January 16, 2023 - If it's sunny on Vinkovo, then " into the barrels abundant wine will flow". If a sparrow bathes in a puddle on that day, winemakers will "bathe" in wine in autumn. If it's a dry day, there won't be any wine either. There is a direct correlation between how much wine the winemakers drink and how fruitful their grapes will be. Those are some of the beliefs associated with the feast of one of the most beloved saints among winemakers. St. Vincent found his place in the calendar on January 22. As Croatian tradition clearly and long has stated, a visit to the vineyards is non-negotioble on the day, regardless of the winter weather conditions.

As Agroklub writes, many traditions are tied to Vincekovo, Vinceška, Vincelovo, Vinkovo... as this holiday is called in different parts of continental Croatia, but the most common one is the blessing of vines.

A blessing for a more fruitful harvest

In a prayer with the priest, winemakers with their friends invoke God's blessing "for bountiful harvests and abundant fruits of all kinds, above all rich grapes" in the coming year, but also protection of the vines from frost, hail, disease, pests... in short, anything that can cause damage.

In the east of Croatia, holy water is sprinkled or blessed wine poured over a vine on which kulen, sausage or schvargl are hanged. This will ensure that the year's clusters of grapes are at least the same size as the meat.

Steve Tsentserensky

In some places, the host consecrates the vineyard by sprinkling holy water on all four sides or pouring blessed wine in its four corners. In the northwestern parts of the country, a prayer is said to God to protect the vine and keep it safe from hail and frost, and to St. Vincent for a good year ahead. The traditional prayer in Croatian: "Dragi Bog čuvaj trsa mog, evo Ti zrelog vina da bu dobra godina. Oblake razmakni, sunce primakni, mraza zgoni, na tuču zvoni. Se bum obdelal da bi v jesen popeval. Rozgvu si bum zel i vu vodu del. Sv. Vincek pokaži svetu kak bu vu novom letu".

And just as this prayer says, the host then takes a pair of scissors and with the first cut of the vine marks the beginning of the year's pruning and thus symbolically starts the new season. A cut off branch is taken into the house, where it buds in a warm place, and based on the number of buds, the hosts can predict how fruitful their crop and the year's harvest will be.

Kulen for the Vincilir (Vineyard Master)

Traditionally, after the "official" part, many guests toast with good wine to a successful start of the year, cheerfully singing, next to an open fire. And where there's fire, there's bacon or sausage roasteing on sticks, maybe some shepherd's or wine bean stew cooking. The crowd also enjoys the kulen that hanged on the blessed vine. Traditionally, though, this kulen would be given as a reward to the Vincilir, the man who looked after and cultivated the vineyards 'as if it were his own'. This stems from times when Vincilirs had to travel by horse-drawn carriages from the Slavonian villages to the vineyards, which took a lot of time and energy.

In some Croatian regions, this celebration is exclusively for men,since according to another popular belief, the presence of children or women would invite hail.

In Moslavina, on the other hand, beliefs dictate that there should be enough wine at the celebration to last until the evening, because otherwise (again) hail would destroy the vineyard. If water leaks from the eaves on the day, the year will be wet and the harvest rich. To protect themselves from evil spells, people there hang a wreath of garlic on the porch.

Some winemakers also open their cellars for the blessing of young wine, so on that day fans of this elixir can have a long celebration with a spontaneous tour of several cellars along a wine road. It is practically unimaginable that any host who cares about their reputation does not host everyone who comes by on that day.

Steve Tsentserensky

Five "commanded" holidays

It is interesting that the 'wine saint' does not really have any concrete connection with vineyards or wine, if this clarification is sought in a religious sense. According to his biography, this early Christian martyr, deacon Vincentius lived in Spain, today's Saragossa, in the 4^th century, during Diocletian's persecution of Christians. In order to renounce his faith, the proconsul Dacian subjected him to terrible torture and threw his body to the beasts. According to the legend, his tortured body was saved by a raven, so he was thrown into the sea with a stone around its neck, but the sea washed his body ashore. He is commemorated on the day he died in 304, and his relics are preserved in Lisbon.

