ukraine.

Sofia Moreira de Sousa, Head of the EC Delegation to Portugal, emphasises that learning the local language, developing personal relationships and creating a support network are key to true integration.

"It simply came to our notice. The European Commission is working relentlessly on several fronts to stop this terrible war, deal with its consequences and protect those seeking refuge in the EU. Cooperation with SPEAK For Ukraine gives us a concrete opportunity to volunteer and an opportunity to support people who are starting from scratch," said Moreira de Sousa.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

Wednesday, 30 March 2022

Movenpick Hotel Zagreb: Accor Hotel to be Constructed in Capital

March the 30th, 2022 - The brand new Movenpick Hotel Zagreb is set to become a favourite place for business travellers looking for a modern and well-equipped space in which to hold their business meetings, according to the Accor Group's development director for Southeastern Europe.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes, even before the announced opening of Accor's hotel under the Movenpick brand in Split in 2023, Accor will open its first hotel with the brand's signature right here in the City of Zagreb this June. The new hotel will be located in the business zone of Novi Zagreb, less than five minutes drive from the City Island project and the Museum of Contemporary Art, and is a continuation of the collaboration between Accor and MPPD.

“I'm pleased to announce the opening of the first top Movenpick Hotel Zagreb in a prestigious business location in this part of Europe. This will become the third hotel from the Accor group to open its doors in Croatia. Last year, the FERMAI hotel in Split joined our MGallery collection, followed by the Möoenpick hotels in Zagreb and Split. I'm more than convinced that the new Movenpick Hotel Zagreb will become a favourite place for business travellers who, with this perfect location, are looking for a modern, well-equipped space in which to hold their business meetings, as well as a unique place to relax, unwind and enjoy some fine food,'' said Dilek Sezer, the Accor Group Development Director for Southeastern Europe.

The up and coming Movenpick Hotel Zagreb will be located in a new building which was constructed back in 2019, next to the building which, among other things, housed the editorial offices of Vecernji list and Poslovni dnevnik. The hotel boasts 104 smart rooms and suites, and each room will be named after another city elsewhere in Europe and the world and will offer guests a personalised experience, as well as a stylised map of the city after which the room was named, which will be an integral part of the decor. The building is inspired by the life and work of the genius Nikola Tesla, and a special addition for business guests is a private room with direct access from the garage, in order to provide customers with complete discretion.

"After cooperating with Accor on the development of the Movenpick Split project, we believed that Movenpick would once again be an ideal brand for this location in Zagreb. Accor's global reach, as well as the attention it pays to sustainable development and ESG criteria, are decisive factors in our partnership. We believe that Accor is the leader in Europe in the category of premium hotel brands, especially in the business segment. As the world returns to business travel being normal once again, we're convinced that Accor is the right partner that will bring the Movenpick Hotel Zagreb to the top of the local hotel and catering and hospitality market,'' said Andrija Antic, the director of MPPD.

The position of General Manager of the Movenpick Hotel Zagreb will be taken over by Mincho Pachikov, who has been with Accor since back in 2012 and has more than 20 years of experience in management positions in the hospitality sector and in real estate investments.

For more, make sure to check out our business section.

Wednesday, 30 March 2022

Over 2 Million Croatia Airlines and Ryanair Seats in Zagreb Airport Summer Flight Schedule

March 30, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Croatia Airlines and Ryanair offer over 2 million seats in the Zagreb Airport summer flight schedule this year.

Croatian Aviation reports the details of this year's summer flight schedule from Zagreb, the exact number of available seats on all routes (ad-hoc charter and scheduled flights) of the two airlines that offer the largest number of seats and generate the most passengers at Zagreb International Airport.

Namely, Croatian Aviation has listed all the operations of Croatia Airlines and Ryanair on the day announced for this year's summer flight schedule (from March 27 to October 29 this year). 

Croatia Airlines operates on a number of international and domestic routes in this year's summer flight schedule, which Croatian Aviation will analyze in detail by month.

In the mentioned period, the Croatian national airline is planning 559 return flights with A320 aircraft, 1866 return flights with A319 aircraft, and 3139 return flights with DashQ400 aircraft. A total of 1,209,068 seats are currently available from or to Zagreb on all Croatia Airlines flights. 

Ryanair is announcing a slightly smaller number of flights. In the same period, 2219 return flights with A320 aircraft, 104 return flights with B737-800 aircraft, and 51 return flights with 737 MAX 200 aircraft are planned. A total of 858,552 seats are currently available from or to Zagreb on all flights Ryanair.

Croatia Airlines is currently the largest airline at Zagreb Airport in terms of the number of seats, offering 350,516 more seats than the other Ryanair during the mentioned period.

According to current announcements, these two airlines have a total of 2,067,620 seats from and to Zagreb Airport, respectively.

Furthermore, Croatian Aviation reports that Finnair has announced a regular seasonal route between Helsinki and Zagreb which will operate from May to the end of September this year.

