February 16, 2021 – As one of the most popular activities in Croatia is having coffee at a bar, and while the coronavirus pandemic disables regular work for caterers, imagine how it would be easier for both caterers and guests if the waiter would bring the order over after one tap on the screen. With the innovative Croatian smart table, it seems like this scenario will soon be possible.

TabORDER, a Croatian smart table, offers contactless ordering and payment in catering facilities. It has a wooden surface with a built-in computer, electronics, a touch screen, and thick glass to protect against damages and spills.

The software part has an ordering application that includes the complete offer of an individual catering facility. It enables quick ordering without a waiter, sending the order directly to the cashier. It is also possible to pay via the table, which is another benefit in preventing the spread of coronavirus infection by reducing unnecessary social contact.

TabORDER / info-MINOVA

The ordering table can also serve as an interactive desk for using the Internet. It also has advertising space that can be an additional source of income for owners/caterers. To adapt to all caterers' requirements, mobile or tablet applications are also offered as a cheaper option of the contactless ordering system.

Young people and children loved Croatian smart table

Different screen, table, and stand sizes are available where design, material, top panel thickness, and stand can be picked.

The idea came from Mihaela Popović, the owner of the company info-MINOVA, the manufacturer of TabORDER. Like most people, Mihaela once waited for an order in a cafe when she got the thought of a smart table that would speed things up. How is it even possible that at the time of the greatest digitalization, something like this had not already been planned, Mihaela wondered.

TabORDER / info-MINOVA

"I reviewed existing similar solutions for applications, panels, and smart tables, but I didn't like them. At that time, an entrepreneurship competition had just come out where innovative ideas scored the most, so I wrote the first business plan for a smart table and suggested it to my brother. He is an expert in hardware and software solutions. We did not win the competition, but we decided to start the development ourselves. The prototype was made and exhibited for the first time at INOVA 2018 in Zagreb, where it received a lot of attention and interest from visitors, especially young people and children," explains Mihaela.

Croatian smart table soon in Zagreb and abroad?

This smart table has also been recognized at numerous innovation fairs. So far, TabORDER has won three awards: at the 7th Innovation Fair in Bjelovar in 2019, the innovation award at INOVA 2019 in Zagreb, and even the award at the ITE Expo Innovation Fair in London in 2019.

Mihaela Popović, owner of the info-MINOVA company and conceptual initial of the Croatian smart table TabORDER / info-MINOVA

Will we soon really be able to order food and drink via TabORDER? As Mihaela says, that will be possible soon in Zagreb and maybe even abroad. So far, they have focused on functionality and product testing, but the commercialization has begun in the last month.

"We have recently been realizing a facility that would have a complete system of our smart tables that offer digital ordering and advertising, and the facility should be opened in Zagreb soon. We also have several inquiries abroad, so we are arranging offers for them," says Mihaela.

Info-MINOVA was established in August 2018 as a continuation of the family business and brings together a team of design, electronics, hardware, and software experts. Their main activity is design, but they also create websites, applications, and sport scoreboards.

Solving tourism problems with Croatian smart table

Besides caterers, TabORDER could also be helpful to tourism workers, especially in hotels, as it reduces unnecessary social contact, which is currently extremely important for tourists when choosing a destination during a coronavirus pandemic. With the digitization of all systems, it enables better control and organization of the business. Mihaela emphasizes that they can offer similar solutions to all other tourism sectors and redesign the systems to their needs.

TabORDER / info-MINOVA

Although TabORDER seems like an excellent solution for catering facilities and tourism, caterers' first reactions were not good. Several caterers were skeptical. Given that the first TabORDER prototype was created before the coronavirus pandemic, it was considered a significant investment, and that it was not yet time for it.

TabORDER was not supported because some were not satisfied with the existing applications they used, which also created further mistrust. As an innovator and entrepreneur, Mihaela feels responsible but also insecure in these uncertain times. However, she is sure that TabORDER responds to all current challenges.

"For the last year, we have been witnessing the consequences of the coronavirus crisis that were left on all branches of the economy, especially on the catering sector. I believe that it is now necessary to make digitalization and that TabORDER offers complete digitalization while adapting to caterers' needs and capabilities," says Mihaela.

To read more about innovations from Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

February 16, 2021 – The Boranka afforestation campaign, an initiative for afforestation of burned areas, has won the European Citizens' Prize for 2020, a recognition awarded by the European Parliament for promoting European values and unity.

