ZAGREB, 16 Aug 2021 - In the past 24 hours, 46 coronavirus cases, out of 3,124 tests, and two deaths have been confirmed in Croatia, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Monday.

A total of 212 patients are hospitalized, including 24 on ventilators.

The death toll now stands at 8,285.

There are 1,718 active cases and 5,682 persons are self-isolating.

Croatia has so far tested 2,408,828 people and infection has been confirmed in 376,068. Of that number, 357,065 people have recovered, including 229 in the last 24 hours.

To date, Croatia has vaccinated 49.7% of the adult population and 45.96% of adults have been fully vaccinated.

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.

August 16, 2021 - The 1715 Battle of Sinj reenactment was successfully held in the center of Sinj!

In memory of the glorious defense of Sinj from the Ottoman invasion, the 1715 Battle of Sinj and the events that preceded it were staged this year as well. The Sinj Tourist Board organized the play with the support of the City of Sinj and Split-Dalmatia County and in cooperation with the Shrine of Our Miraculous Lady of Sinj, the Alkar Knights Society, and KU Marko Marulić.

The plot of the play took place in two acts. The first act began at the Market Square, King Tomislav Square, where the Ottoman conquest of the town of Sinj, the burning of the church, and the enslavement of the regiment were staged. A handful of defenders with the image of the Mother of God took refuge in the Sinj Fortress, the easy conquest of which was announced by the arrogant Mustafa-pasha Celic, who triumphantly passed in a carriage with his entourage. This year, the play was enriched by the performance of the Brodosplit City Choir under the direction of maestro Vlado Sunko and excellent lighting and sound effects.

In the second act, which took place this year in the original ambiance of Alkarski dvori, the Defense Council decided to defend its city despite a more numerous and superior enemy. With the help of Our Lady, the Ottomans were eventually defeated, and the threat of the enemy removed. Led by Fr. Pavle Vučković, embodied by Fr. Hrvatin Gabrijel Jurišić, joyful and grateful believers have since celebrated their Protector with even greater zeal.

The 1715 Battle of Sinj is a unique stage spectacle that, with its originality and drama, instantly transports the spectators to the year of the glorious victory that determined the future of the city. The author of the dramatic template is prof. Velimir Borkovic. The play was realized in collaboration with the Shrine of Our Miraculous Lady of Sinj and the Alkar Knights Society. About a hundred participants contributed to its successful performance this year as well.

The main characters are Fr. Hrvatin Gabrijel Jurišić, Marko Duvnjak, Bruno Barać, Marijan Grbavac, Damir Žane Alebić, Saša Miletić, Bobo Delonga, Dijana Ivić Kundid, Bože Pavić, Sanja Gojun Vučković, Vedrana Vrgoč, Mirjana Živalj, Anđelka Vučković, Marija Mandac, Dino Vukovic, Dubravka Vukovic, Dusan Roguljic and Marko Jelincic. In addition to amateur theater actors, members of the historical unit of the Kliški Uskoks, the Veterans' Cooperative Patriot, the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service, the Association of Rera and Gusle from Otok, the Association for the Preservation of the Heritage of the Cetina Region, Sinjski Ferali and Marko Vuković, and Alkar Stable horses led by Mr. Andrija Ribičić. Branka Marinović and Vesna Bader took care of the staging and costumes. The director of the play is the prominent theater, television, and film actor Robert Kurbaša. The assistant director is Bruno Barać, and the playwright and producer are Luka Perković.

This year's performance is also dedicated to all Croatian veterans and those who helped make the show happen but are no longer with us.

"We truly thank all employees and members of VAD, the Monastery of Our Lady of Sinj, Cetina Region Čistoća - Sinj, KUS - Sinj, Kamička dd, the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service Sinj, members of the Veterans Cooperative Patriot, the historical unit Kliški uskoki, Association Gusle from Otok, the Association for the Preservation of the Heritage of the Cetina Region, the Sinjski Ferali Association, the Sinj branch of the Red Cross, the SRMA Association, KGK Alkar 1968, KU Marko Marulić, Ms. Vesna Bader and Branka Marinović for scenography and props, staff and restaurant owner Alkarski dvori, Sinj communal wardens, students, employees of TIC and all those who selflessly helped the successful realization of this stage spectacle. Furthermore, special thanks go to Mr. Vlado Sunko and Brodosplit, who, with this year's performance of the famous cantata to Our Lady of Sinj, magnified this play and thus gave it a new dimension in a unique way. Furthermore, the media and the audience who, despite pandemic conditions, participated successfully and patiently in the implementation of all recommended measures of the Civil Protection Headquarters as well as the NZJZ to preserve health, as well as our students (TIC staff) who took care of it," said the Sinj Tourist Board. 

