ZAGREB, 3 June 2022 - In the last 24 hours, there have been 405 new cases of the infection with coronavirus in Croatia, and the disease has taken three more lives, the country's national COVID-19 crisis management team reported on Friday.

There are currently 2,081 active cases of the infection, and of them 190 are hospitalised patients, including five patients placed on ventilators.

Since the first registered case of the infection in Croatia on 25 February 2020, more than 1.137 million cases of the infection have been diagnosed. The death toll has reached 15,998.

There have been nearly 1.2 million recoveries, including 412 in the last 24 hours.

Nearly 70% of adults have been vaccinated against this disease.

PR TEXT - June 3, 2022 - The International Meeting of Travel Influencers which started on the first day of June is spreading across social networks and local news portals.

After exciting and delicious events that honored attractive cultural heritage and local gastronomy, it was time for a conference and roundtable on the "Impact of travel influencers on the tourism industry". 

Thus, the creative ideas and marketing tools of the digital divas and multimedia heroes from all over the world were shared at the Amphora hotel with a lecture by the professor of the Faculty of Political Science Zagreb, Domagoj Bebić.

Bebić compared the new media demand with food, which, under the influence of pandemic trends and earlier, put tourism influencers in a very important place. Bebić said that gathering so many influential social networking representatives in one place is an excellent step by the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, otherwise known for its innovation and tourism pioneering and a strong focus on innovations in the world tourism trends and marketing trends.

"What is interesting for me to study is how this media diet is developing and the future of these trends," said the professor.

"Getting closer to global influencers in this way and connecting them with local tourism stakeholders is a truly innovative move that certainly positions us even more on the tourist map of Europe," he concluded, emphasizing that the arrival of influencers in the County directly affects tourism and traffic.

Apart from Professor Bebić, the forces of the tourism profession were also represented by the Head of the Global PR Department of the Croatian National Tourist Board, Lucijana Jerković, who pointed out the quality of cooperation with influencers and bloggers in various markets even during the pandemic. It is believed that the communication with the surrounding countries contributed to the excellent tourist results of Central Dalmatia, even in uncertain pandemic times. Tonči Glavina, State Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, also commented on the challenging pandemic conditions, emphasizing the need for people to travel and spend some time outside their residence as an integral part of their quality of life.

"Accordingly, we have chosen the path to position ourselves as the first country in Europe to send a message of opening and security," said Glavina.

Joško Stella, director of the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, spoke about the exceptional power of social networks, which today no one can deny.

"The roundtable served as an opportunity to present to influencers our tourism figures, events, projects we are working on, and our results. As a result, we can boast that we have the best results on social networks of all local tourist boards in Croatia," Stella proudly pointed out, adding specific figures. Thus, Central Dalmatia has over 690 thousand followers on Facebook, over 36 million views on YouTube, and over 50,000 followers on Instagram.

"We also mentioned the 'Maritime Routes' project, where we went through all the nautical routes of the county with Google Street View and 52 themed trails, or 327 kilometers, which is unique in Europe. Our last project with Metaverse and NFT is unique, and this generation is interested," said Stella, proud to have organized a destination campaign using the power of influencers, which he plans to engage and implement even more in this unique International Meeting, with carefully thought out and developed marketing strategies.

The ambassadors of this project - the most recognizable local Instagrammer, Ella Dvornik Pearce, and the famous Croatian travel writer and adventurer Goran Jovic, also spoke at the roundtable.

"I don't know how long I have been an influencer, but if you influence someone publicly in any way, you are also a kind of influencer," said Goran.

"We shared the tools and tricks we use in business. The richness of social networks is that about thirty influential people, each different in their way, will share their impressions of our county to their followers."

"I came to promote Dalmatia - with a purger accent!" joked Ella.

"I explained to the audience how I promote a tourist destination. I gave them some advice if they want to hire influencers, look for them, and communicate the desired content of publications," she added. 

It should be noted that before the roundtable, other experts in the field were also in attendance - Lucijana Natalija Jerkovic, head of global PR in the Croatian Tourist Board, and director of the Istrian Tourist Board Denis Ivosevic, and the County deputy prefect Stipe Čogelja. Although he modestly admitted that he uses only Facebook, he is well aware that people in Dalmatia should fall in love. This will be helped by influencers, who have succeeded so far with their highly aesthetic posts and fantastic photos of natural or gourmet beauties. Central Dalmatia, without exception, makes us want to walk into the screen. However, he emphasized that there is still room for improvement in cooperation with influencers and that he nurtures the strategy of visiting a different Croatian island every year. Furthermore, at the county level, called "Hidden Dalmatia," he announced raising the potential for tourism in rural Dalmatia, calling it a nicer and better version of French Provence.

The day continued at the magnificent Skywalk and WTA tournament in Makarska. We can't wait to see how photo & travel blogger Diana Loos from Brazil, Karlovac's Marjeta Kessler, and Anne Wizental and her Polish compatriots Agnieszka and Woytek Tyuls, better known as Crolovepl present this content on social networks!

