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31 March 2022 – The European continent is infamous for its ethnolinguistic diversity. Anyone who has journeyed across the winding and seemingly haphazard borders which paint the atlas know that accents, dialects, and even whole language families can change within as little as 5 km. A look into Croatia's minority communities.  Some countries are pointed out more frequently as linguistic mosaics, while others have yet to garner such recognition. For example, most Spaniards would likely agree that anyone who visits Barcelona and fails to embrace the Catalan ethos has not fully captured the essence of their destination. The same could…

ZAGREB, 31 March 2022 - Croatia has surpassed nine EU member states in terms of EU funds absorbed since 2020 and now ranks 19th, the Regional Development and EU Funds Ministry said on Thursday. According to Cohesion Data, the European Commission platform on finances and achievements under the European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020, in 2020 Croatia ranked 27th among the EU's then 28 countries in terms of payments. Croatia is better at absorbing funds than Spain, Italy, Slovakia, Romania, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg and Austria. Lithuania has absorbed the most EU funds. In the 2014-20 period, Croatia had €10.73 billion from ESIF at its disposal. By 24 March 2022,…

ZAGREB, 31 March 2022 - Most deputies in the Zagreb City Assembly on Thursday supported a proposal to take a new short-term loan in the amount of €50 million, with a repayment period of 12 months, and the funds will be used to improve the liquidity of the city-owned companies. Thirty million of the 50 million euro loan will be used to improve the liquidity of the Zagreb Holding multiutility conglomerate and 20 million for the liquidity of the ZET public transportation company. The city will take a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Even though it was endorsed, the…

March 31, 2022 - KK Split gets the 81:80 (38:43) win as Mega Belgrade had the last ball but fell short in the ABA League game. Tonight 1250 spectators created exactly the atmosphere at Gripe that Srđan Subotić, coach of KK Split had called for and the Yellows thanked them with a single point last-second 81:80 victory.  "This is a key game for us in this part of the season, with the victory we can gain a significant advantage over Krk [currently last in the league but still with a chance to reach 13th position]. The most important thing is our…

ZAGREB, 31 March 2022 - According to NATO estimates, Croatia last year met the target the allies set for investing at least 2% of GDP in defence and significantly surpassed the target of earmarking at least 20% of the defence budget for equipment. Last year's purchase of fighter jets significantly increased Croatia's defence budget. According to a report presented by Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday, NATO estimates that last year Croatia increased its defence budget to 2.16% of GDP from 1.71% in 2020 and that 30.6% of its defence outlays were earmarked for equipment. NATO member states committed in 2014 to increase their defence…

ZAGREB, 31 March 2022 - Economy Ministry State Secretary Nataša Mikuš Žigman said on Thursday that work was underway to draft a plan for the development of Croatia's geothermal potential. Speaking at a government session, Mikuš Žigman said that in line with the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, the Hydrocarbon Agency would be entrusted with implementing six geothermal energy projects, for which HRK 225 million (€30 million) is envisaged. A total of €25 million is planned to be used from the Operational Programme Competitiveness and Cohesion for the use of geothermal energy for heating. Mikuš Žigman said that the government supported all activities…

31 March 2020 - After wandering the cobblestone streets and soaking up the Mediterranean sun, maybe you’re thinking of picking up something to remember your time here, or to share a part of your travels with loved ones back home. Here are some unique Croatian souvenirs you won’t find anywhere else. And better yet, most of them fit into your carry-on! All the better for those last-minute shopping trips before hopping on your flight home. Lavender products Did you know that lavender originated from the Mediterranean before growing in popularity around the world? 50 years ago, Croatian farmers were producing…

ZAGREB, 31 March 2022 - Ensuring equal opportunities for all children and including them in the education system, increasing the number of children included and improving the quality of the education system is the aim of the final draft bill on preschool education. The recommended amendments the government sent to parliament on Thursday are part of the education reform within the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NPOO), with Science and Education Minister Radovan Fuchs saying the bill by no means revokes the National Pedagogical Standard. In order to ensure that all children aged three to six can…

March 31 - Easter is just around the corner, a magical time on Hvar, as Hotel Adriana opens its doors for the season.  And just like that, here we go again.  Having lived on Hvar for 13 years, I got used to the subtle changes not only in the seasons, but in the mindset towards the tourist season. The winters were longggg. Initially, locals were tending to their olives and relaxing after the stress of another good season. But by January, many were itching to get started again, to see more signs of life.  And then came the run-up…

ZAGREB, 31 March 2022 - Gas is at the centre of the current global energy crisis which resembles the oil crisis of the 1970s, however, Croatia is in a somewhat better position than most European countries albeit the high price of gas and other energy sources cannot be avoided, a Gas Forum heard on Thursday. The developments concerning the global energy sector are unprecedented and the war in Ukraine just worsened the situation in particular, the gas crisis, Danijel Žamboki,  the head of the management board of the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency (HERA) said addressing the forum organised by the Energy…