For more on Inland Dalmatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

August 16, 2021 - Finding himself in a luxury destination with a not so luxurious budget, TCN reporter Ivor Kruljac avoided starvation by locating Hvar Town budget restaurants. Here are his suggestions. 

The words ''cheap price'' are very relative. It's much easier to determine a high price but what qualifies as actually cheap is a much tougher question. In that spirit, Hvar Town, known as one of the more popular and therefore more expensive destinations, lives up to its reputation. Last week, the Croatian media landscape was stunned by the bill issued at one of Hvar's elite clubs. The undoubtebly fun night that featured loads of high-quality beverages such as four 4,800 kuna worth bottles of Don Julio tequila reached the total amount of 99,154 kuna.

A one night spending spree on that level is downright impossible from journalist's income.

So, for the week in Hvar, it was convenient for my paycheck to serve both to feed my stomach after a relaxing day of SCS (swimming, chilling, and sightseeing), and in the meantime, why not inform the public on Hvar Town budget restaurants. Again, ''cheap eats'' may be a hard to define term, but here are some solutions which will nevertheless see you well fed for a little over 200 kuna. Three restaurants after which you don't have to file for bankruptcy, but you'll still have an enjoyable and quite the in-style dining experience. Why only three, you may ask? Well, I can't confirm these are indeed the only three options, but, well, there was sort of a limited budget involved in the research.

1.) Alviž

With a bus not really being the top of the list of options for the high class, it's convenient that one on-budget restaurant is located right at the Hvar Town bus station. From the outside, Alviž looks like some small diner where you might have to bump into other guests crowded into a small place as you munch on wooden tables and chairs. You might feel hesitant to come in, but one look at the menu that promises delicious meals at much more affordable prices makes it worth visiting. Once inside, you realise that the space is actually luxurious as you're taken to the backyard with a real Dalmatian ambiance. Wooden tables underneath brick rooftops and wooden ledges make way for wine, and you are in for a fantastic dining experience. The red and white wine options are fantastically refreshing, but sadly, the beer options are scarce. The food is served quickly and cooked to perfection. You can find a variety of dishes for under 150 kuna, but as the sides are purchased separately and you need to add the drink, you're in for bill of just over 200 kuna usually. Tested and recommended: Fried squid and four types of cheese pizza. Sadly, the fried squid would have gone well the traditional Dalmatian blitva (chard), but one minus to the venue is that you can't order it as a separate side-dish. Still, the squid and fries go together very well.

Fried squid and four types of cheese pizza © Nina Lelas

2.) Villa Dinka

Here's another restaurant with a strong Dalmatian vibe squeezed in between the Amfora and Pharos hotels. This time, there are no wine grapes growing above you, and it looks a bit more formal, but it is nevertheless a cozy place to dine with a stunning view of the Adriatic and the Paklenski islands to trigger your appetite. Again, the sides must be ordered additionally, but along with one drink, the bill doesn't hit higher than a little over 200 kuna. When dining with one more person, meat platas for two are definitely the best bet for meat lovers in Croatia to both get full and to save money. Villa Dinka is no exception to that rule, but they upped their game and topped the usual meat offer of Čevapi, shish kebab and steaks by also adding lamb chops and beefsteak. A delicious upgrade!

Meat plata from Villa Dinka © Nina Lelas

3.) Đordota Vartal

Not too far from the Franciscan Monastery, Đordota Varta seems to have been crowned as the best on-budget restaurant in all of Hvar Town. The restaurant was completely filled, but people were persistent in waiting in line, hoping to get some food. Once inside, you could see why. Another typical Dalmatian restaurant, with the craftsmanship of Dalmatia being the leading theme as the restaurant is decorated with saws and other tools people on Hvar used in the past. The dishes are accompanied by sides, but you can order more if needed. The tuna steak is absolutely divine, with big portions cooked to perfection, perhaps one of the best-grilled tuna steak's I've had in all of Croatia. For meat lovers, the satisfactorily filled portion of the traditional Dalmatian Pašticada with gnocchi is a must. The beer and wine selection were alright, but not very memorable thanks to the restaurant's short but well-executed cocktail list, with 50-60 kuna per cocktail it obviously isn't the cheaper thrill to get, but these prices are quite standard for coastal Croatia and more accessible than many drinks from other cocktail bars Hvar has to offer. One sip of that delicious pina colada pays up a triple in pleasure.