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

ZAGREB, 3 June 2022 - The government on Friday gave its consent to the HEP state power provider to borrow a billion euros to finance the procurement of electricity supplies, coal and heating energy as well as to purchase gas supplies which the company will store in the Okoli underground natural gas storage facility.

Economy and Sustainable Development Minister Davor Filipović said today that the consent was motivated by plans to make sure that there would be enough energy supplies for households and the enterprise sector against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine.

Thus, HEP has been given the green light to borrow €600 million from commercial banks for the procurement of electricity, gas, coal, and heating energy.

HEP is allowed to borrow up to 400 million euros for the purpose of ensuring 270.83 million cubic metres of gas and store it in Okoli.

The government will provide guarantees for both loans.

The gas stored in Okoli will be managed by the crisis management team tasked with the implementation of intervention measures necessary to secure the provision of gas supplies to Croatia.

The state budget will allocate funds to cover the difference between the asking and selling prices of gas on the market.

In late April, the government decided to fill the Okoli underground storage facility after its lessees showed no interest in filling the storage capacities because of high gas prices.

The decision was made based on the intervention plan to respond in time to potential gas supply disruptions, at the proposal of the crisis management team established to monitor gas supply security.

The team has ordered that Okoli should be full at 90% of capacity at the start of the next heating system, by 1 November.

The decision allowing the government to intervene and fill the Okoli gas storage facility entered into force in late April.

Under the decision, lessees are required to fill 63% of the capacity they leased by 1 August, 68% by 1 September, 74% by 1 October, and 90% by 1 November. If they do not plan to use the capacity they leased, they are required to notify the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development. In that case, they will lose the right to store gas at Okoli so that strategic gas reserves can be made by the government.

ZAGREB, 3 June 2022 - Croatia has significant potential to harness wind but it is not using it sufficiently due to phlegmatic bureaucracy, WindEurope association executive director Giles Dickson said in Dubrovnik on Thursday.

Dickson was one of the panelists at a two-day conference "Days of Good Wind",  organised in Dubrovnik by the Renewable Energy Sources Croatia (OIEH) association.

Dickson said that Croatia was at the bottom of the ladder in the EU in terms of efficiency in issuing permits for wind parks.

Under Croatian laws, investors must use the technology stated in the original application for a permit while most European countries allow flexibility so technology modernisation is possible instead of getting stuck with the technology that was possibly the best five years ago, Dickson said in an interview with Hina.

WindEurope brings together 400 companies from 38 countries and is a partner to the European Commission.

Dickson believes that also problematic is the fact that each local government unit in Croatia has its own, separate physical plan, which causes additional problems.

Wind parks in Croatia today produce 1,000 megawatts of electricity, which is around 11% of the total power consumption.

It is estimated that in the next five years, Croatia will build an additional 1,400 megawatts of wind parks.

Having 2.4 instead of one gigawatt accounts for one-quarter of total energy, which is a big increase and illustrates Croatia's wind potential, Dickson said.

Grzegorz Zielinski of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, too, believes Croatia should focus more on facilitating wind park development projects.

The private sector should focus on finding good locations, developing projects, obtaining permits and securing financing, he said.

The state secretary at the Economy and Sustainable Development, Ivo Milatić, said that Croatia had opted for "a systematic approach to developing renewable energy sources."

OIEH director Maja Pokrovac said at the opening of the Dubrovnik conference that Croatia wants what the rest of Europe wants - more renewable energy.

"But it is also clear that without cooperation we cannot achieve the green transition to the desired amount of megawatts of installed power which hopefully will amount to 5,000 megawatts by 2030," she said.

The Days of Good Wind conference has brought together representatives of European institutions and governments, the academic community, the private sector from Croatia and abroad, as well as investors and environmental protection experts who are discussing possibilities of a more effective development of wind energy projects.

ZAGREB, 3 June 2022 - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović said on Friday that he did not want to speculate about declaring an end to the coronavirus pandemic, adding that the government would make a decision to that effect at the proposal of the health minister.

"Except for some minimal restrictions in the health and social welfare systems, there are practically no other restrictions, which does not mean that the virus is gone because people still get infected," the minister said.

He added that he did not want to speculate about when the pandemic would be officially declared over, adding that he was not sure anyone, including the World Health Organisation, had declared it over.

"This summer the situation will be significantly easier than it was in the past two years and we hope the autumn will not be demanding."

ZAGREB, 3 June 2022 - Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Nataša Tramišak said on Friday that significant progress in the absorption and use of EU funds had been recorded over the past year, adding that since its admission to the EU, Croatia had absorbed close to HRK 56 billion more than it had paid into the EU budget.

Speaking during a parliamentary debate on a report on the use of EU funds in the period from 1 January to 30 June 2021, Tramišak said that compared to the year before, the rate of funds being paid increased from 57% to 72% while project certification rose from 47 to 58%.

