News

February 15, 2022 - It is reasonable to believe in a possible record summer season in 2022 due to the number of reservations. However, low vaccination rates, rising energy prices, and other factors may still interfere, warns Tomislav Fain, head of the Association of Croatian Travel Agencies. All EU countries are still on the map of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in dark red, but most of them with higher vaccination rates are expected to drop more over time than expected in Croatia. Our tourism workers hope that despite low vaccination, rising energy prices and other things, all…

ZAGREB, 15 Feb 2022 - Croatian and Bosnian bishops met on Tuesday in Mostar to warn that Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina are outvoted and that they should be equal to the other two main ethnic groups, with Croatian Bishops' Conference (HBK) head Želimir Puljić voicing satisfaction with Croatia's improved care for them. "Unfair laws enable the outvoting of the less numerous ones by the majority, with the Croats suffering most frequently,"  Sarajevo Archbishop Tomo Vukšić said at the meeting. He added that the Church is constantly reminding the BiH authorities that they need to respect the rights of every man and…

ZAGREB, 15 Feb 2022 - The contracts signed by EVN Croatia Plin and its clients are valid and envisage no changes to gas prices, the company said on Tuesday in a statement on a webinar on the price of natural gas in Croatia, attended by gas suppliers and their clients. The webinar was organised by Advantage Austria, the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber's foreign trade organisation, the Energy Academy (ENG-A) and EVN Croatia Plin. EVN Croatia has been present in Croatia since 2009 and it is owned by the Austrian company EVN AG. EVN Croatia Plin supplies gas to around 1,300 clients (households…

ZAGREB, 15 Feb 2022 - Croatian Police Trade Union president Dubravko Jagić said on Tuesday, after negotiations with government representatives, that government employee unions demanded an 8% base pay rise as public employee unions, rejecting the government's offer of a 2% rise. We demand the same as the public services, a base pay rise in three instalments: by 4% as of 1 March, by 2% as of 1 July and by 2% as of 1 November, Jagić told the press after the ninth round of negotiations at the Labour Ministry. "I think we will arrive very soon at a joint solution to the…

ZAGREB, 15 Feb 2022 - The Croatian Ministry of Finance sold HRK 1.3 billion and €6.5 million worth of treasury bills at an auction on Tuesday. The bills mature in one year and the interest rate is 0.01 per cent for kuna bills while there is no interest on euro treasury bills. In advance of the maturity of treasury bills worth HRK 1.1 billion, the Ministry offered HRK 700 million and €10 million worth of treasury bills for subscription. Financial institutions submitted bids totalling slightly more than HRK 1.3 billion and €6.5 million and the Ministry accepted them all. The favourable borrowing terms are due…

ZAGREB, 15 Feb 2022 - The Croatian Civil Protection Directorate has been granted just under HRK 80,000 from the EU Solidarity Fund to cover the costs of rental and maintenance of chemical toilets and sanitary containers used after the March 2020 earthquake in Zagreb. The Directorate said on Tuesday that HRK 79,351 has been approved based on the application for the operation "Provision of logistical support for earthquake relief efforts". The funding will be used to cover the costs of rental and maintenance of chemical toilets and sanitary containers used by rescue services and for the temporary accommodation of people,…

February 15, 2022 - Minister of Tourism Nikolina Brnjac talked in Buzet with Mayor Damir Kajin about the importance of uniting tourist communities and the development and potential of year-round tourism with an emphasis on digital nomads, who increasingly recognize the interior of Istria as an ideal destination for their stay. Stating that the focus during the talks was on the importance of uniting tourist communities, which Istria quickly recognized as important, Minister Brnjac said that tourist unions have the opportunity to use funds more efficiently, but also to better manage tourist destinations, reports Index.hr.  "In this way, we contribute…

February 15th, 2022 - Novi Vinodolski, a town in the Northern Adriatic, has two interesting projects in development. Both are related to the historical development of fishery and the preservation of maritime heritage and tradition One is the Klenovica Fishing Centre, an interpretation centre dedicated to fishery as a traditional economic activity; the other is a project that will have tunera lookouts built in Povile village. Both projects are being funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and were approved through the tender of LAGUR Tunera, reports Novi list. LAGUR Tunera is a Local Action Group, i.e. a partnership…

ZAGREB, 15 Feb 2022 - The Green-Left Bloc on Tuesday called for an end to subsidised mortgage loans, warning that it would lead to the real estate bubble bursting and consequently an economic crisis and collapse, instead they proposed the construction of public rental housing similar to the model in many European countries. MPs Sandra Benčić and Bojan Glavašević said that the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) had warned two days ago that the further subsidy of mortgage loans could lead to a collapse of the real estate market, which is considered to be one of the biggest risks to Croatia. Although…

February 15, 2022 – Meet Viktorija Matin, the founder of the Vukovarski Leptirići parents’ association for children with developmental disabilities. The butterfly – a symbol of beauty, change, fragility, yet such resilience. The Vukovarski Leptirići (Vukovar Butterflies) parents’ association cares for children who are just as fragile and just as resilient – those with developmental disabilities. Founded in 2011, the association has been providing psychological and social care for this vulnerable group. They employ over 35 people, caring for more than 228 members. One hundred thirty-three people currently volunteer with them, but they are always looking for more. They have…