ZAGREB, 24 Aug, 2021 - Member of Parliament Anka Mrak-Taritaš on Tuesday said that it seems there won't be anything of Zagreb's reconstruction following the earthquake that hit the city 17 months ago and that the lack of goodwill for reconstruction is "the greatest shame of Andrej Plenković's government." 

Seventeen months after the earthquake, there is still nothing regarding Zagreb's reconstruction. There is no longer even any meetings between the government and City authorities. Damir Vanđelić, the director of the Fund for Reconstruction and Economy Minister Darko Horvat have even stopped debating in the media about who is more at fault for that," Mrak-Taritaš told a press conference on Tuesday.

As an example of what could have been done in that time, she recalled that the Empire State Building with its 102 floors was built in sixteen months' time, "and without disrupting traffic."

MP Mrak-Tartiaš warned that eight months had passed since money from the EU Solidarity Fund was paid into the government's account and "that Croatia is at risk of being the first member state to not spend that money within the set deadline and that the country might be compelled to repay it to the EU budget, while at the same time the government is using alibis why things are not being done, from the law to the programme of measures and the fund." 

The sole GLAS lawmaker believes that "it is absolutely certain now" that there won't be anything of Zagreb's reconstruction as that "requires the know-how, good management and will, yet there is none of that." She concluded that the fact that there is no will is the Plenković's government's greatest shame and sin of not doing anything."

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

August 24, 2021 - Recognition for both Zagreb Digital Nomad Week and Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence program, as both are shortlisted as finalists at the 2021 Conventa Best Event Awards in Ljubljana.

The Conventa Crossover Festival of Events and Live Marketing will be held 26-27 August in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The event is the only one of its kind in the region, and every year brings together leading speakers, workshops and in 2021, over 300 MICE professionals. Winners of the Conventa Best Event Award will be announced this Friday at the festival. The 18 finalists, listed on the Conventa event website, include 7 Croatian entries across the B2B, B2C, B2I (internal events) and ‘crossover’ (B2B/B2C) categories.

The Zagreb Digital Nomad Week and Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence program entries and all other finalists can be viewed on the Conventa Crossover Best Event Awards website.

To be eligible, events were held between 1 January 2020 to 15 July 2021. The Croatian finalists include Saltwater and TCN’s digital nomad events in Zagreb and Dubrovnik, a Croatian/Slovenian Phillip Morris internal event and four clients of Komunikacijski Laboritorij agency including Porsche Digital Croatia, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, DOK-ING Robotics and Photomath learning app.

The project co-founder, Gorazd Čad, reflected on the state of the industry to Kongres Magazine, noting “the competition is an indicator of the industry’s condition and enables comparison while showing the way for the future. Judging by the registered projects, the regional meetings industry has a bright future ahead.”

The jury consisted of experts from across Europe’s event sector. Entries were scored on innovation, sustainability, creativity, relevance, results, execution and overall impression.Total Croatia News covered the two digital nomad events extensively in its features on digital nomads. The events collectively reached large audiences on LinkedIn Remote Work groups, digital nomad forums and over 20 media features including Fast Company, Cities Today, Travel Off Path, The Mayor EU, ARTE TV and a number of Croatian media outlets including Slobodna Dalmacija, Vecernji, Jutarnji and HR Turizam among others.

Excerpts from the award entries:

Zagreb Digital Nomad Week
Event description and key objectives

7 days. 7 themes. Plus a 6 month global ambassador project. Zagreb held a groundbreaking event for digital nomads in June 2021, only 6 months after devastating earthquakes in 2020.

The entire city was the venue.

For one special week in June, the capital city drew in remote professionals in person, and reached a global online audience of over 70,000, to cover emerging themes in remote work and highlight lifestyle and experiences in the city.

Zagreb Digital Nomad Week ran from 21 to 27 June 2021, in person and online for a series of 7 themes over 7 days, covering: cyber security, online presence, remote careers, tax & finance, future of work, wellbeing and exploring Zagreb.

