January 26, 2022 - On January 15, Croatia celebrated 30-years of international recognition, marking yet another milestone for a country that has undergone drastic reform in only three short decades. To fully appreciate the significance of this anniversary, one must first understand where Croatia was and how it achieved its current standing as one of Europe’s safest nations. A look at Croatia's European integration. 

A Bit of Background

Before we can discuss recent events in Croatian economic and foreign policy, we should look back a little further. Prior to succession from communist Yugoslavia, Croatia existed in many forms over the last several centuries. Lying at the crossroads of central Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Balkans, Croatia has a history that is as long and rich as its coastline. While it is difficult to pinpoint an exact date for the origins of Croatian nationhood, the elevation of the Dutchy of Croatia to kingdom status in 925 is a sufficient starting point. The Kingdom of Croatia maintained its independence until 1102 when it entered a personal union with Hungary, marking the beginning of over 800 years of foreign rule. 

The subsequent eight centuries were turbulent, to say the least. Large portions of Croat inhabited territory changed hands as regional powers like the Ottoman and Venetian empires vied for dominance in southeastern Europe. This situation persisted until between the late 18^th and mid 19^th centuries with the fall of Venice and the subsequent establishment of the Austro-Hungarian compromise in 1867. Following the dissolution of Austria-Hungary post-WWI, Croatia was incorporated into the short-lived Kingdom of Yugoslavia. After a brief stint as a Nazi puppet state during WWII, Croatia was reincorporated into the land of the south Slavs, giving birth to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a communist dictatorship that lasted for almost five decades. Independence was finally won after the Croatian War of Independence which ensued from 1991 to 1995. 

Recovery and Leading Up to EU Membership

Coming out of a brutal conflict, the impacts of war can still be felt today. Croatia had won its independence but at a significant cost. Thousands of lives were lost, and thousands more were displaced. In the years immediately following, a period of reconstruction began as damaged cities were rebuilt the state reconsolidated the institutions that had been damaged or destroyed during the war. Going into the 21^st century, Croatia entered a period of shaky but upgraded stability and modest economic growth. Ties with the European Union improved and an application for membership was lodged in 2003. 

The road to EU accession was long and at times tedious. The Union required Croatia to agree to judicial reforms as well as cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. These issues became somewhat contentious at the time, delaying the opening of accession talks. Fortunately, they were resolved to the satisfaction of both parties, allowing negotiations to begin in 2005, hailing the beginning of Croatia’s European future. The next eight years were spent opening and closing the 35 chapters of the accession acquis. There was a brief ten-month delay due to the Piran Bay border dispute with Slovenia. But the restraints were eventually lifted, paving the road for Croatia’s EU membership in 2013.

European Integration: Croatia Today

Since 2013, Croatia has worked consistently to implement reforms that have firmly established it as a bona fide EU member. The right to freedom of movement probably represents the most significant change to the average Croatian’s life. EU states have the right to impose restrictions on new members. So, European labour market access has been one of the more obvious signs of progress within the union. Additionally, Switzerland granted Croatians equal residency and labour privileges, putting Croatia on par with other EU citizens in all associated countries. 

Furthermore, Croatia has made huge advances towards Schengen and Eurozone membership. In December of last year, prime minister Plenković announced that he expects final decisions on both application procedures in 2022. These treaties represent progress not only to Croatia but to the EU as a whole, providing fresh advances to a stagnating Europe.  

As Croatia moves further along the road of development, the small country will continue to face challenges. Only in the last few years, Croatia has had to manage rapid population decline, a migrant crisis, unusually frequent natural disasters, and a global pandemic. These stressors represent just a few examples of the trials that will test Croatian resilience in the years to come. 

