Croatian Drive-In Vaccination Point Begins Work in Virovitica-Podravina!
May the 4th, 2021 - The very first Croatian drive-in vaccination point has been put into function in Virovitica-Podravina County as issues surrounding the vaccination process continue nationwide.
The Croatian vaccination rollout has been plagued by inadequate amounts of vaccine doses, problems at the European Union level involving contracts with the industry and of course, the latest in a series of unfortunate events being the failure of the online vaccine registration platform - Cijepi se.
You'd think that the very first Croatian drive-in vaccination point would be in the City of Zagreb, but it seems that a much smaller part of the country has come up with the idea first. Virovitica-Podravina county has decided that this is the best and quickest way of vaccinating the population against the novel coronavirus and hopefully bringing an end to the pandemic.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Miroslav Venus, the president of the Croatian Epidemiological Society, described to N1 how the brand new Croatian drive-in vaccination point functions.
“Drive-in vaccination is much more safe epidemiologically, because when people come on foot, they can end up spending a lot of time right next to each other. This is also more pleasant for people as an experience,'' explained Venus, adding that the vaccination rollout in Virovitica is being carried out at three points and that in addition to the drive-in at two points, the classic way of handling the vaccination process is also being performed, where people can still come on foot to receive their dose.
"By the end of June, we could have 50-60 percent of the population vaccinated against the novel coronavirus at the county level," Venus said.
Venus has also assessed the situation in the country when it comes to vaccinations as good, regardless of the problems that have arisen on both a national and at the European Union level.
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.
MIRET Eco Sneakers Win First Place, Gold, and Silver at Global Footwear Awards
May 4, 2021 - MIRET eco sneakers have once again proven they are among the world’s best after the recently held Global Footwear Awards!
The Global Footwear Awards recognises the efforts of talented footwear designers around the world and aims to celebrate their exceptional creations on a global scale while honouring sustainable practices that will inspire the industry as a whole.
Among the world-class competition, Hrvoje Boljar won 1st place overall in the category of Materials Sourcing for the MIRET project, and Gold in the category of Materials sourcing/Biodegradable materials. For her MIRET Forest Dark collection, Ana Boljar won Silver in the category of Materials sourcing/Biodegradable materials.
The Global Footwear Awards jury consists of leading industry professionals whose talents and contributions to the footwear community are aspirational. They are professionals coming from different disciplines within the footwear industry including major publications, retailers, and institutions such as Vera Wang, Adidas, Prada, Hugo Boss, Roberto Cavalli, London College of Fashion, Royal College of Art, MIT Institute of Design, British GQ, Vogue Italy, and more.
Global Footwear Awards is MIRET’s second major recognition, after receiving the IDA International Design Award in 2020.
Recognised as a forerunner in sustainable footwear
This award is a great acknowledgment of MIRET’s 6 year-long research and work, but also a great encouragement for future work.
Photo credit: Domagoj Blažević
"This award is great recognition for our hard work and research, and we are very proud and grateful.
We are at the beginning of the era where sustainability comes first. As ecology is our primary goal, through the MIRET project, we try to inform the public and shed light on the urgency of environmental action needed. We are fully aware that everything we humans make hurts the environment, but there are ways of doing things better. This award best shows in which direction we are going and what we are striving for," said the MIRET founders.
Photo credit: Domagoj Blažević
Domagoj and Hrvoje got involved with the footwear industry when they were very young and saw the industry first-hand from the inside. They realised that the products of the industry are incompatible with nature and that the entire process from raw materials to the end of the product's life-cycle is toxic to the environment. From that moment on, the most important thing was to start doing things in a better way, one material at a time, component by component, step by step.
The primary principle of the award-winning MIRET project is ecology. With so much plastic in the earth, air, and water, with so many huge environmental problems surfacing every day, they have personally developed a sort of a phobia and disgust towards plastics and toxic chemicals. They embarked on a quest for healthier materials and for manufacturing partners willing to listen, willing to acknowledge there was a problem, and brave enough to try to make a change.
