September 5, 2019 - Eight summer stages in the Split area, worth 27.8 million kuna, will provide additional facilities for locals and tourist attractions.

On September 3, 2019, Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds Marko Pavic decided to finance the ITU strategic project "Open Summer Stages of the Urban Agglomeration of Split", which provides a non-refundable HRK 27.8 million from the ITU mechanism.

The project will revitalize cultural heritage and will provide additional facilities for locals and tourist attractions through the construction, renovation, and furnishing of outdoor summer stages at eight different locations. The construction, renovation and furnishing of the open summer stages, accompanying facilities and facilities for cultural and tourist purposes, will be carried out at the following locations in the cities of Solin, Trogir, Kastela and Omis and the municipalities of Klis, Dugopolje and Lecevica:

• Solin: renovation of Gradina, stage construction;

• Solin: renovation and construction of the Cultural Information Center and renovation of the square;

• Klis: remodeling two buildings and repairing the walls of Klis Fortress, 3D mapping, stage construction;

• Omis: renovation of the “Old Cemetery”, stage construction;

• Dugopolje: the summer stage near the church of Sv. Rocco;

• Kastela: renovation of the Dudan Park in Kastel Kambelovac, stage construction;

• Lecevica: renovation of the old wells in the village of Radosic, stage construction;

• Trogir: summer stage in the old town.

The project will increase the level of preservation and landscaping of these attractions, and modernize the existing facilities, while raising the quality of the cultural heritage and its long-term and sustainable use for the inhabitants of the Urban Agglomeration of Split and all visitors to the area.

The success of the project is based on the identification, activation and cooperation of local development potential with an emphasis on the efficient use of resources in planning and managed development in the area of Urban agglomeration Split.

Recall, this news comes after the City of Split has announced a competition for a new multipurpose hall for cultural and social content, which will be located in the city center. The hall should begin operating in the 2020/2021 season. The process began Monday through public consultation, according to the City. 

The hall is designed as a multipurpose hall and will be able to hold cinema screenings, theater performances, cultural and musical events, conferences and congresses. It will have an independent entrance via the main staircase from the outer space, it will be accessible to disabled people and persons with reduced mobility, and will boast a capacity of 168 seats.

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September 4, 2019 - Split will welcome a new multipurpose hall for cultural and social events next year.

The City of Split has announced a competition for a new multipurpose hall for cultural and social content, which will be located in the city center. The hall should begin operating in the 2020/2021 season. The process began Monday through public consultation, according to the City. 

The hall is designed as a multipurpose hall and will be able to hold cinema screenings, theater performances, cultural and musical events, conferences and congresses. It will have an independent entrance via the main staircase from the outer space, it will be accessible to disabled people and persons with reduced mobility, and will boast a capacity of 168 seats.

The hall will be housed in an area of 435 square meters, in front of the police station building on the Croatian Brotherhood Square (Trg Hrvatske bratske zajednice), which the city purchased for construction years ago. However, this space intended for polyvalent use for social and cultural content has not yet been arranged or brought to purpose.

Given that there is an urgent need for additional venues and performing spaces in the city of Split, a decision was made by the City Administration, led by Mayor Andro Krstulovic Opara, to arrange the space and give it a purpose, according to a statement from the City.

The budget provided 3 million kuna for the center. This year, a design solution was made and created by the architectural studio Super Ured d.o.o. from Split. 

With this project, the City of Split opens a new scene in the city, which will surely offer an appropriate stage space for cultural and social events of local performers. It also opens space for guest programs that, due to lack of capacity, did not have the opportunity to perform in Split, because the existing stages are primarily in the function of cultural institutions - the Croatian National Theater, the City Youth Theater, and the City Puppet Theater.

The new center would offer unique opportunities to city institutions as well, and the plans envision its opening by the start of the next 2020/2021 season.

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August 28, 2019 - The 2nd edition of xSTaticJAM, the international graffiti gathering and street art festival in Split, begins on Wednesday, August 28. 

The content-rich program this year gathers 50 local and international graffiti artists in Split who will enrich the city’s public spaces in five urban locations with their artwork. In addition to the graffiti program, this year's xSTaticJAM will also give citizens and visitors the chance to participate in an all-day street art event on Saturday, August 31st, offering a range of free content at the Youth Center and the surrounding area, reports Dalmacija Danas.

The artists will use their expertise to create artwork on Pujanke Street, Supavla Street, the sidewalk in Kman and the walls at the entrance to the Marjan Tunnel. The artists will paint until Friday when Split’s citizens will be able to see the final result and revitalized city walls, which will become a unique street showroom and an example of how to aesthetically enrich urban spaces.