But for now, Croatia should be proud of its achievements. Croatia has carved a crescent-shaped niche for itself on the world stage, going from a vague war-torn corner of southeastern Europe into a country renowned for its natural beauty, sports icons, and rich history. Croatia serves as an example for other western Balkan nations, showing that despite a complicated history, a bright future remains possible. So, wherever you may be reading this, as you contemplate Croatia’s 30-year anniversary, be considerate of the past, mindful of the future, and appreciative of the present. 

For more on politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

November the 8th, 2021 - Dalmatia and Venice have had quite the tumultuous relationship over the last few, well, thousand years or so, but did you know these lesser known facts about Dalmatian-Venetian relations? Put yourself to the test!

As Morski/Gordana Igrec writes, Dalmatian-Venetian relations used to be extremely complicated in the past, with trade issues and jealousy when it came to the former Dubrovnik Republic, which was once its own state, dominating. Their structure and relationship changed over time. Here are some lesser known facts.

Back in 1553, the Venetian representative Giovanni Battista Gistuiniani, when travelling through Dalmatia, wrote the following for Sibenik: ''the costumes of the inhabitants, their speech and their customs... everything is Croatian. All of the women dress in a Croatian style and almost none of them can speak Italian!''

For Trogir, he wrote: ''the population of this city lives according to Croatian customs. It's true that some of them dress in the Italian way, but these examples are rare. Everyone can speak Italian, but they still speak Croatian in their homes, and that's because of the women, because few of them understand Italian, and if they do understand it, they won't speak any language other than their mother tongue. The nuns in Sibenik, as well as others across Dalmatia, speak only in Croatian.''

When Venice took over Dalmatian cities, it didn't allow the clergy access to the great noble council, nor to the popular assemblies. (According to today's interpretation of that decision, the clergy had no influence on public and political life at the time.)

Back in the 15th century, there were bloody conflicts between nobles and commoners in Split, Trogir, Hvar and Sibenik.

There were no serfs in Dalmatia for the Venetian authorities! People were divided into nobles and commoners. Back in the 16th century, the bourgeoisie began to form in some Dalmatian cities.

Venice dealt Dalmatia the hardest blow when on January the 15th, 1452, its Government ordered that all merchandise in Dalmatia must be exported only to Venice and to no other place.

Even before the arrival and subsequent takeover of the Venetian Government, Dalmatian cities almost all had public schools.

In 1848, Emperor Ferdinand issued a patent granting freedom of the press, determined the National Guard and the convocation of deputies of the provincial estates so that all of them together could draft the Constitution which he had determined. Dalmatian intellectuals then enthusiastically accepted the idea of ​​the Habsburg emperor.

While the continental Croatian city of Varazdin, far from Dalmatia, was under the Habsburg monarchy, the capital of Croatia sought the accession of Dalmatia to Croatia, because it once belonged to it. A similar law was passed by the City of Zagreb on the same day, emphasising that: "Dalmatia belongs to Croatia by law, history and people."

For more on Croatian history, check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

September 30, 2021- This year, World Tourism Day was held under the theme Tourism for Inclusive Growth. As part of the celebration, the Living History program was organized in Nin, which is used as a method of interpreting historical heritage.

According to Turističke Priče, the Living History program was organized by the City of Nin Tourist Board, and using the motto ''Get to know the history of the royal city of Nin'', two days were dedicated to this topic. The groups were led by a tourist guide dressed in the clothes worn by the author of the Mountain Petar Zoranić Ninjanin at the time when, according to known data, he worked as a court notary in Nin. He was accompanied by a tourist guide who wore the uniform of a Croatian villa, which appears in the first Croatian novel.

Costumed guides guided tourists during the season, but this time they had a very demanding task. In front of them in the group were tourist workers and students from the area of ​​the town of Nin and beyond, who already had some prior knowledge about the first capital of the Croats. The challenge was to interpret history in a new way and supplement it with those important and little-known data.