If you're too hungry to remember to reserve your table and you're also too hungry to wait for the aforementioned goodies, you can also opt for the restaurant's beach terrace. Sadly, over there, you can only order pizza, but the dedication of the staff will nonetheless make sure that pizza, while affordable, is next level compared to your usual experience.

Delicious Pašticada and tuna steak © Nina Lelas

Learn more about Hvar on our TC page.

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

August the 16th, 2021 - Irish Ambassador Ruaidhri Mark Dowling has discussed how Croatia and Ireland might learn from one another, and how economic cooperation between the two countries could be further developed.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Irish Ambassador Ruaidhri Mark Dowling also discussed the possibilities of improving economic cooperation between the two EU member states and why Croats often choose Ireland as the country of their dreams.

Is it easy to find a job in Ireland?

People tend to find work in the tourism and IT sector and these seem to be the main sectors in which they currently work. These are the two sectors that have great growth and the greatest opportunities! Ireland has been doing economically well over recent years and there has been work to be had, although COVID-19 has had a dramatic negative impact on parts of the Irish economy, which has also affected employment opportunities.

How do you see the economic cooperation between Croatia and Ireland?

Economic cooperation between Croatia and Ireland isn't enormous and I would like it to develop more. Ireland and Croatia are small, open economies that must trade with their neighbours if they're to be economically successful.

In areas such as the green transition and digitalisation, Ireland and Croatia can learn a lot from each other. Croats who have returned from Ireland with useful contacts, experience and ideas have great potential for building yet more economic ties.

On top of that, Croatia could act as a base for Irish companies that want to enter the Balkan region, there are many opportunities for research.

How much has the global coronavirus pandemic affected the Irish economy?

Much like it is in Croatia, many sectors of the Irish economy have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, especially the hospitality sector. For example, the number of tourists decreased from approximately 18.5 million back in 2019 to just 4.5 million in 2020.

How much do the Irish know about Croatia? Could the number of tourist arrivals from Ireland be higher?

I think they're getting to know Croatia more and more. Many have visited Croatia in recent years and some have come here to live or know some Croats living in Ireland. Back in 2019, 111 thousand Irish tourists visited Croatia, which is 32 percent more than in 2018. I have no doubt that if the COVID-19 pandemic hadn't occurred, these numbers would have continued to increase.

We're now hearing about a number of Irish visitors and it will be interesting to see the final figures. The small Irish community in the Republic of Croatia and the Croatian community in Ireland are also very active in this.

For more, follow our politics section.

August 16, 2021 - Air transport expert Tonči Peović discusses the Ryanair Zagreb base, the fate of Croatia Airlines, and when Croatian airports will see pre-pandemic figures again. 

While the number of tourists arriving by road in Croatia in recent weeks is the same as in the record 2019, aircraft and passengers at Croatian airports are still significantly less than pre-epidemic times. Tonči Peović, director of Brač Airport and the Air Transport Association president, which brings together all Croatian airports and airlines, talks about the challenges facing civil aviation with Jutarnji List.

What is the traffic like at Croatian airports?

"Traffic is returning, but we are not even close to the figures from 2019. In the first six months, we achieved 16 percent of the traffic of 2019, but July brought a dose of optimism with about 30 percent of passengers compared to 2019. In the first seven months, we are at 25 percent of 2019, and if there are no major disruptions with the measures, I believe that this trend will continue in August and September and that in the whole of 2021, we will have 35 to 37 percent of passengers compared to 2019. The biggest drop in the number of flights are from North and South America, as much as 60 percent, and toward other markets about 40 percent. The drop in the number of passengers is somewhat bigger because the planes are less crowded. Purchasing power seems to have fallen, and epidemiological measures are often not clear enough."

British Jet2 has recently established numerous routes to Split and Dubrovnik; Ryanair has started flying to Zagreb and is announcing many new routes. Is there a reason for optimism?

"Of course there is. Ryanair is the first operator in the European sky in terms of the number of flights."

Is the low-cost model the future?

"I wouldn't say. Low cost is rising, but all models must be represented. Traditional carriers that adapt to the new conditions will survive. Currently, 39 percent of traffic in Europe is held by low-cost carriers, 44 percent by traditional companies, and 12 percent by charter companies. Air traffic has become more accessible than ever. Before the crisis, the annual number of passengers in the world was seven billion. Low-cost airlines bring in less revenue to airports. Therefore, I am not sure how good the Ryanair base is being established in Zagreb. This will bring great uncertainty to Croatia Airlines. In Split and Dubrovnik, Ryanair pays the same price for airport services as all other companies."

Last year, only 2.2 million passengers were transported through all Croatian airports, and in 2019 there were 11.5 million.

