March 28, 2021 – From Croatian destinations drawing more attention to Covid business support plans in April, here are TCN's five highlights of the week, recapping the big events in Croatia from March 22 to 28, 2021.

Looking back on the past week, after a year of downfall, it is clear that Croatia is recovering in a very positive way. The pandemic has put the world on hold for a while; despite the uncertain times, Croatia is moving forward. Businesses around the country will continue to receive government support in the form of financial aid throughout April, there are plans for mass vaccination in Zagreb after Easter, and another boost for Croatian tourism is in the works - and that is just part of it. 

From Monday to Sunday, we list five events featured on the front pages of Croatia's news portals.

PM Andrej Plenkovic Confirms Covid Support for Businesses in April 

Following a recently held cabinet meeting, Croatian PM Andrej Plenkovic confirmed that the government will continue to provide support for companies that qualify during April. Additionally, the government will reimburse electricity bills for all citizens affected by the Petrinja earthquake to aid. The HAC toll fee collections along the Zagreb-Sisak motorway will also be reimbursed. 

Andrej Plenković. Photo: Davorin Visnjic/PIXSELL

Mass Zagreb Citizen Vaccination to Commence After Easter 

Despite the recent vaccine delivery dynamics Croatia has been through, Dr. Zvonimir Sostar, the director of Zagreb's Dr. Andrija Stampar Institute, confirmed a large vaccination will be organized in the Capital. The aim is to vaccinate around 6,000 citizens a day, six days a week which approximately equals 36,000 vaccinated people.

 Pixabay

Just over 100,000 people have been vaccinated in Zagreb in two different phases. Due to vaccine shipment delivery issues, Croatia hasn't received the Moderna vaccine for the third week in a row, affecting the plans. But the country is hopeful the situation will improve following the Easter holidays. 

Plaja-Beach Finder: Croatian App to Digitalise All of Country's Beaches 

To help tourists answer the famous "Where is the beach?" question, a Croatian mobile app made by a Split resident will make everyone's life a little bit easier. Research has shown that this is the most common question asked by tourists in all areas of Croatia, from Dubrovnik all the way to Pula. After working in tourism for 15 years, Dejan Gepo saw the need to create an online beach guide to suit everyone's needs and minimize paper waste with useless and outdated maps. 

Pixabay

Each beach has a detailed description written by the Tourist Board, including the location, content on offer, and images. There is a navigation option that enables tourists to find the beach easily, and there is an option where you can virtually view every beach via 360 views. Users can provide comments and rankings for each beach depending on experience, enabling tourists to find their perfect beach match. 

The Plaja-Beach Finder mobile app has been available for download since January the 24th this year and has been downloaded more than a thousand times so far.

EuroNight Train: Slovaks, Austrians Introduce Line to Split, Tickets On Sale 

Despite the continued uncertainty that Coronavirus presents and the reduction of air traffic, Austrians and Slovaks will introduce a brand new night train line in the summer of 2021. The route, starting from Bratislava, passes through Vienna and Graz with the Dalmatian City of Split as the final stop. 

Pixabay, Split

The EuroNight train plans to commence on June 18th, 2021, to run twice a week until the end of the summer season, mid-September 2021. Tickets can already be purchased from Vienna to Split,  29.90 euros for seats and 69.90 for beds.

The night trains allow guests to travel in a more sustainable way and aids in reducing climate change. 

2022 World Cup Qualifiers: Croatia Defeats Cyprus 1:0 in Rijeka 

After losing to Slovenia last week, Croatia came back strong and won against Cyrus as an outstanding highlight of the week. Croatia and Cyrus played last night in Rijeka for the second round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers Group H.

Croatia's coach, Zlatko Dalić switched up the lineup for the game, going for a 4-3-3 formation. Croatia was powerful from the start of the game with Mario Pašalić scoring from a header for 1:0, in the 39th minute. Luka Modrić also recorded his 135th cap for the national team, making him the most-capped player in Croatia history! 

Photo: Igor Kralj/PIXSELL

The loss to Slovenia complicated their road to the World Cup, as only the group winner qualifies directly for Qatar 2022. Croatia will play Malta on Tuesday in Rijeka at 20:45. 

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

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When you think of Bjelovar, the first thing that comes into your head almost certainly isn't startups and forward thinking business practice. Such things are lagging in Croatia as a whole, but this continental Croatian town might just surprise you yet.

The Croatian startup scene is a bit of a mixed bag. It's rare to see a country which boasts such levels of talent and innovation and yet be governed by a state which really doesn't understand, nor is it ready to embrace the idea of startups. Despite obstacles, of which there are many, there are steps being taken, at the regional and city level if not at the state level, to provide Croatia's startups with help, rewards, and advice. Bjelovar in continental Croatia is doing just that.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 31st of May, 2019, the winner of the second edition of "Bjelovar Startup 2019" and the winner of a very welcome prize of 100,000 kuna was Goran Pauška with his special vehicle monitoring system.

The 100,000 kuna award will be invested back into the development and production of a product that has already been tested and helps in the control of specialised vehicles such as those driven by firefighters and other emergency vehicles.

CRANE President Davorin Štetner and members of the Management Board Hrvoje Prpić and Saša Cvetojević were the members of the expert commission who decided on the winner in Bjelovar, who was among the five other finalists.

Bjelovar Mayor Dario Hrebak thanked everyone who came forward with their respective entrepreneurial ideas, announced Startup 2020, and called on all entrepreneurs with good ideas to start getting properly prepared right now.

"You have mobile phones like we do in Zagreb, there is no reason not to be able to present us with the new InfoBip," Prpić stated encouragingly.

Make sure to follow our dedicated business and Made in Croatia pages for much more.