11th Sinj Village Fair Aims to Preserve Traditional Crafts of Region
August 5, 2021 - After last year's break due to the pandemic, this year, from August 6 to 7, the Sinj Tourist Board, with the support of the City of Sinj and Split-Dalmatia County, and in cooperation with the Beauty Tradition Association, the 11th Sinj Village Fair will be held on Dr. Franjo Tudjman Square.
More than 30 exhibitors from the Cetina region, Kaštela, Marina, Split, Vrgorac, and Zagorje, will present and offer various products - from decorations and handicrafts to gourmet delicacies and products of the villages and islands. They will be presented during the fair to preserve the traditional crafts of Croatia.
Branko Covic
Visitors will have the opportunity to get to know the traditional hand wheel pottery from Potravlje under the skillful hands of master Ivan Knezović. This traditional craft has been nominated by the Ministry of Culture for UNESCO protection. The Tourist Board, under the auspices of the Ministry, organizes extremely well-attended educational workshops every year. It is important to mention the almost forgotten skill of making opanaks, the only footwear that our ancestors knew and that served them faithfully and for a long time in all activities, which Ljilja Vojković will demonstrate.
Ante Zizic
Visitors will try their hand at making and thus have a valuable opportunity to get closer and connect with the customs of the region through indigenous products, traditional crafts, and skills such as building drywall with the Dragodid Association, the skills of blacksmith Josip Evačić from Koprivnica, and a wool processing workshop that members of KUD Cetina will present. The fair will also host exhibitions of student works from the Split School of Crafts on "Women in Alka," participants of this year's Sinj photo workshop "World in Colors," and a screening of a film and exhibition of travel writers and photographers Angela and Davor Rostuhar entitled "Love around the world".
Numerous tastings of local products and dishes (fry bread, young cheese) will be organized as part of the fair, and friends from Vrbanja will prepare specialties of their region for visitors. In addition to the exhibition and enogastronomic part, visitors will be able to enjoy the entertainment program with concerts by bands: Kopito, Ljuta kuća, Guiliano and Diktatori; Sinj majorettes, numerous klapas, associations, and cultural and artistic societies, for example, KUD Cetina, KUD Vrilo, Association for the Preservation of the Heritage of the Cetina Region, KUD Dicmo, KUD Glavice, KUD Dusina, URIG from Otok, KUD PLETER, Goran Mikas, klapa Cetinjanke from Hrvaca and Rusul's vocal ensemble.
Branko Covic
By organizing the Sinj Village Fair, the Sinj Tourist Board enables interested citizens and visitors in Sinj to taste and buy high-quality traditional local products that are difficult to find in stores. At the same time, it helps small and medium-sized agricultural farms from the rural area of Sinj and its surroundings and other parts of Croatia to promote and sell their products. Instructed by the previous experience of exceptional attendance, this year, more exhibitors from all over Croatia are expected, and a minimum of 20% of local producers. As the organizer, the Sinj Tourist Board is obliged to provide more space and more tables for exhibitors to ensure the fair is top quality and meets the expectations of all participants.
Branko Covic
This year's 11th Sinj Village Fair will follow all applicable epidemiological measures and recommendations of the Civil Protection Headquarters and the NZJZ.
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Croatian Criminal Code Amendments Come into Force
August 5, 2021 - For the first time in history, Croatia criminalised the distribution of sexually explicit images or videos of individuals without their consent (colloquially known as revenge porn). Let's take a look at the recent Croatian Criminal Code amendments made in an attempt to battle crimes such as the violation of privacy, abuse, and cybercrime.
On July 31, 2021, new amendments to the Croatian Criminal Code entered into force. Thus, from 2013 to 2021, over the course of just eight years, Croatia has changed its criminal law no less than six times, mainly to comply with wider EU laws. This time was no exception, as the cause for yet another set of changes was the transposition of two EU directives - one on combating fraud and the counterfeiting of non-cash means of payment, and one on combating money laundering.
Although no public consultation has been planned for the proposed sixth amendment of the Criminal Code, B.a.B.e. (Be active. Be emancipated.) An organisation for gender equality and the protection of human rights for all launched a petition for the introduction of a legal framework for the prosecution of revenge porn, which involves the non-consensual publication and distribution of sexually explicit content.