"Last year is better to forget. We are at least twice as good now. Dubrovnik, for example, had 60,000 passengers in June and only 10,000 last year. So I hope this season will be quite long. If the weather is good and the epidemic doesn’t go wild, we could have the season until the end of October."

Why does air passenger transport recover more slowly than road transport?

"The companies offered flights, but they fill up less. Passengers prefer to come by personal vehicles because they have the freedom to return whenever they want. We didn’t even have guests from Scandinavia, the UK, and the US in the first half of the year. Now that the measures have eased, it will take time for the traffic to start. People usually buy tickets a month before the flight. And many passengers were unable to return from distant destinations last year due to the measures. Fearing this will happen again, people are less willing to travel by plane. Today, even guests from Sweden come to Croatia by car, which is a two-day trip."

If the epidemic calms down, how long will it take to reach the number of passengers from 2019?

"There are estimates that it will take three to four years. I estimate that many weaker airlines will go bankrupt in the fall, mostly those with a smaller fleet that will not pay for aircraft leasing. This year, the price of kerosene is also very high, about $75 per barrel, and last year it was $15. On the other hand, new companies that do not have losses from previous years are being established, so they are attractive to investors. For example, Croatian Trade Air recently acquired a new aircraft with four Airbus 320s and several more Fokkers with about 100 seats. In contrast, another small Croatian company, EasyFly, already has three aircraft. Regarding the number of seats, the two companies together are almost as big as Croatia Airlines."

How do Croatian airports operate in these times of crisis?

"It is easier for airports than for airlines because they have a larger share capital than income. Croatian airports will be on the verge of covering workers' salaries with their revenues this year. We asked the Government to continue with the support measure of HRK 4,000 per worker. We want no one to lose their jobs because our workers are specially educated, and we want to keep them for the future. We get support from the state if we prove that our turnover drop is greater than 70 percent compared to 2019. Without that, we would have to borrow from banks."

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

August 16, 2021 - There are some surprises in Zlatko Dalić's Croatia player list for the September 2022 World Cup qualifiers, as Ante Rebić, Šime Vrsaljko, Bruno Petković, and Josip Brekalo were left off the list this time around. 

The Croatia national team's first gathering after Euro 2020 is scheduled for Monday, August 30, after which the 2018 World Cup finalists will again have a busy schedule with three games in a week in September. Croatia will play against Russia in Moscow on September 1. Three days later, they will compete against Slovakia in Bratislava. Finally, the September campaign will end against Slovenia on September 7 in Split, reports HNS.

Coach Zlatko Dalić invited 25 players for these games, with 4 call ups. 

"I believe that we all recharged our batteries well after the Euros and we want to do the autumn part of the qualifications with new energy and strong ambition. We have seven games ahead of us, 21 points on the table, and we will need another 14-15 points to win first place. But, of course, our wish is to get closer to that goal in September and take as many points as possible," said coach Dalić.

"This is, objectively, the hardest part of our schedule, and the start of the season is never an ideal time for the national team because players from different leagues are at different levels of competitiveness. But the circumstances are similar for everyone. Therefore, it is up to us to show quality, commitment, and togetherness worthy of first place in the group - only in this way can we achieve our goal, which is placement in Qatar. Therefore, with my coaching staff, I estimated that at this moment, this is a list of players who can best meet the demands ahead of us, and as always - the national team's doors are not closed to anyone who deserves it," concludes the coach.

Croatia player list for September: 

Goalkeepers: Dominik Livaković (Dinamo Zagreb), Simon Sluga (Luton Town), Ivica Ivušić (Osijek).

Defenders: Domagoj Vida (Bešiktaš), Dejan Lovren (Zenit), Borna Barišić (Glasgow Rangers), Duje Ćaleta-Car (Olimpique de Marseille), Josip Juranović (Legia), Filip Uremović (Rubin Kazan), Joško Gvardiol (RB Leipzig), Mile Škorić (Osijek), Borna Sosa (Stuttgart).

Midfielders: Luka Modrić (Real Madrid), Mateo Kovačić (Chelsea), Marcelo Brozović (Inter), Mario Pašalić (Atalanta), Nikola Vlašić (CSKA Moskva), Luka Ivanušec (Dinamo Zagreb), Nikola Moro (Dinamo Moskva).

Strikers: Ivan Perišić (Inter), Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim), Mislav Oršić (Dinamo Zagreb), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Marko Livaja (Hajduk), Antonio Mirko Čolak (Malmö).

Callups: Toma Bašić (Bordeaux), Kristijan Lovrić (Gorica), Lovro Majer (Dinamo Zagreb), Luka Sučić (RB Salzburg).

