March 10, 2021 - Crljenak Kaštelanski, easier pronounced as 'Tribidrag', is the most famous indigenous Croatian wine globally. It is the original Zinfandel, after all. 

Slobodna Dalmacija writes that this year, the people of Kaštela will make a toast to their well-known Crljenak Kaštelanski lineage, as it has been two decades since this forgotten variety returned.

Namely, twenty years ago, Kaštela discovered that their crljenak was the ancestor of the world-famous and renowned American zinfandel. Thus, the hard-working locals rolled up their sleeves to return this well-deserved splendor to their vineyards.

Thus, friends and admirers of wine and wine products came together in the Crljenak Kaštelanski Association, donated 500 vines to the winegrowers, and so the story began. A story about vineyards, vines, wine, taverns, festivities, evenings of wine, jazz, chocolate, evenings of crljenak under the stars, pairing food and wine, fairs, cooking competitions, gastronomic and wine tours, and more. 

Numerous events were organized in honor of that lineage and, finally, quality wines. Wines that have been crowned with numerous awards, plaques, and recognitions.

But how to continue preserving the heritage of their ancestors, further develop the story, and deliver a complete destination product in today's experience industry?

Thanks to Jakša Bedalov, Srećko Radnić, and the young Ivan Perišin, the celebratory program "Year of the Crljenak" will be held in Kaštela, the ancient homeland of zinfandel.

"We go first to Kozjak, at over 400 meters above sea level, to see where our ancestors planted vineyards and where we plant Crljenak," said Jakša Bedalov. 

"Our ancestors built borders, dry stone walls, as anyone calls these walls that enclose fertile soil and keep the earth from rushing down the slope. Clearing the fertile land was a very demanding job. You have to throw out a stone, dig up the ground, then stack the stone at the bottom and fill the ground again, for at least 60 centimeters of good soil," he says proudly and explains how you can buy half of Slavonia for one hectare of this hard Dalmatian land.

"I started rebuilding the vineyards of my ancestors in 2007, and now I have more than 14,000 vines, all indigenous varieties: maraština, dobričić, plavac mali, crljenak... I have more than 7000 red vines, high up on Kozjak. At the foot of the mountain is 800 meters above sea level. We are going to climb up, and you will see the view of Kaštela Bay. The Americans who had been touring the vineyards for years did not believe me that the ancestor of their zinfandel was growing there. But when they tried crljenak, they realized all the beauty and benefits of our climate for the vine," Bedalov adds.

Srećko spoke about the projects and events that will mark the 20th birthday of Crljenak.

"Our vision is that the projects "Creative and cultural industries," "Creative street" and "Kaštelanski Crljenak" will be the initiators of the overall development of our space. Both economically and socially! We are guided by the idea of the joint action of stakeholders in cultural and creative industries, local producers, and tourism, which is the latest practice and the most effective form of action in areas focused on tourism. The best example comes from the famous Napa Valley in California," Srećko said.

"We are expecting to celebrate 20 years since discovering that Kaštela is the ancestral home of the world-famous and recognized zinfandel, and our crljenak is its direct ancestor. Last year we celebrated "Crljenak Day" for the first time, and this year we will celebrate "Crljenak Year," for which we have prepared a special program. I want to point out how we will shape the "Story of our hero - the crljenak who returned home." We will present the documentary "In Zinfandel's Homeland" and organize a fair."

And it will all start with the “Creative Spring” event, which will be held for the fourth time in the preseason, from May 1 to June 21, over seven weeks and seven themed parts.

"We have "Gastro Week," then "Crljenak Kaštelanski Week," then "Film Week" and "Music Week," and then "Flower Week." "Kaštela Roads" will follow - boat tours, wine carriages, and at the end "Week of creative and cultural industries," Radnić says, announcing the premiere of another event - "Kaštela Culture Olympics," i.e., "OK Kaštela," but also traditionally "World Cup in Cuttlefish and Broad Beans."