Since 2018, when the Croatian Scout Association started implementing it, the Boranka afforestation campaign has gathered more than 7,000 volunteers who have planted more than 85,000 new trees in the burned areas of Dalmatia. That is why Boranka has become the largest volunteer afforestation action in the whole of Europe, but also the most awarded non-profit campaign ever.

As the European Parliament office in Croatia reports, Dan Špicer, the Croatian Scout Association's business director and the Boranka campaign's main coordinator, pointed out that the European Citizens' Prize is a great honor and a great recognition.

"Our Boranka campaign showed how love for nature and the homeland could unite the whole of Croatia, but also be a great example to other European countries of how to treat the environment and the community responsibly. The Croatian Scout Association continues efforts to preserve nature in the future, and such awards are just an additional motivation for us to involve even more citizens and return the greenery to the black fires," said Špicer.

Source: Boranka

The Croatian Scout Association is the heir to the centuries-old tradition of the scout movement in Croatia. Besides, it is the largest organization for children and youth in the country.

The European Citizens' Prize has been awarded since 2008 to individuals and organizations for initiatives that strengthen the European spirit of solidarity, creativity, and motivation. It is also awarded for initiatives that specifically express the values contained in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Citizens and associations can apply for this award independently, and European Parliament members can also nominate candidates. In each Member State, the national jury selects the finalists. An Award Committee, chaired by the President of the European Parliament, chooses the final winners.

Previous winners in Croatia are: Martina Čuljak with the Help Balkans project, the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS), the humanitarian association Fr. Mladen Hrkać, which helps people with health problems and their families who come to Zagreb for treatment, the Transplant association that promotes organ donation and transplantation, and Tvrtko Baron, the director of the Jesuit Refugee Service in Southeast Europe.

For more news from Croatia, check out the TCN lifestyle section. 

February 16, 2021 – In an admiring new business profile, the most prestigious of British broadcasters looks at Croatian car innovator Mate Rimac BBC comparing him to Tesla's Elon Musk.

In an admiring new business profile, the most prestigious of British broadcasters looks at Croatian car innovator Mate Rimac BBC comparing him to Tesla's Elon Musk.

The Mate Rimac BBC profile is titled 'The hypercar maker who was told to give up his dream' and was published earlier today, Tuesday 16 February 2021. In the article, which is part business profile and part a personality profile on Mate Rimac BBC journalist and business correspondent Theo Leggett describes Rimac automobiles as “some of the most exotic machines on the planet”.

The BBC profile of Mate Rimac and his Rimac Automobili company, from earlier today © BBC screenshot

Direct quotes from the Mate Rimac BBC profile

“Rimac Automobili is best known for building ultra-exclusive electric hypercars,” says Mate Rimac BBC profile writer Mr Leggett.

“The Concept One, first unveiled in 2011, had a top speed of 354km/h (220mph). Only eight were ever made - and one was famously destroyed when the TV presenter Richard Hammond careered off the road during a competition in Switzerland.”

“Its successor the C_Two is even more extreme with a claimed top speed of 415km/h (258mph); able to accelerate from 0-97km/h (60mph) in 1.85 seconds. Due to go on sale this year, it's expected to have a price tag of €2m ($2.4m; £1.8m).”

The rimac C_Two © Branko Radovanović

“The cars are by any normal measure extraordinary. But they form only one part of Rimac's business model. Increasingly the company is setting itself up as a technology supplier to other manufacturers, to help them build their own high-performance electric cars.”

Alongside the obvious similarity of them both building electric cars, it is this expansion of the company's field of vision that prompts the Mate Rimac BBC profile journalist to compare the Croat to Tesla's Elon Musk.

Further along in the Mate Rimac BBC profile, the journalist interviews David Bailey, professor of industrial strategy at Birmingham University.

"Mate Rimac is seen as a real disruptor," says Professor Bailey. "His company has come from absolutely nowhere, their products are really exciting - and they've developed a brand round the hypercars."

ZAGREB, 16 February, 2021 - Due to the pandemic, the public debt increased by HRK 30 billion, the 2021 budget deficit will be 3% of GDP, and the public debt will increase to HRK 330 billion, Večernji List daily said on Tuesday.

This year, about HRK 50 billion in old debt is coming to maturity, so Finance Minister Zdravko Marić has to refinance it, and in addition to that, the state will have to borrow another HRK 12 billion, the daily said.

