June 1, 2021 - Croatia and Armenia finish 1:1 in Velika Gorica in a friendly match played as part of EURO 2020 preparations. 

The Croatia national team played its first EURO 2020 preparatory match against Armenia in Velika Gorica. 

Zlatko Dalic's team will open the EURO against England at Wembley on June 13, before meeting the Czech Republic and Scotland in Glasgow on June 18 and 22. 

Until London, Croatia will play another friendly match against Belgium on Sunday. 

Lineups

Croatia: Livaković - Vrsaljko, Ćaleta-Car, Vida, Barišić - Modrić, Brozović - Brekalo, Vlašić, Perišić - Kramarić

Armenia: Jurčenko - Teterian, Voskanjan, Calisir, Hovhannisian - Babajan, A. Grigorian, Spertsian, Bajramian - Barsegian, Adamian

Croatia opened the match in control and had their first chance already in the 2nd minute when Perisic headed over the goal. Vlasic had another great chance for Croatia in the 10th minute but shot wide of the post. 

After a few threatening plays by Armenia, Croatia took the lead thanks to a brilliant Perisic header off a Modric corner. Perisic not only scored for 1:0 Croatia - he scored on his 100th cap in the Croatia shirt! 

Josip Brekalo had to come off the pitch due to injury in the 26th minute, with Mario Pasalic taking his place. Kramaric and Vida both had chances in the 10 minutes that followed, and perhaps the best chance of the match in the 42nd minute with Perisic missing from close range. Pasalic's scissor kick hit the post to end the half.  

Slobodan Kadic

The second half began with many changes. Vrsaljko, Modric, Vida and Vlasic came out at half time for Juranovic, Rebic, Skoric, Petkovic. 

Rebic had an excellent chance to start the second half but shanked over the goal from 10 meters out. Rebic found Kramaric five minutes later who took a weak shot from in front of the goal. 

Pasalic was in an excellent position to score two minutes later but decided to lay the ball off instead of shooting. 

Badelj came on for Perisic in the 60th minute. 

Armenia shocked Croatia with an equalizer in the 72nd minute - Wbeymar scored for 1:1! Livakovic saved Croatia from another Armenia goal in the 79th minute. 

The match ended 1:1. 

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

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June 1, 2021 - EU digital COVID certificates in Croatia are LIVE! Here's a look at what you need to do to get one. 

As of today, the EU digital covid certificates in Croatia are live, or what you may know better as the Covid passport. The Croatian government set up a national certification system on Monday, which began operating on Tuesday,  report Jutarnji List. 

"The Croatian national system for issuing the EU digital COVID certificate is ready for operation on June 1 and the integration procedure with the European gateway has been carried out, which ensured their cross-border interoperability," they announced in a statement yesterday.

A website has also been launched where citizens can get all the necessary information. But the process of issuing a Covid certificate is actually quite simple; you can request it through the e-Citizens system (eGrađani) or at HZZO branches. Regardless of the version, the certificate will contain a QR code with basic information and a digital stamp to ensure the authenticity of the certificate.

How to access the certification system?

You can access the system for issuing EU digital COVID certificates via the website www.eudigitalnacovidpotvrda.hr via the link REQUEST A CERTIFICATE at the top of the website (see header photo). You can also access the system directly via the e-Citizens (eGrađani) page by selecting the HEALTH area from the service catalog. In this area, select the EU Digital COVID Certificate e-Service and follow the application steps.

What documents do you need to download the certificate from the e-Citizens (eGrađani) portal?

Apart from level 2 credentials - significant security levels or level 3 credentials - high-security credentials, it is not necessary to provide additional data and documentation to access the e-Citizens (eGrađani) portal. The system retrieves user data from the databases of the Ministry of Health and the confirmation is generated by clicking on the option "Request confirmation".

You can save the confirmation that you download via the portal to your computer, print it out, or send it by e-mail to your e-mail address.

How to apply through e-Citizens (eGrađani)?

In case you decide to get the certificate through the eCitizens system, you must first submit a request by entering your OIB and e-mail address to which the COVID certificate will be delivered in PDF format.

After that, a request will be created for you, and in the e-Citizens system, you can check what its status is, i.e., whether it is still being processed or is ready.

Once you meet the criteria for issuing a certificate, the info will arrive at your e-mail address. 

Can the certificate be used via mobile phone?

You can save the certificate in the form of a PDF file and present it to the person responsible for reading the QR code and other important data. The EU digital COVID certificate contains a QR code with a digital signature for protection against forgery, which is based on the ICAO PKI specifications. When checking the certificate, the QR code is scanned and the digital signature is checked.