Six years later, MIRET sneakers are at 97% bio-based content. The brothers say that MIRET is far from being completely sustainable, and a lot of work needs to be done, but they are on the right path.
Materials as their strength
They are actively trying to develop new materials and manufacturing techniques that will render their products more eco-friendly. Believing that everything starts with materials, they design their products starting from materials up.
New technology is key to developing future materials, but old unused knowledge must not be disregarded. The world before synthetics and oil was much more in tune with nature. There are more sustainable alternatives already out there, it is just that they were abandoned because they were not able to compete with petroleum-derived plastics, economically wise. One other important thing to note is that our relationship to the environment and nature starts already at home and in educational systems. So what thrills them is a shift in design schools happening all around the world, which is slowly moving the emphasis from designing products, towards material research and development.
So, what's next?
"Our plans for the future are to develop new generations of our sneakers and work towards more sustainable solutions," concluded the MIRET founders.
Photo credit: Domagoj Blažević
Learn more about the amazing MIRET project by visiting the official website here, and read more about MIRET’s eco sneakers on TCN HERE.
For more news about everything made in Croatia, be sure to follow TCN’s dedicated page.
Supported by Zicer
Croatia Airlines Summer Flights to 33 International Destinations from 4 Croatian Airports!
May 4, 2021 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Croatia Airlines summer flights have been announced to 33 international destinations from 4 Croatian Airports!
Croatian Aviation reports that the Croatian national airline Croatia Airlines announced a destination plan for this summer season with departures from four Croatian airports: Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, and Rijeka.
The largest number of international lines was announced from its central hub, Zagreb, with as many as 14 lines, followed by Split, Dubrovnik, and Rijeka.
This summer, Croatia Airlines will operate from Zagreb to as many as 14 European destinations. Most of the announced lines are already in service. Still, with the beginning of June, the number of weekly operations to almost all destinations is expected to increase and the introduction of regular lines to Dublin and Athens.
Certain destinations to which Croatia Airlines normally operated from Zagreb in the summer were missing. The company points out that it is ready to react to the increase in demand and operate on certain routes that are not currently announced if necessary.
The Croatian national carrier will increase the number of international routes from Split Airport. Namely, as many as 12 scheduled flights have been announced, and a new one will operate - Croatia Airlines will connect Prague and Split with one flight a week, on Saturdays. Return tickets on this line are currently on sale for 970 kuna.
In addition to Prague, regular routes to Vienna, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, London, Lyon, Munich, Paris, Rome, and Zurich are also announced.
Although Croatia Airlines does not currently have international routes from Dubrovnik, this will change as early as this month when Dubrovnik will be connected to Frankfurt again. Along the route to Frankfurt, Croatia will offer direct flights from Dubrovnik to Athens, Munich, Paris, Rome, and Zurich.
Rijeka should be connected to Munich again from the beginning of June. Croatia Airlines plans three flights a week on this route, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and in addition to the code-share with Lufthansa, a flight is also available on Saturdays. This is extremely important for Rijeka Airport, which has no new routes this year (only one from Frankfurt), so Croatia Airlines will connect Rijeka with a large European hub such as Munich.
In addition to regular lines, the company has been engaged on charter lines for a long time, which is planned to continue this summer season, especially on charters from the markets of Austria, Italy, Ireland, Israel, and Scandinavia.
Tickets on all these routes are available for booking on the official website of the national airline.
With 33 international routes from and to four Croatian airports, Croatia Airlines will support the tourism sector in Croatia in this summer season. Like last year, it will be imperative to have good air connections with European destinations.
Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.
For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Japanese Nipro Acquires Croatian Glass Pharmaceutical Packaging Producer
May 3, 2021 - The Japanese company called Nipro PharmaPackaging International NV has taken over the Croatian glass pharmaceutical packaging producer "Piramida".
That regional private equity fund, which has completed the sale of its 100 percent ownership stake in Piramida to Nipro PharmaPackaging International NV, a subsidiary of Nipro Corporation which has its headquarters in Japan, says in a press release that after it had acquired Piramida, it had "invested in the acquisition of 8 new production lines, the modernization of facilities and the development of the vials business. "
"Under Blue Sea Capital’s ownership, Piramida has increased the number of employees by 35% and doubled production capacities, as well as revenues. Moreover, the company is now ranked in the top five largest glass ampoule manufacturers for the pharmaceutical industry in the European market," says Piramida's former owner.
