Vir Tourism Records Being Broken Throughout First 5 Months of 2022
June the 8th, 2022 - Vir tourism records are being broken left right and centre with some outstanding results so far this year. The island is more than likely to surpass its figures from the record, pre-pandemic year of 2019 and we aren't even at the very height of the season yet.
As Kazimir Skrbic/Morski writes, excellenty arrival and overnight stay numbers during the first five months of 2022 have been a real boost for Vir. Overnight stays are 26.3 percent better, and arrivals are 21.7 percent better when compared to the record set three years ago.
If this extremely positive trend of recorded growth for Vir tourism traffic is maintained, it is very likely that at the end of 2022, we'll be able to talk about a new record season and better numbers than those recorded back during 2019. Here is a summary of the statistics of the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ):
With 111,362 overnight stays recorded from the beginning of this year to the end of May, Vir tourism numbers exceeded those recorded back during same period last year by as much as 113.8 percent (52,080 overnight stays), while with 6,698 arrivals of domestic and foreign guests, figures for the island are 85.2 percent better than they were back in 2021, when 3,616 arrivals were recorded.
Foreign tourists - mostly made up of Slovenes, Germans, Austrians, Bosnians and Herzegovinians and Hungarians - accounted for 55.1 percent of all overnight stays realised on Vir, and were even more pronounced in terms of tourist traffic measured by arrivals - 61.8 percent. Arrivals were also dominated by guests from neighbouring Slovenia with growth of 102.7 percent, Germans with a growth of 26.2 percent, Austrians with growth of 208.2 percent, Bosnians and Herzegovinians with growth of 148.9 percent and Hungarians with growth of 183.3 percent.
The Czechs, Slovaks and Swiss are still in the top ten in the current Vir tourism ''top 10 per night'', while for the first time, guests from Great Britain, as well as Ukrainians, were also among the top ten. In the first five months, Swedes (1,108 overnight stays) and Poles (1,003) were slightly more modest in terms of overnight stays than the leading nations, but they were ahead of the British and Swiss in terms of arrivals. Domestic guests also recorded a large increase, and during the first five months of 2022, Croats realised 49,908 overnight stays (as opposed to 25,694 a year earlier), which is growth of a very significant 94.2 percent. The situation is similar in terms of arrivals so far (2,557), which exceeded the number of arrivals from back in 2021 by 69.8 percent, when 1,506 tourist arrivals of Croatian guests were recorded.
Vir tourism's results for 2022 are also better than 2020, with 24.5 percent more overnight stays and 41.5 percent more arrivals. Here are the figures: three years ago, there were 88,194 overnight stays recorded in Vir, which means that 2022 is 26.3 percent better; In 2019, there were 5,503 arrivals of both domestic and foreign guests, meaning that this year's 6,698 arrivals represent impressive growth of 21.7 percent when compared to the record set three years ago.
Germans contributed the most with growth of 59.1 percent in terms of overnight stays and 23.7 percent in terms of arrivals, especially given the large numbers with which German tourists participate in tourist traffic on the island (14,576 overnight stays currently, 9,160 three years ago). The Slovenes are on approximately the same number of overnight stays and with 20.6 percent growth in arrivals this year, a significant shift was made by the Austrians with 91.6 percent growth in terms of overnight stays and 31.5 percent in terms of arrivals, the Hungarians with 65.9 percent growth in terms of overnight stays and 132.9 percent in terms of arrivals, and finally the Czechs with growth of 176.4 percent growth in terms of overnight stays and 284.9 percent growth in terms of arrivals.
British citizens have also been arriving en masse to the island of Vir. Last year during the same observed period, British tourists realised only 9 overnight stays, the year before, they realised 14, and the record year of 2019 is still very modest with a mere 131 nights, while this year they recorded as many as 1,203 nights. This is an increase of overnight stays compared to 2019 by as much as 818.3 percent.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.
New Croatian Bird Flu Cases Recorded in Osijek-Baranja Chickens
June the 8th, 2022 - New Croatian bird flu cases have unfortunately been recorded in Osijek-Baranja County, which is causing concern among domestic producers in an already difficult economic situation.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, in the continental Croatian town of Beli Manastir, bird flu of the H5N1 subtype was confirmed in one yard which was home to twenty chickens. Due to the death of seventeen chickens, the suspicion of bird flu being the culprit was initially reported, and then later confirmed.
The veterinary inspection carried out by the State Inspectorate placed the chicken farm suffering from the Croatian bird flu outbreak under control, and after the analysis of four chicken corpses, it was confirmed that the chickens were indeed infected by the aforementioned pathogen, and then the remaining three chickens on the farm were unfortunately euthanised as a precautionary measure.
