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February 8, 2021 – Solin murderer Luka Juretić today received the highest ever prison sentence passed down by a Croatian court. He received 50 years for the brutal murder of his neighbour and the attempted murder of his neighbour's wife

Solin murderer Luka Juretić (26) was today sentenced to 50 years in prison. The sentence passed down to him is the highest ever to be given by any court in Croatia. The sentencing hearing took place at the Split County Court. Solin murderer Luka Juretić received the 50 years for the aggravated murder of his 92-year-old neighbour and the attempted murder of his wife (87).

Previously, Solin murderer Juretić had been found guilty of brutally killing his neighbour with a knife, a mallet and a hammer. The incident took place in 2019. He also hit his neighbour's wife on the head. She sustained an injury from the blow which two months later caused her death.

Juretić was sentenced to 35 years for the aggravated murder of Vicenza Uvodic, and to 23 years for the aggravated attempted murder of his wife Senka Uvodic. The single sentence passed down to the Solin murderer was one of 50 years.

Juretić was not in the courtroom at the time of sentencing. In addition to the 50 years he also received a compulsory order for the treatment of addiction.

According to an article in today's Index, in her closing speech, Deputy County State's Attorney Rene Laura said that the Solin murderer had “entered his neighbours' apartment in a very fraudulent way. They let him into the apartment with full confidence because he was looking for flour for pancakes."

Luka Juretić's defence attorney, Boris Majić, a lawyer from Split, said that his client, the Solin murderer, didn't remember anything of the incident.

Following the attack, the Solin murderer was found to have stolen a wristwatch, gold jewelry, coins, chocolates, lighters and paper clips from the apartment of his neighbours. He then went two floors up, to his own apartment, where he was later arrested because Senka Uvodić was still alive when first discovered and said who attacked them.

Juretić's defence attorney had argued previously that the items seized by the police were confiscated illegally and should therefore not be taken into consideration at the trial.

ZAGREB, 8 February, 2021 - Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović, who heads the national COVID-19 response team, said on Monday that young people who gathered in several public places in Zagreb over the weekend did not violate epidemiological restrictions.

Addressing a news conference held by the national coronavirus crisis management team, Božinović said that this past weekend, police received reports about students gathering outside the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, in the city's Jarun recreational park, and outside the nearby Sava student dorm, after which they went to those locations but did not find any violation of epidemiological restrictions or elements of offences or misdemeanors.

Police acted preventatively at the Sava student dorm to avert non-compliance with restrictions, after which those who gathered there started to disperse, he said.

Božinović said the national COVID-19 response team considered the events as a consequence of the current epidemiological situation having lasted almost a year, but warned that the danger remained until the health minister proposed that the government declare the epidemic over.

He reiterated that Croatia had the most liberal restrictions compared to other EU members with which it was managing to lower the number of new infections, and noted that many more businesses would be closed if restrictions were adopted at EU level.

Božinović said that he did not think that the young people who gathered over the weekend posed a bigger epidemiological risk than other events that had not been reported about.

He expressed hope that despite the duration of the epidemic, one was entering a period when, with the right application of restrictions, vaccination and warmer weather, the psychosocial aspect of the situation would improve because Croatia was registering increasingly favourable trends.

Minister: Funeral organised in line with epidemiological rules

Health Minister Vili Beroš commented on the funeral of HDZ MP Miroslav Tuđman, which was attended by more than the prescribed 25 people, which caused the revolt of young people who over the weekend organised gatherings at the HNK, the Sava student dorm and Jarun.

He said that the company operating city cemeteries had organised the funeral in line with the anti-epidemic measures in force.

"There were several restricted areas to allow for the attendance of the allowed number of people - family members, officials and Croatian Army members. There were designated areas for attendees, with the prescribed distance between them," the minister said.

"There were people in charge of keeping order at the event and many people were prevented from attending. We trusted the company in charge of city cemeteries and the way the event was organised was not bad," said the minister.

He also said that the government planned the revitalisation of the Institute of Immunology and that an interdepartmental task force would present its concept to the government in a month's time.

HZJZ head: AstraZeneca vaccine efficient, safe, tested correctly

The head of the Public Health Institute, Krunoslav Capak, said that the AstraZeneca vaccine was efficient and safe and had been correctly tested and that the European Medicines Agency had approved it for all citizens above 18.

Several EU countries have recommended not using the vaccine to inoculate people older than 65 and their argument is that there is no sufficient evidence to prove that the vaccine is efficient for that age group. Our argument is that the vaccine is efficient, safe and has been tested correctly as well as that it has been approved by the EMA for people above the age of 18, said Capak.

As for the Russian Sputnik vaccine, he said that if necessary, one would consider the possibility of emergency imports but that there was no such decision for the time being.

Capak said that 2,953 people had become infected over the past week, 14% down from the previous week, and that incidence in Croatia was the lowest in Istria County and the highest in Split-Dalmatia County.

In terms of incidence, we are fifth in the EU, four countries are better than us - Bulgaria, Denmark, Greece and Finland, said Capak.

The situation is good and there are probably no new virus strains in the country which spread 30-40% faster, said Capak.