After Finnair announced that it would not resume traffic to Ljubljana this summer, due to the negative impact of the war in Ukraine on air traffic in that part of Europe, there were fears that Finnair would cancel the announced route to Zagreb, too. 

However, Croatian Aviation learned that this will not happen. Finnair plans to operate the first flight between Helsinki and Zagreb on May 1 this year, and by the end of September (September 29) to operate a total of 66 return flights between the two cities.

Finnair will operate on this route three times a week, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and for now, only A319 aircraft with a capacity of 144 passengers have been announced. Earlier, Embraer E190 aircraft were also planned for these flights. 

This summer, Finnair will offer a total of 19,008 seats between Helsinki and Zagreb, and will also operate to Dubrovnik and Split.

Finnair will operate to Dubrovnik from April 1, and to Split from April 20 this year.

For more, check out our travel section.

Wednesday, 30 March 2022

Meet Vukovar 365, Full of Life – Matea Mađaroš

March 30, 2022 – Meet Matea Mađaroš, a young architect from Vukovar who turned down an interview with Universal Studios in Florida because she was already employed with another kickass company. 

The fact that a lot of young people end up leaving Croatia, especially the east of the country, to build a good and steady future is unfortunately well known. And as if the pressures are not enough, they are often met with judgment for not wanting to stay and keep fighting with everyone else. Yes, Croatia is developing and so is the east of the country, but it still is hard. And sometimes the reasons for that are very different as well. We spoke to a young architect from Vukovar, whose move to Denmark was purely a career choice and not survival. It was an attempt to play with the big guys, to learn and to reach heights to match her talent, ambitions, and hard work. And it’s working out wonderfully.

Meet Matea, a multitalented young lady who is known in Vukovar for her skills, dedication to art and friendly smile. She is the girl behind the keyboard making it produce wonderful sounds. It started when during primary school she attended music school and became obsessed with the piano. From a very young age, the only thing that was on her mind as a possible career path was music. She played at festivals, competitions and with choirs, including the church and the city choir in Vukovar. By the end of her primary education, however, she became interested in a different form of art. She then decided to keep music to herself and instead make her contribution to society through architecture and design. She went on to study architecture on the undergraduate level in Split. The focus laid heavily on developing the conceptual thought, and Matea found that very helpful. For her master’s studies she moved to Zagreb. By that time, she had already presented some of her projects and won awards. She stayed the course and currently works with one of the world’s leading architecture firms, the Copenhagen-based Bjarke Ingels Group. We spoke to her to see how she did it, where she is now, and to get her views on Vukovar and Croatia as well. 

Tell us about your first projects.

After my undergraduate studies in Split I had the perfect first client. Father Ivica of the Church of St. Philip and James in Vukovar asked me to design the candleholder for the newly renovated areas. I was hesitant about the idea since it had a lot more to do with product design than architecture, but I am so grateful for the opportunity as it really opened my eyes and made me realize that I can do it and that I can expand my skillset and really let creativity flow. I truly appreciate that Father Ivica gave me complete freedom and accepted all my ideas. He saw value in what I created. On my last year, another project followed where I designed the souvenir and ticket shop for the church’s museum. I was inspired by the museum itself so we decided to arrange the shop in a similar way where the souvenirs would be presented as exhibits in a museum, and the actual products for sale would stand in the background. Again, I was met with approval and the project was quickly finished and is now in full operation.

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Your graduate thesis was an interesting proposal, can you tell us about that?

I started thinking about Vukovar and I realized that one of the biggest unresolved issues there was situated right in the middle of the most valuable area – the old hotel Dunav, which now stands in ruins without any purpose. I became curious and started exploring the possibilities. I knew that it did not make much sense to just go with a massive hotel and that it needed other facilities, so I decided to make it into a conference centre as well.  As for the design itself, I wanted it to be an extension of the architecture of Vukovar so I based it on the famous arcades of the city centre.

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After I graduated, I even had an opportunity to present my project to the mayor. Though he did like the idea, the question remains of who the investor would be for such a project. There are a few different sides to the story, and it’s really about politics. It might be very slow, if at all possible, to reach an agreement and get started, but my main goal was to at least get the conversation going. I heard that the discussion is indeed happening and that makes me happy. 

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Why Denmark, how did that happen? 

At the beginning of my studies our professors presented the largest companies in the world, including Bjarke Ingels Group. I started thinking about how great it would be to work for a company like that, where it’s all about creativity and play. So many architectural offices are places where they simply churn out projects. I am more interested in architecture that brings something new to the scene, that changes perceptions. There were two ways of landing a job like that – coming from an Ivy League School or shooting directly for the stars. Obviously, I had to go for the latter. Just before my graduation, I created a portfolio of all my projects and sent it over to all the top companies along with an open application letter. The reply from BIG came in two days later, then an interview, and two weeks later I was already in Copenhagen. I was brought on as a trainee architect, but I was so lucky to have been in excellent teams with some very important people which gave me a chance to work with the very top of the company early on. After a year I was promoted to a junior architect. Ah yes, around that time they also invited me for an interview with Universal Studios, but I had to turn it down since I had already accepted the job with BIG and I was happy with that.