The Ministry of Agriculture has designated a restricted zone that includes the municipalities of Ceminac, Draz, Jagodnjak, Knezevi Vinogradi, Petlovac, Popovac, Branjin Vrh and Viljevo in Osijek-Baranja County, where further measures and activities will be implemented to prevent the further spread of the infection.
The confirmation of an outbreak of Croatian bird flu cases has now been expressed to the European Commission (EC) and the Hungarian veterinary authority, as part of the zone affected by the outbreak among the chickens includes neighbouring Hungarian territory.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.
Status of Ukrainians in Croatia Who Are Not Refugees to be Protected
June the 8th, 2022 - While there have been thousands of Ukrainian refugees enter Croatia since the Russian invasion of their country back in February this year, there are plenty of Ukrainians in Croatia who have been living and working seasonal jobs here since before the outbreak of war. Their status in the country, while different to that of refugees, is set to be clarified and fully protected.
As Morski writes, in accordance with the European Union (EU) directive, about 12,500 Ukrainian citizens have so far applied for and received temporary protection status in the Republic of Croatia. However, some Ukrainians, who have been living in Croatia for various reasons since last year, aren't entitled to this status.
Returning home to Ukraine is also not at all a solution for any of those individuals at this moment in time and it would be a travesty to push any Ukrainians in Croatia to make such a move. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) has made it very clear, all Ukrainians living in Croatia who want to secure their status - will be able to do so and will have their various situations solved.
Twenty-three-year-old Ukrainian Vita Perestiuk found a seasonal job in Zadar last summer, and she decided to stay in Croatia after the tourist season ended.
''I found a job in Istria, in agriculture, working in the vineyards. I was working there and then the war started, so my family came to Croatia, down to Dubrovnik. I finished my work and then I went down to them in Dubrovnik,'' Perestiuk explained to HRT. The right to international temporary protection, by decision of the Croatian Government, can be exercised only by Ukrainian citizens who came to Croatia after the 1st of January, 2022.
Vita, therefore, like approximately 40 other Ukrainians in Croatia, asked to be granted a residence permit for humanitarian reasons. They waited two months for a solution from MUP, biting their nails.
''We didn't know anything, we called them every three days, asked them this and that... That's why we're very happy to have received this status. Now we can go to work, we can live normally,'' said Vita Perestiuk.
''These persons don't enjoy the same rights as Ukrainians who came here fleeing the war enjoy, except the right to residence, of course, and the right to work, they can work, but they don't enjoy, for example, the right to free healthcare, social protection, the right to free housing and the like,'' explained Zarko Katic, state Secretary for Immigration, Citizenship and Administrative Affairs in the Ministry of the Interior.
About 2,700 Ukrainians in Croatia don't have the right to temporary protection, and they are in Croatia mainly for work.
''Each of them will need to regulate their status here either according to the Law on International and Temporary Protection, or according to the Law on Foreigners, either on the basis of work, family reunification, study, or on the basis of residence as a digital nomad,'' explained Katic.
The Croatian Government has firmly stated announces no Ukrainians in Croatia will be forcibly returned to their homeland, even if that means additional changes to the law.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated politics section.
Croatian Company Rasco's Products to be Delivered to Israel
June the 8th, 2022 - The Croatian company Rasco's Lynx charge electric cleaners are set to be delivered to Israel. This business move will certainly place this successful Croatian enterprise even more firmly on the map as a manufacturer and exporter abroad.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, after failing to hold the 2020 fair due to the global coronavirus pandemic, Europe’s largest utility equipment fair finally manage to make a welcome return in full glory last week. Munich's IFAT also has the epithet of the world's largest fair for environmental technologies, as sustainability in the use of resources and reduction of harmful effects on the climate were the main topics of this year's fair.
The Croatian company Rasco, which is a well known utility equipment manufacturer, participated among 2,984 exhibitors from as many as 59 countries. As sustainable development is an important part of the Croatian company Rasco's overall aim and strategy, IFAT has served as the ideal framework for the introduction of the new Lynx charge electric cleaners.
“Electrification has become the dominant development strategy in the utility equipment industry. There is a strong interest of both cities and utility/communal companies in the procurement of electric vehicles, especially city cleaners/road sweepers. This trend is in line with the new vision of urban management and turning to technologies which have a reduced environmental impact.
We believe that the Lynx charge has an advantage over competitors in the segment of compact road sweepers/cleaners because from the very beginning it was conceived and developed as a vehicle with two types of drives (diesel and electric), without compromising cleaning efficiency, comfort and autonomy,'' stated Rasco's CEO, Ivan Franicevic.