How will this help you freely move?

In addition to facilitating the movement of citizens when crossing the border crossings of the Republic of Croatia and border crossings of EU member states with which bilateral agreements will be concluded, this certificate can be used for other purposes in accordance with decisions that could be made in the foreseeable future.

The Government notes that the certificate will be used in accordance with data protection regulations and exclusively for downloading and processing the data contained in the certificate.

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 centres across the country, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.

ZAGREB, 1 June, 2021 - Podravka's project of a solar power plant, worth HRK 10.3 million, will be co-funded with a HRK 5.2 million grant by the European Union and the Croatian government under the Rural Development Programme, the Koprivnica-based food factory reported on Tuesday.

"The grant was awarded by the Ministry of Agriculture pursuant to a decision by the Agency for Payments in Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, and pursuant to Podravka's application for implementation of the Sub-measure 4.2 'Support for investments in the processing, marketing and/or development of agricultural products' and implementation of operation type 4.2.2. 'Use of renewable energy sources'," the company said.

The expected period for return on investment with 50% support is 3.5 years.

The investment is valued at HRK 11.7 million, of which HRK 10.3 million is to be used for the construction of the solar power plant, while HRK 1.4 will be spent on the development of the measurement facility and the necessary transformer station.

"Podravka – Danica" 2.4 MW solar power plant is to be built at the Danica Industrial Zone in Koprivnica.

(€1= HRK 7.5)

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

ZAGREB, 1 June, 2021 (Hina) - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in the parliament on Tuesday that the system of digital COVID-19 certificates was operational and that certificates could be obtained via the e-citizen system.

"Digital COVID certificates are here, they exist and can already be used," he said, showing MPs a paper copy of his certificate.

"The EU digital certificates goes into force in a month, the government has made a decision on the national mechanism for the issuing of certificates and I have obtained a certificate about having been vaccinated through the e-citizen system," he said, calling on MPs to do the same.

Plenković said that there was more than enough vaccine for all citizens as well as for countries with lower supplies, and that vaccination was now faster than before.

Responding to MPs' remarks, he said that the national coronavirus management team would make a decision that would make it possible also for people who had received one vaccine shot to enter Croatia 22 days after vaccination.

In a debate about an opposition motion for a vote of no-confidence in Health Minister Vili Beroš, Plenković dismissed the Opposition's claims that at one point patients could not obtain medicines and that the health system did not function.

"That's a lie, at no time were people left without medicines, the health system was never at breaking point, there was never a shortage of beds or ventilators and no medical service was ever unavailable," he said.

Health Minister Beroš told MPs that he was working on the problem of the health system's debts to drug wholesalers and that a projection of payment in the period until the end of the year had been made.

He also announced the relaunching of the Institute of Immunology, including for the production of viral vaccines.

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

ZAGREB, 1 June, 2021 - The Croatian Political Science Association (HPD) on Tuesday strongly condemned the criticism PM Andrej Plenković levelled against political scientist Dražen Lalić and the RTL broadcaster, noting that it was an attack not only on an individual but on all political scientists as well as media.  

The HPD recalled Plenković's statement that "RTL hired Lalić to vilify (HDZ candidate for Zagreb mayor Davor) Filipović in the worst way possible" and his remark that "those are not unbiased media" but "hirelings paid to demonise a political camp."

"Such an unsubstantiated verbal attack by the Prime Minister against our member and prominent Croatian researcher was not only an ad hominem attack - which  as such makes his criticism invalid - but also an attack on the right to express one's opinion and on intellectual freedom. With his inappropriate act, Andrej Plenković has threatened the freedom to express one's professional views and additionally weakened the already weak position of the media," the association said.

It also notes that, considering the disproportion of powers, this type of attack by the PM on a member of the academic community and public intellectual has the potential to instil fear and insecurity in members of the academic community and media alike.

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

June 1, 2021 - The Split Spring street food festival returns to Đardin this week with top eats, good beats, and all the summer fun you hoped for! 

After an atypical spring, the beginning of a real tourist season in Split, which has finally started with the easing of epidemiological measures, will be marked by a favorite outdoor gathering - Split Spring by Staropramen. This culinary-entertaining-cultural event will take place for the third time in Strossmayer (Đardin) Park from Thursday, June 3, to June 12.

During these ten days, all visitors will be able to enjoy the specialties of some of the best Split restaurants. The offer is respectable, and there will be something for everyone at these street food houses. Thus, restaurant pop-up street food editions will be offered by ArtiČok, Šug, Misto, Pizza prasizza by Bokamorra, Mazzgoon and Noor bar, Corto Maltese and Pandora Greenbox vegeteria, Uje oil bar, Maka Maka, Fabrique, Grill club Maestro by Biberon and the already favorite Varaždin guests - American bar Dollar. 