The grand finale of this year's xSTaticJAM will follow this Saturday, August 31st, at the Youth Center and on the plateau in front of the Center, where a full-day program dedicated to street art culture will be held. On this occasion, citizens will have the opportunity to try their hands at graffiti, take photos and talk to graffiti artists, but also to leave their messages on the billboards as part of "Take It Off!" by which the City wishes to promote freedom of expression without affecting public spaces. 

Split’s youth and anyone up for an adventure can join the skate school and ride BMX bikes, while visitors will also be able to learn the basics of screen printing, film projections and video projections, check out a photo exhibition by graphic designer and documentary filmmaker Marko Dajak, and explore the Open art corner, all accompanied by music from the DJ duo Los Santos and an interesting food offer.

From 9 pm, the music part of the evening will be followed by live concerts, with Gršo, Žuvi, and Krešo Bengalka performing. The after-party then moves to Kocka with Banana Zvuk and a gastro corner. All content is open and free to all interested citizens.

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

Thanks to the partnership of the City of Split and the Croatian (Osijek) company MediaKing, a free Wi-Fi network was released Friday on the Split Riva. In the coming days, other popular areas of Split will too be covered, reports Dalmacija Danas and the City of Split.

Namely, the project includes the most attractive public areas in the city of Split - the East and West Coast, Riva, Marmontova, and the entire Bačvice, including the beach and all catering facilities.

As we have learned from Darko Kraljević, a representative of MediaKing, this is the first implementation of an advanced and innovative solution of the MediaKing Smart Wi-Fi in public urban areas, after the same solution was successfully implemented in a complete public transport fleet in Osijek, Split, and Dubrovnik. The biggest advantage of this home solution is the ability to simultaneously connect a large number of users while maintaining a stable and fast Internet connection. Users of the MediaKing Smart Wi-Fi system have already been able to test its quality at the Mall of Split shopping center, which has been using this system for several months. Besides being the largest mall in the region, it is also the mall with the fastest Wi-Fi in Europe.

Thus, this makes Split the city with the fastest public Wi-Fi network in Europe. For all users, this service is free of charge, and the network itself does not ask for any password or give time restrictions. 

Thanks to the efforts of Krešimir Budiša, advisor to mayor Andro Krstulović Opara for EU Funds and Development, Split has become the first city in the world to introduce MediaKing Smart Wi-Fi, which is why the entire implementation for the City of Split will be free of charge. The city will only pay a symbolic amount of system maintenance.

MediaKing is a Croatian company engaged in the implementation of an advanced and innovative Smart Wi-Fi solution for large companies, business centers and malls, public institutions, public and private transportation (trams, buses, ferries, etc.) and places and surfaces that need a large number of concurrent connections to quality and secure Wi-Fi.

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Just after the City of Split decided on a rather controversial decision for catering businesses, which clearly defines that at 11:30 pm on weekdays in the peak season, music in the outdoor areas of a bar, cafe, or restaurant must be turned off, an anonymous caterer sent a public letter to the competent authorities, asking them to review the legality of such a decision.

It was to be expected that some owners of Split cafes, restaurants, and bars would not rush to begin implementing the new law, because turning off the speakers in the city center a half an hour before midnight wouldn’t exactly bring in any more business. However, the time has finally come.

Thus, Slobodna Dalmacija decided to take on the new law first hand and embarked on a ‘super tour’ of the town 10 minutes before the clock struck midnight. 

The popular portal did not intend on walking to every business in the city center, but followed the sounds on a tour that lasted just 20 minutes, which they claimed was more than enough.

Slobodna started their tour in an area that receives the most complaints about loud music - the terrace of the Tourist Palace and the nearby InBox cafe. 

Both of these buildings continued as if the provision did not exist. 

They then moved down the Riva only to find that local hotspot Antique was operating as if it was a weekend, not a working day. 

It was a little quieter in the nearby restaurant Adriana, though the music continued to play just before midnight.

While there was no noise at Voćni trg, Slobodna continued to Pjaca, where the music brought them behind the old City Hall, where popular bar Gaga continued to operate as usual with their outdoor speakers. 

And finally, around the corner on Ulica Petra Kružića, while no music could be heard outside, the bars were full of locals and tourists which created its own noise. 

In an invitation to the Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Ivan Malenica, Minister of Administration, Gari Cappelli, Minister of Tourism, and Nediljka Vuko, head of the County Office of the State Administration, anonymous caterers urged their immediate response to prevent the decision-making on the catering activity of the City of Split.