In addition to numerous contacts with potential distributors and end customers, a contract was signed at the fair for the distribution of the Croatian company Rasco's vehicles for the Israeli market. The contract was concluded with Gad-El Municipal Equipment Ltd, which has over 30 years of experience in the import, distribution and service of utility equipment under its belt.
The fair was otherwise visited by 119,000 visitors from 155 countries.
For more, make sure to check out Made in Croatia.
'Everybody Has a Story' Photographic Exhibition Opens in Split to Celebrate Local and Expat Women
June 8, 2022 - Everybody has a Story is a photographic exhibition showcasing 36 photographs of women from all walks of life in Croatia, created during a 12-month period between 2021 and 2022. The photos present the female body in "All Her Glory”, and open up the discourse about the stories our bodies hold.
Everybody has a Story is a conceptual project by occasional TCN contributor Tash Peričić, in collaboration with Split photographer Antea Mrčela-Ljubić.
This exhibition is the realisation of Tash’s long-held dream. Her love of storytelling, sisterhood, and community brought the project to life. Tash grew up in New Zealand and was raised in a Māori community where the importance of community, song, storytelling, and traditional rituals live on. Though it may have been unconscious, the cultural roots certainly influenced the writer in conceiving this multi-dimensional interactive project – which was designed to lift and empower the women who took part in the project. A lot happened behind the scenes to arrive at the photos displayed here.
The connection between Tash and the photographer Antea formed in a photoshoot in which Tash was the muse. Inspired by Antea’s natural grace and ability to make her feel comfortable, and the empowering feeling of the experience, a seed was planted in Tash’s heart, to create a project based around this concept, for other women – one day. And so, it happened. 5 years later, Tash and Antea reconnected and started this project which took on a life of its own. Antea’s gentle nature and attention to human emotion and intimate moments, made her the perfect photographer to realise this project.
Along with Antea and Tash, 10 women from 6 countries (all living in Croatia) aged 20 – 60 years, joined the project. For 12 months, through four seasons, they gathered to share their stories and have photoshoots with Antea. The women held space for each other to speak, they listened, and were themselves heard. They laughed and they cried together. The project which inspired the women to share, created a circle of women, which became a platform for sisterhood and friendship.
Each of these women had a photoshoot with Antea. Some photoshoots were individual, others were in a group environment – in all photoshoots, they were encouraged by their ‘sisters’. Supported and uninhibited, they felt safe to show their nature and spirit which was expertly captured by Antea’s eye. The photoshoots took place in every season of nature, and invariably capture the various ‘seasons’ of a woman’s life. The photos reveal the women and bodies as they are – perfect, unique, and beautiful. Stories written by the women in the photos open their intimate world to us and remind us that not all scars are visible. Words written by Tash invite us to pause and reflect.
The exhibition takes us beyond the skin and exterior of the body, it teaches us to not judge one another by appearance, but rather to come from a place of curiosity and inquiry, so we may know ourselves and others better. Creating compassion and understanding – something the world so desperately needs.
This exhibition honours all women, everywhere, and asks us to see beauty in others and ourselves. It also showcases the healing power of storytelling and sisterhood, and reveals something we often forget – that everybody has a story.
About the Creators
Antea Mrčela-Ljubić is a Split-based photographer who has been in the photography business for 10 years. As a sociologist, Antea’s main focus is human emotions and subtle moments between two or more people. This passion and attention to the subtleties of human nature naturally found its home and expressed itself in wedding photography. Her curiosity for observing people and their diversity led Antea to find a new field of interest – intimate portraits with the intention to help women acknowledge their worth and beauty. Because of standardised beauty frames, a lot of women doubt their authenticity, worth and beauty. This is the main drive for Antea’s work – to present women as they are, unique and beautiful. Antea encourages movement and creates a space where women feel safe to express themselves or just be. In this way, Antea’s photography captures depth and intimacy that few can.
Tash Peričić is from New Zealand; she has travelled around the world and moved to Split for love. As a writer, Tash has long shared personal and vulnerable stories, through this process she learned the healing power of storytelling and connection, and in recent years – the importance of community. Tash created the ‘Empowered Women, Empower Women’ group that can be found on Facebook. The idea behind this group was to create a space where women can connect with like-minded women, encourage, and support one another. Tash is inspired by human nature, psychology, indigenous wisdom, and spiritual teachings. Alongside writing, Tash works in the yachting industry as a freelance stewardess, educator, and consultant. In all she does, Tash aims to connect, uplift, or inspire others.
