ZAGREB, 7 June 2022 - Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević on Tuesday opened the Festival of Equal Opportunities, an international event in which persons with disabilities perform in a musical, theatre and art programme together with artists as well as in recreation and sport games.

The festival celebrates diversity and equal opportunities, which must be ensured for all persons with disabilities in Zagreb, he said, adding that all barriers to feeling equal must be removed.

The festival is taking place in Zagreb's central square until 9 June and has been organised by the Zagreb Association of Physically Disabled for the 20th year in a row. It features more than 900 performers from Croatia and abroad, including 600 persons with disabilities.

Persons with disabilities make up 13% of Croatia's population and due to countless physical, institutional and social barriers, they are excluded from everyday life and condemned to invisibility, which is a reflection of structural discrimination, so the public does not perceive it as a problem, said Viktorija Lisec, the Association's president.

The prime minister's envoy, Culture Ministry state secretary Ivica Poljičak, said the government was doing everything to make everyday life easier for persons with disabilities. Their participation in cultural events stimulates their creativity and contributes to society's diversity and to raising public awareness, he added.

Science and Education Ministry state secretary Tomislav Paljak said the festival was special because it enabled persons with disabilities to show the talents that equated them with others.

The deputy ombudsman for person with disabilities, Dario Jurišić, said they should have equal rights and obligations, and that the festival's purpose was a social approach to the inclusion of isolated groups.

For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB, 7 June 2022 - Fifty-six percent of persons aged 15-24 in Croatia did not access pirated content over the past year, while 28% did so intentionally, according to a European Union Intellectual Property Office survey.

Of those who did so intentionally, 77% accessed films, followed by TV series and shows (68%), music (48%), software (45%), live sport events (34%), videogames (41%), and e-books (21%).

Thirty-one percent of respondents in Croatia intentionally bought a fake product, most often clothes and accessories (12%), electronic devices (8%), shoes (7%), and cosmetics, perfumes, and personal care products (5%).

The survey shows that 52% of European respondents aged 15-24 bought at least one fake product online, while 33% accessed digital content from illegal sources.

Thirty-seven percent bought a fake product intentionally, while 21% used, played, downloaded or streamed content from illegal sources, the most in Greece (62%) and the least in the Czech Republic (24%).

The fake products young people in the EU buy intentionally are most often clothes and accessories (17%), shoes (14%), electronic devices (13%), and cosmetics, perfumes, and personal care products (12%).

As for digital content, 60% of respondents did not use, play, download or stream content from illegal sources over the last year.

The survey shows that 21% of young consumers consciously accessed pirated material in the last year, with 12% doing so by accident, while 7% don't know if they did.

Films accounted for the most pirated material (61%), followed by TV series (52%) and music (36%).

The survey shows that price and availability remain the main reasons for buying fake products and digital piracy, but peer influence and social influence are becoming increasingly important.

Cyber threats, fraud and environmental impact are among the most important factors deterring young people from fakes and piracy.

The survey was conducted on 7-28 February, covering 22,021 respondents in the EU-27.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

June 7, 2022 - At the end of June, the 2023 Basketball World Cup qualifications will take place, in which Croatia will play against Slovenia and Finland. 

The Croatia basketball team expects an away match in Slovenia and a home match against Finland in Rijeka later this month. 

June 30, 2022, at 20:15 Slovenia - CROATIA (Arena Stožice, Ljubljana)
July 3, 2022, at 20:00 CROATIA - Finland (Zamet Center, Rijeka)

Coach Damir Mulaomerović led Croatia in the last cycle in February, when the national team recorded a defeat and a victory against Sweden. With that victory, Croatia remains in the race for a spot at the 2023 World Cup.

"We have decided on a wider list of 26 players. There were a lot of unknowns about playing NBA players, and in the meantime, we got confirmation that they can train from June 27 onwards, so only three days before the game. So we have a wider list, and all the players deserve to be on it. From that base, we will select those who will come to the preparations on June 15. So we will invite a few more players because we will not be able to use NBA players until the 27th. Of course, we will also watch who finished the competitions and refresh some guys and I hope that as many of us as possible will come to the initial gathering. We have certain problems because, for example, Karlo Matković is in training in the NBA, but we will solve some problems on the fly and soon publish a short list of players for preparations in Opatija," said coach Mulaomerović eight days before the start of preparations.

The 2023 Basketball World Cup will be played in Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines next year. 

3rd cycle 2023 Basketball World Cup qualifications 

• Roko Rogić
• Goran Filipović
• Lovro Gnjidić
• Mate Kalajžić
• Borna Kapusta
• Bojan Bogdanović
• Mario Hezonja
• Filip Krušlin
• Sven Smajlagić
• Mateo Drežnjak
• Toni Perković
• Dominik Mavra
• Toni Jelenković
• Ivan Ramljak
• Pavle Marčinković
• Toni Nakić
• Roko Prkačin
• Željko Šakić
• Tomislav Zubčić
• Matej Rudan
• Dario Drežnjak
• Dragan Bender
• Ivica Zubac
• Ante Toni Žižić
• Karlo Matković
• Danko Branković

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated sports section. 

