ZAGREB, 9 July, 2022 - In the past 24 hours, 1,488 new cases of the SARS-CoV-2 virus infection have been diagnosed in Croatia, and another five COVID patients have died bringing the COVID-related death toll to 16,103, the national COVID response team reported on Saturday.

Currently, there are 8,577 active cases, including 344 hospitalised patients, of whom 13 are on ventilators.

Since the first registered case of the infection with the novel virus in Croatia on 25 February 2020, the country has reported 1,158,420 cases of this infectious disease.

There have been 1,133,740 recoveries, including 1,129 in the last 24 hours.

 Nearly 71% of the adult population has been vaccinated to date.

July 9, 2022 - The Sinković brothers rowed well yet again in the World Cup semi-final race to secure the Lucerne World Rowing Cup final! They crossed the finish line with a time of 6:12.16, leaving behind the crews of Lithuania and Great Britain.

Martin and Valent controlled the race from start to finish and gave the impression that they could have increased the pace if needed, but with a safe and tactically excellent race, they left their strength for the most important thing, which is Sunday's final, scheduled for 14:01. 

In addition to the Sinković brothers, the previously mentioned crews of Lithuania and Great Britain won a spot in the final, while the crews of Australia, Serbia, and Spain made it to the final from the second semi-final group.

"A safe victory was enough; we felt good throughout the race. The British crew squeezed by at the beginning, and the Lithuanians at the end had reverse tactics, so they surprised us a little, but we did our job and didn't bother our opponents. Tomorrow in the final, we will have to work even harder, the Australians have proven to be very good, and we believe it will be a great race," said Valent Sinković.

"We learned through the qualifications and semi-finals to build technique and speed, and tomorrow we will have to row the best race, and we believe we will. Therefore, we hope that we will win tomorrow and that we will celebrate the overall victory with three victories in all three World Cups," said Martin Sinković.

In addition to the Sinković brothers, sisters Ivan and Josipa Jurković will compete in the coxless pairs final on Sunday, scheduled for 10:05 am.

Sunday is thus the big final day, and according to everything seen, Croatia's rowers have the chance to bring many more medals to the already impressive rowing collection! 

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

July 9, 2022 - Next month sees 20 years since I came to Croatia to buy a house on an island I still can't pronounce. To celebrate all that Croatia has given me, a new TCN series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting with business and Dalmatia. 

In August 2002, I set off with friends from Sarajevo to the Dalmatian coast for a long weekend to look for a holiday home on the Croatian island of Hvar, a place I had never heard of until 24 hours previously, and about which I knew nothing. Having sold my house in the UK, I was looking for a place to keep my books as I continued my humanitarian aid worker career in Baghdad. Little did I know that 20 years later, I would not only never make it to Iraq, but I would have spent almost 40% of my life living in Croatia. 

Croatia has been very good to me over the last two decades, and it has definitely changed me (mostly for the better). In order to mark the 20 years and to show my gratitude for what Croatia has given me, the first in a 20-part series over the coming days and weeks - 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years.

1. Business and Dalmatia

The Western mindset meets Dalmatia. It is such a one-sided contest. 

I have lost count of the number of Brits and other Westerners - myself included - who have fallen in love with Dalmatia and decided to do business there with their own business ideas and concepts, only to give up thoroughly frustrated (and usually considerably poorer) than when they started.  

Having spent much of my 20s in eastern Europe and the Soviet Union before and after it fell, I have witnessed the region's transformation from a socialist heartland to one which has embraced capitalism. Watching the arrival of brands such as McDonalds and Coca-Cola has been an almost universal reality, and one could almost predict the list of businesses which would open their doors in the newly independent countries. Billboards promoting these new consumer goods were all the rage, and it was difficult to escape the capitalist invasion. 

Dalmatia was never like that, and indeed there was not a single billboard (and hardly a road sign) when I moved to Hvar 20 years ago.  Brands that I could find with ease in other countries were simply not available, and I still love the fact Starbucks does not have a presence in Croatia in 2022. 