One of the world’s leading producers of medical equipment and pharmaceutical packaging, headquartered in Japan, has recognized the Croatian company's outstanding results. Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed Nipro Corporation generates more than USD 4 billion in annual revenues, employs over 33,000 people, and serves the Pharmaceutical, Medical Device, and Pharma Packaging Industries.
Its new owner "Nipro PharmaPackaging" is specialized in developing and manufacturing advanced pharma packaging products and complete packaging solutions for early development drugs or the enhancement of packaging solutions for existing drugs.
Kresimir Sečak, CEO of Piramida, was quoted as saying that "together with Blue Sea Capital we managed to spur strong growth in Piramida and transform it into one of the most attractive Croatian SMEs that exports 97% of its production to a blue-chip customer portfolio. The management team is looking forward to working with Nipro to advance further Piramida’s position on the European and global markets."
To read more about news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Ancient Iron Mine in Dugopolje Discovered (VIDEO)
May 3, 2021 - An ancient iron mine in Dugopolje has been discovered near the settlement of Kotlenice!
At the foot of the Mali Mosor hill near the settlement of Kotlenice (Dugopolje municipality), there is an underground mine in which iron was mined during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was likely mined for the needs of the Roman legion in Trilj's Tirulija, reports Dalmacija Danas.
Saša Sapa Stojanović
However, as the Romans forcibly occupied these areas, it is assumed that they took it from the Illyrians.
Saša Sapa Stojanović
The history of this mine is increased by three entrances and dozens of trenches. The lowest point of the mine is about 35 meters below ground level and branches almost a kilometer in all its directions.
"We urge you not to enter the mine without equipment or expert guidance due to the danger of getting lost or injured by the collapse of fragile material," says the author of the video "Ancient mine - secrets of the underground labyrinth in Kotelnice," Jurica Galić Juka.
Saša Sapa Stojanović
At the end of this instructive and interesting video, speleologists gave a great example of how to protect the heritage of their homeland. Namely, the truck tire thrown into the mine was taken to the surface and then deposited in a container.
For more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Survey Shows One in Four Young Croats Are Politically Illiterate
May 3, 2021 - One-quarter of young Croats are politically illiterate, Professor Berto Šalaj from the Faculty of Political Sciences in Zagreb said on Monday while presenting the results of a recent survey.
The survey was conducted in March this year among 1,122 final-year secondary school students in 59 schools.
Insufficient implementation of civic education
Commenting on students' poor results in three-year vocational programs, who accounted for 23% of the respondents, Profesor Šalaj said that "society has decided that they do not need to be politically literate." That, in turn, means that as future voters in elections, they don't need to know anything about political processes, institutions, or parties, which is a serious social problem, he added.
These results prove that society has done almost nothing to implement civic education, even though some aspects have been included across different subjects, but that is not enough, Šalaj said.
The survey results were presented by Jelena Matić Bojić and Nikola Baketa from the Institute for Social Research, and Ana Ljubojević from the University of Graz also commented on them.
Noting that young people often do not know basic political facts, Baketa said that, for example, they do not know which countries are members of the EU or when Croatia joined NATO. He underlined that the survey shows that young people do not understand basic political notions; they do not trust political institutions but trust the army and science.
Only 7.2% of young people trust political parties and see them as a "tool to get a job," without having any ideological opinions.
Even though most young people get their information from social networks and news websites, they trust them the least.
Young people's sociopolitical views slightly more democratic than in 2015
Noting that the survey dealt with political knowledge, prejudices and stereotypes, values, media literacy, civic culture, and habits, Bojić said that the results show that young people's sociopolitical views were slightly more democratic than in 2015.
This includes views on homosexuality, he said, adding that one-third of young people consider homosexuality an illness and that homosexuals shouldn't publicly declare their homosexuality because this has a bad influence on young people.
