ZAGREB, 27 January 2021 - The highest state delegations on Wednesday laid wreaths at the sculpture "Moses" at the Jewish section of Zagreb's Mirogoj cemetery on the occasion of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust.

Wreaths were laid also in memory of the 30,000 Jews killed or gone missing in the Nazi-allied Independent State of Croatia.

The wreaths were laid together by President Zoran Milanović, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković and Deputy Prime Minister Boris Milošević.

Attending the ceremony were also Culture and Media Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek, Zagreb Jewish Community Rabbi Luciano Moše Prelević, Deputy Parliament Speaker Željko Reiner and members of parliament Milorad Pupovac, Furio Radin and Veljko Kajtazi.

Before them, wreaths were laid by Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić and a delegation of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), led by its president Peđa Grbin.

Bandić: Zagreb is a hero city, Croatia antifascist country

Mayor Bandić said after the wreath-laying ceremony that Zagreb was a hero city and Croatia an antifascist country.

Asked how he viewed the Ustasha salute "For the homeland ready" and the incident at a commemoration of the 28th anniversary of Operation Maslenica, when President Zoran Milanović refused to attend because of persons wearing clothes with Ustasha symbols, Bandić said he had spoken about that many time and he would not repeat himself.

"There is no 'For the homeland ready' in Zagreb," he said.

ZAGREB, 27 January 2021 - President Zoran Milanović said on Wednesday that there was no influence-peddling in the meeting between HDZ MP Žarko Tušek and independent councilor Viktor Šimunić on alleged cooperation in local elections, but that it was influence-peddling pro futuro.

Milanović said this in a statement to the press following a wreath-laying ceremony at Zagreb's Mirogoj cemetary on the occasion of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

He added that it was good that the public could see what kind of methods political parties used, what they offered and what their intentions were.

The case could not be equated with a crime, the president said, asking: "What is post offering if not a coalition agreement?"

He added that state-owned companies were led by the chosen ones on behalf of the government.

"This is not about defending the prime minister and Tušek, but an indicator of how the system works," Milanović said.

"That is not normal, it is pathetic, but let's stop talking about sending people to jail for it," the president said.

ZAGREB, 27 January 2021 - Switzerland has donated 20 fully equipped mobile housing units and 12 sanitary containers to earthquake-hit areas of Croatia, and they were on Wednesday delivered to Lekenik and symbolically handed over by the Swiss Ambassador to Croatia, Emilija Georgiev Regamey.

The ambassador said she sympathised with citizens of Sisak-Moslavina County and other counties struck by the earthquake for their losses and the trauma they had gone through.

She said it was unfortunate that the earthquake had occurred amid a pandemic and affected an area that had also sustained damage in the Homeland War.

The ambassador said the donation was a result of the two countries' good cooperation. Switzerland is already familiar with Sisak-Moslavina County because it helped a demining project in the Kotar forest near Petrinja through the Swiss-Croatian cooperation programme, she added.

Regamey wished all victims a lot of courage, strength and endurance.

Ministry of the Interior State Secretary Irena Petrijevčanin Vuksanović thanked the Swiss ambassador for her personal contribution and engagement, underscoring that the cooperation between the two countries would continue in other priority areas as well.

The State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Zdenko Lucić, also thanked the ambassador for the donation.

January 27, 2021 – What is it like to be a student in Croatia at the beginning of 2021? Classes and exams are mostly online, there is no place to drink coffee or go out, and there are almost no student employment opportunities. Still, two Split students do not despair. Instead of waiting for a job to fall from the sky, they used this coronavirus crisis as an opportunity to realize a long-planned wish – to start their own van transport business.

Waitering, working the cash register, selling food and drinks, and stacking goods are just some of the most common student jobs that have, unfortunately, suffered a massive blow in the past year.

Due to the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, many jobs are at risk, and students who are one of the most affected groups on the labor market are rarely mentioned. Working while studying is always challenging. For some students, such work is the only source of income, while for many of them, student work provides additional pocket money.

'We sent countless job applications, but without answers'

When the amount of work of many businesses reduced, especially in tourism and hospitality, students were the first to be hit by the dismissal. Thus, according to data from the Student Center in Zagreb, there were almost half as many employed students from March to September 2020 as in the previous 2019. Students hoped for a better situation in the fall and during the Christmas fairs last year, but due to cafe and restaurants' re-closure in early December, they were again left without earnings.

The situation is not better in Split either. Aware and disappointed with the whole situation, Split students Mario Veljača and Toni Šegović decided to start their own van transport business after many unanswered job applications. Since they could not find a student job, they created it. The lack of employment opportunities was a big blow to them because they financed themselves during all the years of their studies, and they also loved their work routine while studying.

Mario Veljača / Private archive

"As one tries to save on everything in these times of crisis, including the workforce, it is almost impossible to find a job. As students graduating, we have a lot of free time, and we could work full time. We sent countless job applications, but without success, more precisely, without answers," says Mario, a business economics and management student at the Faculty of Economics in Split.