June 7, 2022 - After award-winning events in Dubrovnik and Zagreb, Saltwater Nomads is organising the first-ever Zadar Digital Noamd Week, starting Friday. 

The story continues... 

It is hard to imagine that it is less than 2 years since Dutch entrepreneur Jan de Jong wrote an open letter to the Croatian Prime Minister asking him to introduce a digital nomad visa in Croatia. So much has happened since then, and it is fair to say that Croatia is very much 'in' as a nomad destination. 

After last year's award winning Zagreb Digtial Nomad Week and Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence programs, the team at Saltwater Nomads have been busy designing and delivering more events for the digital nomad community, and the latest one starts this Friday, the first-ever Zadar Digital Nomad Week. 

And if you are a digital nomad who enjoys being active in nature, with a taste for good food and fine wine, then this is an event for you. Keynote speeches from Antarctic explorers after hiking up a mountain, or talks on a kayak on a lake are but some of the highlights. 

Final details are still being applied, but the official event website (you are advised to check for any updates) currently has a very exciting programme of speakers, including two of the top 10 LinkedIn voices on remote work. From the Zadar Digital Nomad Wekk website (where you can register your interest and attendance):

Stay tuned for details of our speakers, including some of the leading voices in Remote Work, Digital Nomads (who love Zadar!) and local businesses who have gone global.

• FRIDAY 10th June: Nomad Table - with special guest Mandy Fransz, Make The Leap Digital.
• SATURDAY 11th June: Fitness Masterclass with Rudi Witkowski, later ... gourmet picnic - with a twist.
• SUNDAY 12th June: Outdoor excursion. Talk on a kayak with Michael Freer.
• MONDAY 13th June: Press conference. Mic'd up Monday - masterclass with Marlee McCormick. And virtual session with Maya Middlemiss.
• TUESDAY 14th June: Remote Work. Masterclass with Rowena Hennigan.
• WEDNESDAY 15th June: How to Nomad: Special session, featuring Anna Maria Kochanska and digital nomad guests @ a local winery.
• THURSDAY 16th June: Overnight hike up Paklenica with Keynote by Dr. Diane Erceg.
• FRIDAY 17th June: Return to civilisation...

Please check the official website for the latest schedule.

For more news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

June 7, 2022 - Limited edition Ogulin Fairy Tale Festival Startas sneakers are painted with fairy tale motifs and are handmade in Croatia by the popular Vukovar footwear factory Borovo!

The Ogulin Fairytale Festival, in cooperation with Borovo, the most famous footwear factory in Croatia, has created special, limited festival sneakers inspired by the Ogulin Fairy Tale Festival, reports Jutarnji List. 

The sneakers were painted by a young Ogulin artist Miss Ura, or Ana Salopek, a famous illustrator of children's books and award-winning author who will present her first book called "What If?" at the Ogulin Fairy Tale Festival this year.

This is the first time that this legendary Vukovar footwear factory and the Ogulin Tourist Board have cooperated to promote the 17th edition of the Ogulin Fairy Tale Festival. The cooperation arose through the idea of promoting and connecting Croatian culture, heritage, and original Croatian products.

"Connecting a cultural and tourist event such as the Ogulin Fairy Tale Festival with the original Croatian footwear brand is a kind of upgrade of the entire event. Considering that the Ogulin Fairy Tale Festival has been organized for many years with the wholehearted support of the Ministry of Culture and Media, Karlovac County, Croatian Tourist Board, Karlovac County Tourist Board, and the City of Ogulin, this cooperation was a logical sequence for us, and we are very proud that we made it happen," said the Ogulin Tourist Board.

The limited-edition sneakers will be available in Borovo shoe stores and on the brand's webshop for 229 kuna.

The traditional cultural and tourist Ogulin Fairy Tale Festival is ready to take place in Ogulin from June 10 to 12. This summer, the festival will celebrate fairy tales and fairytale creations across three days through a vibrant artistic and cultural program intended for children, youth, and adults. Admission to the Ogulin Fairy Tale Festival is free for all ages.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

June 7, 2022 - Remembering Croatian basketball legend Dražen Petrović, who passed away 29 years ago today. 

On this day, 29 years ago, Dražen Petrović, a member of the Croatia basketball team and one of the best Croatian athletes of all time, was killed in a car accident on the motorway near the German city of Ingolstadt.

He was a basketball player and a role model, the Mozart of sports, but tragically died at the age of 29 during the peak of his playing career.

Dražen played his last match against Slovenia in the qualifications for the European Championship in Wroclaw. It was on June 5, 1993. The Croatia national team returned from Poland by plane, but Dražen set off in a car with his girlfriend behind the wheel. It would be his last drive.

Dražen was born on October 22, 1964, in Šibenik. His love for basketball has been with him since he was a small child. His exceptional perseverance and dedication to daily training with undeniable talent quickly made him one of the best in all age groups.

At the age of sixteen, he joined the Šibenik first team. He brought his hometown the Yugoslav champion title in 1983.