It requires that the competent institutions carry out oversight over the constitutionality and legality of the decision and remove the established irregularities, as well as the supervision of the city administration and the City Council.

In their public address, the caterers warn that the City of Split may be sued in court proceedings, whose costs would then be paid by the citizens. As the reason for the public letter, they state that the noise is within the competence of the Law on Noise Protection and not the Law on Catering.

Because of the same noise problems, Barcelona introduced surveillance in 2006, while, for example, Dubrovnik and Venice banned the use of the speakers in the outdoor areas of catering businesses.

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

The beginning of the tourist season in Croatia is also the beginning of the festival season, and according to the already established tradition of Ultra Europe in Split, it couldn’t pass without a bit of drama. 

Whether Ultra will be organized this year at Poljud or the new location of Park Mladeži, is still unclear. The decision is expected by the end of the week, if not sooner, though some of Split’s citizens in the Skalice neighborhood have expressed their concerns, reports Splitski Dnevnik on June 26, 2019.

RNK Split’s stadium Park Mladeži is an ever more likely option; however it is not sitting well with residents of the area. 

"I'm genuinely shocked, and I do not believe this really will happen. I still have hope that it will agree on something else. Because our buildings will not endure the event and everything that comes with Ultra,” said Zdravko from Split.

"Of course it is dangerous; the houses themselves are old. I mean, even when there's a small game, we cannot stay in the house, let alone withstand this. This is madness, I do not know who controls this city; I do not understand it,” said Marija from Split.

Many wonder if Park Mladeži has the capacity for the number of people attending the festival, and on the other hand, how the residents of the surrounding buildings can handle the noise. According to the organizers, an official announcement that will reveal if Ultra will be held at Poljud or Park Mladeži will come sometime this week.

The City of Split is said to be in the process of holding a meeting with the top of the city administration headed by mayor Andro Krstulović Opara, and, among the delegations, Joe Bašić and director of the Public Institution of Sports Facilities Tomislav Borozan. Dalmatinski Portal reports that Ultra was nearly set to be held at Park Mladeži, though the Public Institution was asking for 1.5 million kuna, which the Ultra organizers considered unacceptable.

"The organizers will inform you of the latest news. We are doing everything in our power to maintain this successful festival that has changed the face of tourism not only in our city but Croatia,” said mayor Andro Krstulović Opara.

Recall, since no agreement was signed between Ultra and Hajduk, the festival organizers allegedly turned to alternative solutions, and Park Mladeži was the first location that came to mind. 

Hajduk often highlighted the destruction of their field after Ultra as one of the biggest problems brought by the festival, which is part of why the two sides couldn't agree. 

Hajduk was looking for Ultra to cover all the costs incurred by the club for holding the festival, and above all to financially cover and secure a new field in time as to not repeat, for example, last year’s catastrophe when the lawn was not brought in on time. 

For every unplayed European match at Poljud, Hajduk is forced to relocate (to the significantly smaller stadium capacity in Dugopolje), leaving them with estimated losses of around 1.5 to 2 million kuna, while the price of the new field is between 1.6 and 2.2 million kuna.

"I think that Park Mladeži is not at all suitable for such a big international event. My opinion is that Poljud was created for such events as it promotes our city and the whole of Croatia,” said Suzana from Split.

Maybe the location is still in question, but the festival will go on. Stay tuned. 

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

June 24, 2019 - Hajduk, the City of Split, and HNS held a historic meeting at Poljud to discuss, among a laundry list of items, the Croatia national team’s arrival in Split for the first time since 2015, and just the third time in 20 years. 

The City of Split and the Croatian Football Federation met on Monday at 10:30 at Poljud Stadium in Split. The City, as the majority owner of the stadium, invited representatives of HNK Hajduk to the meeting. The central theme was, of course, the Euro 2020 qualifier between Croatia and Hungary on October 10, though equally as important was mending the relationship between Hajduk and HNS to better Croatian football for good. 

Eight HNS representatives came to Split, including Executive Director Marijan Kustić, and Vice Presidents Damir Misković and Ante Kulušić. The President of HNS, Davor Šuker, did not attend the meeting. Hajduk’s delegation was led by Marin Brbić and the City of Split by Mayor Andro Krstulović Opara. The police secured the meeting, and in total, 16 people participated.

The meeting did not end until almost 4 pm and Split Mayor Andro Krstulović Opara was the first to address the media. 

“I am very pleased to announce that at today's meeting, HNS was able to agree with many of Hajduk's requests. We want to finally solve the problem of non-communication between HNS and Hajduk in favor of Croatian football and football in southern Croatia. I look forward to hosting the Croatia national football team in Split,” said Andro Krstulović Opara.

