February 15, 2021 - Spokesman of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Croatia, Matvey Sidorov, spoke about the possibility of the Sputnik V vaccine in Croatia. 

The spokesman of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Croatia, Matvey Sidorov, was a guest of New Day on N1. He spoke about the Russian vaccine Sputnik V and the possible delivery of that vaccine to Croatia.

Sidorov did not want to talk about the meeting between Prime Minister Plenković and the Russian ambassador before the government announced them.

"Sputnik V was on the table, and the Russian ambassador conveyed good intentions. We spoke about possibilities and details," he said.

He also cited the example of a European Union member state that already uses the Sputnik V vaccine.

"We have such an example; it is Hungary. An agreement was concluded on January 22, and on February 1, the vaccine arrived in Hungary," Sidorov said.

The number of vaccines is a complex and logistical issue, Sidorov said, stating that it is a matter that the appropriate people in the departments could solve.

“Palestine got the vaccine in three weeks, but it was through Israel. Two weeks is the normal approximate speed of delivery, but this should be resolved between the Russian manufacturer and the appropriate body in the Republic of Croatia according to your vaccination plan," said Sidorov.

He reiterated that they are always ready to help.

"We will not use it as a geopolitical benefit. We want to vaccinate the whole world as soon as possible. We also consider an agreement on the production of Russian vaccines in other countries possible," Sidorov added.

Sidorov noted that Russia had not set any conditions on the table for importing vaccines and thinks that there will be no such conditions.

Sidorov said 2.5 million citizens were vaccinated in Russia last week, and now there are just about 3 million people.

“Mass free vaccinations started on January 18. There are several mobile centers in Moscow and other major cities. Every citizen of Russia or foreign citizen who has a residence in Russia can be vaccinated," he explained.

No one has yet been vaccinated at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Zagreb.

"It would take at least three weeks to go to Russia. That is why we are waiting for Sputnik V in Croatia. We cannot be vaccinated on the territory of the Republic of Croatia without the appropriate permits from state bodies," Sidorov said.

He recalled a study in the medical journal The Lancet that reported that the Sputnik V vaccine's effectiveness was 91.8 percent.

“We find it quite effective, at the level of any other vaccine in the world. We are confident about this vaccine," Sidorov said.

Asked why the Russian vaccine has not yet been approved in the European Union, he replied: “I can't say. We have sent a request to the European Medicines Agency, and we are waiting for an official response from them. We are ready for that. I don't really know why it's not going in that direction."

The number of vaccine doses delivered would depend entirely on the relevant bodies' ideas and plans in Croatia.

"As we agree, so it will be. I do not see any limit on the number of doses. I don't see any obstacles to a large number of doses," said Sidorov.

He once again noted that the quantity would depend on Croatia's official requirements.

"We are always ready for dialogue. Our embassy is ready to do it as soon as possible and deliver it," he concluded.

Illustration by Little Shiva

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ZAGREB, 15 February, 2021 - Epidemiologist Branko Kolarić has said that 2% of Croatia's population has been vaccinated against COVID-19 so far and that the number of vaccinations would have been three times higher had the preordered amounts of vaccine been delivered on time. 

"We have vaccinated around 2% of the population, and the number of those vaccinated would have been three times higher had we received the vaccine on time," Kolarić, who is a member of the government's Scientific Advisory Council, told the N1 broadcaster on Monday.

He dismissed claims that around 50% of the population had contracted the disease.

"Many other parameters are taken into account and the percentage of (those who have contracted the virus) is much lower, between 10 and 20% or 25% at the most," he said.

Asked about out-of-order vaccination, he said that it was not good but warned against making registers of vaccinated people public.

Kolarić also noted that one should not rush with possible new relaxation of current epidemiological restrictions, noting that most members of the government's Scientific Advisory Council were agreed on that.

Illustration by Little Shiva

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ZAGREB, 14 February, 2021 - The number of deaths at workplace in Croatia has risen since 2018, and for instance the work-related fatalities in the construction sector have climbed by 75% for the last three years.