Attitudes towards gender equality are a little more progressive, although one-quarter of respondents are still indecisive about this aspect.
The positive point is that 90% of young people can imagine having a friend from a different race, religion, or nationality.
75% support extracurricular programs in Vukovar
Part of the survey dealt with the Homeland War and World War II. Ljubojević said that three-quarters of respondents support extracurricular activities in Vukovar and want to learn more about the Homeland War, with 45% saying they did not know enough about it.
On the other hand, few expressed any interest in visiting places like Jasenovac or Dotrščina, where they could learn more about World War II.
As far as the pro-Nazi Independent State of Croatia (NDH) is concerned, 15% do not consider it a fascist state, which is significantly different to six years ago when 72% did not see the NDH as a fascist regime.
About 45% of students consider the chant "For the Homeland Ready" acceptable, while 25% are opposed to it and 30% are indecisive.
More than 50% consider the former Yugoslavia a communist dictatorship, while 50% consider that Croats were subordinate in that state.
For more, follow our politics section.
Croatia Tourist Figures for April and Labour Day Better Than in 2020
May 3, 2021 - During the Labour Day weekend, there were 41,400 tourists in Croatia, who generated 157,000 bed nights, which is 277% more bed nights than in the same period last year, and the number of bed nights for all of April was 116% higher year on year.
The 41,400 tourists in Croatia over the Labour Day weekend increased as much as 2,000% compared with the same period in 2020 when the country was in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, and there were hardly any tourists at all.
This year's numbers give "some hope and optimism and indicate further positive trends," the HTZ said.
There were 239,000 tourists in Croatia in April, which is 2,356 more than in April 2020, while the number of bed nights increased by 116% to 846,000.
In the first four months of the year, 592,000 tourists were registered in Croatia, and about 2 million bed nights, which is about 90% of last year's results or a contraction of 10%. The HTZ noted that in the first two months and a half of 2020, there weren't travel restrictions in the world but that they were imposed afterward.
Brnjac: Croatia prepared for more tourists
Commenting on the results, Minister of Tourism and Sports Nikolina Brnjac said, according to a press release issued by her ministry, that Croatia recorded a successful four months despite the pandemic.
"Croatia is recognized as a responsible and safe tourism destination, which is confirmation of all the efforts we are investing in creating optimal preconditions for tourists and citizens," said Brnjac.
Great interest has been expressed by guests from Germany, Austria, Poland, and Slovenia, she said, adding that "this positive trend will continue with a favorable epidemiological situation."
Data from eVisitor and eCrew (nautical tourism) indicate that foreign tourists were predominant during the Labour Day weekend, accounting for 23,000 of 41,400 tourists and 157,000 bed nights generated during that weekend, 112,000 were by foreign tourists.
The majority of bed nights were generated by domestic tourists, followed by Slovenia, Poland, and Germany.
Most bed nights were recorded in Istria, Kvarner, Split-Dalmatia County, and Zadar County, with Rovinj, Zagreb, Poreč, Zadar, Dubrovnik, Mali Lošinj, and Split as the most popular destinations in terms of bed nights.
Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.
For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
World Press Freedom Day: SNH Warns of Worsening Situation for Journalists
May 3, 2021 - The Croatian Journalists' Union (SNH) marked World Press Freedom Day on Monday with a symbolic campaign called "Five Minutes of Deafening Silence" drawing attention to the worsening working and professional status of journalists and problems faced by local media.
Problems in the media sector and pressure on journalists have been increasing for years across the world and have been exacerbated by the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, the SNH said in a statement.
It noted that work from home was threatening to become a permanent informal and insecure form of work for journalists, restricting their working and professional rights.
The Croatian media sector is facing a series of problems - a media strategy that has been talked about for years has not been adopted yet and the existing legislation is full of shortcomings and needs to be made more specific to ensure the role of the media in a democratic society and prevent political control, the statement said, citing the Media Act and the Croatian Radio and Television Act.
Citing a report by media watchdog Reporters Without Borders, the SNH said that the Croatian public broadcasting service HRT was left over to the ruling majority to interfere in its personnel policy and decision making.