"We will spend all this in our "Creative Kaštelanski Crljenak Street," which stretches from Kaštilac in Kaštel Gomilica to the tower Nehaj in Kaštel Štafilić, streets and squares along the coast, where various cultural events will take place.

The vineyards and wineries are the platforms for all these events because the vine and wine are the drivers of this whole story of recognizability and visibility of Kaštela as a favorite tourist and wine destination.

"The activities that we will carry out during the celebratory year are numerous. In addition to the symposium on the topic of crljenak, the story of the hero, and the project of protecting or designating origin for wine or vineyards, and remembering winemakers along "Crljenak Kaštelanski Street," the plan is also to open the Crljenak museum, then the Crljenak kaštelanski fair, and the label Zinfriendly," said Srećko of the important jubilee, where the City of Kaštela, the Tourist Board of Kaštela, the Museum of the City of Kaštela, the City Library, but also Split-Dalmatia County will lend a hand.

"We are doing all this in our honor," points out 23-year-old Ivan Perišin, who is planting a new, fourth vineyard with his father Vlado, giving them a total of more than 8,000 vines.

"The plan is to plant 2,500 new vines by my birthday on April 19, and all the land is on the slopes of Kozjak, at some 400 meters above sea level," says the young winegrower, adding that the tavern where they keep their wine, on the Kambelovac waterfront, is as old as Hajduk, from 1911. 

"The inhabitants of these areas were fishermen and farmers. The vineyards are their work, and our goal is to preserve what they left us," adds Bedalov, whose tasting room and tavern are also on the Kambelovac waterfront.

Together, they are working for Crljenak Kaštelanski to be recognized around the world. 

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

ZAGREB, 9 March, 2021 - Croatia is ready to take in about ten COVID patents from the Czech Republic and Slovakia each, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković tweeted on Tuesday after his telephone conversation with his counterparts Andrej Babiš of Czechia and Igor Matovič of Slovakia.

"I have conveyed Croatia's readiness to hospitalise about ten COVID-19 patients each from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, if necessary, taking into consideration the fact that their respective health systems are under strain," Plenković wrote on his Twitter account.

Croatia is showing its solidarity with EU member-states in the struggle against COVID-19, he underscored.

The Czech Republic, which has been one of the hardest hit countries in the world by the COVID epidemic recently, has asked Germany, Switzerland and Poland to take in dozens of COVID-19 patients as the situation in its own hospitals has reached a critical point.

Slovakia has already transferred some of its patients abroad this week.

Poland and Germany each have said that they can hospitalise ten patients from that country. 

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

ZAGREB, 9 March, 2021 - Labour Minister Josip Aladrović said on Tuesday that negotiations were underway with pensioner unions and associations about COVID supplements for retirees.

"We've had a few operational meetings and that issue is something that cannot be resolved in such a short time however, I am certain that we are on the right track for an agreement regarding a COVID supplement," said Aladrović, when asked by the press whether the talks reached a standstill.

He announced that talks on that issue would continue at the end of this week and in the coming period.

"I am certain that Croatia can become one of the countries that introduces a COVID supplement but we have to be aware on the other hand of the fiscal limits in our budget," he added.

Aladrović added that he would leave all options open,however, he is certain that good will for an agreement exists and that it is possible.

Asked whether the decision was waiting for the local election, Aladrović said that this is a supplement that is unknown in other European countries and that it cannot be brought into the context of current political circumstances and situations.

Last month during a meeting with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, pensioner associations raised the issue of a COVID supplement and asked for just over 800,000 pensioners with a pension allowance of up to HRK 2,710 to be paid a COVID supplement of €150 (HRK 1,125).

They also proposed that about 244,000 pensioners with pension allowances between HRK 2,710 and HRK 5,000 be given a supplement of €100 (HRK 750) and for 7,200 single pensioners who receive a pension allowance of more than HRK 5,000 to be given a supplement of €50 (HRK 375).

The supplement would, according to their calculations, come to HRK1.93 billion.

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

ZAGREB, 9 March, 2021 - Everything except respecting the law is politicising, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Tuesday, commenting on the election procedure for the Supreme Court president, on which he disagrees with President Zoran Milanović, who is recommending a candidate who did not apply for the job.

