May 16, 2022 - In our new TCN series, we uncover the lives of expats that have spent over 5 years living in Split. Next up, meet Sandra Perkovic from Canada. 

Two idyllic weeks on a Croatian beach is very different from the realities of full-time living. So what is it really like to live in Croatia as an expat? In a new series on TCN, we meet expats who have lived here for 5 years or more, to find out from them the good, the bad, and the ugly of 12-month living in Croatia. Next up, Sandra Perkovic from Montreal, Canada!

1. Tell us firstly how you came to Croatia? What motivated you to choose this slice of paradise and how long have you now been here?

I met my husband in Canada while he was on tour, we then got married and I moved to Croatia. For me, moving to Croatia was a childhood dream of mine. I have been living in Croatia for 20 years - 10 in Zagreb and 10 in Split.

2. Looking back, what were your perceptions and expectations?

Croatia has exceeded all my expectations, even though my cousins used to tell me it's not the same vacationing here and living here.

3. After 20 years here, how have those perceptions changed. Do you now view Croatia differently?

I think that Croatia is the best place to raise a family. It's so fun living here and I love nature and the fact that it is a small country with so many different climates. I love that you can be on the beach and in one hour you can be skiing.

4. After your time year, the 3 things you love most about Croatia?

I love Croatia for its safety; children have freedom here because it is so safe. I love how there is always a festival going on, it's just so much fun living here and lastly, I love nature, the national parks, the sea, the mountains, such beautiful nature, and of course how everyone always has time for kava…. Kava in Croatia can last for hours.

5. And the 3 things you would like to change.

I wish that people were more pet friendly, although this is getting better, I wish that people got jobs based on their qualifications rather than through connections and I wish that the school system was not so demanding.

6. Given your experiences, what advice would you give to any would-be expat thinking of making the move?

I will never regret coming here, I just regret not coming sooner. If you are considering the move to Croatia don’t hesitate.

7. The most beautiful place in Croatia, and why?

Oh, so many beautiful places. I love Zagreb because it’s a big city and has it all, but I also love the islands along the Dalmatian coast.

8. Your favourite moment of your time in Croatia?

My favourite moment is waking up each day in Croatia and being aware that I am living my dream. Croatia is a dream come true.

Are you an expat who would like to be featured in this series? If yes, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Expat

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

May 16, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as the highly anticipated seasonal United Airlines Dubrovnik flight from New York returns at the end of the month!

United Airlines is renewing its regular seasonal route between New York (Newark Airport) and Dubrovnik in a few weeks. The line started operating last year and has proven to be very successful for the American airline, reports Croatian Aviation. 

United Airlines will soon return to Croatia when the first wide-body aircraft from New York will land at Dubrovnik Airport. United introduced this line last summer, shortly after Croatia announced clear criteria for entry from the United States into Croatia. The American Delta Air Lines did the same, so the two airlines offered 8 weekly flights between New York (John F. Kennedy and Newark Airports) and Dubrovnik.

Delta gave up the line to Dubrovnik this winter, leaving room to return to southern Croatia next summer, but United took the opportunity to be the only airline to offer a direct connection between the United States and Croatia.

United Airlines B767-300ER aircraft will operate four times a week on the route between New York and Dubrovnik, departing from Dubrovnik every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, from May 29 to September 29 this year.

Last summer, United Airlines operated on a regular route from the beginning of July to the end of September, while this year the operations start at the end of May and remain in operation until the end of September. Thanks to a longer flight availability period, the airline is offering 8,000 more seats this summer season compared to last year (29,960 compared to 21,928 seats from the 2021 summer season).

Croatia Airlines and United Airlines, two Star Alliance Group members, have signed a code-share agreement, so it is possible to buy tickets on the website of the American carrier departing from Zagreb to New York with a transfer in Dubrovnik.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

May 15, 2022 - The 35th round of the Croatian First League was played from May 13 to 15, 2022. Hajduk kept their title hopes alive after winning at home against Istra on Saturday until Dinamo beat Sibenik on Sunday to claim the 2021/2022 Croatian Championship title. Here is our HNL round 35 recap. 

Dragovoljac v. Gorica (0:2)

Dragovoljac and Gorica opened the 35th round on Friday, May 13, 2022, in Zagreb. 

Fruk scored for 0:1 in the 5th minute and Golubickas in the 78th for the final 0:2. 

Dragovoljac is in last place with 19 points and will be relegated from the First League next season, while Gorica is in 6th place with 44 points.