It is to be assumed, therefore, that the connection can be sought with some pre-Christian or pagan ritual of farmers, given that it is in the calendar part of the year when the beginning of the new vegetation and the new cycle of agricultural work is expected. Some associate the celebration of Vinkovo St. Vincent with the god Dionysus, who was celebrated in ancient Greece at the beginning of February. Barrels with new wine would be opened, all to be drunk, thus marking, just like Vinkovo, the awakening of nature.

Most people support the simplest interpretation, according to which they began to worship this saint as their patron because the root of his name in many languages is 'wine'.

All in all, Vinkovo is one of the five "commanded" holidays of winemakers rooted in Croatian tradition. There are also St. Juraj (April 23), St. John the Baptist (June 24), St. Michael (September 29) and St. Martin (November 11). Traditions dictate that for Jurjevo new vines should be planted, while pruning, fertilizing and digging of the old vines should be completed. For St. John the Baptist, the vines are should be weeded and sprayed for the second time. After this memorial day in the vineyard, the vines are plucked and regular spraying is done, then Miholje awaits, which marks the beginning of the harvest. Active work ends, and winemaking begins for Martinje, when young wine, freshly produced must is blessed.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Lifestyle section.

January 14, 2023 - Looking for a job in Croatia? A new weekly feature on TCN, in partnership with leading job site agency, Posao.hr, who present a selection of weekly job listings.

How hard is it to find a job in Croatia, and what is on offer?

We spoke to Ines Bokan, director of leading jobs site Posao.hr, who kindly took the time for this excellent interview overview.  

Ines has kindly agreed to work with us on a new weekly feature on TCN - a weekly selection of 10 job listings, as chosen by Posao.hr.  Details and links to the job opportunities below in the latest edition of this feature.

The Zagreb School of Economics and Management is hiring a person for the position of Director for executive education programs (m/f). Place of work Zagreb. Send complete applications via link until Jan 23th.

Iconis d.o.o. is hiring a person in the position of React.js developer (m/f). Place of work Rijeka / Zagreb or remote. Salary from €1,500 to €2,900 and bonus for the end of the year up to €330. Send complete applications via link by Jan 19^th.

dotSource is hiring a DevOps Engineer (f/m/x). Place of work Rijeka. Your work-life balance is important to us – flexible working hours, home office and fitness incentives. Send complete applications via link by Feb 11^th.

Gi Group Staffing Solutions is hiring a Junior Architect (m/f). Place of work Zagreb. Previous experience in a similar work field will be highly appreciated. Send complete applications via link until January 20^th.

posao.hr is hiring a sales consultant (m/f). Place of work Zagreb. The possibility of receiving a salary bonus. Send complete applications via link by January 16^th.

Tesla is hiring a person in the position of Mechanical / Electrical Technician (m/f). Gigafactory location Berlin - Brandenburg, Germany. Support for moving and traveling to work. Send complete applications via link by February 10^th.

Lindner Montage + Service GmbH is hiring a person in the position of Structural Engineer / Construction Designer (m/f). The place of work Arnstorf / Leipzig (Germany) or the surroundings of Zagreb (Croatia). For this position we offer you comprehensive training, a long-term perspective, work from home and a dynamic work environment. Send complete applications via link until Jan 24^th.

Scalable Global Solutions d.d. is hiring a person in the position of C#/.NET Software Developer (m/f/d). Workplace Zagreb. Experience in the development of software for real-time systems or embedded systems. Send complete applications via link until Jan 31th.

Rittmeyer AG is hiring a person for the position of Project Manager IT (a). Place of work Baar, Switzerland. We also offer attractive employment conditions and are a well-positioned company in a market environment with future potential. Send complete applications via link by Feb 3th.