The lack of availability was often a surprise and an opportunity for foreigners coming to Dalmatia. Dalmatia needed these brands, they reasoned, and commercial success was just around the corner if they could bring the franchises. I remember seeing Subway in Zagreb in 2002, for example, then meeting the franchisee that opened in Split in about 2004. Full of enthusiasm and with all the support of the Subway franchise system, the Split store was closed within a year, never to reopen. Indeed a look at the Subway website now shows that there are only two Subways in the whole country, both in Zagreb (and both closed), compared to 9 in Batumi and Tbilisi in Georgia, for example. 

If I had a beer for every conversation I had over the years which included a sentence such as What Dalmatia needs/What this place needs... I would be a much richer man. 

So much effort and so much frustration bringing the Western mindset and Western business concepts to the relaxing paradise of Dalmatia. Why didn't they work? It took me a long time to work out why.

Because Dalmatia doesn't want or need them. 

Gradually, over the years, I found my Western enthusiasm became diluted by the Dalmatian way of life, and my business plans became less expansionist and more tailored to the Dalmatian reality. I would smile when listening to foreign investors complaining about how slow things were, and how it was impossible to get things done. As I listened, I realised that Dalmatia had changed me, rather than me changing Dalmatia with my ideas. And that thought was formed into a sentence of valuable business advice I give to anyone coming to Dalmatia looking to do business. 

It is a sentence, I explain, that took me 15 years to formulate, but one which explains the essence of life in Dalmatia. If you can understand, embrace and live by the sentence from the first day of arrival, Dalmatia will be the Paradise for you that it really is in reality. If, like me, you think you can impose your own way on Dalmatia, you will either give up in frustration after some time, as many do, or you will come around to the same realisation as me - I just hope it does not take you 15 years. And then you will start to enjoy the true magic of Dalmatia. For it really is one of the most incredible places on the planet. 

And the sentence of advice?

Do not try and change Dalmatia, but expect Dalmatia to change you.  

Because change you, it will. And only for the better. 

You can follow the 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years on the dedicated TCN section.  

ZAGREB, 9 July, 2022 - The number of beds in hotels along Croatia's Adriatic coast started rising, while the number of beds offered by private renters started falling, the Jutarnji List daily reported on Saturday.

However, the share of private vacation rentals in the total accommodation capacity is still predominant, 51%, while hotels account for 14.98%.

The COVID pandemic in the last two years has adversely affected the tourist sector, however, one of the good things that have happened in that period is the reversal of the trends concerning private renters' accommodation for holidays and hotels, says the daily newspaper.

Before the outbreak of COVID-19, private renters' accommodation facilities increased at about 10% annually.

However, according to the data provided to the newspaper by the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ), since 2019 to date, private renters' accommodation beds have decreased by 1.4% while, beds in hotels have increased by 1.4%.

Thus, currently there are 179,454 beds in hotels, that is 3,000 more than before the start of the pandemic. The private renters' accommodation facilities for holidays offer 611,525 beds, or 7,000 fewer and there are also 1,204 fewer facilities of this kind compared to July 2019.

The eighth edition of the business conference MEETING G2 - "DiWine
Summer" was held in Zagreb

About a hundred guests from 16 countries of the world, top winemakers in
two panels, in total

ZAGREB, July 9, 2022 - Traditional and famous MEETING G2 conference,
which connects business people from Croatia and Croatian diaspora, was
held in Zagreb this year under the name "DiWine Summer". Almost a
hundred guests from 16 countries from all over the world gathered in the
hall of the Croatian Heritage Foundation, as the host and partner of the
Conference. Two attractive wine panels and a total of 15 top panelists
and speakers made this conference interesting and attractive. The whole
commendable and useful conference was accompanied by a few glasses of
local wine and enriched by the promotion of excellent Croatian wines,
and ended with a festive dinner, which was graced by the Zaprešić
Boys.

At the very beginning, the president of the MG2 Association Antun
Krešimir Buterin and the director of Matica Mijo Marić greeted those
present, and the special speaker was the guest from Australia, Luke
Jurcevic. Among other things, this successful entrepreneur and president
of the Western Australian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce spoke about
connecting Australian and New Zealand winemakers of Croatian origin, and
one of them - Dennis Yagmich - sent a video message to the participants
from his winery "Yagmich Estate".