The SNH also stressed the need to change the Electronic Media Act to stop the rise in hate speech and attacks on journalists, as well as the Criminal Code, which public and political figures use to bring hundreds of defamation charges against journalists.
According to this year's survey by the Croatian Journalists Association (HND), at least 924 lawsuits have been brought against Croatian media outlets and journalists seeking as much as HRK 78.5 million in damages, which is HRK 10 million more compared with a similar survey conducted in 2020. The actual number of lawsuits is believed to be higher.
"We can speak of more than 1,000 lawsuits and can say that in Croatia there is a shameful culture of taking journalists to court to exhaust them financially and discourage them professionally," HND president Hrvoje Zovko said.
To read more about news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Unique Experience of Working "From Home" - in Croatia: Seaside Offices
May 3, 2021 - German Alexandra Horvat is behind the idea that offers her clients a unique experience of working "from home" -- in Croatia, intended for those wishing to replace their home office during lockdown with an apartment with a sea view.
"Sitting at the computer for hours on end is different when you can see the endless blue of the sea behind the monitor", said 28-year-old Norman Bertram who swapped his Hannover office for one in Marušići near Omiš.
"This is wonderful, I've been here for four weeks. Since Germany is in a complete lockdown, it is very relaxing to just sit here and watch the sea every day, regardless of the job. What I like most is freedom of movement and having everything close by. Yesterday, I went down to the beach, sunbathed a bit and had a swim", say Norman.
The woman responsible for making such an experience possible is Alexandra Horvat. After she had decided to move from Germany to Croatia, she put together what Croats have in front of their noses but don't appreciate enough.
"In these times of coronavirus, the concept of a non-classic office is what many need. I have seen for myself how staying here has had a positive effect on me and my family, so I thought: why not turn it into a project everyone would benefit from? I firmly believe this is something that will take off also after COVID, because the future is in mobile business, when work and leisure will be closely linked", Alexandra said.
It didn't take long from the idea to its realisation. She bought a house in Mimice, contacted local renters, who recognised the benefits of the project. In order not to leave the apartments empty out of season, they offer them at a lower price, and Alexandra and her team are in charge of office equipment, which they install on site, and of the entire logistic support, including food, excursions, wellness, doctors and anything else guests might need.
The most important thing is that young people get the opportunity to work, learn and progress, Alexandra Horvat says, noting that after moving she first noticed a lot of young people without prospects who only think about leaving Croatia. She wanted to show that conditions for a decent life can be created everywhere with a little will and effort, especially when it comes to the IT industry.
She thinks that for a small local community such as the one in Omiš, where she decided to establish her base, employing five young people is a big deal.
That the concept is successful is confirmed by inquiries and bookings from companies and independent clients not only from Germany but also from the USA, Ireland, Austria, the United Kingdom, Norway and Russia. How everything will develop depends on each country and the restrictions currently in place there.
If you want to know more about Omiš, be sure to check Total Croatia's guide HERE.
For more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Croatia's Coronavirus Update: 349 New Cases, 36 Deaths, 2,087 Recoveries
ZAGREB, 3 May 2021 - Over the past 24 hours, Croatia has registered 349 new cases of the coronavirus infection and 36 deaths, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Monday.
The number of active cases in Croatia today stands at 11,378. There are 2,247 COVID patients in hospitals, 244 of whom are on ventilators.
Since the first confirmed case of the infection in Croatia on 25 February 2020, a total of 335,522 people have been registered as having contracted coronavirus, 7,218 of them have died, while 316,926 have recovered, including 2,087 in the last 24 hours.
There are currently 30,225 people in self-isolation.
To date, 1,827,068 people have been tested, including 4,193 over the past 24 hours.
As of 2 May, 908,839 doses of the vaccine have been administered in Croatia, and 708,137 people have been vaccinated, with 504,856 people receiving the first dose and 200,702 receiving both doses. For 2,579 people there is no data on how many doses they have received.
For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, including travel, border, and quarantine rules to the locations of vaccination points and testing centres throughout the country, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section.