As stated in their press release on May 13th, ''Let's stop revenge pornography!'': ''Pornography without consent is usually preceded by the voluntary sharing of intimate photos between partners taken at a time when there was an emotional connection, but solely with the intention that that intimate content is intended for the then partner and with confidence that such content will never be abused in the future.
Revenge pornography typically occurs because the ex-partner seeks revenge for the breakup, which leads the victim to feelings of fear, shame, anxiety, and other negative emotions, the consequences of which can be so far-reaching that they can cause the victim long-term suffering.''
They added that ''intimate videos or images are often shared in conjunction with other personal information of the victim, including their name, address of residence or employer, telephone numbers, links to their social media profiles, email addresses, etc., which makes victims more exposed and vulnerable.''
The press release emphasised that ''the perpetrator doesn't necessarily have to be an ex-partner, bearing in mind that videos and photos can be taken without the victim's knowledge'' and that ''a victim of revenge porn can be any person, regardless of their sexual behaviour and possible history of partnerships.''
The statement included examples of the legal frameworks in place for battling revenge porn in several European countries, as well as in distant Australia.
B.a.b.e.'s initiative was supported by several other NGOs and collected close to 10,000 signatures.
Thanks to their intervention, revenge porn was criminalised under the name ''the abuse of sexually explicit footage'', in the head of the Criminal Code titled ''Criminal Offences Against Privacy'', and those engaging in it can be prosecuted upon the victim's request.
Although the criminal offence of the unauthorised use of personal data had already been included in the Croatian Criminal Code, it didn't provide a framework for the prosecution of the use of photographs and videos which, at the time, were made with the victim's prior consent, nor did it take into consideration the fact that such footage is usually made in consensual, sexually intimate situations based on trust, which puts the victim in an especially vulnerable position.
With this in mind, Article 144a of Criminal Code states that ''Whoever abuses a relationship of trust and without the consent of the filmed person and makes available to a third party a recording of sexually explicit content taken with the consent of that person for personal use and thus violates that person's privacy, shall be punished by imprisonment for up to one year.
(2) The punishment referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article shall be imposed on anyone who uses a computer system or otherwise creates a new or alters an existing recording of sexually explicit content and uses that recording as a right, thereby violating the privacy of the person on that recording.
(3) Whoever commits the criminal offence referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article via a computer system or network or in any other way due to which the recording has become available to a larger number of persons shall be punished by imprisonment for up to three years.''
If you were to compare the earlier and the present version of the text of the Criminal Code, you'd also notice that small but still important changes were also made to chapters that have to do with security measures, crimes against sexual freedom, and the non-enforcement of measures to protect the well-being of children and other vulnerable groups.
Perhaps influenced by the 2020 report of the Parliament's Committee for Gender Equality, which cites an increase in domestic violence of 43% in comparison to 2019, as well as the tragic death of a two-year-old girl at the hands of her parents, these changes are, hopefully, harbingers of a more consistent and stricter applications of Croatian criminal law.
For example, security measures (which can be rendered in addition to a prison sentence for certain crimes) no longer depend on the discretionary decision of a judge in the criminal procedure.
For an illustration, perpetrators of offences against children, offences against life and limb, as well as offences against humanity, to name a few, are be prohibited from engaging in duty or profession related to children, for a set period of time or indefinitely, even if the offence in question didn't occur during the exercise of such a duty or the taking up of a profession.
The previous legal framework allowed the judge to decide whether or not the application of this measure is unnecessary, even when the abovementioned crimes had been committed.
The situation is similar for the security measure of removing the domestic abuse offender from the household they share with the victim. Again, the court must apply this measure while it previously depended on the court's free assessment.
Another important change is the introduction of a ''present or former intimate partner'' under the definition of a close person. Closely related to this, sexual harassment, which could previously be prosecuted only on the victim's request, will from now on be prosecuted ex officio.
Finally, the offence of the non-enforcement of the decision to protect children made by a court, a centre for social welfare or a state body now protects other vulnerable categories of persons too, such as pregnant women and persons with significant mental or physical impairment. Penalties are imposed not only onto those who don't enforce decisions of the cited authorities, but also those who don't enforce them promptly or grossly disregard the rules of their profession, resulting in the endangerment of the health or development of a child, i.e., the health or well-being of another vulnerable person.