Cibona and Real Madrid were unreachable to all European clubs when Dražen played in their ranks. Having achieved everything in Europe, he went to the strongest league in the world - the NBA.

Although he was on the bench for much of his first season due to politics inside Portland, he showed his phenomenal talent two years later with the New Jersey Nets. Not only was he the team’s best shooter in 1992 (especially at three-pointers), but also the best European to have played in the NBA league so far. 

That year, Dražen led the Croatia national team to its greatest success - silver at the Olympic Games in Barcelona. Croatia played against the 'Dream Team' featuring the best representatives of the NBA and some of the best basketball players in history - Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Scottie Pippen, to name a few. 

As a player, he received the Franjo Bučar State Award for Sports in 1992, and posthumously, this time for his life's work, he received the same award in 2002.

He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated sports section. 

June 7, 2022 - The Nikola Tesla EV Rally 2022 is underway, showcasing luxury tourism and Croatia's green credentials for the 9th year. 

Did you hear about the time Elon Musk's mum took part in a electric car race driving a Tesla? Not many have (That Time Elon Musk's Mum Maye Came on the Nikola Tesla EV Rally in Croatia).

(Maye Musk with event organisers Igor and Tina Kolovrat)

Or that time when a Jadrolinija ferry was 100% occupied by electric cars, an image which was shared on social media by Musk's Tesla company?

Or the time that Croatia's own electric car genius, Mate Rimac, took part in speed tests on the same rally in his Concept_One?

One of the very best events in Croatia is underway for a ninth year, the Nikola Tesla EV Rally 2022, which kicked off in Istria, and which will be making its way down the coast to Zadar over the next week. More than 60 electric vehicles, predominantly Teslas, will be taking part in the quietest race in the world.

An excellent week of 5-star hotels, excellent Croatian gastronomy and culture are being enjoyed by a very international field, as well as speed skill exams for competitors to pit their skills against each other. 

A key component of the rally each year is connecting with the public who are interested in learning more about the electric car revolution. The programme of this year's rally is below, with local tourist boards able to inform you on exact arrival times and locations. 

05.06. START Rovinj
06.06. Rovinj (Riva – Obala Maršala Tita) – PROGRAM:
– 11.00 gathering/arrival of vehicles
– 11.30 – 12.00 h official start announcement by Mayor of Rovinj, Mr. Marko Paliaga
07-08.06. Rovinj – Vrsar – Svetvinčenat – Kringa- Tinjan – Pazin – Lupoglav – Hum – Opatija – Zadar
09.06. Šibenik – PROGRAM:
– 13.30 . 16.30 h exhibition of vehicles on Riva (Obala dr.Franje Tuđmana)
10.06. Zadar – PROGRAM: Parking of Višnjik Sport Center (open for public, visitors are welcome)
– 11.00 h gathering
– 11.15 – 13.30 h „Speed skill exam“
– 13.45 h Award ceremony
11.06. FINISH Zadar

Here is how the rally looks in the video below. To follow the latest, check out the Nikola Tesla EV Rally 2022 Facebook page.

June 7, 2022 - The 8th Croatian Football Federation Executive Board session was held in Solin on Monday, at which a decision was made on the names of men's football competitions in the upcoming season.

On Monday, the Croatian Football Federation Executive Board met in Solin ahead of the UEFA League of Nations match between Croatia and France at Poljud, reports HNS.

A decision was made that the highest level of competition in men's football will again be called the Croatian Football League, while the second, third, and fourth levels will be called, respectively, the First Football League, the Second Football League, and the Third Football League. Subsequently, it is possible to add to these names the name of the title sponsor of each level of competition.

"We wanted to single out the first stage of the competition and give additional importance to the lower stages of the competition, so we considered several solutions. In the end, we decided to return the first stage of the competition to its original and recognizable name, Croatian Football League, which has become common among fans, in public, and in the media, which we have witnessed in recent years when the name was the First League, but we all said that it is ours - HNL.

In this way, we paid tribute to the history and recognition of the HNL while avoiding international expressions such as "premier" or "elite," which have no tradition in Croatian football. We have also emphasized second, third, and fourth level clubs. Furthermore, we will continue to strengthen all marketing, promotional and commercial aspects," said HNS President Marijan Kustić.

The Executive Board also accepted the decision on distributing funds from the TV rights contract, whereby the largest part will go to the clubs of the Croatian Football League - 9.33 million euros. The rest of the funds will be directed to the First Football League, 1st ŽNL, 1st HMNL, HNK for youth, HNK for women, and HNK in indoor soccer.

The Executive Board determined the participants in the competition from the first to the third level, i.e., the qualification for the First and Second Football Leagues.

The new Ordinance on Football Competitions, the Ordinance on Club Cooperation, the Licensing Report for the Competition Year 2022/23, the Report on the Organization of Football Camps in Australia and the USA, and the document Basics of Veteran Football were adopted.

The Executive Board also decided to purchase artificial grass needed to build seven more lawns in counties across the country.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated sports section.