Curated by Sunčica Kuzmanić, Everybody has a Story opens on Sunday, June 12 at 8 pm. It will be on view daily, 12 – 2 pm 6 – 8 pm, from June 13 to 16, 2022, at the Prokultura Gallery, Peristil, – Poljana Kraljice Jelene 1, Split.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.
Croatian Basketball Championship Finals: Zadar's Win against Cibona Enforces Final Game Five
June 8, 2022- 2825 loyal supporters at Krešimir Ćosić Arena in Zadar saw their team win game four 61:59 (36:36) in this year's Croatian Basketball Championship Finals against Cedevita to make it 2 wins each. The championship will now be decided in the final game in Zagreb on Friday.
The series has been quite a back and forth with Zadar surprising in Zagreb in the opener just to see Cibona come back with two straight wins. On Tuesday night the guests from the capital could have already crowned themselves but the defending champions managed to squeeze out just another close victory to stay alive.
Both sides played a defensive game and no team was able to pull away decisively. With only two minutes to play, the game was still tied at 58:58. Both sides could not convert their tries before the night's top scorer Thompson (15 points) was fouled. The Zadar center converted both his free throws for a 60:58 lead. Prkačin had a chance to tie the game for the guests again but missed his second free throw. When Thompson followed his example to make it 61:59, Cibona still had 17 seconds to tie or even win the game but Zadar's defense managed to hold on to the lead and the chance to defend the title.
The final and decisive game will be played at Dražen Petrović Basketball Center in Zagreb on Friday, June 10th, 2022 at 20:00.
Result by quarters: 16:17, 20:19, 13:9, 12:14
Referees: Radojković Josip, Kardum Luka, Hadžić Denis
Box score: https://fibalivestats.dcd.shared.geniussports.com/u/HKS/2097389/
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated sports section.
Croatia Water Polo World Championship Prep Begins in Pula
June 8, 2022 - The Croatia Water Polo World Championship prep has begun in Pula. Croatia plays their first match in the tournament on June 21 against Greece.
The Croatia water polo team is in Pula, beginning its cycle of preparations before leaving for the World Championships in Hungary from June 18 to July 3. Croatia will play its first game on June 21.
"We gathered on Sunday night, after the Champions League. We don't have much time; our goal is to rest the players and psychologically prepare them for the first big competition this summer. The team is new, with a lot of work to do and little time, but I believe the real test will be the matches against the Italian national team, with which we will play two official matches, the first in Trieste and the second on June 14 in Pula.
We will end this cycle of preparations, give the boys two days off, and gather again on June 17. Then the selected thirteen players will be revealed, who will start in Budapest on June 18 for another match, this time against the national team of Hungary, after which I believe we will be ready to welcome the start of the World Championships," announced coach Ivica Tucak.
After bad news about the injuries of defender Hrvoje Benić and goalkeeper Ivan Marcelić, Tucak is traveling to the World Championships without these two players.
The Croatia national team currently includes:
Toni Popadić (Jug Adriatic osiguranje), Jerko Jurlin (Mladost), Josip Vrlić (Radnički), Ivan Krapić (Noisy-le-Sec), Lovro Paparić (Vouliagmeni), defenders Marko Žuvela (Jug Adriatic osiguranje), Matias Biljak (Mladost), Rino Burić (Jadran), forwards Konstantin Kharkov (Jadran), Ivan Domagoj Zović (Szolnok), Jerko Marinić Kragić (Jadran), Loren Fatović (Jug Adriatic osiguranje), Franko Lazić (Mladost), Ante Vukičević (Marseille), Luka Bukić (Jadran), Andrija Bašić (Palermo), Dario Rakovec (Mladost) and Kristijan Milaković (Szolnok).
Tickets for the Croatia - Italy friendly match in Pula on June 14 are already on sale at the Pula City Pool.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated sports section.
2021/22 HNL Second Highest Scorer Josip Drmić Signs with Dinamo from Rijeka
June 8, 2022 - Josip Drmić is a new Dinamo player. The 29-year-old striker has signed a professional contract with the Croatian champions and will join the first team at a gathering in mid-June.
Drmić arrived at Dinamo as the second scorer of the HNL last season with 21 goals in the Rijeka jersey. Until 2019, the talented offensive player wore the Norwich jersey while he arrived on loan to Rijeka in February 2021. He played 55 games for Rijeka, with 32 goals and five assists, announces Dinamo.
In the last season, he made 30 appearances in the HNL, three in the Croatian Cup, and four in the qualifications for the UEFA Conference League. He scored a total of 25 goals in all three competitions.
