News

ZAGREB, 6 April 2022 - A two-day conference called Smart Cities 2022, organised by the Lider business weekly, started in Zagreb on Wednesday, with the mayors attending it being told that they should do their best to make the most of EU funds for the strategic development of their communities. "EU funds for the 2021-2027 period provide an unprecedented opportunity for Croatia, with minimally twice as much funds being available than in the previous period," said Ana Fresl, president of the Croatian Employers Association (HUP) association of EU fund professionals. She said that Croatia had €13.5 billion available from the seven-year cohesion policy,…

ZAGREB, 6 April 2022 - LGBTIQ high school students in Croatia hide their identity and more frequently experience violence when at college, and lack system support, shows the first national survey on the experience of young LGBTIQ persons in education and the importance of support. The survey was conducted by psychologist Marina Štambuk in cooperation with the Rainbow Families association and the Rijeka-based lesbian organisation "Lori", and it covered 373 respondents aged 15-30. The research shows that young people on average become fully aware of their LGBTIQ identity at the age of 14, that they reveal their sexual identity more frequently to their…

ZAGREB, 6 April 2022 - Croatia on Wednesday received two reasoned opinions as part of the April package of EU law infringements, which the European Commission publishes once a month. Together with Spain and Luxembourg, Croatia has been given a reasoned opinion for failing to ensure complete transposition into national legislation of the Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings. The directive introduces new elements to strengthen the existing framework, such as minimum requirements regarding the energy properties of new buildings, electromobility and charging stations, as well as new rules on heating and air conditioning system inspections. The directive is aimed…

ZAGREB, 6 April 2022 - In the last two years, businesses in the Croatian animal husbandry sector have faced serious disruptions, which have been additionally worsened by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to keynote speeches delivered at the start of a conference of cattle breeders on Wednesday. The two-day conference, which began in the northern town of Sveti Martin na Muri, has brought together cattle breeders and representatives of the Croatian Ministry of Agriculture and the Food Agency. Zdravko Barać of the Agriculture Ministry told the event that in the last two years the ministry had implemented a set of aid…

ZAGREB, 6 April 2022 - Green-Left Bloc parliamentary deputy Sandra Benčić said on Wednesday that her group was against a government reshuffle, and that the entire government should step down due to possible affairs that could compromise new government members, an allusion to Construction Minister Ivan Paladina. "Construction Minister Ivan Paladina was appointed a month ago, and affairs regarding his ties with (the construction company) IGH have just begun to be discovered, his ties to Hidroelektra (construction company) are likely to be reported about as well," Benčić said in the parliament. "We are yet to learn how he acquired the real…

ZAGREB, 6 April 2022 - Croatian Post (HP) stated on Wednesday that next week, it will issue a postal stamp with the motif of yellow rapeseed flower fields under a blue sky, as a  gesture of support to Ukraine whose flag consists of blue and yellow colours. The postal stamp, with the title "For Peace in Ukraine", is designed to be a symbol of friendship between Croatia and Ukraine. The issuance of the stamp is accompanied by a statement from the Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Ministry on Russia's unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine, and Zagreb's condemnation of the invasion and full support to Ukraine's…

ZAGREB, 6 April 2022  - Health Minister Vili Beroš on Wednesday opened a renovated operating block at Zagreb's Children's Hospital, noting that it was the first reconstructed hospital block in Zagreb since the 22 March 2020 earthquake, an investment worth HRK 26.2 million (€3.5 million). "The reconstruction of the hospital block proves the government and ministry's strategy to help in the recovery of health institutions' capacity", the minister said. The block, which consists of two fully equipped operating rooms, was fully renovated with funds from the 2014-2020 Operational Programme Competitiveness and Cohesion and a Health Ministry budget reallocation of HRK 10.6 million.…

ZAGREB, 6 April 2022 - In the last 24 hours, 1,653 coronavirus cases, out of 5,902 tests, and 12 covid related deaths have been registered in Croatia, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Wednesday. There are 8,322 active cases, including 593 hospitalised patients, of whom 26 are on ventilators, while 4,893 persons are self-isolating. Croatia has registered 1,105,315 coronavirus cases to date and the total death toll stands at 15,646. To date, 59.44% of the total population has been vaccinated. Of this, 70.70% of adults are vaccinated, including 68.60% of adults who are considered to be fully vaccinated. For all you need to know about coronavirus…

ZAGREB, 6 April 2022 - Croatia's tourist industry expects an increase in turnover during the forthcoming Easter holidays, according to findings of a survey conducted by the National Tourist Board (HTZ). However, uncertainties stemming from the war in Ukraine can affect these expectations. During the Easter holidays last year, when Easter was on 4 April, Croatia registered 36,000 tourist arrivals and 140,000 overnight stays. This year, Easter falls on 17 April, and the norm is the later the date that Easter falls in, the more tourists can be expected. Easter and the school spring holidays are usually seen as the heralds of…

ZAGREB, 6 April 2022 - The state budget earned HRK 870 million from generating electricity from wind and the sun in 2021, when 3.5 TWh of power was generated from renewable energy sources (RES) under the  support scheme of the Croatian Energy Market Operator (HROTE),  the Večernji List reported on Wednesday. HROTE,  whose main task is to encourage and provide subsidies for the production of electricity from renewable sources and cogeneration, managed to cover its loss of HRK 370 million from 2020 and to earn an additional 500 million kuna, the daily newspaper reported today. The loss in 2020 was due to a…