Thus, this year's budget deficit should be about 3% of GDP. Two larger bonds are coming to maturity, with the first foreign bond of $1.6 billion coming to maturity in March.

Preparations for refinancing that bond are already underway, and judging by the situation on the international money market, that debt should be, depending on the maturity, refinanced below one percent since the financing conditions are still extremely favourable.

Total public debt is expected to fall slightly toward 84% of GDP, after a marked increase from 73% to 86% of GDP in 2020 .

The public debt was increased by HRK 30 billion of the new budget deficit, which was caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

At the same time, the current surplus, which the banks hold in the Croatian National Bank (HNB), amounts to about HRK 60 billion, Večernji List said, carrying the statement of HNB's chief economist Vedran Šošić, who said that financing conditions were still very favourable and that the state's needs could be met very favourably.

February 16, 2021 - Mektić, Pavić, Dodig, Jurak have advanced to the semifinals of the Australian Open in the doubles competition! 

A fantastic Tuesday for Croatian tennis in Melbourne, as Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić, Ivan Dodig and Slovak partner Filip Polašek, and Darija Jurak and Serbian partner Nina Stojanović have all advanced to the Australian Open semifinals in the doubles competition! 

Nikola and Mate still have not tasted defeat in 2021 and reached the 12th consecutive victory in the quarterfinal celebration against the 8th seed, Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut - 6:4, 4:6, 7:6 (10:3).

The winners were decided by the tie-break of the third set, in which Herbert and Mahut took the 3:2 lead, and Mektić and Pavić then took eight consecutive points to celebrate in the end.

The 2nd-seeded team in the fight for the grand final will play against Ivan Dodig and Filip Polašek (9th-seed) who defeated the Australian team of Matthew Ebden and John-Patrick Smith in the quarterfinals - 6:4, 2:6, 6:2. The Croatian-Slovak duo had a key break to win in the third game of the deciding set, and then drew 15:40 in the next game, after which the Australians no longer had a chance to return.

Darija Jurak reached the best result of her career at the age of 37. Namely, Darija and her 12-year-younger Serbian partner Nina Stojanović reached the semifinals of women's doubles competition after winning against the Serbian-Italian team Aleksandra Krunić / Martina Trevisan - 6:7 (3), 6:3, 6:2.

After losing the first set, Jurak and Stojanović did not have any problems on the way to a new victory. In the fight for the grand final, they will play the 3rd-seeded Czech team, Barbora Krejčíková and Katerina Siniaková.

On the way to the finals, the Croatian-Serbian women's doubles team also shocked the first seed Su-Wei Hsieh and Barbora Strýcová. 

Bravo! 

Source: HTS

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

ZAGREB, 16 February, 2021 - The Jamnica water bottler and beverage producer of the Fortenova Group will start exporting to Ukraine as of next week, Jamnica said on Tuesday.

The shops of the Ukrainian Fozzy Group will offer three products from Jamnica -- natural mineral water Jana and two types of carbonated mineral water, Jamnica and MgMivela.

The press release carries a statement by the beverage sales executive at the Fortenova Group, Ivan Čevra, who underscored that it was a great opportunity for positioning Jamnica's products on the Eastern European market.

According to him, they see exporting into a new market, especially in these challenging times, as an excellent opportunity for new business success and business expansion in that part of Europe.

The Honorary Consul of Ukraine and representative of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce for Croatia and neighbouring countries, Ivica Pirić, said that the Fozzy Group had over 700 shops across Ukraine, and the first deliveries of Jamnica's products will be to Ukraine's largest cities and gradually expand to other parts of the country.

Ukrainians are big consumers of water, and the market has as many as 45 million inhabitants. Entering the Ukrainian market is a great opportunity not only for Jamnica but for other Croatian producers as well, he said.

When a product is launched in Ukraine, it is also positioned on the market of all seven countries in that part of the world, he said, adding that is it important for producers to be involved in the work of economic forums, which have proven excellent for doing business.

"We have mutual trust and excellent relations with Ukraine, as well as the support of Croatian ministries," Pirić said.

Together with Sarajevski Kiseljak, Mg Mivela and the Fonyodi and Jamnica Maribor companies, Jamnica forms the beverage division of the Fortenova Groupa, which currently exports its products to about 30 countries around the world. The portfolio of the beverage group includes Jamnica, Jana, Mg Mivela, Sarajevski Kiseljak, Jana fruit-flavoured water, Jana Vitamin, Jana Ice Tea, Sara, Sky Cola, Sensation, Botanica and Pro Sport.