The highlight of the meeting was the part called "Who's who in G2",
which is already a well-known part of this Conference, during which all
those gathered briefly introduce themselves to each other, in order to
get to know each other more easily and enable faster business
networking. This year it was led by the former president of MG2, Josip
Hrgetić, and the first to say a few words about himself was the
ambassador of the Republic of Austria to the Republic of Croatia, Dr.
Josef Markus Wuketich, a Croat from Gradišće. This was followed by two
extraordinary panels moderated by the editor of the wine magazine
"Vinum.In" Dijana Grgić, with occasional refreshments with a glass of
sparkling wine.

The first panel entitled "Croatia on the wine map of the world" was
attended by famous and award-winning Croatian winemakers Mateja Žužić
from Winery "Jagunić", Boris Vuglec from Vuglec Breg, Mladen Papak from
"Vina Papak Ilok" and Janko Kezele, representative of "Vina Kezele" ",
while Juraj Sladić from Winery "Testament" responded via video message.

Papak pointed out that domestic winemakers have excellent wines, but we
have a problem with quantity, and that's why we need an association. As
an excellent example of association, Kezele mentioned the Moslavina
variety Škrlet, which had been neglected for years, and all of them
were promoted independently. "We connected about 10 years ago, sales are
now twice as high, and Škrlet is more and more popular", boasted Kezele
and welcomed the recent changes to the Wine Law, which divided Croatia
into only four regions, which will facilitate foreign promotion. Vuglec
and Žužić added that our autochthonous varieties especially have a
bright future, and that tourists coming to Croatia want to taste that
autochthonousness. "Our varieties are wonderful, and there is no reason
why the world should not recognize them," added Žužić. Sladić said
in a video message that our winemakers will never win the match of
volume and low prices, but that they must focus on premium wines and
quality. "We need to take the best, and from our autochthonous varieties
produce modern drinkable wines understandable to the world market". All
the panelists agreed that Croatia is practically still an unknown
country on the wine map of the world, and that as a tourist country, it
must be able to explain to guests "that wine is part of our identity and
culture, that we are a country of good wines and that each of our guests
must try them". Croatia is making serious strides in winemaking, they
concluded and said: "winemakers make Croatia better".

In accordance with the long-standing practice of Meeting G2, at whose
conferences business people from Croatia and the world always gather,
the second panel "Croatian winemakers in the world" gathered Croatian
winemakers and wine experts from abroad. Mate Klikovits from the Mate
Winery, as a Croat from Austria, and Bruno Alexander Gantenbrink, a
German, owner of the Slavonian company Auric Barrels, which produces
wine barrels from Slavonian oak, took part in the panel live in the
hall. Three speakers joined the panel live, digitally with the help of
Zoom: Ivo Jeramaz - head winemaker of the famous California winery
"Grgich Hills" of our expatriate Miljenko Grgich, Mirena Bagur - owner
of the American company "Croatian Premium Wine Imports" from Boston,
which has been importing for several years Croatian wines in the USA,
and Saša Muradori who does the same in Canada through his company
"Croatia Unpacked".

Jeramaz says that he is happy that the Croats continued to grow
autochthonous varieties. "We cannot compete with Chile and Australia in
the production of well-known varieties. The greatest treasure of wine
Croatia is autochthonousness", said the head winemaker of the famous
winery Grgich from Napa Valley. Bagur is satisfied with the increase in
the quality of Croatian wines, and the price-quality ratio is getting
better. However, he believes that we still need to work on marketing and
branding because Croatia is "unfortunately not yet perceived as a wine
destination" in the world. Muradori from Canada also called on the
association of winemakers and branding of wine regions, while Jeramaz
suggested that American sommeliers should be invited to Croatia, because
he is sure that they will "fall in love with our wines". Gantenbrink, as
the owner of the Našić company "Auric Barrels", asserted that
Slavonian forests, especially oak, are perhaps the best in Europe and
that this can also help in the complete branding of Croatian wines. "Be
unique, unique, unique," Gantenbrink told the winemakers.

