July the 24th, 2021 - Dinamo Zagreb's former main man and undoubtedly one of the most controversial characters from Croatia, Zdravko Mamic, has spoken out about why he decided to settle his 52 million kuna debt with the Croatian state.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, after ex-football tycoon Zdravko Mamic decided to pay 52 million kuna to the state, which was obliged to do by the final verdict of the Osijek County Court for withdrawing money from Dinamo, he posted on Facebook on Thursday evening to explain a few things in his own words.

We're transmitting Zdravko Mamic's social media announcement translated into English:

"Never in history has such a heartless witch hunt been mounted against a man who brought billions of kuna to Croatian sport from abroad.

Never in history has one person been set up so that a man be sent to jail and convicted in a hotbed of crime, in a place where the only laws are racketeering, theft and blackmail.

Never before have a bunch of criminals, politicians and the media ever banded together to destroy one person and his family.

Never in history has a man been convicted about whom all prosecution witnesses, legal authorities and the injured party themselves claim was innocent.

Never in history has a man been convicted for lifting a football club up to the skies from the ninth round of hell.

After dedicating my life to building up Croatian sport, Dinamo and the national team, as evidenced by their results, I silently sacrificed the existence of my family and asked the woman of my life to pay 52 million kuna into the Croatian state budget. I did so on the basis of a verdict handed down by the servants of evil, by lovers of cash, by the suckers of state money, by drunkards, wretches and exploiters, whose abode will forever remain between prison and the pillar of shame, though I had every right to not do so.

I was convicted by criminals for an act I didn't commit. I've decided to pay into the Croatian state budget an amount that is more than a quarter of the sport budget of an EU member state of four million people. One single man has therefore paid as much as one million taxpayers. More than one thousand Croatian companies in a year. For the next three months, Croatian sport can live on my money. Or you can build seven schools. Or maybe a hospital. Or half a stadium.

In a poor country where I and my associates created over 50 millionaires with our own hands, without whom that country would be even poorer than it is. Why, you ask? Because Zdravko Mamic was never there for the money. I'm here because of passion and love, because that's my life. And because this is my life, I will soon prevent this situation from happening again in judicial reform. I'll make the judiciary [system] transparent to protect all of you. Soon.'' stated Zdravko Mamic.

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July the 24th, 2021 - The Croatian company Podravka has managed to achieve 197 million kuna in net profit, despite all of the issues caused by the ongoing pandemic.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the net profit of the Croatian company Podravka in the first half of this year reached an impressive 197.6 million kuna, which is 22.3 percent more than in the same period last year, the company announced on Thursday.

At today's meeting, the Supervisory Board of Podravka confirmed the unaudited results of the Podravka Group's operations for the first half of the year, expressing "satisfaction and support for all efforts made to continue the company's continued profitability growth in these still difficult business conditions caused by the coronavirus pandemic,'' in a statement.

In the first half of the year, the Nutrition segment generated a net profit of 136.3 million kuna, which is 13.9 percent more than the year before, while the Pharmaceuticals segment generated a net profit of 61.3 million kuna, or 46.3 percent more, which doesn't come as a shock considering the global public health crisis we're still embedded in.

The Croatian company Podravka's sales revenue in the first half of the year amounted to 2.2 billion kuna and was one percent lower when compared to the comparable period of 2020.

The expected decline in sales revenue compared to 2020 is actually the result of unusually large orders and the creation of additional stocks with customers in March last year caused by the introduction of lockdown in most countries where the Podravka Group operates, the statement said.

It is also stated that when, for example, the total sales revenues from the first half of this year are compared with the comparable period of pre-pandemic 2019, then revenues are actually 4 percent higher, which shows positive trends for the company's business operations.

Within the Nutrition segment, the largest increase in sales revenue in the first half of the year was achieved in the Culinary business programme in the amount of 2.5 percent.

The Croatian company Podravka points out that the business programme(s) Baby Food, Sweets and Snacks also recorded an increase in sales revenue in the amount of 1.7 percent, while the growth in sales revenue was also recorded in the Podravka food segment, in the amount of 2.4 percent.

In the Pharmaceuticals segment, the largest growth was recorded in the Prescription Drugs category, whose sales revenues increased by 4.3 percent when compared to the first half of 2020.

When observing sales revenues by region, within the Food segment from Podravka, point out the growth of sales revenues in the markets of Western Europe and overseas in the amount of 8.2 percent when compared to the comparable period last year.