Eumetsat is hiring a Remote Sensing Scientist – Hyperspectral Infrared Level-2 Products (m/f) for work in Darmstadt, Germany. The company is offering an excellent salary of up to 7.500 € net per month, flexible working time, private medical coverage, and much more. Apply via this link by Feb 2^nd.

For more career options and job listings, visit posao.hr.

These weekly job listings will appear in the weekly TCN newsletter - you can subscribe here.

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What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning - Business and Dalmatia.

Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn.

Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners is now available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.

January 14, 2023 - "Get to know your country" is a project of the Croatian Tourist Board of free guided tours organised in more than 40 Croatian cities on Sunday, January 15, for the Day of International Recognition of the Republic of Croatia, the Association of Croatian Tour Guides announced on Wednesday.

As Gloria writes, the tours will be provided all over Croatia, and in almost all cities, they will start at noon. There are a couple of exceptions where the programme will be coordinated with other celebration protocols, such as Vukovar marking peaceful reintegration, or Cres, where the tour will happen a day early due to the start of the carnival.

The association of guides implemented the project in cooperation with the Croatian Tourist Board (HTZ), several partners, and with the support of many museums, historical units, and cultural institutions.

The campaign has been carried out since 2018; the president of the Association of Croatian Tourist Guides, Kristina Nuić Prka, reminds Hina and points out that it has received a great response from the local citizens, which she expects this year as well.

Hidden stories

There was a break in 2021 due to the pandemic; in 2022 it continued, and this year a large number of citizens are expected to join.

"In the first year, we included 60 cities, there were more than five thousand participants, and though it is difficult to say how many will participate this year, the interest is great. It is important that people know about their cultural and historical heritage because in the age of globalisation when national identities are lost, this is our wealth in difference", said Nuić Prka.

In addition to national identity and cultural heritage, this, as she emphasizes, once again points to the importance of tourist workers and guides for Croatia's international reputation.

"We invite all citizens to learn about cities across Croatia and discover the hidden stories with their tourist guides. Every citizen of Croatia can be a promoter and ambassador of their homeland, and it is good to know its history, culture, and other details", believes Prka Nuić, who thanked fellow guides and volunteers, thanks to whom the project costs nothing but provides a lot.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Travel section.

January 14, 2023 - A video appreciation of a festival that even most Croats have never heard of - the outstanding Biklijada young red wine and goat milk festival in Vrgorac. 

Croatia does niche, local and authentic festivals like no other in my experience, with many of these festivals little known outside the local area. Croatia also has some of the best wine in the world, and some of the strangest wine-drinking practices.

Put all the above together, and are we surprised that there is a drink called Bikla, which is a mix of red wine and goat milk, and a festival to celebrate Bikla? I checked it out in September 2022, and I got way more than I bargained for, including having to send my videographer into another country to film the only available goat, while I was treated to a ride in Tito's former limousine which he used from Split Airport to his Split villa to a quite extraordinary place I had never heard of.

Never heard of bikla? Curious to know what happens at a bikla festival? Fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the latest video from the Paul Bradbury Croatia Expert YouTube Channel. 

Having experienced some rather unusual local festivals in my time here, I am on the lookout from some unusual local festivals to cover, such as Biklijada. The edible dormouse festival on Hvar was another memorable one. If you know of any interesting and unique festivals and would like to share, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Festivals. 

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What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning - Business and Dalmatia.

Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to the Paul Bradbury Croatia & Balkan Expert YouTube channel.

Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners is now available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.

January the 14th, 2023 - The price increases we've witnessed up and down the country ever since the euro was introduced on the first day of this year have been rather astonishing. While most people expected prices to go up a little bit, what has been happening is ''pure profiteering'' as Plenkovic himself described it. The government has stepped in with some measures, and it seems Croatian stores are being put well and truly under the radar of the authorities.