He noted that so far 99,593 doses of the vaccine had been applied and that 629 reports of side-effects had been submitted, of which 612 referred to the Pfizer vaccine and 17 to the Moderna vaccine. No side-effect was serious.

Capak also noted that there was no danger that those who got vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine would not get the second dose.

Asked about the efficiency of the vaccine in the context of the South African strain of coronavirus, epidemiologist Bernard Kaić said that there were indications that it was less efficient but added that no vaccine was 100% efficient, however, they all protected against severe forms of the disease.

Kaić also stressed that there was no medical reason why someone should not get vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.

He noted that it was better to vaccinate everyone with a 70% efficient vaccine by spring than with a 90% efficient vaccine by autumn.

Croatia has the infrastructure and people to do the genome sequencing of the new virus strains and it is preparing for it, it was said at the news conference.

For the latest on coronavirus in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

ZAGREB, 8 February, 2021 - Agriculture Minister Marija Vučković and Defence Minister Mario Banožić on Monday opened the newly reconstructed kindergarten in Vođinci in Vukovar-Srijem County, valued at HRK 5.2 million, with money obtained from the European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development.

"The Ministry of Agriculture is currently constructing, reconstructing or has completed the reconstruction of 12 kindergartens in Vukovar-Srijem County valued at HRK 56 million and, as part of the Rural Development Programme, we have constructed or reconstructed four water supply and sewerage projects valued at HRK 15 million, 11 roads valued at HRK 32 million and six other local infrastructure projects valued at HRK 25 million," said Minister Vučković.

She underscored that projects valued ar more than HRK 1.1 billion had been agreed for the county from the Rural Development Programme and that HRK 750 million has been paid out.

"Apart from the Rural Development Programme, which is structurally reshaping villages in Croatia, we are also absorbing other funds mostly secured from the European Guarantee Fund to support increased and stable incomes for Croatian farmers, with HRK 2.2 billion being agreed and paid in this county in this programme period," underscored Vučković.

HRK 3.2 billion has been invested in Vukovar-Srijem County and that has to contribute to progress because farmers themselves in the county are investing in developing their own projects, she said.

Vođinci municipal head Martin Kordić said that the kindergarten will admit 70 children and that it intends to employ another 5 teachers and a cleaner.

ZAGREB, 8 February, 2021 - Three young electronics engineers at the Split Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture are participating in the design of chips for CERN, using state-of-the-art tools and methods at the forefront of technology, the faculty said on Monday.

It became involved in the design of chips for the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in cooperation with Fermilab in Chicago.

"We have designed parts of a chip for a new generation of detectors at CERN in cooperation with Fermilab which, given the successful first results of the design, invited us to participate also in the design of newer generation chips," said Josip Vasilj, assistant dean for science.

This success, he added, justifies the Split University's status as the most successful in Croatia and one of the most successful in this part of Europe.

For more Croatian innovation, check out the TCN Made in Croatia section. 

February 8, 2021 – In a recent test of smart jewelry available on the market, conducted by Business Insider, the Croatian Bellabeat Leaf Urban pendant was named the best smart jewelry, and Bellabeat's Leaf Chakra the best smart bracelet in the world.

As Jutarnji list reports, smart jewelry from one of the first and most successful Croatian startups, the company Bellabeat, was rated the best in the world in the Business Insider survey. They rated Bellabeat’s Leaf Urban pendant as the best smart jewelry in the world, as well as Bellabeat's Leaf Chakra as the best smart bracelet in the world.

The startup of Croatian mathematician Sandro Mur and Slovenian artist Urška Sršen, which became a subsidiary of Five River Group, has been breaking into the market again for the last three years and is succeeding.

Fitness tracker as a work of art

In recent years, Bellabeat has been written about mostly in the context of downsizing and business problems. However, three years ago, they got a new investment, as much as 14 million dollars, started attracting new staff, and now they have received the first major confirmation of their progress in product development.

So far, they have sold two million of their products, and their main market is the US.

Bellabeat states that Leaf Urban, also their best-selling product, is a perfect blend of technology and modern design. They have shown that smart jewelry does not have to be ugly or super masculine to be highly technically useful.

"This piece of smart jewelry in the shape of a leaf turns a fitness tracker into a work of art. It can be worn as a bracelet, necklace or brooch, does not disturb the user with an additional screen, its battery lasts up to 6 months and can monitor your activity, stress level, hydration, menstrual cycle, meditation, and sleep. It connects wirelessly to a mobile app," they point out.

Eight million people use their app

All ideas for Bellabeat's products came from their creative director Urška Sršen. In a recent interview for Jutarnji list, she said that she has been battling autoimmune diseases since she was a child and that she has learned to control them by managing her lifestyle with enough exercise, proper nutrition, enough sleep, and stress reduction.

“I realized that technology can be a great tool that can help raise awareness of your own lifestyle and hone healthy habits. That's how Bellabeat came to be. Most of the tools that were on the market until then were not so much adapted to women, i.e., users who are not so much focused exclusively on fitness, but on their lifestyle in general," said Sršen, who once ended up on Forbes' prestigious "30 under 30" list.