In these markets, sales growth was achieved in almost all business programmes, of which the largest absolute growth was generated by the business programmes Culinary, Baby food, sweets and snacks and Podravka food.

The Pharmaceuticals segment achieved the largest relative growth in sales revenue of 13.9 percent within the Central Europe region, due to higher sales in the Prescription Drugs category, the statement said.

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July the 24th, 2021 - The Croatian Economy Ministry is seeking the help of the population in an attempt to try to stop the continuing deaths of the beautiful noble pen shells in the Croatian Adriatic sea.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, due to the terrible outbreak of a deadly infection that has negatively affected the population of noble pen shells (Pinna nobilis) throughout the Mediterranean, including the Croatian Adriatic sea, the Institute for Environmental Protection and Nature of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development through the action "Did you see them?/Jeste li ih vidjeli?" is calling upon members of society to report locations where they've spotted the shells.

The Croatian Economy Ministry's praiseworthy action related to the noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis) in the Adriatic sea will remain current throughout the entire year, but its importance will be the most pronounced in the summer months when the possibility of observing marine organisms in their natural habitat is increased due to more swimming taking place.

There is a decreasing number of living pen shell individuals in the sea, so it is crucial for the survival of the species to find potentially resistant individuals that could further reproduce and create natural "immunity" against the disease which is ravaging their population.

Since the first outbreak and mass death in the Croatian part of the Adriatic sea, seventeen living individuals of noble pen shell existing in nature have been confirmed in various locations along the Adriatic.

When identifying living individuals out in nature, it is necessary to check whether the individual reacts by closing its shell to an external stimulus, or to the movement of the sea water in its immediate vicinity. Namely, just seeing upright part of the shell in the sediment doesn't necessarily imply that it is in fact a living individual, and one must see if there is a reaction to its surroundings.

The Croatian Economy Ministry has stated that the pen shell is a strictly protected species, so it must not be touched, and any intentional extraction of living or dead individuals (empty shells) of is prohibited under Croatian law, writes N1.

All information about live individuals, the locations where you observed them and photos of them can be reported to the website of the Institute for Environmental Protection and Nature of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development by contacting This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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July the 25th, 2021 - Under what conditions exactly could Croatia afford to fully open up again? With all eyes on the enviable vaccination rate of the British population and the final, total opening up of that Northern European island nation's society on the 19th of July, questions are being asked. Croatian epidemiologist Bernard Kaic sought to answer some questions.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, epidemiologist Bernard Kaic says that the number of older and potentially clinically vulnerable people who haven't yet been vaccinated is still much too high in Croatia. In his opinion, the response to vaccination in the last few weeks has been much more solid because between 5,000 and 10,000 people are being vaccinated with their first dose on a daily basis, and between 10,000 and 15,000 are receiving their second dose.

Over recent says, the whole world has been busy closely following the events in Great Britain, where, despite the growing number of coronavirus patients, almost all epidemiological measures have been abolished since Monday, Novi list writes. Concert halls, clubs and stadiums are open with almost no restrictions, but some scientists warn that this is a risky experiment to undertake with some uncertain consequences.

The British authorities estimated that, with the relatively high vaccination rate in that country, the time had come to open up and stop living in a world in which we do nothing but think about the novel coronavirus.

Epidemiologist Bernard Kaic, head of the CNIPH's Epidemiology Service, says that the British experience in the coming weeks, if their opening up proves justified, will be able to serve as an example to other countries, but only to those with high vaccination coverage. Croatia isn't in that club yet. The United Kingdom has vaccinated almost 70 percent of the population with the first dose, and 55 percent with the second. Among those who are older and more vulnerable, the vaccination rate in the UK is as high as 85 percent.

''I don't know what will happen in Great Britain, time will tell. This depends on how protected by vaccination those who are the main candidates for hospitalisation, primarily older people, actually are. As far as I understand, they've achieved great vaccination coverage among those people there and are counting on not filling hospital beds up because the elderly are protected and the young are suffering from milder forms of the disease they can cope with at home. Whether that will be the case or not will be revealed in a few weeks,'' stated Bernard Kaic.

The main condition for the introduction of the British model in another country is a high vaccination coverage of the population, until Croatia manages to join that club, it doesn't seem like a British-style grand opening is on the cards.

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

ZAGREB, 24 July, 2021 - President Zoran Milanović on Saturday commented on the reactions from Belgrade following the announcement that Croatia will put the image of scientist Nikola Tesla on euro coins, saying that "once Serbia enters the euro zone, let it propose Tesla as well." 