This problem was exacerbated by situations including roof repairs activities in the areas hit by the devastating earthquakes in 2020.

Fewer reported work-related injuries, but rise seen in fatal occupational injuries

In 2018, there were 1,775 work-related casualties, and of them 44 were fatalities, in 2019, the number of casualties fell to 982, however, 53 people were killed at their work place, and in 2020, there were 801 work-related casualties of which 72 were deaths, according to the national statistical office (DZS).

Broken down by sector, the manufacturing industry registered the highest number of work-related accidents, however, the construction sector registered the highest number of fatalities at workplace.

Accidents affecting more than one worker

From 2018 to 31 January 2021, the State Inspectorate registered 44 cases of the collective occupational accident, that is an accident due to the same event at a given workplace involving at least two persons.

There were three collective occupational accidents with the fatalities in the said period. 

On 19 June 2018, three workers of the local utility company were killed while they were cleaning a pump station of the sewage system in Čepin outside the city of Osijek..

On 10 January, 2019, three workers were killed in a fire that erupted in the Plat hydro-electric power plant near Dubrovnik.

On 29 April 2019, two workers died in an accident in the DIV bolts factory in Knin.

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ZAGREB, 15 February, 2021 - Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said on Sunday that comments on social networks about the film "Dara of Jasenovac", in which people from Croatia and Serbia argue about the film, showed that neither side had gotten over the past but he noted that Serbia needs to have good relations with Croatia.

"Neither they nor we have gotten over 1991 or 1995," Vučić said in an interview with the pro-government Pink TV.

He announced that Predrag Antonijević, who directed the film, and Nataša Drakulić, who wrote the screenplay, would be decorated on Monday, on the occasion of Statehood Day.

The plight of the Serb people under the Ustasha regime was horrible, he said, adding that despite the undeniable crimes, Serbia should have good relations with Croatia.

"We need good relations with Croatia, but one must not forget what Serbs say was 100,000 victims or what Croats say were tens of thousands of victims. That many victims must not be forgotten," he said.

Vučić said "Dara of Jasenovac" was commented on by people who did not watch the film, announcing that it would be premiered on Serbian Radio-Television on February 20.

The film, a story of the plight of Serbs in the concentration camp of Jasenovac in the WWII Nazi-allied Independent State of Croatia, was the Serbian candidate for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film but was not shortlisted.

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February the 15th, 2021 - What with coronavirus, a few political scandals and protests being held by those who were unable to work due to the country's current epidemiological measures, it's been easy to forget about what was once a top theme in the news and media - the Peljesac bridge construction process down in southern Dalmatia.

The Peljesac bridge construction wasn't immune to the coronavirus crisis either, with parts and even Chinese workers unable to get into the country for some time a while ago before proper measures could be thought up and introduced in a timely manner, leading many to wonder if this will be yet another stragetic Croatian project that fails to meet the deadline. This fate for the bridge, however, seems to have been averted, at least for now.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, today, the Peljesac bridge construction is set to take another important step to its much anticipated final realisation as it will finally connect with the mainland, that is, the first pillar that rises up out of the sparkling Adriatic sea below will connect with the pillar from the mainland, marking a significant leap in progress.

Davor Peric, a civil engineer from Hrvatske ceste (Croatian roads), explained that the two parts would be connected by an element 52 which is 52 metres long and weighs as much as 587 tonnes in total.

Given the fact that Chinese hands working for a Chinese enterprise are the ones building the massive structure, the Chinese New Year was also celebrated in Komarna, the location of the Peljesac bridge construction site, and the workers were all on a two-day break.

''The celebration was well felt,'' said Ivo Jerkovic, the owner of the facility where the Chinese workers are accommodated for RTL Danas/Today, adding that they also prepared gifts for the workers, including homemade wine, olive oil and other traditional gifts which are given at this time of year in that culture.

The Peljesac bridge construction process, at this rate, could even be completed by the end of the year despite all of the obstacles it has faced, both long before and during the pandemic.