For more business news from Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

ZAGREB, 15 February, 2021 - Foreign ministers Gordan Grlić Radman of Croatia and Ivan Korčok of Slovakia defended on Monday vaccine procurement at the level of the EU, which is being criticised for a slow rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

I think it's very good that the EU undertook joint steps for the member states and is jointly procuring the vaccine because if Croatia and Slovenia started procuring it on their own, they wouldn't be as successful, they wouldn't have such a good position, said Korčak, who is on a working visit to Croatia.

He said he was aware that the expected quantities had not arrived in the EU yet, but noted that the demand was simply too big and the production possibilities were not adequate for it.

Korčok said it was more important whether the vaccines were of adequate quality and if they were approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) rather than whether they were made in Russia, China or another country.

Grlić Radman said "people's health is a priority" in vaccine procurement. "Naturally, we are relying first and foremost on the EU, on solidarity and on the European Commission, which was in charge of vaccine procurement, on the principle of equity and equality."

He agreed that "all vaccines coming from third countries must comply with EU regulations, first and foremost the EMA's."

He said one would first wait for the vaccines from the EU but added that Croatia was willing to talk with other countries.

Sanctions against Russia

On 22 February, EU foreign ministers will discuss the imposition of sanctions against Russia in response to the arrest of Alexei Navalny, a fierce critic of the Kremlin.

Korčok said he regretted that EU-Russia relations, ever since the annexation of Crimea, were more on the level of mutual sanctions than on looking for solutions and possibilities to come out of the current situation.

He said it was important for the EU to agree a common stand on the relations with Russia which, he added, were not good at the moment.

It depends on Russia too if those relations will have the form of cooperation or confrontation, he said.

"Russia is first and foremost a global player, it is a fact, in the EU's immediate vicinity," said Grlić Radman, adding that one should have Russia as a partner despite disagreements on many issues.

"We have a dual approach, yes to sanctions, but also to dialogue," he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today accused the EU of the collapse of Moscow-Brussels relations.

At a meeting with Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, he said the 2014 Ukraine political crisis was the watershed in the relations with the EU, adding that Germany, France and Poland had undermined the possibility of peace in eastern Ukraine.

For the latest on Croatian politics, follow the dedicated TCN section.  

ZAGREB, 15 February, 2021 - The visiting Slovakian foreign minister Ivan Korčok said in Zagreb on Monday that he was hopeful that despite the complicated epidemiological situation his compatriots could go on summer holidays to Croatia this year.

Korčok told a news conference that in 2020, Slovaks were mostly interested in whether the epidemiological situation would allow them to vacation in Croatia.

He was cautious about forecasts for the further epidemiological developments, and explained that it is too early to promise to hundreds of thousands of Slovakian travellers a summer vacation in Croatia.

"However, we hope that this all will turn out better than expected."

Korčok praised the efforts of Croatia's authorities and tourism sector and the campaign "Stay safe in Croatia".

He called on the Croatians to visit Bratislava as well as other parts of his country in higher numbers.

In this context, Croatia's Foreign and European Affairs Minister, Gordan Grlić Radman, mentioned the plans for the reintroduction of the rail service from Prague via Bratislava to Croatia's coastal destinations for this summer season.

Grlić Radman thanked Slovakia for the earthquake relief which it sent to his country after the devastating quakes in 2020.

After Zagreb and its environs were affected by the 5.5-strong quake on 22 March, Bratislava immediately sent 128 beds and 200 sleeping bags, and after the 6.2-strong quake in Sisak-Moslavina County, Slovakia's authorities delivered 44 heaters and 120 sleeping bags.

Korčok said that they were happy to be able to provide the concrete aid and underscored the close relations between that the Slovaks and the Croatians.

He expressed sympathy for the human losses and material damage caused by those disasters.

The two ministers discussed the plans for the further European Union's enlargement, and they expected the bloc to overcome the stagnation in this process.

Korčok, who visited western Balkan countries last week, described the topic of enlargement as an important issue.

He praised those EU aspirants for their progress, however, also warned that there would be no shortcuts on their journey towards the Union. Those countries still have a lot to do in combatting corruption and implementing the rule of law, he added.

Grlić Radman welcomed the appointment of Slovakian politician Miroslav Lajčak as the EU envoy for the dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo.

For the latest travel news from Croatia, visit the dedicated TCN section.