There were over 26 speakers, streaming live from Bali to Barcelona, Manly Beach in Sydney, to a coworking space on Zagreb’s British Square, struck by one of the earthquakes.

Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence
Event description and key objectives

10 winners. 4 weeks. A once in a lifetime experience.

The Dubrovnik digital nomad-in-residence (DN-I-R) program is a collaboration between the city of Dubrovnik and the global digital nomad community it hosts. It was held from 23 April to 23 May 2021.

Using a co-creation model, the Saltwater program team brought together residents and 10 digital nomads selected as DN-I-Rs. Over a four week period, the digital nomads attended design thinking workshops to create a strategic direction for the city, especially as it adjusts to a more sustainable direction and manages the impact of COVID19.

Winners stayed free in Dubrovnik for 4 weeks to collaborate, upskill and contribute as Dubrovnik’s first special guest Digital Nomads-in-Residence.

The activities in the program were intended to contribute to enhancing the city’s standing among digital nomads globally. DN-I-Rs were expected to engage fully, respect their position and bring their collective expertise to benefit incoming digital nomads and the City. DN-I-Rs received professional development training, participated in workshops and presented their findings on shaping Dubrovnik as a Digital Nomad Friendly city. This was presented at a finale event at the end of the program as a roadmap of quick wins, mid and long term goals.

The program team included design thinking experts and a placemaking strategist. They led representatives from the city and digital nomads ranging from CEOs, radio hosts to writers and a migration scholar.

You can view the full entries for the Zagreb Digital Nomad Week and Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence program and all other finalists on the Conventa Crossover Best Event Awards website.

August 24, 2021 - Ezza restaurant is the latest to open in the Adriatic pearl, owned by someone football fans know well - Edin Džeko. 

The captain of the Bosnia & Herzegovina national football team, Edin Džeko, together with his wife Amra and the married couple Sarah Čerkez and Armin Hadžić, are opening Ezza restaurant in Dubrovnik. The grand opening is being held today, after which everyone will be able to enjoy pleasant dinners that will be served from 7 pm to midnight, for now, reports Slobodna Dalmacija. 

The location is already known for lovers of gastronomy and fine dining because the famous Japanese restaurant Takenoko was once located here. When it became known that the footballer had rented the space, everyone wondered what he would open. 

The famous footballer confirmed the news on the official Ezza Instagram profile last week. 

"Dubrovnik is a place I have always felt at home and where I now spend summer holidays with my family. This is where I wanted to create a restaurant unlike any other, for all those who love Dubrovnik as much as I do. Along the way, I was fortunate enough to have met Armin Hadzic, my business partner, who shares the same passion for exquisite gastronomy. After months of hard work and dedication to make everything just perfect, EZZA Steak & Cocktail Bar came to life!

We are proud to announce that we will be open from August 24th on, every day from 7 pm to Midnight. This is not just a restaurant. This is our way to make you happy.

Welcome to EZZA!

Edin Džeko
Ploče Gate - Hvarska 2, Dubrovnik
Reservations:
+385 99 490 66 55
 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it."

This is not the first business the famous footballer opened in Dubrovnik. Namely, Džeko had already sailed into the restaurant world with his friend Miho Obradović when he opened the hookah bar 'Ritual' in mid-2019. 

For more on lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

August 24, 2021 - The Vukovar Film Festival will start tomorrow in its fifteenth edition and highlights a program full of must-see films and documentaries.

As reported by Večernji list, this year's 15th Vukovar Film Festival from August 25th to 29th brings a total of 41 film screenings with five documentaries, which will be shown at several locations in the city.

The artistic director of the festival, Dean Sinovčić, said at the press conference that the Vukovar festival is best known for its program, according to which no festival in Croatia "can compete" with it.

Vukovar Film Festival Official Facebook Page

He stated that a dozen films from the festival program are classic comedies to get people back in a good mood and that five films from the recently concluded Cannes Film Festival and several films from the Berlin and Venice festivals will be screened.

''Thus, we keep the quality that the Vukovar festival has offered in all previous years'', Sinovčić pointed out.