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February the 15th, 2021 - Is the new Zagreb reconstruction process set to include far more and be much greener than we could have imagined when the earthquake struck the capital in March last year?

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, green development is on the way as the desire to create a proper framework for a green Zagreb reconstruction and thus a real basis for more green development aimed at the reconstruction and decarbonisation of the construction fund. All of the anove was promisingly announced by Ivica Rovis from the Institute for Physical Planning of the City of Zagreb. The institute is otherwise leading the development of a pilot project called Blok_19, which Mayor Milan Bandic should present on the anniversary of the March earthquake in Zagreb this year.

The pilot project regards a block of buildings bordering the city streets of Dalmatinska, Frankopanska, Ilica and Meduliceva, and the powers that be in the city in close cooperation with experts involved in the so-called Council for the Coordination of Activities Related to the Development of the Complete Reconstruction Programme of Zagreb's Historic Centre have been working on it for almost a year now.

The council has a president, a vice president and as many as 22 experts. The idea was to analyse all of Zagreb's blocks in this way, but considering that Block 19 has been being analysed for a year now, the question is when anything would be actually end up being restored if the entire city was taken into consideration in the same manner. In general, Block 19 should be a concretisation of the solution planned for the Gornji and Donji Grad as well as Kaptol.

The traffic study for this Zagreb reconstrution project with a primary focus on being green, as has since been found out, was made for the three previously mentioned locations, and it envisages the construction of a larger number of garages for the local population, the abolition of parking on the streets and the removal of cars from the centre.

''We'd move much more towards the opening of city blocks, which would allow pedestrians to move faster, and a larger number of bike paths would be created. Namely, after the earthquake, the government offered the citizens of Zagreb money to buy water heaters and pay for any emergency repairs, as well as a legal framework for the co-financing of any constructive Zagreb reconstruction, and the City of Zagreb has additional plans on top of that, too.

A Dalmatian-style park would make Zagreb become even greener, maybe another passage would open, two garages would find their place underground, the city's facades would become photosensitive, the buildings would be made resistant to destructive earthquakes and fully energetically renovated, traffic would be adapted and decarbonised,'' recounts Jutarnji list briefly when relaying the vision of Block 19 from one of the council members who wished to remain anonymous.

Most members of the Council don't yet want to speak publicly about what they have come up with for the green Zagreb reconstruction project because the whole thing is being kept in strict secrecy until the presentation.

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February 15, 2021 - Promet Split could be the first company in Croatia whose fleet will include electric buses thanks to European funding. The Split city carrier also strives to have one of the youngest fleets in the region.

Dalmatinski Portal reports that at the end of July 2020, Promet purchased 18 new buses for HRK 44 million, of which 85 percent came from the European ITU mechanism (Integrated Territorial Investments).

The year before, 34 new buses were purchased for HRK 93 million, which the EU entirely financed through the Cohesion Fund.

On the other hand, this year, the beginning of the procurement procedure for about fifty more diesel buses and several electric ones is expected. Studies for applying for EU funds are ready, said Promet.

Mayor Andro Krstulović Opara proudly emphasizes that after that, the average age of Promet's buses will be between three and four years.

In addition to the new buses, the long-awaited e-ticketing system, billing, and traffic monitoring system should be implemented by the end of the year.

Director Miroslav Delic confirms that Promet has taken the issue of purchasing electric buses seriously. Hina said they have already done a great job preparing the documentation and studies they intend to run for European money.

The studies are based on several acceptable electric bus traffic areas, or eco-zones, areas along the strict city center and by the sea.

"We plan to procure more electric buses and the necessary infrastructure related to charging and maintaining buses," he said.

"The prices of electric buses will depend on the offers of the manufacturers, but we can say that the price of such a bus is expressed in hundreds of thousands of euros, without the necessary infrastructure, which means that they are twice or three times more expensive than diesel," Delic said.

Promet almost finished the study according to which electric buses would run through Marjan, the city center from the West Coast through the Marjan tunnel, Gundulićeva Street and Domovinskog rata Street, all the way to the city market, as well as by the sea in Duilovo, Trstenik, and Žnjan.