"There are no (legal) tricks. There is respecting the Constitution and the law that is in force. Everything else is politicising without any reason, a wish to make an issue out of the election of the Supreme Court president which seems incredible," Plenković told the press in Ivanić-Grad.

There is a prescribed procedure and the State Judicial Council (DSV) invited applications, of which everyone in the judiciary knew, he added.

"The law was passed after the SDP (Social Democrats) strongly criticised the existing procedure. When the law was being passed, they commended (the procedure), and now, all of a sudden, they are singing a different tune."

As for the DSV's claim that it does not have the instruments to again call for applications because the law does not specify that, the prime minister said this situation should not have happened and that the regulations that were in force should be honoured.

Unlike the president, who said parliament would debate his recommendation of Zlata Đurđević for Supreme Court president, Plenković said that under parliament's rules of procedure, that could not be put on the agenda.

Asked if he would meet with the president if he invited him, Plenković said, "I don't feel like communicating about that via the media."

"The man said he would call, he hasn't, so he is sending some message via our (ruling coalition) partner, Prefect Čačić. It's all bizarre really."

Speaking of Đurđević, the head of the Zagreb Faculty of Law criminal law department, Plenković said it was not about whether someone respected her because everyone knew the circle of people who could head the Supreme Court. He added that she had been Croatia's backup candidate for the European Court of Human Rights.

He said there was no constitutional crisis as the deadline for electing the new Supreme Court president was July, and wondered what prevented Đurđević from applying for the position earlier.

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

ZAGREB, 9 March, 2021 - Labour Minister Josip Aladrović said on Tuesday that better protection of platform workers would be addressed as part of Labour Act amendments and that an attempt would be made to regulate that type of work.Speaking to the press, he said the first round of consultations on the amendments was expected to be completed by the end of this month.

Aladrović said platform work was a new type of work "appearing everywhere in the world, including in Croatia."

It concerns first and foremost delivery workers and drivers working via digital global platforms. The minister said it was estimated that 5% of Europeans were platform workers.

"That's certainly a segment of work that will have to be additionally protected so that it's not part of precarious work and so that the safety of such jobs is of a higher level."

Aladrović said Croatia could be one of the first countries in Europe to regulate that type of work by law.

Since this type of work is not adequately regulated, it is difficult to speculate how many people in Croatia are platform workers, he said, adding that it was yet to be seen how platform work would be regulated.

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

ZAGREB, 9 March, 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković visited Ivanić-Grad on Tuesday, underscoring good cooperation with local and Zagreb County governments.

Speaking to the press after meeting with Mayor Javor Bojan Leš and County Prefect Stjepan Kožić, Plenković said that the investments made by the county and the town complemented government efforts to keep jobs.

"The funds for this purpose have so far affected 57,000 workers as HRK 512 million has been disbursed for job retention," the prime minister said.

€51 million from EU for county development projects

Plenković said that during the term of his government €51 million worth of projects had been agreed with the EU for this county, contributing to its development. He noted that following the reform of the local and regional government funding law, this county had received 28 percent more revenues in 2020 than in 2017.

Zagreb County has established itself among the five most developed counties in Croatia, Plenković said, praising Ivanić-Grad for investing in school infrastructure, sports halls and health tourism.

Mayor Leš highlighted the investment in the Naftalan medical rehabilitation centre and expressed his satisfaction with the collaboration with the government on public sewage system construction.

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

March 9, 2021 – When it comes to traveling, Croatia has been known as a gay-friendly destination, even though not all Croatians in every part of the country are fond of accepting gay and lesbian couples. In a recent study, LGBTQ travel safety in Croatia ranks 39th on the list of 150 world's most popular countries for LGBTQ+ travel.

The research has been conducted by Asher and Lyric Fergusson, an Australian-American married couple, who write and do the research studies on topics that help travelers to travel safely. They have now taken an in-depth look at LGBTQ+ rights, country by country, reviewed individual laws and gathered data from various trusted international sources to create the definitive "LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index" that shows safest, as well as least safe countries for LGBTQ+ travel.