Bearing all of this in mind, adapting the laws to the changing times is not enough. The most important test of having an efficient legal system comes with correct and timely execution. As can be seen in the previous paragraph, responsibility for this rests not only on the police, courts, and state attorneys but on everyone whose job description entails working with vulnerable groups.
While introducing new offences to combat unwanted behaviours is commendable, it would also be good to raise Croatia's overall social awareness of the effect our actions can have on others.
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Roma in the Homeland War: More Research on Defending Croatia Needed
August 5, 2021 - When talking about the fight for Croatian independence, the public often tends to forget about the contributions of minorities such as Roma in the Homeland War. TCN reporter Ivor Kruljac reminds us of a 2019 book that researched Roma participation in defending Croatia, which is a great starting point for further research today.
Croatia is marking the 26th Anniversary of Operation Storm, a military action that, on August 5, 1995, marked the liberation of occupied territory (apart from Eastern Slavonia, which was returned to Croatia later on during peaceful reintegration).
Victory Day is filled with pride, but for some, there is a shade of bitterness as a result of the questionable treatment of civilians and prisoners of war that to this day continues to divide the opinion of the Croatian public and remains a topic of numerous historical debates.
As noticed by the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), things changed significantly in 2020. This came as a result of moves made by Croatian politicians, not only with words but also by their honouring of Serbian civilian victims in Varivode and Gruber.
''Last year's anniversary was marked by changes in the official policy towards Operation Storm (Oluja), known in Croatia as Victory Day (Dan Pobjede) and Homeland Thanksgiving Day (Dan Domovinske Zahvalnosti). August 2020 saw the public space filled with messages about reconciliation, dialogue, the importance of facts, condolences for war crime victims, and appeals for a conversation about different views on Operation Storm in both Croatia and Serbia,'' said YIHR.
With 2020 evoking feelings of sympathy for all victims of the Homeland War, a significant step was also made back in 2019 to recognise that not only ethnic Croats fought for the freedom and independence of their country.
“We defended Croatia Too: Roma People in the Homeland War“, is a monography by Borna Marinić which was presented in 2019. It was the first publication to gather info on the contribution made in the war by the often discriminated against and socially isolated minority in Croatia. The presentation was held in the "Zvonimir Home" of the Croatian military in Zagreb. The publication was the first to really delve into the contribution of Roma in the Homeland War.
The promotion gathered many VIP attendees of political and military Croatian authorities at the time. Marinić, a historian and the editor of the website ''Dogodilo se na Današnji Dan'' (It Happened on This Day), pointed out that not a lot is known about the actions of the Roma in the Homeland War, and this lack of documentation was the biggest problem he had to tackle when it came to verbal storytelling from witnesses.
''I visited Roma veterans and their commanders as well as other relevant people across Croatia, recording their statements and testimonies about the Homeland War,'' said Marinić. His research saw more than 50 people interviewed, but the total count of Roma people who participated in the war still remains unknown.
Dr. Martin Previšić pointed out while reviewing the book that it doesn't provide readers with a linear story of the war's history, but rather an authentic view on the hell of wartime and the solidarity which trumped very many differences.
''Vukovar, Baranja, Pakrac, Novska, and Karlovac were places in which Croatia was defended, but they were also places where Roma people gave their tribute to that same defense,'' said Previšić.
Veljko Kajtazi, a member of the Croatian Parliament, elected as a representative of the Roma community, attended the representation, delighted to see that this important but unexplored subject was finally being tackled by a researcher in the first-ever book published on the topic. He pointed out, however, that this book cannot be viewed as an encyclopedia as it didn't record the experiences of all Roma people, nor does it have all of the information from all fronts, but it is a terrific base for further research.
''I'm grateful to my fellow Roma people who shared their stories and whose faith is the cornerstone of this book. I felt the obligation for Roma people to come forward and present themselves in a different light. Roma people, in large numbers, defended Croatia and gave their contribution to the defense in key moments,'' concluded Kajtazi.
Kajtazi talked about the need for Roma people to begin presenting themselves in a different light and stated that there are definitely numerous issues caused by stereotypes that Roma people are involved in crime and as such can't be trusted.