He and his friend Toni, a graduate student of nautical studies at the Faculty of Maritime Studies in Split, fear that they will end up on the job market after graduating this year.

Despite their extensive work experience in the tourism sector, they could not find a job. As time went on, the savings dried up, and state aid for students was lacking. Mario and Toni did not want to sit at home and wait for the situation to pass but took matters into their own hands to not have to depend on their parents, who were also not bypassed by the crisis.

The key is in social media marketing

With almost no start-up capital, they were thinking about possible options, so they came up with the idea of van transport. Their only mitigating circumstance was that, due to a lack of his own business, Mario's girlfriend's father could lend them a van to use.

"We offered him cooperation where we would run all the business and slightly repurpose the original activity of his company. As his company was registered for the transport of goods and passengers, the idea could come to life. He agreed and gave us the green light. We agreed on all the conditions, withdraw the student contracts, and we were ready to start the business," says Mario.

Van transport seems to be a good market niche for two Split students / Source: Pexels

The young duo from Split have been friends for over 15 years and have always planned to start a joint business. They have had some plans before, but they were disrupted by an unpredictable situation that shocked the whole world.

For furniture moving and transport services with their van, they are available in Split-Dalmatia County every day, at any time.

With a well-designed promotional campaign on social networks, they managed to reach their first clients very quickly. As they say, there is always a need for relocation and removal services for old furniture and similar bulky waste, so they have found their place on the market.

Low prices and high effort

"Our work is much more than just taking out and bringing in furniture and driving a van. We spend an entire 8-hour workday devising ideas, creating ads and planning. As we create graphics, pictures, hand out flyers, or do all the marketing, time really flies by," says Mario.

During their average workday, they don't go home until they do everything they can. They want to leave a good impression, be as fast, efficient, and careful as possible, but also more affordable because offering lower prices for their services makes them acceptable. They're aware that many people are currently in a difficult financial situation, so they started their business by offering lower prices for their services.

Their services are available in the Split-Dalmatia County / Copyright Romulić and Stojčić

This has proved successful for them so far. They earn enough for their needs and hope to be successful enough overtime to hire other students struggling with similar difficulties in finding jobs.

"After the physical work is done, we continue coordinating business for the next period, giving ideas and suggestions for new campaigns and designing a concept based on the mistakes we make," says Mario.

'You have to create opportunities for yourself'

On social networks, where they advertised from the very beginning, they received many supportive messages for their initiative. Their biggest reward, they say, is when clients promise to call them again and recommend them to a friend, neighbor, or godfather. And they are happy when they are greeted by kind and hospitable hosts and treated with some local delicacies.

Slowly but surely, they notice a positive business trend. People call them from Zagreb and even from abroad. Their next step is long-distance transport, outside Split-Dalmatia County, and in the future, they would like to try to organize transport outside the borders of Croatia.

"People are glad to see that young people are active and recognize that we fight to make it easier for our family, instead of sitting on a sofa and waiting for a job to fall from the sky. You can't cross your arms and expect opportunities. You have to create it yourself. Citizens appreciate that we are especially friendly to retirees for whom we have reduced transportation prices. We hope that you will hear more about us in the future if we succeed in other projects that we planned before the whole mess with the coronavirus," says Mario.

These two friends are a great example of how, with knowledge, resourcefulness, dedication, and hard work, it is possible to take control of your misfortunes and earn a few kunas in this unpredictable time.

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.

ZAGREB, 27 January 2021 - On the occasion of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, President Zoran Milanović and senior parliament and government officials on Wednesday laid a wreath at the sculpture "Moses" at Zagreb's Mirogoj cemetery.

In a statement to the press, Milanović called on members of the wartime Croatian Defence Force (HOS) not to use the Ustasha salute as it sullied their contribution to the defence of the homeland.

Commenting on the incident at a recent commemoration of the 28th anniversary of Operation Maslenica, when he cancelled his attendance due to the salute "For the homeland ready" on HOS uniforms, he said that he would show a clear position on that in any such situation.

When a reporter remarked that the coat of arms of the HOS association was legal, Milanović said that it was a very cynical argument, adding that it entered the Administration Ministry's register 20 years ago like an autoimmune disease.

He said that the problem could be solved through education and peaceful conversation, adding that it could not be resolved overnight.

He said that the ban on Ustasha symbols and insignia should be taken over by those who could make a change, namely the parliament.

Commenting on remarks by the ruling HDZ party that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) could have done it too while in power, Milanović said that such excuses made the difference between a serious state and one that was not.

ZAGREB, 27 January 2021 - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Wednesday that one should distinguish between the glorification of the Nazi-allied Independent State of Croatia and the insignia of a unit from the 1991-95 Homeland War.