Photo: Official Facebook Page of the City of Nin Tourist Board

The Living History event was organized by the Tourist Board of the city of Nin. The goal was additional education through romantic stories of professional tourist guides. A group of 16 people had the opportunity to learn about how Prince Branimir received letters from Pope John VIII on June 7, 879 in the town of Nin, which at that time was interpreted as the first international recognition of the Croatian state. They toured the church of St. Anselm - the first cathedral in Croatia, the sacral heritage within the Parish Treasury of St. Anselma: reliquaries with the powers of Nin's heavenly patrons, a globally famous one Judas coin, the ring of Pope Pius II, and other valuables. Inside the church, they visited the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Zečevo and got acquainted with the church tradition of Nin saints, which according to tradition is associated with apostolic times. A monument to Gregory of Nin with an interpretation of the turbulent historical period and the struggle to preserve the Glagolitic alphabet was a must-see.

Photo: Official Facebook Page of the City of Nin Tourist Board

Next on the Living History program, members of the group toured the Museum of Nin Antiquities, which, along with materials from prehistoric, Roman, early Christian, and modern periods, preserves the originals of Condure Croatica, which are considered the most valuable exhibits because they have the level of national cultural treasure. After that, the site with the remains of Roman buildings from the first to the sixth century in the center of which proudly stands the church of St. Križa, popularly called the smallest cathedral in the world. A site with the remains of the largest Roman temple on the eastern side of the Adriatic from the first century was visited. After that, the site of the Roman domus with remarkably preserved mosaics was visited, and the group ended up touring the historic island in the memorial park dedicated to the famous Zoranić. There was an opportunity so the guides performed a new performance through which the group learned how the Bura wind got its name and other curiosities.

Photo: Official Facebook Page of the City of Nin Tourist Board

This concept has proven to be a very successful formula as it provides the opportunity for more fun and casual adoption of historical material. It was especially important to bring new data closer as tourism changes, and modern tourists are looking for new experiences, so this interpretation of heritage as a new tourist offer in Nin will be welcome. It is planned that visitors who will come to Nin through travel agencies will be able to participate in the so-called Living History program used as a method of interpreting historical heritage.

On the second day, a similar educational program was conducted in front of twenty-six eighth-grade students of Nin Elementary School, and the field lesson conducted by costumed guides was adapted to that age. First, the students learned through a performance that the Assyrian king Nino ordered a city to be built in Dalmatia and named after him, and that is the interpretation of the origin of the name of the city of Nino described in the Mountains by Zoranić. Among other interesting things, they went through an itinerary similar to the one that a group of adults had the previous day, but they showed great interest in the heritage of their city.

This educational program was performed for the first time, and it has already been agreed with the school management that it will be held every fall so that eighth grade students actively participate in the celebration of World Tourism Day while getting to know the history of their city more thoroughly.

To learn more about the region of Zadar and its sights, be sure to check Total Croatia's Zadar in a Page here

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page..

ZAGREB, 30 May, 2021 - The Archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Josip Bozanić, on Sunday celebrated Homeland Mass on the occasion of Statehood Day, underlining the importance of examining the truth about the Croatian people's past and its path to freedom.

Speaking of the Croatian people's past 30 years, Bozanić said that "so many times we close our eyes and hearts, letting that past be distorted."

Congratulating the Croatian people and believers on Statehood Day, he said every people was called upon to read its history in relation to God's plan and His acts. "In the past of the Croatian people, there are many reasons that lead to admiration. In all of its history, including the past three decades, there is a history of unity with God."

Bozanić said the truth about the past should be the foundation of the Croatian present as well as all future efforts.

"There is no political freedom without the freedom of the spirit," he said, calling for opposing enticing offers of well-being which spread selfishness and lef to slavery and the destruction of the spirit.

The service was attended by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković, ministers Tomo Medved, Nina Obuljen Koržinek, Tomislav Ćorić, Radovan Fuchs and Gordan Grlić Radman, the apostolic nuncio, Monsignor Giorgio Lingua, army and policy members, and other believers.

For more news about Croatia, CLICK HERE.