Economy Minister Davor Filipovic has been very vocal about the measures set to prevent Croatian stories from taking advantage of not only inflation but of the introduction of the new currency, and it appears that the idea of Croatian stores having to send their price lists to the government every two weeks for the foreseeable future is now on the table.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the deadline given by the government to all those who raised their prices unjustifiably to return them to what they were back before Croatia entered the Eurozone (December 2022), or sanctions would be imposed expired just a couple of days ago. Economy Minister Davor Filipovic repeated in an interview with Media Servis that either freezing the prices of a wider number of products or cancelling subsidies entirely is currently being considered in an attempt to combat this situation.

When asked why he was going off an the initial idea of having blacklists on which Croatian stores and service providers who had unjustifiably raised their prices would be placed, he replied that his ministry had sent a letter to the ten largest retail chains with the request that they provide the government with their respective price lists for about 80 products for the whole of last year.

"We've asked that they continue to deliver their price lists to us every two weeks, which we will put on the Internet and enable everyone to watch the price movements in the largest retail chains in one place. I'm not going to say that it is a black list, but if people can see it all and make a comparison in one place, it can be observed in that context,'' said Filipovic of the move.

"The State Inspectorate established that there was an increase in prices of food products from 6 to 20 percent, and that includes bakery products as well,'' he added.

You can read more about the scrutiny Croatian stores and other service providers have been placed under from the powers that be, which includes all authorities from the Tax Office to Customs and the State Inspectorate in our most recently published Week in Croatian Politics article, which discusses the topic at length.

January the 14th, 2023 - Croatian wage growth has been most visible in the companies which typically pay out the lowest salaries to their employees over the last year.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, as many as 60% of respondents of the Mojaplaca (MyWages) service have a lower salary than the average Croatian net salary, but last year, a higher growth of lower-ranked salaries compared to higher-ranked ones was also observed.

According to data from the MojPosao (MyJob) portal, the net salary including salary supplements throughout 2022 increased by 5% compared to the previous year, standing at 7,522 kuna (998 eutos), while the median salary of 7,000 kuna (929 euros) also saw higher growth, more specifically of 8%.

"Compared to the previous year, salaries grew the most within those companies which pay out the lowest salaries, that is, in the smallest; an average of 6%, while in large companies compared to 2021, Croatian wage growth stood at 4%", they stated in the analysis, which highlights significant differences in the salaries taken home by workers depending on a number of different factors.

There has been slight increase in the number of workers to whom their employer also provides certain benefits, most often reimbursements for travel expenses and public transportation costs, a mobile phone for personal use and a hot meal, which has the highest growth. Employers have been covering the costs of private pension insurance less often, however.

"Education and experience bring with them a higher salary, just like everywhere. Employees with a postgraduate degree or a business school (MBA) have an average 63% higher take home salary than the average,'' they stated, adding that studying is worth it because people with higher education diplomas have around a 17% higher salary than the average.

The highest average salaries were recorded in the City of Zagreb (11% above the national average), and the highest paid occupations are those in the field of technology and development (+78%), information technology (+38%) and telecommunications (+17%).

For more on Croatian wage growth and the domestic economy, make sure to keep up with our dedicated news section.

January the 14th, 2023 - Dalmatian prosciutto production could well be threatened by higher than normal temperatures and a lack of bura wind, with more and more producers across the Dalmatian hinterland turning towards controlled, artificial methods instead of traditional smokehouses.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, due to the unusually high temperatures that unfortunately caused spoilage, a lot of prosciutto was thrown away en masse in the Dalmatian hinterland during the month of December. The first bura winds to arrive finally created some more suitable conditions for Dalmatian prosciutto production, without which it is difficult to imagine any celebration for very many Croats, Dnevnik.hr writes.

An abnormally warm December led to many of those engaged in Dalmatian prosciutto production to simply throw away part of the meat they had already prepared for drying. Salting the prosciutto is done at temperatures of two to eight degrees, otherwise a lot of spoilage occurs. Instead of December, more favourable temperatures for the proper preparation of one of Croatia's favourite delicacies arrived in the hinterland of Dalmatia only with the first bura winds of this winter season.