As TCN previously wrote, The Human Rights in Croatia 2020 Overview report by Human Rights House Zagreb noticed how Roma people in Croatia still face very many obstacles in achieving their rights, which include employment, access to services, and adequate living standards, and there is still segregation in the Croatian education system too.
Additionally, the global issue of COVID-19 brought new problems for Roma people in regard to vaccination against COVID-19, a topic both Kajtazi and the Croatian Public Health Institute (HZJZ) spoke about for TCN.
Roma people helped Croatia during the darkest of its days as a new and young country. Respecting and working on actively including Roma people in our society as equals is the very least Croatia can do in return.
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Prime Minister: We Will Not Allow Anyone to Question Legitimacy of Operation Storm
Zagreb, 5 Aug 2021 - Magnanimity in victory does not mean that Croatia will ever allow anyone to question the legitimacy of Operation Storm or the defensive nature of the Homeland War, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković told a ceremony in Knin on Thursday marking the 26th anniversary of the operation that ended a Serb armed insurgency in 1995.
"It is always a special feeling to come to Knin on this day because it is an opportunity for us to remember the days of pride and victory which are deeply impressed on the hearts of all Croats, but which are also an expression of lasting gratitude to all those who gave their lives so that Croatia could live and be free," Plenković said in his speech, extending his best wishes for Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day and Croatian Veterans Day.
Today we pay tribute to the victorious Croatian army and police who, under the leadership of President Franjo Tuđman, defeated in battle the criminal policy of the Serbian regime of Slobodan Milošević, which secured Croatia's survival, ended the war, and established lasting peace.
"That victory and our legitimate right to live as free people in our own country were, unfortunately, paid in the lives of the bravest of Croatian sons to whom we are forever grateful, as we are to many members of the ethnic minorities who also defended Croatia," Plenković said.
"Today we are in thoughts with the families of the defenders who were killed, Croatian disabled war veterans and many civilian casualties," he said, stressing that the Homeland War and the victories won in Operation Storm, as well as in Operation Flash and other military operations that preceded it, were the foundations of the present Croatian state.
"That's why shedding light on the truth about missing persons, the prosecution of war crimes, and the attainment of justice for everyone who was caused pain remains our lasting duty," the prime minister said, adding that "we will always celebrate Operation Storm indignity so that future generations would also foster the values of the Homeland War."
He said that after symbolic gestures made at last year's anniversary, his government would continue to pursue the policy of reconciliation, co-existence, and understanding, respecting the historical truth and paying respects to all innocent victims.
"But magnanimity in victory does not mean that we will ever allow anyone to question the legitimacy of Operation Storm and the defensive nature of the Homeland War. This is also a message to our neighbor, Serbia, which in my opinion should abandon the futile rhetoric of the past, face up to its own responsibility, pursue a policy of reconciliation and look to the future", Plenković said.
He said that the sacrifices made oblige us to strengthen the Croatian state in political, economic, defense and security aspects and to respond to the challenges facing us, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, recovery after the economic crisis, the imperative of demographic survival, post-earthquake reconstruction, climate change, and natural disasters.
He said that Croatia would continue to act in its national interests by pursuing the policy of modern sovereignty based on its membership of NATO and the European Union. Here he cited the construction of the Pelješac Bridge, which will provide a direct road link between southern Croatia and the rest of the country, the completion of the motorway in Istria County, forthcoming membership of the Schengen Area and the euro area, and the purchase of fighter jets.
"We are doing all this while strengthening our international position and using the benefits of EU membership and at the same time taking care of Croatian war veterans and their families," the prime minister said.
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No Changes: Orange Adriatic Coast on ECDC Map Good Sign for Remainder of Season
August 5, 2021 - The orange Adriatic Coast on the latest ECDC COVID-19 map is a good indicator for the remainder of the tourist season
The latest ECDC report on the 14-day Covid-19 incidence rate in EU countries reveals that most of Croatia still remains green and the Adriatic region orange. This means that there are no obstacles to the successful continuation of the tourist season related to the epidemiological picture during the coronavirus pandemic, reports Index.hr.
The ECDC map is advisory, but some Member States rely on it when introducing epidemiological restrictions upon returning to the country.