Bellabeat Leaf Urban

The smart water bottle Spring, which enables automatic hydration monitoring, is also in their offer, as well as the Time smartwatch and the new Ivy collection, similar to Leaf, which has additional functions for measuring heart rate and cardio coherence.

In addition to hardware, Bellabeat is increasingly working on its software, which is used by about eight million people. Their app offers more and more personalized content, such as tips related to women’s health and beauty, diet recipes, training plan, guided meditations etc.

Testing and collecting data

This Croatian startup has developed an algorithm that can predict stress resistance on any given day. They claim that if you say that you did not sleep well or that you did not exercise, the algorithm itself will predict that you may be more susceptible to stress that day.

Bellabeat's young team develops this content in collaboration with top wellness instructors. Also, when developing all their products and contents, they consult with medical experts and they test and verify everything.

"I think that in the future, technology will be an increasing factor and contributor to the wellness industry's progress. We want to be a ‘data company’. Technology is our tool, but data is our greatest treasure. Based on that, we can further improve our services, but also work on the development of the wellness market in general," concludes Sršen.

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

February 8, 2021 - Ante Rebic returned to the AC Milan squad after recovering from an injury, and after that from COVID-19. However, it didn't take long for him to become reacquainted with the goal. 

Namely, in his first game back, Ante Rebic scored two goals (in just one minute and 9 seconds, may we add) in AC Milan's 4:0 win against Crotone on Sunday. The remaining two goals were scored by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who scored the 500th and 501st goals of his career.

Rebic was the highest to jump after the corner in the 69th minute and scored for 3:0. Rebic scored his second goal of the game and fourth this season in the championship only a minute later. Ibrahimovic shot on goal, Calhanoglu passed the ball to Rebic, who scored from a volley. The Turkish footballer assisted Rebic's first goal as well. 

After the match, Rebic appeared before the press in a live program and praised Ibrahimovic, whom he considers one of the best football players in history.

"I'm happy about the goals I scored. The last game against Crotone didn't end well for me, but today was great. I was unlucky for the first three or four months here because I got injured right away, and then I got coronavirus. Now I'm back and will be even better," said Rebic and continued to praise Ibrahimovic.

"He is a great professional. One of the best players in history. He is a real example to all of us," Rebic concluded.

With this win, AC Milan is at the top of the Serie A table with 49 points, just two ahead of Interr. 

Milan will play against Spezia in the next round. On February 21, they await the highly anticipated Milan derby against Inter, which could be crucial for the moment race for Scudetto.

Source: Index.hr

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

February 8, 2021 – "The rules are awful," "You will die without tourism," commented Italians on the cafe and restaurant ban in Croatia.

The Italians, our loyal guests who are getting out of the lockdown, were asked by the journalists of Glas Istre what they think about the ban on the work of cafes and restaurants in Croatia.

The Italian government has determined the rhythm of vaccination by region. The region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, visited by Glas Istre journalists a few days ago when cafes and restaurants reopened, is due in mid-February. The plan is to vaccinate the population older than 80 years first, then the younger age group, but still older than 55.

Italians' opinions regarding vaccination are divided. The older population believes in the effectiveness of the vaccine. About two million Italians have been vaccinated so far.

"If the vaccines are free, then I will get vaccinated, and if not, I will carefully think about it," one middle-aged Italian told them.

"No, I'm not going to get vaccinated. I just don't trust the vaccine," one young Italian told them.

"When it's our turn, we'll get vaccinated," one married couple told them.

With masks required, reporters enjoyed a walk around town. If you do not have a mask, passers-by will immediately warn you that it is mandatory to wear. By doing so, they automatically realize that you are a foreigner unfamiliar with their law, but also with draconian punishments.

Thus, in a walk through the city, they witnessed a lively and loud discussion of two gentlemen, typical of Italians. After concluding their political discussion, they introduced themselves to them, and the conversation began.

"Your Croatian rules are awful now. It's unbelievable that without a test I can't go to Umag, that beautiful city whose bars and restaurants overlook the sea, and those same bars and restaurants are now closed. You will die without tourism, my people. I even called a Croatian consul, I protested, but he is also powerless. We can buy tests here for 25 euros in a pharmacy. Your government is really not normal, because even when I get tested, what should I do in Umag when everything is closed," said retiree Paolo.

The Italian government intends to vaccinate the entire nation by June, citizens claim. Then we guess there will be a final normalization, both for them and us.

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

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ZAGREB, 8 February, 2021 - In the past 24 hours 71 coronavirus cases as well as 29 COVID deaths have been registered in Croatia, the national COVID-19 response team said on Monday.

Currently there are 2,407 active cases, including 1,137 hospitalised patients, 107 of whom are on ventilators. There are also 12,948 people in self-isolation.

Since 25 February 2020, when the new virus was first registered in Croatia, there have been 235,473 cases of infection, 5,198 deaths and 227,686 recoveries, including 383 in the past 24 hours.

To date 1,230,808 persons have been tested for the virus, including 2,199 in the past 24 hours.

For the latest news on coronavirus in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section.