“I look forward to continued cooperation. I look forward to the Croatia national team at Poljud.”

Hajduk president Marin Brbić addressed the media next. 

"I'm pleased to say that we finally started communicating with HNS. We will discuss each issue individually. We've always wanted the national team here. Today we felt a hint that something might change. The national team was never disputed, and we will continue to monitor the development of the situation.

We had a good, quality meeting. It will take time to solve each item, but it is important that there is a will and desire. I look forward to the arrival of Hungary in Split in cooperation with the City, and we will work to include Hajduk.”

Hajduk will not participate in the organization of the match, and will join the moment problems begin to resolve, Brbić added.

Recall, Hajduk said on Saturday that “without any concrete changes in relations with HNS, they will not change their attitude" and will not participate in the organization of the match.

The City of Split, as the majority owner of the stadium, unanimously voted at last week's City Council session to host the match in Split, but with a preliminary apology from the top of HNS.

The HNS Executive Committee at its session on June 12 decided that the Euro 2020 qualifier between Croatia and Hungary would be played at Poljud, but failed to inform Hajduk or the City of Split of their decision, which questioned the game happening in Split at all.

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

June 23, 2019 - On Monday, June 24, at 10:30 am, a meeting between the City of Split and the Croatian Football Federation will be held at Poljud. The City of Split, as the majority owner, invited representatives of HNK Hajduk to attend the meeting, the Split club officially confirmed on Saturday. 

In their recent statement, Hajduk presented their position on relations between the Club and the Federation and consequently where the Euro 2020 qualifier between Croatia and Hungary would be held. 

“On this occasion, HNK Hajduk clearly emphasizes how they firmly stand behind their statement and that their attitude will not change without any concrete changes in the relationship.

The Club is ready to actively participate in the meeting on Monday at Poljud exclusively to talk about the first steps towards more transparent and fairer relations with all clubs, to overcome the problems that have accumulated over the years. Only when these changes occur, or when we are convinced that the HNS leaders have translated their words into concrete actions, HNK Hajduk is ready to take on an active role in the process of organizing one of the next national team games,” Hajduk concluded on their official website. 

Recall, HNS announced that the Croatia national team would play their next home qualifier for Euro 2020 against Hungary at Poljud, though they failed to inform Hajduk or the City of Split of the news. As you can imagine, this was considered poor play by the Federation who is allegedly ‘trying’ to mend the relationship with Hajduk and Split. You can read more about that here. 

Whether the game would be played in Split at all seriously came into question as a result of the saga, and Hajduk released a statement rejecting that they were the obstacle standing in the way of it happening at all. 

“We have repeatedly stated that we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Croatia national team at Poljud. However, how HNS communicates with the Club and its supporters, the City of Split and its inhabitants, has been the reason why for several years, and especially recently, we have reason to doubt whether the Federation’s decision is sincere and of good intentions. Moreover, the question is whether the Croatian Football Federation is aware of the real mood of the fans in Split and Dalmatia,” Hajduk said. 

About the fans in the region, the club went on to say that the game shouldn’t be forced under these circumstances or organized at all costs, and that the national team does not deserve to be exposed to such division, but an atmosphere of communion and the unity of fans.

“The Croatian national team has not played in Split for too long. From 1998 until now, there were 66 official matches in Croatia, of which only two were played in Split! Of these two, one was played without fans. Therefore, the next national team appearance at Poljud deserves an atmosphere of strong support, without the unresolved problems in Croatian football. The Croatian Football Federation must accept its part of the responsibility for it, and not incorrectly transfer all of the responsibility to HNK Hajduk and the City of Split with the view that ’it is all on them, whether they want the national team in Split or not’.

We can achieve this goal, but only in an atmosphere of mutual respect, reasoned dialogue, and clear and measurable goals for the prosperity of all Croatian football. Croatia is ours and we want it at Poljud."

You can read the statement in its entirety here. 

HNK ended by inviting HNS's executive director Marijan Kustić to a meeting where HNK Hajduk would present their attitudes and intentions.

“Open conversations and an atmosphere of real dialogue have no alternative. They are a prerequisite for solving the accumulated problems.”

A few days after Hajduk’s press release, the Split City Council announced the arrival of the Croatia national team at Poljud but also expects changes at the root of HNS. 

With 25 votes for (from 26 councilors), the council unanimously decided that Croatia would play against Hungary at Poljud. However, changes at the root of HNS's relationship with the City of Split and Hajduk was demanded, as is an apology from HNS and a quick agreement from the Federation that all sides would get together as soon as possible.