"We think it should be something that will allow us to get funding. But until the invitation is published, all this is informal," says Delic.

The call will show which study conditions must be met to be eligible. "This is how it works in any procedure for obtaining EU funds, regardless of whether it is electric or diesel buses of the latest generation or gas buses," Delic points out.

The Croatian ministries of economy and transport plan to publish a public call this year.

He finally adds that Promet's plans include preparing documentation for the construction of a new garage, taking into account that all possible types of diesel fuel are represented - hydrogen, gas, electricity, and hybrid combinations.

With its European Climate Pact, the European Commission promotes effective movement opportunities in a healthier and cleaner way. It encourages local and regional authorities to use cohesion funds to move towards green mobility. This, of course, includes the purchase of environmentally friendly buses, primarily electric or hydrogen-powered buses, because they have zero emissions.

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February the 15th, 2021 - The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has dealt a very heavy blow to the aviation industry, and airports across Europe have suffered in a way we could never have previously imagined might occur. Zagreb International Airport is no exception.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Darko Bicak writes, air transport continues to unfortunately be one of the biggest losers in the coronavirus crisis, as evidenced by the daily news reports of losses and government "injections" for airlines and airports alike. The latest Eurostat data for January shows that the leading European airports recorded a decrease in the number of passengers and air operations by more than 80%, and Croatia's Zagreb International Airport is very much within this framework.

In January this year, the largest drop in the number of commercial flights in the EU was recorded at Germany's usually very busy Munich Airport, by as much as 25,400 flights, which represents a concerning drop of 85 percent.

Paris CDG had 23,500 fewer flights, down 63 percet, and within that are Amsterdam and Frankfurt with 23,100 fewer flights and a drop of 61 percent and 64 percent respectively. Madrid dropped by 22,900 flights and Barcelona by 17,700. This is followed by Rome with 16,400 fewer flights, Vienna with 15,800, Copenhagen with 14,900 and Düsseldorf with 12,800.

Zagreb International Airport had 38,036 passengers in January, compared to 203,033 in the same month last year, down a massive 81 percent. In terms of the number of air operations, Zagreb International Airport had a decline of 55 percent given that last month there were 1403 commercial flights compared to 3133 in the same month last year.

Eurostat points out that the first results of the coronavirus pandemic were recorded back at what was then the beginning of things going dramatically wrong for most European countries, namely in March 2020, when the number of commercial flights to the European Union, including passenger, cargo and postal air transport, fell by 44 percent compared to March 2019. The largest drop in traffic was recorded in April 2020, when only nine percent of traffic from the same month a year earlier actually operated, and in May it improved by a mere one percent, despite being one month closer to summer.

During the warmer summer months which are known for tourism, there was a partial recovery and in July there was a decline of 64 percent when compared to the same month back in 2019, and in August the decline was 53 percent, only to rise again in September to 59 percent, in October to 62 percent and in November and December to 68 percent and 67 percent respectively.

There has been no recovery to speak of yet this year because the statistics show a decrease in traffic at the EU level by 68 percent compared to January 2020. During the month of January, there were 156,867 commercial flights in the EU, with Germany receiving 36,932 and France 36,313 flights.

Spain had 30,157, Italy 19,986, and the Netherlands 16,997 takeoffs and landings in January. For Croatia, Eurostat records 1448 flights, which means that there were only 45 flights at all other Croatian airports except Zagreb International Airport, which is truly astonishing.

At the EU level, Slovenia had the fewest flights in January, standing at just 402. The decline in total air traffic last year was recorded by the Croatian Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), whose data shows that 675,000 passengers were transported by air last year, and 2.27 million were transported in the same way the year before, which is drop greater than 70 percent in total.

In terms of cargo, there is not so much difference because last year a total of 1461 tonnes of cargo was transported compared to 2133 tonnes in the year before. Last year, a total of 48.7 million passengers were transported by road, rail, sea and air to Croatia, which is a decrease of 42.1 percenr when compared to 2019.

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