Jandroković made the statement, avoiding an explicit answer, when asked if his HDZ party would support the initiative by the Jewish Community of Zagreb to ban the Ustasha salute "For the homeland ready".

Participating in a commemoration at Zagreb's Mirogoj cemetery on the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Jandroković condemned the criminal NDH regime and its crimes, but as for insignia used by members of the HOS units in the 1991-95 Homeland War, he said that he did not think those wearing the insignia at anniversaries supported the Ustasha regime and the NDH, even though "some of them do."

He agreed that any form of glorification of the Ustasha regime should be legally regulated and banned.

"This is a sensitive issue and it would be good if a consensus was reached on the matter," he said, adding that the recommendation by the Council for dealing with the consequences of undemocratic regime was a good basis for that.

"One should distinguish between the glorification of the NDH and the insignia of a unit that participated in the Homeland War. Commemorations for young people who died in the war wearing those insignia are not about the glorification of the NDH but about paying respect to their sacrifice," he said.

"Those who associate those insignia used in the Homeland War with the NDH are wrong and we should penalise that," he said.

Jandroković says sorry Tušek did not act more maturely

Jandroković also commented on a secretly recorded conversation between his party colleague Žarko Tušek and Viktor Šimunić, an independent councillor from Oroslavje, in which Tušek offers Šimunić help in financing his election campaign as well as possible public posts after the elections in exchange for Šimunić's support for the HDZ platform.

"As for Tušek, I am sorry it happened. I do not understand why he had that conversation. It is politically naive, the phrases he used were awkward and some of them were inappropriate," he said.

He noted that he did not believe Tušek's intentions were dishonorable but rather that the conversation was about taking a potential political partner's pulse.

"I am confident Tušek is sorry for having done it and that he did not act more maturely," he said.

He added that the party would hold a meeting with Tušek.

"We will see what is best for him and the HDZ. We will also see what (anti-corruption investigating agency) USKOK will say," he said.

ZAGREB, 27 January 2021 - Over the past 24 hours, Croatia has registered 857 new cases of the coronavirus infection and 31 deaths linked to COVID-19, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Wednesday.

The number of active cases now stands at 3,050. There are 1,381 COVID-19 patients in hospitals, 135 of whom are on ventilators.

Currently, 14,969 people are self-isolating.

To date, 1,169,837 people have been tested, including 7,173 in the last 24 hours.

Since 25 February 2020, when Croatia registered its first case, 230,359 people have contracted the novel virus, 4,913 of whom have died.

A total of 222,396 people have recovered, including 286 over the past 24 hours.

January 27, 2021 – To facilitate the operations of local family farms, which have faced numerous challenges due to the coronavirus crisis, local products are just one click away on the e-marketplace of Sveta Nedelja.

When the first lockdown started in the spring of last year, many were forced to turn to online solutions in their businesses, but due to the emergence of the novel coronavirus, to also consider the importance of a healthy diet for overall health. We had witnessed the forced rise of technology use, while online delivery services and online sales of food and other necessities have flourished.

The City of Sveta Nedelja adapted to the situation turning to online solutions for the benefit of many local family producers, but also their citizens. Namely, in April last year, Sveta Nedelja launched an online market project within the city to provide family farms and citizens with a common platform for selling and buying fresh groceries and homemade products.

„For our fellow citizens and for our family farms, we have introduced an e-marketplace system, an online store boasting domestic products, thus enabling the direct purchase of fresh and healthy ingredients and products,“ said Dario Zurovec, the Mayor of Sveta Nedelja, in a recent interview with TCN.

Organic essential oils, immortelle hydrates, soaps, balms, and more

Fruits, vegetables, cereals, pumpkin seeds, oil, liqueurs, jams, cheese, are just a part of the offer at the e-marketplace of Sveta Nedelja. Using the e-marketplace is very easy. In just a few clicks, customers can search for the groceries they need, then find a family farm that they like because of price or quality. Also, each local family farm has its own profile which shows its products, contact information, OIB, and information on delivery to the doorstep.

For easier navigation, the online offer is divided into categories according to the type of food (fruits, vegetables, dairy products, beverages...).

In addition to the listed products, on the e-marketplace of Sveta Nedelja, you can find various types of vinegar, pumpkin oil, barley porridge, lavender hydrates, organic essential oils, soaps, balms, and even souvenirs at prices equal to or even lower than those on the city market.

"We want to enable our fellow citizens to buy healthy and fresh products as easily as possible on the e-marketplace, but also to make it easier for our family farms to sell in a situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic," they say in Sveta Nedelja.

While people and organizations from many parts of Croatia launched online markets on Facebook groups and other social networks on their own initiative, the City of Sveta Nedelja is one of the first cities in Croatia to provide its citizens with an online platform to sell and purchase products from local family farms. Apart from Sveta Nedelja, this way of administrative assistance to local family farms was also provided by Istria County, Zagreb, Poreč, Čakovec, Velika Gorica, Rovinj, and many other Croatian cities.