Because of this lack of reliability, unfortunately more and more manufacturers are having to turn away from traditional methods of preparation and production, replacing their smokehouses with plants which can guarantee controlled conditions, and which are co-financed by the European Union (EU).

"We all work more or less in a traditional way. It's just that we are a little better technically equipped. With these technical possibilities, we have reduced the risks that can arise when unusual weather conditions cause us issues. There can be a little more fat on the meat, or a little less, as far as taste and smell are concerned, there are thankfully no deviations,'' concluded Mijo Zizic from Brstanovo.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated news section.

January 13, 2023 - The Lika Club portal gifted us with the magnificent Lika zodiac. If you thought that you could find everything about Lika online, the portal consulted an independent astrological expert on something that you certainly could not; they state in the article that became a hit on social networks.

The zodiac has 12 signs: falcon, plum, bear, potato, coklja (traditional wool sock), trout, fairy, Lika cap, Buša cattle, bura wind, wolf, and nakurnjak (traditional Lika penis warmer). Taking into account the uniqueness of the Lika zodiac signs, the astrological expert looked at the stars and put together special descriptions of each sign. See below and share your personal description with your friends; they say in the text that caused great interest among readers and made Croatia laugh. We don't know if the other regions also have their zodiac, but the idea is genius, writes portal Turističke Priče.

Please note that the Lika zodiac is purely for fun and does not reflect the actual state of the starry sky, the authors have disclaimed. Apart from your characteristics, the zodiac states where you should have been born, and where your ideal partner comes from.

We are also sharing the full version so you can explore your personal Lika zodiac. Turističke Priče wanted to know which Lika zodiac sign was assigned to the most famous person from Lika, Nikola Tesla. Apparently, Tesla was a potato, which is important because this sign is also considered the best sign of the Lika zodiac. According to the zodiac, he should have been born in Brinje, which certainly would not have pleased anyone in his native Smiljan, where the Nikola Tesla Memorial Centre is located.

Tesla Memorial Centre in Smiljan

And now, discover your own sign and see if it matches your personality.

Falcon (March 21 - April 20)

You are a brave falcon, a true Ličan, and a person who does not know the word NO. Most of all, you like heights, climbing the mountain peaks of Velebit, and looking for adventure, which usually ends up being away from home for several days. You are loyal and affectionate, but you cannot resist the call of the wild and good company. So take it easy with Lika brandy - though it helps your health, it must be tempered.

Where you should have been born - in Baške Oštarije

Ideal partner - from Brinje near Sokolac

Plum (April 21 – May 21)

You are very sweet, but if someone tries manipulating you, you can be a potent opium. Most of the time, you are calm and withdrawn, but the whole village is stunned for months when you release your fruits. You never know when it will happen, which is why others find you mysterious. Your edgier side isn't for everyone, so be careful not to land someone in the emergency room. The season in which you are most popular is autumn, when you glow and fire up pots all over Lika, Gacka, and Krbava. Your eye often ends up looking like a plum due to the excess of comments about the opposite sex under a dose of Lika šljivovica.

Where you should have been born - in Ličko Lešće

Ideal partner - from Udbina

Bear (May 22 – June 21)

You don't really listen to anyone and do everything your way. Because of this, you get on the nerves of those around you, but they tolerate you because you are strong and good for physically demanding jobs. You are lucky that the opposite sex loves you, so somehow you always find a person who will tolerate trips to the prelo or the nearest bar. In winter, your hibernation begins, so people take a break from you. Your best friend is usually someone with a beech moon sign because you get along best with someone who says nothing and thinks nothing.

Where you should have been born - on Kapela

Ideal partner - from Stajnica

Potato (June 22 - July 23)

Nothing is right without you! You are the best sign of the Lika zodiac. There is no one who doesn't like you, and you always do your best to satisfy other people's wishes. During the winter, you are always ready for good company along the banks of the Lika river, and in the summer, you wander the coast looking for the company of the opposite sex. The only problem is that you are quite promiscuous, so you often end up in numerous combinations, but that doesn't worry you in the least. You only live once, right?