You can read the City of Split’s statement in full below:

The Split City Council wants the Croatia national football team in our town for the official qualification match against the national team of Hungary at Poljud stadium.

The Split City Council demands from the Croatian Football Federation a rooted change in the current relationship between the leadership of the Croatian Football Federation towards the City of Split and the Croatian football club Hajduk, which is best reflected by the fact that Croatia has only played two official matches in Split in the last 20 years, one of which was played without the public.

Due to the many years of an inappropriate and unacceptable relationship with our city and club, an apology by the Croatian Football Federation is needed as an act of goodwill and a step towards recovering Croatian football and strengthening its communion.

In the interest of Croatian football, we are looking for an agreement at a meeting between the Croatian Football Federation and HNK Hajduk, in the presence of representatives of the City of Split, related to achieving a solution for the numerous deviations and the accumulation of problems that have burdened Croatian football for a long time, as well as an agreement on organizing the desired football match in our city of Split, said the Split City Council.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

The Split City Council announced the arrival of the Croatia national team at Poljud but also expects changes at the root of HNS.

It was a marathon session of the Split City Council, where the decision of whether the Croatia national team would play against Hungary at Poljud was finally revealed around 8 pm on Wednesday, reports Gol.hr on June 19, 2019. 

With 25 votes for (from 26 councilors), the council unanimously decided that Croatia would play against Hungary at Poljud.

However, changes at the root of HNS's relationship with the City of Split and Hajduk was demanded, as is an apology from HNS and a quick agreement from the Federation that all sides would get together as soon as possible.

You can read the City of Split’s statement in full below:

The Split City Council wants the Croatia national football team in our town for the official qualification match against the national team of Hungary at Poljud stadium.

The Split City Council demands from the Croatian Football Federation a rooted change in the current relationship between the leadership of the Croatian Football Federation towards the City of Split and the Croatian football club Hajduk, which is best reflected by the fact that Croatia has only played two official matches in Split in the last 20 years, one of which was played without the public.

Due to the many years of an inappropriate and unacceptable relationship with our city and club, an apology by the Croatian Football Federation is needed as an act of goodwill and a step towards recovering Croatian football and strengthening its communion.

In the interest of Croatian football, we are looking for an agreement at a meeting between the Croatian Football Federation and HNK Hajduk, in the presence of representatives of the City of Split, related to achieving a solution for the numerous deviations and the accumulation of problems that have burdened Croatian football for a long time, as well as an agreement on organizing the desired football match in our city of Split, said the Split City Council.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

The drama between Ultra Europe and Hajduk continues, as negations remain at a dead end. Radio Split reported on Friday morning that the Ultra Europe festival would be held at the RNK Split stadium, also known as Park Mladeži, instead of the current location at Poljud stadium, Slobodna Dalmacija announced on June 14, 2019. 

Since no agreement has been signed between Ultra and Hajduk, the festival organizers have allegedly turned to alternative solutions, and Park Mladeži was the first location that came to mind. 

As Radio Split reported, the negotiations between representatives of Ultra and Javne ustanova športski objekti Split (Public Institution Sports Facilities Split) have begun, though the City of Split still does not want to confirm this information, and all inquiries from the media remain unanswered.

RNK Split, the concessionaire of Park Mladeži, was also unable to provide any official information on where the Ultra Europe festival would be held this year. Allegedly, all official reports on the state of Ultra Europe will be released at the beginning of next week.

“We've been working intensely over the last few weeks. I believe we will have quality information next week. We are looking for a win-win situation in which everyone will be satisfied; Hajduk and the interest of sport, then the development of tourism and the further stimulation of Ultra, which we know will stay here for a few more years, as well as the many tourists, which we expect this year too and we will host,” said the mayor of Split Andro Krstulović Opara on Thursday. 

Recall, Hajduk has highlighted the destruction of their field after Ultra as one of the biggest problems brought by the festival, which is part of why the sides have been unable to agree. 

Hajduk was looking for Ultra to cover all the costs incurred by the club for holding the festival, and above all to financially cover and secure a new field in time as to not repeat, for example, last year’s catastrophe when the lawn was not brought in on time. 

For every unplayed European match at Poljud, Hajduk is forced to relocate (to the significantly smaller stadium capacity in Dugopolje), leaving them with estimated losses of around 1.5 to 2 million kuna, while the price of the new field is between 1.6 and 2.2 million kuna.

And it's already too late to buy and deliver a new field if you're looking to have it installed right after Ultra...

Stay tuned. 

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