Wine writer and journalist Željko Garmaz also sent a pre-recorded video
message to the gathering, who, interestingly, is not a supporter of the
thesis that our wines must be exported. "First of all, they should be of
top quality, which they prove year after year, and they must be a lure
that will make tourists come to Croatia even more", Garmaz believes.

Two wine panels weren't all, though! "In vino veritas" is the title of
the closing speech of the advisor to the Croatian Minister of
Agriculture and distinguished professor from the Faculty of Agriculture,
Ivo Grgić, who compared winemaking and viticulture to marriage - it is
necessary to give a lot, in order to get a lot. "Croatia has the best
country with the best people, and let's try to cover domestic demand
with wines first, in order to reduce imports. Winemakers should be
ambassadors of Croatia and all that is beautiful. Tourists are looking
less and less for sun and sea, and more and more for food and wine,"
concluded prof. Grgić. Something completely different for the end of
the Conference, which left a deep impression on everyone gathered was an
inspiring story full of emotions and positive patriotism that brought
tears to the part of the audience. It was told by a man who, with a
Scots friend, became the first Croat to row across the Atlantic, and in
the process not only defeated the ocean, but also himself, storms and
other adversities on a months-long journey, equipped only with oars and
a seven-meter boat! Croatian veteran and retired officer of the Croatian
Army, Werner Ilić, told his incredible life story that began in
Germany, continued in the USA, and has continued in Croatia since the
first day of the Homeland War.

The eighth MG2 conference called "DiWine Summer" was an evening that
will be remembered for a long time. It brought new business
collaborations and friendships, and for some, as longtime friends and
guests testified, it will probably be a business turning point in their
lives! Namely, many experienced their successful turning point precisely
at one of the earlier meetings of MEETING G2.

The conference ended with a gala dinner, which in a mini wine lottery -
thanks to the donation of Mate Klikovits and Luke Jurcevic - delighted a
dozen lucky winners with premium wines from Austria and Australia.
During the dinner there were tastings of wines thanks to our generous
panelists. The participants were entertained by the instrumental group
Robostrop & the CEO, and they were also greeted by members of the
globally popular Zaprešić Boysi group. Saša Pleše and songwriter
Marko Novosel told live the details of the cooperation with the
Association Meeting G2 and the global initiative One Croatia - during
the making of the video for their latest hit - the song "Jedna domovina"
dedicated to the Croatian diaspora. At the end of the evening, the
organizers of Meeting G2 did not hide their enthusiasm for another
successful business conference.

Follow us for more, via the newsletter and our website
https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.meeting-g2.com&source=gmail&ust=1657356157959000&usg=AOvVaw1OI2sPNQDfxqB_5s2fL4kj">www.meeting-g2.com [4], where you can find a photo gallery of the event.
We will publish stories and thoughts from the conference, introduce our
panelists and guests. And recordings of the conference is coming soon
for everyone who missed it!

Back in 2003, I bought a piece of real estate in Croatia which the lawyer insisted had clean papers. Nineteen years later, we are edging towards ownership. 

Just over 2 years ago, an article quoting me in the Croatian media resulted in me getting sued. The next hearing is in November, and it will probably be another couple of years until the case is resolved.

Such is the nature and speed of Croatian bureaucracy. While these examples may seem extreme, they are by no means atypical. The wheels of Croatian bureaucracy tend to move slowly. 

But then on occasion - incredibly, refreshingly - an example of Croatian efficiency appears that gives us a tantalising glimpse of how the future might look, and just how well Croatia could work with everyone pulling in the right direction. 

I have been writing about the Croatian digital nomad opportunity for more than 3 years now since it first appeared as a strategy for Croatia at a conference, and as part of my suggested Branding Croatia for the Future: 5 Gifts and Trends to Focus On.

But the day Croatia's digital nomad journey really started to move celebrated its 2-year anniversary this week, the catalyst being an open letter on LinkedIn from Split-based Dutch entrepreneur, Jan de Jong, to Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on LinkedIn, asking for the introduction of a digital nomad visa Croatia. 