Of Croatia's tourism competitors, Spain and Italy have a worse picture than last week. Now two more Italian regions in the central part are red and the rest are orange, with the exception of part of northern and southern Italy.
All of Spain is marked in dark red, except for a small part of the coast in the northern part of the country. As for Greece, another region in the central part of the country received has been marked red, while everything else remains the same as last week.
In the past 24 hours, 247 new cases were recorded. The number of active cases in Croatia today is a total of 1,221. Among them, 154 patients are in hospital, of which 14 are on a respirator. Three people died.
Cases by county
City of Zagreb (59), Split-Dalmatia (52), Zadar (40), Dubrovnik-Neretva (20), Zagreb (18), Osijek-Baranja (12), Šibenik-Knin (9), Primorje-Gorski Kotar (7) , Varaždin (7), Istria (6), Koprivnica-Križevci (4), Sisak-Moslavina (4), Karlovac (2), Bjelovar-Bilogora (2), Krapina-Zagorje County (1), Brod-Posavina (1), Požega-Slavonia (1), Vukovar-Srijem (1), Virovitica-Podravina (1), Lika-Senj (0) and Međimurje (0).
Epidemiological indicators as of August 1, 2021
Cumulative 7-day rate for the Republic of Croatia: 27.8 / 100,000
Cumulative 14-day rate for the Republic of Croatia: 52.9 / 100,000
Counties with a cumulative 7-day rate of more than 50 / 100,000 inhabitants: Dubrovnik-Neretva, Split-Dalmatia, Zadar
Counties with a cumulative 14-day rate of more than 100 / 100,000 inhabitants: Dubrovnik-Neretva, Split-Dalmatia, Zadar
Total number of tests in the last week: 41,049, -13.6% compared to last week
Share of positive tests in the total number of tests in the last week: 2.8%
Total number of tests and share of positive tests in the total number of tests: 2,305,717; 15.8%
Number of new cases in intensive care per 100,000 inhabitants in the last week: 0.3 / 100,000
Number of deaths in the last week: 18
Total death rate per 1,000,000 inhabitants: 2,021.4 / 1,000.00
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Croatia Registers 247 New Coronavirus Cases, 3 Deaths
ZAGREB, 5 Aug 2021 - Over the past 24 hours, Croatia has registered 247 new coronavirus cases and three related deaths, the national coronavirus crisis management team said on Thursday.
There are 154 hospitalized patients, including 14 who are on ventilators. The number of active cases today stands at 1,221, and 4,048 people are in self-isolation.
To date, Croatia has registered 364,491 coronavirus infections, including 8,270 deaths and 355,000 recoveries, of which 170 in the last 24 hours.
A total of 2,332,341 people have been tested to date, 8,044 of whom over the past 24 hours.
As of 4 August, 3,109,586 vaccine doses have been administered, with 40.8% of the total population and 49.1% of the adult population having been vaccinated.
A total of 1,656,936 persons have been vaccinated with at least one dose and 1,506,706 of them have been fully vaccinated, which represents 44.7% of the adult population.
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.
Croatia Celebrates Victory Day and Homeland Thanksgiving Day
ZAGREB, 5 Aug 2021 - Croatia marks Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day and Veterans Day on August 5 to remember Operation Storm, a joint military and police operation that ended a Serb armed rebellion in August 1995, and restored Croatian sovereignty over occupied central and southern parts of the country.
The central ceremony will be held on Thursday in Knin and the celebration program was drawn up in cooperation with the Croatian Public Health Institute, given the specific circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, with no more than 1,000 people attending.
The entire state leadership is expected to attend the ceremony in Knin, without representatives of the Serb minority who announced earlier they would not attend the event.
Operation Storm was a combined military and police operation that ended a Serb armed insurgency in August 1995 and restored Croatian sovereignty over occupied central and southern parts of the country, paving the way for the peaceful reintegration of eastern Croatia in January 1998.
The offensive was launched at 5 am on August 4 along the line running from Bosansko Grahovo to the south to Jasenovac to the east, the front line being more than 630 kilometers long. Within the next 84 hours slightly less than 10,500 square kilometers of territory, almost a fifth of the country was liberated.