Festival director and executive director of Discovery film Igor Rakonić said that the festival opens with the film "Blue Flower", directed by Zrinko Ogresta, as the winner of this year's Pula Film Festival. He added that due to the announced cooling in the coming days, the screenings of films scheduled for screening on the terrace of the Agency for Waterways and the park of Eltz Castle will be moved to Hrvatski dom and Cinestar.

''The idea of ​​this year's festival is to stay strong in film, we hope that next year the pandemic will pass and that we will start living normally'', he added.

Regarding the implementation of epidemiological measures, Rakonić said that epidemiological measures would be respected at the festival, with a reduced number of spectators, but that vaccinated persons would certainly not be separated from unvaccinated ones.

Vukovar Mayor Ivan Penava expressed satisfaction that the festival has maintained continuity, as well as because this year's, unlike last year's, which was held in a closing atmosphere, is now returning to a more normal atmosphere.

Considering that this year's festival is being held in the conditions of a pandemic, the organizers point out that this year there will be no usual awards ceremony, as well as accompanying entertainment and music activities.

They note that this does not apply to the traditional festival workshops that will be held, namely the Danube screenwriting workshop, the one-minute film workshop in one frame and the film workshop "From idea to realization".

The organizers of the Vukovar Film Festival are the company Discovery film, the City of Vukovar, and the Hrvatski Dom Vukovar.

For everything you need to know about filming in Croatia, in your language, be sure to check Total Croatia's page.

For more on lifestyle, follow TCN's dedicated page.

August 24, 2021 - Through an internal letter to its employees, KBC Osijek has made it clear to those not vaccinated that, should a patient become infected with COVID-19 and sue the hospital, they will ask those workers to pay compensation.

Zadarski.hr reports that the management of KBC Osijek sent a letter to employees warning them that in case of potential lawsuits of patients related to COVID-19, if the court decides in favor of the plaintiff, there is a possibility that compensation will be paid by an employee who was not vaccinated and infected the patient.

"If doctors or nurses are not vaccinated and the patient becomes infected with covid-19, then it can be demonstrated that not all the protection measures available to the health facility have been taken. If the hospital has to pay compensation, the same amount can be claimed from of an unvaccinated worker who infected a patient, since the hospital as an employer enabled vaccination”, the internal letter reads.

Namely, the letter was created after the first request for compensation was submitted, at the Zagreb Clinical Hospital, where the family of the deceased 84-year-old asked for a settlement with the hospital. As Jutarnji was the first to report, they believe that the deceased came to the hospital negative for covid, became ill, and eventually died. They demanded compensation of HRK 632,000 and paid attorney's fees, and the hospital refused the settlement because they claim that there is no evidence that she became infected in the hospital. But it is still unknown whether the family will file a lawsuit.

The director of KBC Osijek, Željko Zubčić, said that the notification sent to hospital employees was not a kind of pressure on those who were not vaccinated to do so, but their obligation to inform employees about potential scenarios and consequences of possible lawsuits.

''Considering that the first compensation claim was filed against the hospital in Croatia, we once again warned our employees about responsible behavior but also informed them about what is happening, and about the potential risks if such a situation occurs'', said Zubčić.

KBC Osijek, he notes, started vaccinating employees on December 27, 2020, and provided vaccines for all who want to be vaccinated, as well as protective equipment for working with patients, all for the purpose of maximum protection of both employees and patients.

''We believe that it is OK to inform employees that the hospital has the right to claim possible damages from employees, of course, if it is proven in court that it did not comply with protection measures and thus caused damage to the employer'', said the director Zubčić and added that KBC Osijek has received no such lawsuit.

However, he states that they have one or two cases of claiming documentation from law firms, which means a lawsuit may be prepared.

Do other hospitals follow?

''Of course, this also needs to be proven because it can happen that patients come with a negative PCR test, but they can be incubated, which means they can bring coronavirus to the KBC because the incubation can last two days, but also ten to 14 days. This is all proven later. We believe that such situations will be rare, but we must warn our employees about them'', concluded Zubčić.

Krešimir Luetić, president of the Croatian Medical Chamber (HLK), states that they have clearly advocated for the vaccination of all doctors and all health professionals from the beginning.