After more than 250 hours of research, they made a list of 150 most (and least) popular countries, where Croatia took 39th place. We reviewed the information brought out about Croatia and added some useful information about LGBTQ+ communities in Croatia.

Croatia in the first third of best countries for LGBTQ+ safety

In a comprehensive overview, researchers listed 150 countries from worst to best regarding travel safety for LGBTQ members. The criteria according to which they made a list consists of ten critical factors:

• Legalized same-sex marriages
• Worker protections
• Discrimination protections
• Criminalization of violence
• Adoption recognitions
• Quality of life
• Transgender legal identity laws
• Illegal same-sex relationships
• Morality laws

Source: Asherfergusson.com

According to the data collected by these criteria, the researchers gave Croatia an index of 188 points and a grade C+ from most safe to highest dangerous places (A to F), placing it among the first third of the best countries in the world in terms of LGBTQ+ safety.

In Croatia, the same sex-relationships are legal since 1977. However, same-sex marriage or families are not permitted, but same-sex life partnership is (i.e., civil union). The Life Partnership Act came into force back in 2014, and since then, hundreds of life partnerships have been concluded, with male life partnerships being slightly more common than female. Also, it is legal to change gender without sex reassignment surgery.

Violence against the members of the LGBTQ community is considered a hate crime in Croatia. Although this study says only sexual orientation is protected in Croatia, the truth is, both sexual orientation and gender identity are protected by numerous Croatian laws. The protections against discrimination are broad, although not constitutional. Croatian Constitution still does not include same-sex families, defining marriage only as "a life-long community of woman and man." However, one year ago, the Constitutional Court gave the right to same-sex couples in Croatia to be foster parents. Before, only single gay people could adopt children.

Source: Asherfergusson.com

The top ten safest countries for LGBTQ+ travel are Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, Malta, Portugal, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Spain, Norway, and France. At the very end of the list, being the world's least safe countries for LGBTQ+ travel are Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Malawi, Oman, Jamaica, Myanmar, Qatar, UAE, and Yemen.

Interestingly, the study shows that less than 25 percent of people said Croatia was a good place to live, according to Gallup's poll question's votes. These statements are arguable since one can experience life and circumstances in Croatia only by visiting it personally. Nonetheless, many places in Croatia have been gay-friendly for a long time, especially tourist destinations.

LGBTQ-friendly destinations in Croatia

Among Croatia's popular tourist destinations, Dubrovnik is considered the most LGBTQ-tolerant, while its neighboring island of Lokrum welcomes gays on nudist beaches. Of other popular Croatian coastal destinations, Split, Rovinj, Krk, Rab, Rijeka, and Hvar also welcome members of the LGBTQ community. Rab island has also become the first declared gay-friendly destination in Croatia.

Naturally, any larger town in Croatia that depends on tourism is accommodating, and gay and lesbian couples won't face discrimination. Some even go that far as to say that Croatia is one of the most tolerant countries in Europe for LGBTQ+ travelers. Meanwhile, people in smaller towns in rural parts of Croatia, due to their high traditional and religious values, tend to be very judgemental.

Last year, Croatia saw 66 new same-sex life partnerships, increasing for as many as 47 life partnerships than in 2019. Most of them were registered in Zagreb and Primorje-Gorski Kotar and Istria counties. The first gay marriage was even held in Slavonia, in Kutjevo, where such marriages are still not very well accepted among citizens, which gained a lot of interest there.

Bigger cities such as Zagreb find same-sex marriages and LGBTQ communities acceptable, as proven by the Zagreb Pride celebration of many years standing, even in pandemic-marked 2020. Still, a recent horrific hate crime perpetrated in Zagreb's Maksimir Park against a gay man, when two attackers threw a Molotov cocktail on him and caused him second-degree burns. Zagreb Pride association later condemned the attack, calling it the "worst anti-gay hate crime ever reported in Croatia." They and such associations, most of which are located in Zagreb, are trying to improve the position of LGBTQ people in the community, i.e., in Croatia.