The operation culminated on August 5, when the Croatian Army's 4th and 7th Guard Brigades liberated Knin, the heart of the Serb rebellion, displaying a 20-meter-long Croatian flag on the town's fortress at noon.
About 200,000 Croatian soldiers and police took part in the biggest operation of the Homeland War. According to the Homeland War Memorial and Documentation Centre, 196 Croatian personnel were killed, at least 1,100 were wounded and 15 went missing, while losses among Serb forces were several times higher.
Operation Storm marked the end of the war in Croatia, created conditions for the peaceful reintegration of the eastern Danube River region, helped break the siege of the northwestern Bosnian town of Bihać, and enabled the return of refugees and displaced persons.
The legitimacy of Operation Storm has been proved before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague. On November 16, 2012, the Appeals Chamber reversed the Trial Chamber's convictions of General Ante Gotovina, commander of the Split Military District, and General Mladen Markac, special police commander, and ordered their immediate release. The generals were in the ICTY's custody on charges of involvement in a joint criminal enterprise and excessive shelling of Knin, Gracac, Obrovac, and Benkovac.
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Croatian Referee Sanja Rođak-Karšić to Assist in Olympic Women's Football Final
August 5, 2021 - Sanja Rođak-Karšić is the highest-ranking referee in Croatia (1.HNL) in the category 'assistant referees - 1st group'. These are her second Olympic Games after she previously refereed in Rio 2016.
The Olympic women's football final in Tokyo between Sweden and Canada is scheduled for Friday (August 6) at 4 am Croatia time, and there will be a Croatian touch, reports 24 Sata.
Namely, the 3rd referee of the match will be Podravske Sesvete native, Sanja Rođak-Karšić (38). The main referee will be Russian Anastasia Pustovidova, while the 2nd referee will be her compatriot Ekaterina Kurochkina.
Rođak-Karšić is the highest-ranking referee in Croatia (1.HNL) in the category 'assistant referees- 1st group', and these are her second Olympic Games after she previously judged in Rio 2016.
In 2020, the Croatian refereed the Champions League final at Anoeta in San Sebastian between Wolfsburg and Lyon, and she refereed the same teams in the final two years earlier in Kyiv.
Rođak-Karšić has already refereed at both the World and European Championships, including the final of the 2017 Euros in the Netherlands. Sanja made waves in Croatia when she became the first woman to referee the Croatian Football Cup final. She first entered the Croatian football scene as the first assistant referee at the HAŠK and Osijek Cup match. A few days later, she was part of the refereeing team in the Croatian First League match between Lokomotiva and Osijek, where she assisted the main referee of the match, Bruno Marić.
The Olympic final will feature Sweden, who celebrated 1:0 against Australia in the semifinal, while Canada shocked the favored U.S.A team with the same result.
FIFA released a list of 99 referees from 51 countries to feature in the Olympic football tournaments, including 29 match officials, 50 assistants, 20 VAR referees, and four additional referees.
Although Croatia does not have a representative in football at the Olympic Games this year, the country, and especially Podravina, will still be represented on the largest sports platform in the world.
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Champions League Qualifiers: Dinamo and Legia Warsaw End 1:1 at Maksimir
August 5, 2021 - Dinamo and Legia Warsaw played 1:1 at Maksimir to open the Champions League 3rd qualifying round on Wednesday.
In the first match of the Champions League 3rd qualifying round, Dinamo played 1:1 against Legia Warsaw in front of 4,597 spectators at Maksimir Stadium.
Dinamo took the lead in the 60th minute with a goal by Bruno Petković, and Ernes Muci equalized in the 82nd minute.
"With a patient game, we took the lead, too bad we didn’t turn it into something more. We had several situations for 2:0, however, Legia sent one shot and equalized," said coach Damir Krznar.
He added that it is psychologically nice to play away with a victory, but also added.
"With 1:0 or 1:1, we would go to Warsaw with the same imperative of victory, so we will position ourselves in the return match."
He pointed out that Legia stood in the block in the first half, but with the changes at the half, Dinamo moved their lines forward.
"That helped us in the transition and pressure."
The good news is that an away goal is no longer an advantage that will help Dinamo in the return match.
"The fact that there are no more away goals now allows everyone to play more attacking, that is a gain for football," he said.