What happened next was really quite astounding, at least to this long-term resident of a country where bureaucracy is king. Less than 6 months after that open letter, de Jong not only had met with the Prime Minister, but also worked with 5 ministries on the details, with the end result that on January 1, 2021 Croatia introduced its digital nomad permit, only the second of its kind in Europe after Estonia. Having introduced Jan to the digital nomad concept, he kept me closely informed of progress over those months (and which we reported step by step on TCN), and the determination of Jan and those around him, coupled with the willingness of public officials to push this forward was a joy to report on.

It also made one wonder that if it was possible to go from LinkedIn open letter to changing the Aliens Act and tax code and introduce a new permit in less than 6 months, what else could be achieved if the people who run this country put their minds to it? And if Croatian bureaucracy could be solved for a case like this, what would it take to make the digital nomad bureaucratic road map a standard for the rest of Croatian bureaucracy?

But that is a discussion for another time. 

The last two years have seen immense progress for Croatia in what is perhaps one of the biggest potential growth areas for tourism in this country. Remote work is perhaps not a classic tourism sector, but as the world changes and we look for more sustainable solutions beyond beach overtourism in the peak season, the rise of the workation is showing no signs of slowing down. A cursory summary of the needs of this new tourism niche shows that Croatia is in pole position to take advantage - Lifestyle: NomadList Shows Why Croatia Most-Liked Remote Work Destination in Europe.

What happened next was a little unexpected. Just 5 months after Jan's post, the first claim by an industry insider that Croatia had the potential to become the world's number one digital nomad community was made at the first-ever dedicated digital nomad conference in Croatia in October, 2020 - Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads, organised by Saltwater Nomads, Dubrovnik Tourist Board, the City of Dubrovnik, and TCN. The claim, by Travel Off Path's Kashlee Kucheran, certainly helped Croatia's pioneers with encouragement and belief. 

Kashlee may have been early, but she was not alone, with Croatia featuring as the second most-liked destination for nomads in the influential NomadList 2021 AND 2022 surveys. And there was more good news below the headlines, with Zagreb featuring in the 5th most-liked destinations in the world (and number 1 in Europe), as well as the fastest-growing remote work hun in Europe over the last five years. 

An absolute key to Croatia's success has been the excellent public-private partnership on so many levels, a partnership that is often commented on by visiting nomads, as such a thing hardly exists in other countries. Most of the initiatives have come from the private sector, but they have been enthusiastically embraced by the public sector, with the digital nomad permit being a great example. 

But there have also been excellent collaborations at the regional level, and the award-winning Zagreb Digital Nomad Week (Saltwater Nomads, TCN and Zagreb Tourist Board) and Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence (Saltwater, TCN, City of Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik Tourist Board) are among several projects that have really helped lift Croatia's global visibility. 

So too the formation of the world's first-ever Digital Nomad Association, DNA Croatia, which was founded by de Jong, Saltwater's Tanja Polegubic, and Karmela Tancabel, and really pushed forward by its first director, Michael Freer, to build an umbrella and a community to serve and advocate for the needs of the incoming digital nomads. DNA Croatia has also inspired similar associations in other countries. It is fair to say that Croatia has definitely arrived as a global voice in the remote world, something that was in evidence in the rich lineup of international participants at this year's Dubrovnik Work. Place. Culture. conference.

DNA Croatia has also signed a partnership with the Croatian National Tourist Board, which is excellent news, allowing the public and private institutions dedicated to developing this sector to work in tandem. 

And the community is growing and becoming more integrated. A very nice eco-system is developing, and the mindset is slowly starting to dripfeed into Croatian society. With emigration often the number one priority for Croatian youth in search of opportunity, the arrival of a growing number of successful and happy international workers, who are choosing Croatia for its lifestyle and opportunity is giving pause for thought.  

It has been an incredible two years of positive change and great energy. The power of a social media post, public-private partnership, and community to effect change. A lot has been achieved in just two years. Fasten your seatbelts, as the next two years promises to be even more exciting. 

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

ZAGREB, July 9, 2022 - A Zagreb County Court investigating judge on Friday ordered one-month investigative detention for former minister Tomislav Tolušić and Željko Ferenc on suspicion of subsidy fraud and abuse of office in two wine sector tenders.