Last year, we overtook eight countries and moved up from 27th to 18th place in the EU. We are currently better than Spain, Italy, Slovakia, Romania, Belgium, Denmark, Great Britain, Luxembourg and Austria and are currently around the EU average in terms of the use of funds, the minister said.

With the help of EU funds more than 500 kindergartens were built across the country, a number of enterprise zones were opened, and the reconstruction of earthquake-hit areas and construction of replacement homes is being financed, as is the social and utility infrastructure, Tramišak said.

We are working on a new methodology to avoid selecting projects depending on how quickly they apply for funding but rather to select the best projects, she said, adding that this month a new head of the Central Finance and Contracting Agency (SAFU) should be appointed.

The recruitment procedure was repeated three times because we want a person who, in addition to meeting formal conditions, is familiar with the management of EU funds, she said.

Former SAFU director Tomislav Petric was replaced after he was arrested in a corruption investigation together with former minister Gabrijela Žalac.

Tramišak confirmed independent MP Ružica Vukovac's allegation that during the reporting period, 410 reports were filed to the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) over suspected irregularities, noting that no irregularities had been found in 250 cases while findings in the other cases were pending.

June 3, 2022 - A Croatian citizen who fought in Ukraine was recently wounded in battle and is expected to return to Croatia for treatment. The wounded Croatian soldier joined the Ukrainian army as a volunteer.

According to the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, the wounded Croatian soldier in question was transported to a safe place from where he will be provided with transport and continue his journey back to Croatia, where he will continue his treatment in one of Zagreb's hospitals, reports Jutarnji List.

''We can confirm the information about the injured Croatian citizen in Ukraine, who was transported to safety by the joint efforts of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Ministry of Health along with the help of the Ukrainian authorities. From where he is now, he will be provided with further transport and continue his journey to Croatia'', said the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

Jutarnji list learned that the Croatian citizen who was wounded in Ukraine is stable and out of danger. 

''A young man went to Ukraine to fight at the beginning of the Russian aggression against Ukraine,'' confirmed Denis Scheler, who was a member of the Azov Regiment for six years, and who was recently accused by Moscow of organising the departure of Croats to Ukraine.

''What I do know is that he was slightly injured because of a small amount of shrapnel that hit him. He is able to normally and everything is fine, it's nothing terrible,'' says Scheler.

He is on his way to Zagreb where he will be treated and then spend time recovering after being wounded on the southeastern battlefield in Ukraine about ten days ago. Scheler notes that no Croats are in the Azov Regiment, and that includes this particular wounded man.

As Jutarnji list unofficially found out, the Croat wounded in Ukraine will be taken by a Croatian ambulance from the Hungarian-Ukrainian border and most likely transferred to Dubrava Hospital, unless some specific injuries are identified that cannot be treated there. He will then be transferred to KBC Zagreb.

The Minister of Health, Vili Beroš, only briefly confirmed to Jutarnji list that the organisation of the reception of the wounded Croatian citizen from Ukraine is in progress, and that his injuries pose no danger to his life.

For more, check out our politics section.

June 3, 2022 - The Ogulin Fairy Tale Festival, a popular traditional cultural and tourist event, will be held for the 17th time in Ogulin from June 10 to 12. Those attending will get to enjoy a magical experience through a rich artistic and cultural programme for children of all ages, as well as adults.

The streets and squares of Ogulin are ready once again to turn into the most imaginative fairytale scene where numerous artists will perform and bring joy to those who have gathered with lots of fun and positive energy, reports HRT News. All families will be able to find something for themselves on the festival's stages throughout the city that bears the appropriate names, such as Regoč, Đulin vrt, Neva Nevičica, Stribor, Potjeh, Kosjenka, and Domaći, the organisers announced.

The festival was launched back in 2006, was organised by the Tourist Board of Ogulin, and was inspired by the work of the famous Croatian writer Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, who was born in Ogulin. The city and its surroundings were her greatest inspiration for writing.

There will be numerous workshops and plays, also featured will be video screenings of Croatian cartoon films: ''Bundaš's Birthday'', ''The Secret Village'', ''The Big Race'', ''The Queen of Shoes'', a series of cartoons from Hlapić's Sports Games, ''Šećerko'', ''Hvala za lijek'', and for the first time, in cooperation with HRT, will be the presentation of the JUHUHU programme.

Storytelling is what gives the Ogulin Fairy Tale Festival a special charm, so this year the children will be able to listen to storyteller Sabina Gvozdić, Sandra Vukoj from Slavonski Brod, Knjiguljica from Karlovac and Fora priča from Zagreb. On top of all of the rest, there will also be an animation programme, with the traditional ''passing the driving test'' to obtain a driver's license to fly a broom.

Entrance to the Ogulin Fairy Tale Festival is free for all ages, and transportation by train from Zagreb, as well as the return from Ogulin to Zagreb, is being organised. Train rides for children under six are free.

After this, the next edition of this year's festival is reserved for the end of summer, when it will be held again, but from September 9 to 11.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.