Since the first edition, Split Spring by Staropramen has become a favorite gathering place in Split thanks to its charm, great atmosphere, and good energy. Come out for Barcaffe coffee, breakfast, lunch, and meetings, or bring the whole family along where the kids can enjoy the Baby Center corner. There will be deck chairs with cold Staropramen and the sounds of birds chirping, and you can even relax and read a book with Jana, grab dinner with friends, and kick off an evening out with Hendricks gin & tonic, Jack Daniels, or the exciting new summer drink WAI hard seltzer.

Every night from 7:30 pm, top DJs and saxophonists will enhance the atmosphere, like DJ Matthew Bee, saxophonist Boris Plazibat and DJ JohnnY I, saxophonist Ivan Skvorc alone and in combination with DJ Sensei, Jaksa Jordes on sax, DJ Kid VA, DJ Nikki Peducci, DJ mirsaisfab, and DJ Rea. With funky, jazz, and RnB rhythms, Split Spring brings the long-awaited start of life to the city. And that is why all of you who are here should not miss visiting Đardin for the next ten sunny days. Split Spring will work from 11 am to 11 pm. 

Source: Dalmatinski Portal

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

ZAGREB, 1 June, 2021 - In the last 24 hours, of 7,039 tests performed in Croatia to coronavirus, 216, that is 3%, have turned out to be positive, the national COVID-19 crisis management team reproted on Monday.

The COVID-related death toll has risen by eight to 8,034.

Currently, there are 1,843 active cases, including 753 hospitalised patients of whom 82 are placed on ventilators.

Since the first registered case of the coronavirus infection in Croatia on 25 February 2020, as many as  2,020,494 people have been tested, and 356,397 have been positive to the virus. To date, 346,520 have recovered from the disease, including 300 in the last 24 hours.

Currently, 8,927people are self-isolating.

So far, nearly 1.8 million vaccine doses have been administered, and 1.28 million Croatians have been given at least one dose of the vaccine against COVID-19, while 492,989 have fully been vaccinated.

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

June 1, 2021 - A recent study shows that guest delight in Dubrovnik hotels should be strengthened and an extra effort should be made with luxury hotel guests. 

A recent study conducted by RIT Croatia’s hospitality instructor Domagoj Nikolić and graduating student Andrea Mitrović checked to what extent upscale Dubrovnik hotels delight their guests and whether guest delight affects their rates. In a theoretical nutshell, guest delight is about exceeding expectations and equals the personalization of standard services. It thus depends on the empowerment of staff and their soft skills.

Fifteen hotels in Dubrovnik were checked through data mining of TripAdvisor reviews which were subsequently analyzed with sophisticated statistical tools. The findings show that overall guest delight, on a scale from 1 (“neutral”) and 2 (“absolutely delighted”), is around 1.20 implying that upscale hotels in Dubrovnik are good in providing guest satisfaction, but they rarely make an extra effort to delight their guests. The factors corresponding with staff professionalism and empathy are rated the highest (1.50 – moderately delighted), but problem-solving and surprise attributes are the lowest and literally non-existing (1.00 – no delight), which shows that Dubrovnik hotel staff have the necessary soft skills, but are not empowered. In other words, this is a management, not a staffing problem.

Since there isn’t much going on in terms of guest delight in upscale Dubrovnik hotels, it is not surprising that the statistical analysis showed that guest delight did not affect Dubrovnik hotel rates before COVID-19, nor it does now. This all leads to a conclusion that Dubrovnik upmarket hotels cannot qualify as luxury, because in the luxury segment, service without delight is literally nothing from the point of view of extractable value. On the other hand, guest delight ensures repeat business and higher rates, which in Dubrovnik, as high as they may seem for Croatia, are not luxury, with a few notable exceptions.

At the least, the findings imply that reasons why guests come to Dubrovnik are not related to hotel experiences, but should be sought in other attractors, such as natural beauty, cultural heritage, fair infrastructure, etc. It would seem that the lacking guest delight negatively affects the hotels’ ability to charge, costs, guest loyalty, and year-round occupancy, because the outside attractors fade outside of the season. This seems particularly important in the present COVID-19 crisis because many hotels try to compensate for the failing occupancy with lower rates which can put them into a tailspin. 

The said research was rated the best at the recent MakeLearn international conference and will be published in a prestigious scientific journal, which serves as another encouragement to the management to pay closer attention to guest delight. A delightful destination, such as Dubrovnik, deserves delighted guests who deserve to be delighted, too. 

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