Former agriculture minister and deputy prime minister Tolušić has been placed under investigative custody due to a risk of witness tampering, and Željko Ferenc also due to a risk of repeating the crime.

On Thursday, Tolušić and Željko Ferenc, an employee of the Paying Agency for Agriculture, were apprehended in the eastern Croatian city of Virovitica on a warrant issued by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), and were then transferred to Zagreb for questioning. They were interrogated at the EPPO in Croatia on Thursday evening.

Tolušić financed project with money whose origin cannot be proved

Without revealing their identities, the EPPO said that Tolušić, as an owner of a family-run farm, submitted an application for a project for the construction and equipment of a winery, worth HRK 4.65 million, with the Paying Agency for Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development in early May 2020, and that the level of co-financing with European funds was 70%.

In the application, Tolušić falsely stated that the financing of the project would be secured with a loan from a financial institution. However, he did not apply for a loan, and he financed the project with money whose legal origin cannot be proved, the prosecutor's office said.

He did not inform the agency about the change in the financing, and he was granted HRK 2.92 million in aid, it is said in the press release.

EPPO: Tolušić removed previously planted grapevine after rejection

Tolušić, they add, applied to another tender, advertised by the agency on 2 June 2021 for the construction of new and the reconstruction of vineyards.

For the second application, Tolušić reportedly incited Ferenc to give a positive opinion on his application for the grant, although the application falsely stated that the piece of land in question had no crops planted in it, when in fact he had previously planted a vineyard there.

However, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food refused to issue a positive opinion on the submitted technological project due to knowledge of the existence of a vineyard already planted there and due to other observed irregularities, the European prosecutor's office's said.

After the rejection, Tolušić removed the grapevine that had been planted, obtained a new technological project and submitted it with the application.

He expected to receive a grant of  HRK 1.5 million, with 85% being co-financed by EU funds, which is more than HRK 1.3 million. However, the agency established that the prime suspect did not meet the conditions, so the funding was not granted, EPPO said.

ZAGREB, 8 July (Hina) -Left-liberal opposition parliamentary groups and some MPs of the ruling majority from the HSLS and Reformists parties, said on Friday that they had collected 40 signatures for a parliamentary debate on the incorporation of the woman's right to decide about giving birth in the Constitution.

"We have collected signatures of 40 MPs for the debate on the inclusion of the following provision in the Constitution: 'A woman decides independently and freely on giving birth, the state provides the prerequisites for exercising that right'," Peđa Grbin (SDP) told a press conference.

"We think that human rights are one of the most important thighs that define whether a society is truly democratic. Respecting human rights is what defines us, and the woman's right to choose is a human right," he said.

In addition to the SDP, behind this are also the Green-Left Bloc, the IDS, the HSS, Workers' Front, GLAS, and the Centre party, nine MPs of the Social Democrats, as well as the HSLS and Reformists parties, which are part of the ruling majority.

Grbin: If we don't get support in parliament, we'll call citizens to support us

This means, Grbin said, that there will be a debate in the parliament, followed by a vote to include the woman's right to choose in the Constitution, and then no one will be able to question it anymore.

"If we don't get support for this in parliament, then we will... call citizens to support us in collecting signatures for a referendum," said Grbin.

Natalija Martinčević of the Reformists, who are part of the ruling coalition, said that her party strongly supported this initiative.

Bačić: It is acceptable that our partners support opposition's abortion initiative

The ruling HDZ's whip Branko Bačić said today that the issue of termination of pregnancy was clear from a constitutional point of view, so there was no need to add it to the Constitution, saying also it was acceptable that some of their coalition partners supported the opposition's initiative to include the right to abortion in the Constitution.

There is no need to change the Constitution in the part related to the termination of pregnancy because four years ago the Constitutional Court clearly said that the existing law was absolutely in accordance with the Constitution, said Bačić.

On the other hand, he added, I don't see any serious initiative from any strong political party for a ban on termination of pregnancy that would necessitate dealing with the matter from a constitutional and legal point of view.

As for the support from our coalition partners for the opposition's initiative, I've already said earlier that we don't have a unified position within the ruling coalition, he said.

"We are aware of that, we respect their ideological position and world view. That is not part of our coalition agreements," Bačić said.