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Were your job expectations met?

I love working here, the atmosphere is very friendly, and we have a lot of fun. Most of our days are spent discussing ideas and just talking, and that is exactly what it should be. It is an open space where everyone is truly equal, and everyone can participate in any project. I worked on a couple different projects for opera houses, which is incredibly rare in the world of architecture. One of my projects has already been finished – the city square in Esbjerg in Denmark.

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How is life in Denmark?

I know that there are some negative opinions of living abroad, but my situation very different. I left because I knew this was the right place for me to develop my skills. I'm not here with the goal to acquire enough money to buy a fancy car and move back. I am truly growing and learning. I'm open to all cultures and other people. There are 36 different nationalities at my office. I lead the most normal life here – I have a partner and friends, and I have my family and other friends in Croatia. I do miss home, but I don’t have an urge to leave Denmark right now. As for the country itself, I would say that it’s apparent that they are richer than Croatia. What I like the most is the fact that a lot of thought is put into appearances as well as the functioning of their cities. 

What are your plans for the future, thoughts on going back to Vukovar?

I am open to anything – this company is my beginning and not my end. I am here to learn and connect with people. I do have ambition to eventually go my own direction and start designing beyond architectural boundaries. I am not bound by location either, and a lot of people misunderstand that as non-patriotic tendencies. I love our country and I love the people there. Vukovar is a place where I will always go back and will always stay in touch with. I follow the developments and I can see some new projects that look exciting. There are many ways to contribute to your home whether you are physically present or not. With that being said, I will say that if the same opportunity presented itself in Vukovar or any other part of the world, I would choose Vukovar and my roots. 

What do you think about how Vukovar is developing and the direction it’s going?

This is a bit sensitive. I will say that there is this mental barrier present, you can sense the atmosphere of our past. Building beautiful buildings and large monuments will not solve the problems. We need to work a lot more on the relationships between people, achieving balance and creating a positive atmosphere first. At the same time, with other aspects I feel like the passive period has ended and everything is now starting to bloom. As far as the architecture of the city is concerned, I do see potential in future projects, and I think that everything is going in the right direction. 

I will emphasize that great potential lies in Vukovar and its surrounding area. It is certainly the place with the greatest tourist potential in the region. It lies on the largest river in Europe, it’s at a crossroads of countries and regions. It’s steeped in nature, surrounded by nature parks, and national parks are nearby. Vukovar has always been a source of inspiration for me, and I want to give back. I hope that there are other people who feel the same way. As long as we are aware that we need to give back, everything will be okay.

For more, check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

Wednesday, 30 March 2022

KREATOR TV becomes GP1 on April 1

March 30, 2022 – KREATOR TV, the only Central European media specialised in Motorsports is changing its name and becoming GP1! After more than ten years since its launch, the name Kreator TV goes into history. Due to the expansion in other markets, the media platform changes its name to GP1 on the 1st of April 2022. 

GP1 is a specialised media for Motorsport. Launched as Kreator F1 in 2011 only for the broadcast of the Formula 1 races, it expanded the content to Motorsport in general. With the strengthening of the production capacities in 2020, GP1 started to grow faster and to open new markets. Today it is present on almost all cable & IPTV providers in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a reach of more than three million viewers. Last year GP1 Slovenia was launched in the Slovenian language and it can be followed by more than 690.000 viewers. 

Alongside the TV channels, GP1 also includes the GP1.hr website, which recorded over five million users since 2011. In total, the website has 87,5 million page views, with an average session duration of 2 minutes and 49 seconds. 

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GP1 has its own production capacities in a production-distributional TV centre in Jastrebarsko, Croatia, a TV centre in Ljubljana, Slovenia, a fleet of OB vans capable of 4K productions, and other resources. A special strength of the GP1 are the people who produced thousands of TV broadcasts (Formula 1, MotoGP, Volvo Ocean Race…), and in the last two years, GP1 did its own broadcasts from the World’s most famous racing circuits like Brands Hatch, Hungaroring, Ricardo Tormo Valencia, Vallelunga, Slovakia Ring, Automotodrom Brno, Automotodrom Most and many others. 

GP1 hosted many Motorsport superstars like Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Jacques Villeneuve, Jean Todt, Tim Gajser, Valentino Rossi, Petter Solberg, Ken Block, and others, who gave exclusive interviews for GP1. The journalists of GP1 are accredited for Formula 1, MotoGP, MXGP, and many other racing series. GP1 is an exclusive partner with NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, MXGP, ESET Cup, and many other attractive series. 

More info: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / WWW.GP1.TV / facebook.com/GP1.TV / instagram.com/gp1.tv

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

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