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

August 16, 2021 - The 5th round of the Croatian First League was held from August 13 to 15, 2021. This round saw Osijek win the derby against Rijeka, while Hajduk continued their at-home winning streak. There were even blowout wins for both Šibenik and Lokomotiva! Here's our HNL round 5 recap. 

Dinamo v. Gorica (1:0)

Dinamo and Gorica opened the 5th round at Maksimir Stadium on Friday, August 13, 2021. 

The match's only goal was an own goal by Gorica's Doka, which put Dinamo up at 1:0 in the 36th minute. Gorica was unable to equalize. 

Dinamo is currently in 4th place with 7 points (and only 4 games played), while Gorica is in 6th place with 6 points. 

Lokomotiva v. Istra 1961 (4:0)

Lokomotiva and Istra met in Zagreb on Saturday, August 14, 2021. 

Dabro scored Lokomotiva's first goal for 1:0 in the 20th minute. Then, Ibrahim scored goals in the 31st and 45th minutes to make it 3:0 at the half. Finally, Dabro increased Lokomotiva's lead to 4:0 in the 49th minute, which was how the match ended. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 2nd place with 10 points, while Istra is in 9th with 3. 

Hajduk v. Slaven Belupo (2:0)

Hajduk and Slaven Belupo met at Poljud Stadium on Saturday, August 16, 2021. 

Emir Sahiti scored the goal of the round in the 35th minute for the 1:0 Hajduk lead at the half. Livaja increased Hajduk's lead from a free kick in the 48th minute for 2:0, which was the final score of the match. 

Hajduk is currently in 3rd place with 10 points, while Belupo is in 7th with 5. 

Šibenik v. Hr. Dragovoljac (6:2)

Šibenik and Dragovoljac met in Šibenik on Sunday, August 16, 2021. 

Delić scored in the 1st minute for the early 1:0 lead though Petković equalized for 1:1 in the 34th. Strkalj put Dragovoljac ahead at 1:2 just before the half. 

Šibenik came back strong in the second half, however, scoring 3 goals in 10 minutes for the 4:2 lead (Bačelić-Grgić 52', Marin 58', Jakoliš 61'). Bačelić-Grgić scored again in the 86th minute for 5:2, and Marin finished the match with another goal just before the final whistle for 6:2. 

Šibenik is currently in 8th place with 4 points, while Dragovoljac is in the last place with 0. 

Osijek v. Rijeka (1:0)

Osijek and Rijeka closed out the 5th round at City Garden Stadium on Sunday, August 16, 2021. 

VAR called back Rijeka's goal in the 8th minute, and Mierez scored for the Osijek lead in the 17th minute. Osijek scored again in the final minutes of the match, but the goal was also called offside by VAR.

Osijek is currently in 1st place with 13 points, while Rijeka is in 5th with 7 points.  

You can see the full HNL table HERE. 

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

August the 16th, 2021 - The tourist season is going more than excellently, with numbers reaching far beyond what the majority could have ever expected. The vaccination rollout is also continuing, but with infection rates climbing, could Croatian epidemiological measures end up being tightened up once again? Hopefully not.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the much talked about Delta variant of the coronavirus is currently the dominant strain, not only across Europe as a whole, with the United Kingdom continuing to be heavily affected despite them now being ''free''.

Here in the Republic of Croatia, the Delta variant is gaining traction, it is very much in firm circulation with a share of 77 percent, as Croatian Institute of Public Health epidemiologist Sanja Kurecic Filipovic warned on Saturday.

''We've witnessed continuous growth in the last month. We can attribute this to a large influx of foreign tourists and increased socialising, but we're slowly entering the period of autumn where the virus will have other favourable factors going for it. The measures not only have to remain in place as they are, but they may also need to be tightened,'' the epidemiologist from the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) told HRT.

She pointed out that - if the infection rate does continue to increase - they will have to think about tightening certain Croatian epidemiological measures.

Kurecic Filipovic warned that, as mentioned above, the Delta variant is in circulation with a share of 77 percent across Croatia and called on all residents to properly adhere to all protection measures, and she hopes that the number of people vaccinated against this infectious disease will only continue to increase.

''The Croatian vaccination campaign is ongoing and we expect that after people come back from their holidays that the interest in vaccinations will increase, upon return they will probably think about the responsibility they bear towards children going to school and kindergartens, as well as the elderly population. We hope that as responsible adults, we will increase our interest and get vaccinated,'' concluded HZJZ epidemiologist Sanja Kurecic Filipovic.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.