Slaven Belupo v. Rijeka (2:2)

Belupo and Rijeka met on Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Koprivnica. 

The first goal of the match wasn't scored until the 49th minute when Obregon found the back of the net for the Rijeka lead. Krstanovic equalized from the penalty spot in the 56th minute and Bosec gave Belupo the lead for 2:1 in the 59th. Vukcevic equalized for Rijeka in the 79th minute for the final 2:2. 

Belupo is currently in 7th place with 36 points, while Rijeka is in 4th with 62. 

Hajduk v. Istra 1961 (3:1)

Hajduk and Istra met on Saturday, May 14, 2022, at Poljud Stadium. 

Mahmoud gave Istra the lead in the 15th minute for 0:1 before Livaja equalized from the penalty spot or 1:1 just before halftime. Mahmoud was shown his second yellow moments later forcing Istra to play with a man down for the entire second half. Livaja scored another penalty in the 51st minute for 2:1 and Krovinovic made it 3:1 three minutes later for the final score. 

Hajduk is currently in 2nd place with 72 points, while Istra is in 9th with 28. 

Osijek v. Lokomotiva (1:0)

Osijek and Lokomotiva met on Sunday, May 15, 2022, at City Garden Stadium. 

The only goal of the match came in the 26th minute when Zaper scored for 1:0 and the Osijek win. 

Osijek is in 3rd place with 68 points, while Lokomotiva is in 5th with 46. 

Sibenik v. Dinamo (0:2)

Sibenik and Dinamo closed out the 35th round on Sunday, May 15, 2022, in Sibenik. 

A draw or a loss for Dinamo would mean the Croatian champion would be decided next weekend at Maksimir Stadium between Dinamo and Hajduk. Dinamo, however, came to Sibenik knowing what was at stake and celebrated the title one round early.

Tolic scored in the 39th minute and Bockaj in the 53rd for the final 0:2. 

With this win, Dinamo has secured the Croatian championship title with 76 points, while Sibenik is in 8th place with 32 points. This is Dinamo's 23rd Croatian championship title. 

More soon...

You can see the full HNL standings HERE.

To read more about sports in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

ZAGREB, 15 May 2022 - The 20th edition of the Queer Zagreb festival will take place between 24 May and 5 June at several venues in the city, with 100 artists and activists from around the world dealing with a wide range of topics, including sex work, global violence, the body against nationalist violence and the embrace.

The festival will open with the Croatian premiere of "Yira, Yira", a performance directed by Bruno Isaković and Nataša Rajković, at the Croatian National Theatre on 24 May. It was created in collaboration with performers, sex workers and queer activists from Argentina. Through their stories, Juan Ejemplo, Leandra, Pichón Reyna and Sofía Tramazaygues portray sex work through the interplay of personal choices and circumstances, work conditions, demand and supply in an open market, margins and centres of power, desires and realities.

Among the 100 artists and activists will be Cuban Carlos Martiel who will perform "Velo de Silencio" at the Museum of Contemporary Art on 27 May, a performance focusing on structural racism and political systemic violence against all socially marginalised bodies.

"The fact that we have reached the 20th edition of Queer Zagreb shows that queer art and queer as an art topic is quite current and that to many people it is important to continue to speak about what sometimes makes us all different," said Zvonimir Dobrović, the art director of Queer Zagreb.

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

ZAGREB, 15 May 2022 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Sunday sent a letter of condolence following the death of the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who died on Friday, the government said.

"The United Arab Emirates has lost a great man and serious statesman, who worked for the benefit of his people and country with foresight and commitment," Plenković said.

"Our thoughts are with the royal family and the friendly people of the United Arab Emirates, whom I offer sincere condolences and deep sympathy," Plenković added.

Sheikh Khalifa, born in 1948, came to power in the richest emirate, Abu Dhabi, in 2004 and became UAE President. He was succeeded on Saturday by his half-brother, Abu Dhabi's crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who has been widely seen as the de-facto leader of the rich Gulf monarchy.

For more, check out our dedicated politics section.

ZAGREB, 15 May 2022 - Health Minister Vili Beroš said on Sunday, ahead of a strike of non-emergency ambulance drivers set for Monday, that he supports any protest that is in line with the law but that he will not tolerate patients being denied the right to health care.

Some of the non-emergency ambulance drivers have announced a strike for Monday, to last until their demands are met and a regulation is adopted that would make their wages even throughout the country as currently they differ up to HRK 1,500, depending on the county where they work.