Pride celebrations have also been organized in Croatian cities of Split and Osijek, while some other supporting celebrations occasionally happened in Rijeka and Pula as well. Also, Croatia's numerous music festivals and carnivals always welcome LGBTQ music lovers.

Although not all Croatians are tolerant, nor does Croatia have all legal protections for gay or lesbian persons, it seems like times are slowly changing for the better in creating a safe and tolerant environment for LGBTQ+ people.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages.

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.

March 9, 2021 - The U-21 Croatia player list has been released by coach Igor Bišćan ahead of the European Championship in Hungary and Slovenia later this month. 

The young Croatia national football team will play at the European Championship after a turbulent qualifying campaign and will soon compete in the group stage against Portugal (March 25), Switzerland (March 28), and England (March 31). A spot in the quarterfinals will be won by the two best national teams from each group.

The list of players for the European Championship includes 23 names, including three goalkeepers.

Goalkeepers: Adrian Šemper (Chievo), Dominik Kotarski (Ajax), Ivan Nevistić (Rijeka)

Defenders: Borna Sosa (Stuttgart), Domagoj Bradarić (Lille), Marin Šverko (Saarbrücken), Joško Gvardiol (Dinamo), Martin Erlić (Spezia), Krešimir Krizmanić (Gorica), Mario Vušković (Hajduk)

Midfielders: Nikola Moro (Dinamo Moskva), Lovro Majer (Dinamo), Kristijan Bistrović (Kasimpasa), Darko Nejašmić (Hajduk), Mihael Žaper (Osijek), Bartol Franjić (Dinamo), Luka Sučić (RB Salzburg)

Attackers: Luka Ivanušec (Dinamo), Sandro Kulenović (Rijeka), Petar Musa (Union Berlin), Dario Špikić (Gorica), Dario Vizinger (Wolfsberger), Marko Divković (Dunajska Streda)

Croatia will face three demanding exams at this year's European Championship. Coach Igor Bišćan believes that his players have something to say in the competition against Portugal, Switzerland, and England.

"England is a category unto themselves, extremely strong and one of the favorites of the whole competition. They all play at a high level, not only relying on physical strength but also adding tactical awareness and technique, and imagination. Their value is close to the world's largest A-selections. Portugal is a copy of their senior team, they cultivate the same combinatorial style, and they are challenging and experienced enough in competitive football. They will take advantage of any carelessness and punish it. They have several individuals from the world’s biggest clubs; they are where our players would one day want to be. They may not have adequate minutes, but their quality is indisputable. England and Portugal should go further. Switzerland is tough, solid, organized, and a couple of players from our region give them a dose of unpredictability. However, we are also good; it will be a demanding group, a real test to see where we are concerning the best and those close to us," he said.

In the first two group games, Croatia will not count on the suspended Borna Sosa, but in cooperation with Zlatko Dalić, they have yielded a solution.

"Sosa is too important, good and high quality not to count on him, and it is to be assumed that the last game in the group will be important. If the last game does not decide on something, he will join the A-selection, which speaks volumes about his form. I am glad that Dalić gave us Bradarić, we are cooperating very well, and he showed a correct attitude. We have a great situation with high-level players," Bišćan explained.

Some players also bring experience from the last European Championship, but this will be somewhat different due to the format change.

"That experience can help, but unfortunately, we don't have Boško Šutal due to a foot injury, and it really hit us, as we are the thinnest on the right defender. A tournament like this is a nice experience for every young footballer's career and an opportunity to present his talent on a phenomenal stage. This competition is specific; there is no time to play. We gather on Monday and Tuesday, and the match is already on Thursday - it should be more suitable for individually stronger teams. At the same time, it does not allow others to cancel that advantage. He who is ready from the first second to switch from the club rhythm without stumbling will do well. I'm sorry that there are no fans, Koper is close, but it's best to get out of the group, so maybe something will change for the quarterfinals," concluded Bišćan.

Source: HNS

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.