Where you should have been born - in Brinje

Ideal partner - from Lovinac

Coklja (wool sock) (July 24 – August 22)

You are a real softy, and everyone steps all over you. To protect yourself from this, you often quarrel with your relatives and friends, but this is short-lived because they find ways to get closer to you again. A little more courage wouldn't hurt you, but you sure are a warm person. Maybe one day you'll grow into something, which the family has been hoping for years...

Where you should have been born: in Kuterevo

Ideal partner - from Otočac

Trout (August 23 – September 22)

Swimming along underwater would be your ideal description. You always manage even though you belong to the quieter signs. Anyone who doesn't know you would pay dearly for you, and you're not as smart as you present yourself. So be smart because acting smart could cost you dearly. Try not to get caught by some more dangerous person, or you'll end up crying in the dirt.

Where you should have been born: in Gacka valley

Ideal partner - from the Lika river area

Fairy (September 23 – October 24)

You are so charming and elegant that many people mistake you for a resident of Vienna. Although you're not, you're just a good actor. When no one is looking, you choke on bacon and rakija, although you wouldn't admit it even if you were tortured. When you get angry, you become a real peasant and swear like a madman. When you drink, you end up on the tables. A Lika foot in a Viennese shoe, but skillfully hidden.

Where you should have been born - outside Lika, and you'll never get over the fact you weren't

Ideal partner - from Križpolje

Lika Cap (October 25 – November 22)

You are great and a source of pride for everyone who knows you. The only pity is that you often make a fool of yourself in a rush of adrenaline. It wouldn't be wrong to spend a little more time at home; not every bar has to know you. Your Lika cap reveals more than it covers; you like to scatter and throw things, and you are no stranger to "hand to hand"... or "from one to the other." Also, most Lika politicians are of this Lika zodiac sign, so if you haven't yet, join a political party.

Where you should have been born – in Plitvice

Ideal partner - from Sinac

Buša Cattle (November 22 - December 21)

The amount of lazy you are is just insane. Do you ever do anything? You run headlong into the fields of Lika, and as soon as the responsibilities around the house start, you have already received some important news and put the wind on your heels. Only when there is a party you are the first to arrive. You love to consume grass in every sense. You are not an alcoholic; you are a big snitch and very often a collaborator of the Lika police. Your physical appearance is of great importance, and you think Marijan Matijević is the greatest legend of world sports. Tank tops, hair gel, and a revved-up car - you love it when they can hear you moaning from the field.

Where you should have been born – in Perušić

Ideal partner - from Gračac

Bura Wind (December 22 - January 20)

You are the sharpest sign and so honest that people often fear you. It'd be great if you could shorten your tongue a bit because when people treat you the same way, you immediately declare a state of war. You claim to be urban and different, but when no one is looking, you crank up the folk songs and shed a tear. Buras are best when they're relaxed. Otherwise they can be fatal and are not pleasant for anyone. Advice to all buras - be careful when you hit (and what you hit)!

Where you should have been born – in Karlobag

Ideal partner - from Senj

Wolf (January 21 - February 19)

Ugh, how moody you are; who would get on with you? It's best for you when you're alone and don't have much to do with other people. And sometimes it's easier for them without your personality. Calm down so you don't end up alone in the woods, which might even suit you. Wolves always love the prey of others but often lose their heads. If you'd like to keep your head, don't touch other people's sheep.

Where you should have been born - on Velebit

Ideal partner - from Donji Lapac

Nakurnjak (Penis warmer) (February 20 - March 20)

You are a true protector and a great friend. You don't turn anyone away and always help. You are the favourite member of your group, and everyone wants you around. Stay as you are. Just don't get pulled over unnecessarily because if being a nakurnjak was easy - everyone would be a nakurnjak!

Where you should have been born - in Smiljan

Ideal partner - from Korenica

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Lifestyle section.