Writing in a Facebook post, Milanović recalled a failed initiative by the Serb National Council (SNV) of more than ten years ago to establish "a Serb ethnic bank" in Croatia that was to be named after Nikola Tesla.

The initiative was launched in cooperation with "the state leadership and a development fund of Serbia, which allocated nearly five million euro of Serbian taxpayers' money for that purpose", and the SNV's idea was also for Croatia to make its contribution to the initial capital.

"The entire project for an ethnic bank was half forgotten over time, primarily because it was untenable businesswise," Milanović said. 

Milanović, who had served as prime minister at the time, said that he and his finance minister, Slavko Linić, had tried to find a solution, but to no avail, despite the millions of euro from Belgrade and the Croatian contribution. "Our intentions were sincere, but it didn't work."

"It's all right when a financial institution (Tesla Bank) should be established with the joint financial support of Croatia and Serbia. In that case, I guess, Tesla is our common heritage. When Croatia, a forthcoming member of the euro zone, proposes that Tesla should be on a coin, that is cultural appropriation according to Serbia's central bank," Milanović said, adding in conclusion: "Once Serbia enters the euro zone, let it propose Tesla as well and everyone will be happy." 

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ZAGREB, 24 July, 2021 - The Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Tomislav Ćorić, took part in an environmental drive on Saturday, cleaning up the seabed at one of the most famous tourist destinations in Croatia - Golden Cape Beach at Bol on the southern island of Brač.

It is one in a series of drives that will be held along the Croatian Adriatic coast by several diving clubs to protect the sea and nature from pollution and reduce the negative impact on marine habitats, the Ministry said in a statement.

"People are still not aware enough that the nature around us is the only one that we have. It is unbelievable how much waste people throw into the environment and the sea, even though there are legal and simple ways of waste disposal available. Of everyday items, one of the biggest polluters is single-use plastic packaging, which we have reduced to the maximum by the new Waste Management Act," Minister Ćorić said.

He called on people to think of their future and protect the environment for the sake of the generations to come, praising the participating organisations and individuals for helping keep the environment clean.

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ZAGREB, 24 July, 2021 - An earthquake measuring 3.8 on the Richter scale shook the Petrinja area of central Croatia at 3.43 pm on Saturday, the Croatian Seismological Service said.

The intensity at the epicentre was V degrees on the EMS scale. The tremor was felt in the wider area of Petrinja, Sisak and Glina.

The area was struck by a 6.2 magnitude earthquake on 29 December 2020 and a series of aftershocks, leaving seven people killed and extensive property damage.

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July 24, 2021 - Croatia gymnastics at the Olympic Games are off to a flying start, as Tin Srbić finally learned he would compete in the final on August 3, 9 hours after he competed on Saturday. 

Croatian gymnast Tin Srbić advanced to the final at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. He finished third in the qualifiers with a score of 14,633, reports Index.hr.

Srbić competed in the first subdivision, after which he took first place, but in the second subdivision, Japan's Daiki Hashimoto (15,033) and Kazakhstan's Milad Karimi (14,766) were better than the 2017 world champion. Finally, in the third subdivision, no one was better than Srbic; only the USA's Brody Malone came close, who finished fourth with a score of 14,533.

"It was quite tiring because we had to wake up very early, come to the hall 2.5-3 hours before competing, so part of the warm-up and waiting was quite tense. Nevertheless, I pushed through because, after all, this was my first Olympic appearance. But before the exercise itself, when I looked at the Olympic rings again, I said to myself, "well, I guess I won't be scared now." I used my head, and I did very well, and in the final, I will attack with an even stronger exercise," said Tin immediately after his performance. His coach Lucijan Krce added:

"I am satisfied with Tin's exercise; he had an excellent performance. Of course, we both felt the pressure of the Olympics, but he still managed to do a very good quality exercise and get a pretty high score."

The final, which is scheduled for August 3, will also include Russia's Nikita Nagonji (14,466), Japan's Takeru Kitazono (14,433), Australia's Tyson Bull (14,433), and Holland's Bart Deurloo (14,400).

There will be no Kohei Uchimura of Japan and Epke Zonderland of Holland in the final. Uchimura, who won gold in the all-around from London 2012 and Rio 2016, decided to compete in Tokyo only on the bars, but with a score of 13,866, he took 20th place and ended his career on Saturday. Flying Dutchman Zonderland, the Olympic winner in London, three-time world champion, and three-time world runner-up, took 23rd place with a score of 13,833.

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