The minister said a solution was being defined with all the relevant stakeholders, recalling that last year the government and the health ministry launched dialogue with unions and showed the will to resolve the problem.

He added that there was therefore no reason to strike or take action that would be to the detriment of patients and that he expected local clinics and non-emergency ambulance drivers to continue providing regular services so that a solution to their problem could be found in a constructive and peaceful atmosphere.

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

ZAGREB, 15 May 2022 - Commenting for Hina on data on suicide attempts and suicides in children and young people, psychologist Andreja Bogdan has called for paying more attention to the problem, warning that Croatia lacks a comprehensive national programme for the prevention of suicide in children and young people. 

"Since 2013 there has been no comprehensive, nation-wide, evaluated programme for the prevention of suicide among children and young people, and the problem is mostly dealt with by individual nongovernmental organisations," Bogdan said when asked to comment on information that in 2021 seven children committed suicide and 63 attempted to commit suicide.

The Ministry of the Interior has confirmed that last year seven persons under the age of 18 committed suicide, which is less than in 2020, when there were 10 suicide cases in that age group, but more than in 2019, when six persons under 18 committed suicide.

The suicides committed by children and young people in 2021 accounted for 1.22% of the total number of suicides committed that year, in 2020 they accounted for 1.77% of all suicides that year and in 2019 for 1.06% of all suicides.

A ministry statistical report for 2018 shows that that year three children under 14 committed suicide while 15 attempted to commit suicide and that seven in the age group 15-18 committed suicide while 54 tried to commit it.

Bogdan notes that the official statistics on suicide may vary from the actual numbers because in some cases, such as an attempt to commit suicide with drugs, by poisoning or by using a car, it is difficult to determine intent so such a suicide or suicide attempt is registered as a car accident, poisoning, accidental fall, etc.

She notes that research shows that suicide is one of the leading causes of death from injuries in Croatia.

The psychologist notes that suicidal thoughts and attempts to commit suicide are more frequent at a young age than later in life.

"The rate of suicide attempts or suicides in young people is the highest in the age group 14-19, with males being more at risk both among children and adults," she says, noting that growing up in today's society is not simple and is accompanied by many challenges and questions important for children's personal identity.

On top of that, children are likely to act on impulse and seek excitement and are less aware of the consequences of their behaviour, Bogdan says.

Among the more important risk factors are parents' unemployment and low income, parents not having a close relationship with their children, low level of parental supervision and divorce, mental illnesses in parents, and early parental death.

Children who are victims of peer violence, cyberbullying, children suffering from depression and anxiety disorders, children who use drugs and children with behavioural issues are more at risk of developing suicidal thoughts and behaviour.

Bogdan, a former president of the Croatian Chamber of Psychologists, has objections to the way the policy of suicide prevention has been implemented in the past few years.

"There are individual events dedicated to the issue of suicide and expert training, but there is no clear, structured and continuous implementation of evaluated, scientifically based programmes," she says.

Since 2013 there has been no comprehensive, evaluated programme for the prevention of suicide in children and young people at the national level, and the problem of prevention is most often dealt with by nongovernmental organisations, she says, noting that children and young people lack sufficient information of who to contact for help when in distress.

The experience of work on hotlines for psychological support to children and adolescents, initiated by the Central State Demography and Youth Office shows that children and young people are not likely to talk about their problems or seek psychological help on the telephone, which underlines even more the need for educational institutions to have  mental health experts, Bogdan says.

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

ZAGREB, 15 May 2022 - After last year's exhibition of works by Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró, this summer the Juraj Šporer Gallery in the northern Adriatic town of Opatija will display works by Salvador Dalí.

The exhibition will be staged in collaboration with the Opatija Festival and the OPL Art company and will be open from 6 June to 20 September. Admission will be HRK 100 (€13).

On display will be about a hundred lithographs, copperplate engravings and other graphic works from a private collection of a collector from Bonn, IPL Art director Iva Piglić announced earlier this week, adding that she could not reveal the collector's name because they wanted to remain anonymous.

Opatija Festival director Ernie Gigante Dešković said that these exhibits, being from a private collection, were rarely displayed and that this would be a rare opportunity to see them.

He said that the exhibition of works by Picasso and Miró was among the most visited exhibitions in Croatia last year and that they hoped to surpass that result with the Dalí exhibition.

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