''On July 21, the Executive Board of the Croatian Medical Chamber adopted a conclusion that, due to the unsatisfactory level of vaccination, it considers the introduction of mandatory vaccination of employees in Croatian health care to be justified. HLK believes that the state health administration should take responsibility and make a decision on mandatory vaccination of health workers'', says Luetic and adds that calculating, not making decisions, and shifting responsibility to lower levels is not a successful way to fight coronavirus, nor will vaccination of all health professionals.

''The responsibility of health professionals is twofold. We are not only responsible for our own health, but also for the health of all our patients'', Luetić points out, and Mario Gazić, the president of the Chamber of Nurses, agrees with him.

''Yesterday we once again sent a letter calling for vaccination. Among healthcare professionals, realistically, this should not be a topic of discussion at all. Therefore, I do not consider the letter from KBC Osijek to be at all unusual or inadequate''.

Although KBC Osijek was the first to present this notice to the employees, this does not mean that other hospitals will not be guided by it.

Davor Vagić, director of KBC Sestre milosrdnice, says that he supports his colleague from Osijek because everyone in health care should be vaccinated, except those who, for objective reasons, are not allowed to receive the vaccine.

''The legal services of hospitals should give an answer to this question, and doctors and nurses know that they are doing a job in which they have to protect themselves and patients'', Vagić points out.

The assistant director of KBC Zagreb, Milivoj Novak, also shares this opinion.

''It is a question for the legal service, but everyone should bear some kind of responsibility. It is clear that vaccinated people can sometimes transmit the disease, but then we know that we gave our best and used all currently available methods of protection'', concludes Novak.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, including travel, border, and quarantine rules, as well as the locations of vaccination points and testing centers across the country, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.

ZAGREB, 24 Aug, 2021 - The 30th anniversary of the establishment of the first Croatian military police unit was commemorated in Odra near Sisak on Tuesday.

A memorial plaque was unveiled on that occasion at the Odra Community Centre by the head of the Croatian Armed Forces Military Police Directorate, Lieutenant General Mate Laušić, and Brigadier Ivica Kranjčević, an envoy for President and Armed Forces Commander in Chief Zoran Milanović.

Addressing the event, Laušić recalled that military police had a special role in the 1991-95 war and that their work had been characterised by professionalism, education and resolve.

Kranjčević said that the first military police unit comprised a small group of honourable men with a strong feeling of patriotism, great resolve and professionalism, who knew how to act appropriately at any time during the Homeland War.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 24 Aug, 2021 - Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević on Tuesday presented three new members of the Zagreb Holding multi-utility conglomerate's management board, saying they have ten years of experience in managing positions in Croatian and foreign companies and will take office in September.

"After receiving 73 applications, we shortlisted and interviewed 15 candidates. We chose those three and they will take office in September," Tomašević told the press.

The three new members are Ivan Novaković, Boris Sesar and Matija Subašić Maras.

In June, Nikola Vuković was appointed Zagreb Holding Management Board chair and Ante Samodol a member. The latest additions complete the appointment of the Zagreb Holding Management Board.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page

ZAGREB, 24 Aug, 2021 - In the past 24 hours, 470 coronavirus cases and three related deaths have been registered in Croatia, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Tuesday.

The number of active cases is 2,560 and there are 330 hospitalised patients, including 44 on ventilators, while 6,961 persons are self-isolating.

To date, Croatia has registered 370,308 coronavirus cases and 8,306 deaths, while 359,442 persons have recovered from COVID-19, including 343 in the past 24 hours.

To date, 2,480,446 persons have been tested for the virus, including 9,989 in the last 24 hours.

To date, 3,219,595 vaccine doses have been administered, with 41.9% of the population having been vaccinated, including 50.35% of adults.

One dose has been administered to 1,700,378 persons while 1,583,703 persons have been fully vaccinated -- 1,519,217 have received both doses and 64,486 have received the single-dose Janssen vaccine -- which is 46.95% of the adult population.

For more about COVID-19 in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.