ZAGREB, November 12, 2018 - An exhibition titled "Faust Vrančić in the Context of European Heritage" will be opened in Rome's Falconieri Palace on Tuesday, the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (HAZU) said in a press release on Monday.

The exhibition has been organised by the Croatian Embassy to the Holy See in cooperation with the Hungarian Embassy in Rome, the National and University Library (NSK) in Zagreb, the Nikola Tesla Technical Museum in Zagreb, the Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences (HAZU) and the Croatian Ministry of Culture.

The purpose of the exhibition, which will be on display until 7 December, is to additionally promote this Croatian inventor and polymath this year which is dedicated to European cultural heritage.

Vrančić is regarded as one of the most important inventors and designers at the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century. He was born in Šibenik in 1551 and died in Venice in 1617. He was a polymath, linguist, diplomat, engineer and bishop.

At the end of the 16th century, he wrote a book with drawings of his own inventions and those of other inventors. There were two editions of the book and they differ mainly in the covers and the number of languages used to describe the inventions - "Machinae novae Fausti Verantii Siceni", presumably published in Florence in 1595, and "Machinae novae Fausti Verantii Siceni cum declaratione Latina Italica Hispanica Gallica et Germanica", believed to have been published in 1615 or 1616. The work contains 49 etchings with 56 different inventions.

Faust Vrančić's technical solutions cover river engineering, bridges, clocks, mills, presses, grain threshing machines, horse-drawn vehicles, and work organisation.

After the opening of the exhibition in Rome, a round table discussion will be held on Faust Vrančić and other 16th century polymaths and humanists from Dalmatia who were active in Croatia, Italy and Hungary.

For more on Croatian scientists, click here.

ZAGREB, November 3, 2018 - Rijeka mayor Vojko Obersnel said on Friday the Italian pro-fascist organisation CasaPound did not ask the city for permission to organise a concert on Saturday for the centenary of Italy's victory in WW I, as has been unofficially announced on social media, adding that he would turn down any such request.

"We would turn it down because of the fascist ideas advocated by this organisation," Obersnel said in a press release following numerous queries put to the town government.

He said the concert in question would not be held on public or town premises, but the town could not regulate events planned and organised on private premises. "However, I believe Rijeka business owners would turn down a request from this organisation and that no Rijeka concert promoter or organiser would work together with this organisation."

Obersnel said Rijeka had a long history of anti-fascism which was reflected in the protection and development of human rights, in the town's openness to tolerance and acceptance, contrary to all neo-fascist messages and concepts advocating the suppression of humans on any grounds.

CasaPound has announced on its social media that the concert will be held at 9 p.m. on November 3, giving the location as Fiume (the Italian name of Rijeka). It has also announced a march in Trieste, Italy, also on the occasion of Italy's victory in WW I. This was followed by unofficial information that the concert will actually take place in Trieste's Fiume cafe.

Slovenian antifascist associations warn president Pahor of neo-fascist rally in Trieste

Slovenian antifascist associations warned President Borut Pahor of the danger of the rally CasaPound plans to hold in Trieste on Saturday, asking him to warn his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella.

One of the associations, TIGR, told the two presidents the rally should be banned because it is against Italian laws which have banned the revival of the fascist party a number of times.

Slovenian daily Večer said a majority of the Italian public was against CasaPound and its rally so that a big counter-rally, supported by Italian democratic parties, could also be expected in Trieste.

Slovenian PM condemns announced rally of neo-fascists in Trieste

Slovenian Prime Minister Marjan Šarec on Friday evening said that Fascism "is the personification of the evil and should not enjoy anyone's support", while commenting on the announcements that far-right CasaPound Italy political party would hold a rally in the Italian city of Trieste near the border with Slovenia on Saturday.

Šarec said in his comment which he posted on social networks that the western parts of Slovenia and ethnic Slovenians in Trieste had long suffered under the Fascist rule, and therefore he considers the rally of that far-right party in Trieste to be an act of rubbing salt into their wounds.

The umbrella association of ethnic Slovenians in Trieste has said in the meantime that its members will join the counter-rally to be organised by left parties.

To read more about Rijeka, click here.

ZAGREB, October 10, 2018 - In Italy, the promotion of Croatia's shoulder season tourism is focused on yachting, culture and health and it has aroused the interest of Italian partners at TTG Travel Experiences, Italy's biggest tourism fair, which opened in Rimini on Wednesday, Croatia's National Tourist Board (HTZ) said.

Italians are ready for their summer vacation season.

ZAGREB, June 20, 2018 - The Croatian oil company INA has agreed the purchase of the Italian ENI company's stake in the gas fields in the northern Adriatic, INA said on Wednesday, noting that it would become the sole owner of the Italian oil and gas group's ENI Croatia BV subsidiary and take over the management of the exploitation fields North Adriatic and Marica once all contractual terms were met, including approval by market competition agencies.

ZAGREB, May 31, 2018 - President Kolinda-Grabar Kitarović on Wednesday arrived in the Italian region of Molise where she met with the local Croat community which is celebrating the 500th anniversary of its arrival in that Italian province.

ZAGREB, May 30, 2018 - Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, who is on an official visit to Italy, told the Croatian community in that country that they represented a demographic treasure for Croatia and expressed hope they would return to their homeland one day, with experience and knowledge they gained in countries that are functioning normally, even after their governments are toppled.

ZAGREB, May 29, 2018 - Bilateral relations, further promotion of cooperation and new transport connections dominated the talks held on Tuesday by the Croatian and Italian presidents, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović and Sergio Mattarella respectively, in Rome.

ZAGREB, May 25, 2018 - President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović will conduct a two-day state visit to Italy next week at the invitation of Italian President Sergio Mattarella, the President's Office reported on Friday.

ZAGREB, May 12, 2018 - A Croatian and Molisan gourmet event has been held at Rome's Hotel Regina Baglioni, the largest such gastronomic show ever held in Italy, where top chefs from Croatia and the southern Italian region of Molise showed through four recipes the diversity and distinctiveness of the two cuisines, the Croatian Tourism Board announced.