Regardless of the outcome against Legia, Dinamo has already secured a European competition this autumn. It is only a question of which competition it will be - UEFA Europe Conference League, Europa League, or Champions League.
Namely, if Dinamo wins against Legia, they would have another obstacle on their way to the Champions League, a playoff against Belgrade's Red Star or Moldovan club Sheriff. A win in the playoffs brings the Champions League, and a defeat the Europa League.
If Dinamo loses to Legia, they would play in the Europa League playoffs. Winning that round means a spot in the Europa League, and a defeat in the Europa League playoffs, in turn, guarantees a spot in the Conference League group stage.
Source: HRT
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Sibenik Marina Chosen as Most Luxurious Vessel on Adriatic's Home Port
August the 5th, 2021 - One exclusive Sibenik marina, more specifically D-Marin Mandalina, has been chosen as the home port of the most luxurious vessel on the Adriatic. The amazing AIAXAIA yacht will now call this Dalmatian port home.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the truly spectacular 46-metre-long yacht, AIAXAIA, recently joined the elite company and chose the award-winning Sibenik marina D-Marin Mandalina as its home port. This further confirmed the status of this particular Sibenik marina as one of the best and safest marinas for the most luxurious vessels in the entire Mediterranean.
"The arrival of the AIAXAIA yacht is proof of the growing popularity of the D-Marin Mandalina marina as a home port for superyachts. The popularity of this Sibenik marina is also reflected in the demand we've witnessed over the past few months, especially when it comes to berths for vessels between 30 and 50 metres long. Currently, D-Marin Mandalina is almost completely filled, and the announcements for 2022 are already fantastic. We're extremely happy due to the fact that D-Marin Mandalina gathers together a successful community of owners, commanders and crews of superyachts,'' they pointed out from D-Marin Hrvatska (Croatia).
As is already well known, this Sibenik marina is a well recognised centre for large yachts on an annual or seasonal berth in the Croatian Adriatic. It is located in a picturesque and protected natural bay, and boasts five-star facilities, such as the prestigious D-Resort Sibenik, and the nearby dry dock and boat repair and maintenance facility, which provides towing services, as well as all of the necessary technical services.
This Sibenik marina has received several valuable accolades and awards over the years, including five awards from The Yacht Harbor Association (TYHA), the Five Star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Services, and the Blue Flag for Safety and Sustainable Development.
In addition to boasting some top restaurants and bars, the marina's guests have a full range of services at their disposal, including technical services, parking spaces, a Tesla charging system, a concierge and a superyacht agent, the availability of groceries and other products, 24-hour protection and the year-round supervision of docked vessels.
In the first quarter of this year, the D-Marin Group's operations here in Croatia, Greece and Turkey recorded an increase in the number of new inquiries related to larger vessels. Among the new trends is the growing number of inquiries from superyacht owners and commanders considering moving their vessels from marinas in the Western Mediterranean to the top marinas here in the Eastern Mediterranean, such as D-Marin Mandalina, given that such marinas provide outstanding services and exceptional value.
The spectacular AIAXAIA yacht stands out from the crowd for several reasons: many sailors rightly consider it the most luxurious vessel on the entire Adriatic, which isn't at all surprising when we know that it has two masts and a maximum sail area of 600 square metres, as well as two engines with a total power of 920 hp (2 x 460 hp). Finally, it is equipped with the latest technological and design solutions.
AIAXAIA was built right here in Croatia back in 2017, and has only one purpose - for those on it to enjoy themselves to the fullest. It boasts modern luxury, spacious rooms, and an experienced crew, it also provides its passengers with an unforgettable experience.
AIAXAIA has already crossed the Atlantic Ocean twice as the first charter yacht under the Croatian flag to do so, and visited 14 Caribbean countries in the area between the British Virgin Islands and Grenada. At the same time, it has provided its guests with the opportunity to enjoy extraordinary comfort and service, quality accommodation and a great crew, as well as a unique offer of the best Croatian wines and olive oils.
Thanks to the 1244 islands and islets you can explore, the Croatian coast is one of the world's best sailing destinations: it offers boat owners and commanders a rich choice of destinations to explore - from quiet bays and anchorages to picturesque towns rich in cultural heritage.
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