Earlier in his career, he gained extensive international playing experience with FC Zürich, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Bayer Leverkusen, FC Nuremberg, Hamburger SV, and Norwich. In the recently concluded 2021/22 season, the experienced goal scorer was close to the title of the league's top scorer. With a handful of fantastic actions and goals, his hat-trick against Šibenik at the end of the season stands out.
With the experience gained in playing in the Bundesliga earlier in his career, Drmić has proved his exceptional quality, excellent playing skills, and certainly a desirable class in scoring goals during his time in Croatia.
In addition to his club career, Drmić has been a member of the Swiss national team since 2012, for which he scored 10 goals in 35 games.
"I am thrilled and proud of this moment. Dinamo is the best Croatian club, the Croatian champion continuously wins trophies in domestic competitions, and performs regularly in European competitions. This season, the championship was extremely tense, the quality of players and teams was raised, and the final was very interesting and a bit uncertain, but in the end, Dinamo deservedly celebrated the title and confirmed they are the best in Croatia. I will personally do my best to thank the club for the trust they have gained in their games and goals. I believe that Dinamo will continue with good results in the new season through the Super Cup match, then the Championship and the Cup, and through the qualifications for the Champions League. The goals of the club are very high, but the quality of the players, staff, and the whole team is also high. With the support of Dinamo fans, as it was especially this season, I am sure that success will not be lacking," said Josip Drmić after signing the contract.
You can watch a video presentation and a short conversation with the new Dinamo player below:
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated sports section.
PM: It's Worst When You Have a State Whose Position is Not Known
ZAGREB, 7 June 2022 - Having a state whose position is not known is the worst, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Tuesday, on the occasion of Croatian Diplomacy Day, stressing that Croatia must be a reliable country on the international political scene.
Speaking at an event organised at the National and University Library in Zagreb to mark Croatian Diplomacy Day, Plenković recalled the beginnings of Croatian statehood and the role of diplomacy in it, noting that present-day Croatia "has an entirely different status and role."
"I can say freely that we have accomplished all strategic national goals - we have a state, institutions, we have become part of the Western circle to which as a nation we believed to belong," he said, adding that the remaining goals to be achieved were membership of the euro area and accession to the Schengen area of passport-free movement, the target date for both goals being 1 January 2023.
"The icing on the cake would be membership in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, whose new secretary-general has a favourable attitude to Croatia's ambitions," Plenković said, adding that "it won't happen on 1 January but it will happen in the years ahead."
He noted that the Russian aggression on Ukraine had caused "tectonic global changes" that would be felt at all levels, including in the global economy.
In circumstances such as these, "every move and word is measured carefully" in the international community, and Croatia must be "a reliable country" in that context, he said.
"It's worst when you have a state about which those who want to cooperate with it do not know what its position is," he said, adding that his government's position had been clear for years while others use belligerent rhetoric, including insults.
The event at the National and University Library was also addressed by Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlić Radman.
For more, check out our politics section.
Malenica: New Law Will Introduce Equal Pay for Equal Work
ZAGREB, 7 June 2022 - Minister of Justice and Public Administration Ivan Malenica said on Tuesday that he empathized with judicial staff who protested across Croatia over low salaries and announced the adoption of a new law to introduce an equal pay for equal work model.
"I am aware that some of the staff have low salaries and I can understand their dissatisfaction. However, this issue must be addressed comprehensively through the new law on wages. That law is part of the activities we are implementing through the National Recovery and Resilience Program (NPOO). We have about HRK 51 million under the NPOO to improve the system," Malenica said.
He added that the ministry was currently analyzing the existing indexation system and that the new law would resolve the wage issue completely in line with the "equal work, equal pay" model.
Malenica also said that the deadline for the adoption of the new law was 30 June 2023 and that the ministry considered the unions as its partners.
Underscoring that the government had restored social dialogue, he recalled that the base pay for civil servants had been increased and that after the last increase in May, it amounted to HRK 6,286.
Other benefits were also increased, such as Christmas bonuses, holiday pay, and regular health check-ups. In addition, tax reforms have been implemented that have increased incomes for the lowest-income earners, Malenica said.
Judicial staff, mostly civil servants and clerks who are dissatisfied with their status and entitlements, protested on Tuesday outside court buildings and state attorney's offices across Croatia.
The protest was organised by the union of state and local government employees, which pointed to the extremely difficult financial situation of employees in the judiciary and the fact that one-third of them were left out of a 9% salary increase in 2019.
For more, check out our politics section.