ZAGREB, 15 May 2021 - A commemoration was held at Zagreb's Mirogoj cemetery on Saturday on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the Bleiburg and Way of the Cross tragedy, with wreaths laid by representatives of parliament and the government, the Bleiburg Guard of Honour and the City of Zagreb.

Held under the auspices of the Croatian parliament, the commemoration pays tribute to civilians and soldiers of the Nazi-allied Independent State of Croatia killed in the aftermath of World War II by Yugoslav Partisans at Bleiburg, Austria and during subsequent marches back to then Yugoslavia called the Way of the Cross.

Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković laid a joint parliament-government wreath accompanied by Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman as the prime minister's envoy.

Mass for the victims was said by military ordinary Jure Bogdan, who said Bleiburg and the Way of the Cross were a deep, unhealed wound.

"The cessation of armed conflicts, bombings, destruction and dying on front lines and in the rear was experienced by the peoples of Europe as a great relief, as the establishment of peace and freedom, which the Croatian people expected to. But the month of May 1945 is especially remembered in our country as a month of horrible slaughters of captured soldiers and civilians handed over to the Yugoslav army by Western allies," Bogdan said.

That May, unlike for other peoples, who were given back freedom and democracy, meant for us, with the arrival of the Marxist totalitarian system, a new beginning of the persecution, imprisonment and killing of innocent people, he added.

On the 76th anniversary, we honour all victims, primarily WWII victims, the victims who preceded the war on our territory and all disarmed soldiers, the large number of civilians who fled from the establishment of the communist regime, who were killed without a trial, Bogdan said.

For a long time the Bleiburg and Way of the Cross victims did not have the right to public commemoration in their country, he said, adding that every innocent victim was due equal respect.

"There must be no difference on racial, national, confessional, party or world view grounds," Bogdan said, adding that single and mass executions without a trial or proof of guilt were serious crimes always and everywhere.

A prayer for the Islamic victims was said by Mersad Kreštić, deputy chief imam in Zagreb.

The Bleiburg and Way of the Cross victims were also honoured at Loibach field near Bleiburg, Austria.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

November the 25th, 2019 - The territory of Croatia has changed dramatically over thousands of years, as this country and its wider region have been engulfed in wars, conquests and changes of powers, changes of state, and tumultuous times.

From ancient times right up until the modern day, the modern territory of Croatia has ''changed hands'' numerous times. Owing to its location on the map of Europe, at the crossroads between the Southeastern and Central parts of our continent, Croatia has unfortunately been at the forefront of many a conquest, invasion, and change of official borders. While these events have had devastating effects on the country throughout its history, it is just a small part of what makes Croatia such a deeply interesting little nation.

The territory of Croatia has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Age, with the Croats having first arrived and settled in this area way back during the sixth century. It wasn't until 897, when Duke Branimir ruled, that Croatia was recognised as independent by the rest of the world. Following recognition as an independent state of its own, King Tomislav's reign began, and the country transformed into a kingdom, a status it held for two centuries before entering into a union with neighbouring Hungary.

Time passed, and then the conquests of the marauding Ottoman Empire began to threaten the nation, as it had to several others surrounding it. The Hundred Years' Croatian-Ottoman War is an incredibly interesting period of Croatia's ancient history and is definitely worth reading about. The conflicts, which were obviously numerous but not particularly intense, went on for as long as the name of these events states, and encompassed a war between the former Ottoman Empire and the then Medieval Kingdom of Croatia.

It's difficult to imagine just how the territory of Croatia shifted during these tumultuous times, and reading about it only goes so far. Watch the video below to get a real feel of how things changed:

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for much more.

Standing timelessly in the very centre of modern life, Pula Arena is a truly magnificent sight, but just how has it managed to withstand the often harsh tides of time?

Browse through Croatian history for this week; you might be surprised by what you read. 

Browse through Croatian history for this week; you might be surprised by what you read.