December 20, 2020 - The Croatia women's handball team topped Denmark in the bronze medal fight at the European Championships in Denmark! 

The Croatia women's handball team played their last match of the European Championships against the host of the tournament, Denmark, at 15:30 on Sunday. 

Croatia lost in the semi-final to the powerful France, which dominated every part of the game and celebrated 30:19.

Denmark offered much more resistance in the semi-final match to Norway but eventually lost 27:24. Denmark was the favorite for the bronze. 

Croatia v. Denmark Recap

Croatia scored the first goal of the match with a seven-meter shot for 1:0. Croatia scored for 2:0 in the 3rd minute and 3:0 in the 4th. Denmark scored their first goal in the 6th minute for 3:1 and came back for 3:2 in the 8th minute.

Debelic increased Croatia's lead to 4:2 moments later. Denmark equalized for 4:4 in the 10th.

Denmark took the lead for the first time of the match in the 12th minute - 4:5.  Denmark was up by two in the 14th - 4:6.

Debelic brought Croatia back to -2 in the 19th minute - 5:7, and a stellar Pijevic save stopped Denmark's next attack. Jezic scored for -1 in the 21st - 6:7.

Croatia equaled the score for 7:7 in the 23rd - and Posavec put Croatia back in the lead one minute later -  8:7!

Denmark took back the lead in the 26th - 8:9, but Croatia equalized seconds later. 

With three minutes to go in the first half, it was 10:10.  With two to go, Posavec gave Croatia the lead again for 11:0. 

The first half ended at 11:11. 

Croatia opened the first half with a goal for 12:11. Posavec scored for 14:12 in the 33rd. 

Croatia maintained the lead for the minutes that followed and were up by four in the 48th minute for 21:18. In the 50th minute, Posavec scored for 22:18! 

Simara scored for +5 with just over five minutes to go - 23:18 Croatia! Pijevic remained spectacular in goal. 

Croatia was up by 6 goals with just over three minutes to go, and it was 25:19 in the 57th.

Pijevic gave Denmark no hope - and Croatia held their 25:19 lead until the end! Katarina Jezic was named the player of the match.

This is the first medal in the history of the Croatia women's handball team! 

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

Croatian Parliament MPs Božo Petrov and Ines Strenja emphasized that, despite the dismissal of Health Minister Milan Kujundžic, problems with Croatian health system have not gone away. They also pointed out that Croatians are twice as likely to die of treatable diseases as citizens in more developed European countries.

MediCarrera | Screenshot

Medical Staff Leaving Croatia: Remainers Working Unpaid Overtime

"After three and a half years of inaction, it is time to start treating chronic illnesses in the Croatian healthcare system. The system is in debt, irrationally organized, filled with red tape and waiting lists while doctors and other medical staff are leaving Croatia (for opportunities abroad). Those who remain, like nurses, are at a disadvantage and are being forced to work unpaid overtime hours,” Petrov pointed out.

Scandinavia Offers Croatians Free Relocation, Language Training, Child Care

Indeed, more financially prosperous EU countries have set up one-stop recruiting sites to lure medical professionals to their countries to the further detriment of Croatian citizens and residents. MediCarrera, a website serving the medical career recruitment needs of Denmark, Sweden and Norway; offers job placement, language training for hires and their families, accommodations and relocation costs; all of which are financed by employers in their respective countries.

MediCarrera | Screenshot

Several Swedish media outlets have recently criticized Croatia for its demographic losses and emigration.

Despite these external and internal challenges, Petrov insisted to members of the Croatian government that Most would not let them continue policies of inaction which had defined the former health minister's term according to Index on February 14, 2020.

Croatians Have Highest Mortality Rate for Treatable Diseases

Strenja pointed out that Croatian citizens continue to occupy high, and sometimes the highest, mortality rates among all EU citizens for avoidable and treatable diseases.

The reason, she said, lies in the lack of effective preventive medicine, timely diagnosis and the timely beginning of treatment.

Ines Strenja | Most

Strenja: Investing in Preventative Medicine Yields Fourfold Savings

"Again, unrefined protocol, procedures, measures and responsibilities will continue to miss desired expectations, which is ultimately evident in the overall health data. We emphasize that the investment in preventive medicine is the best bet and yields fourfold savings in treatment," Strenje explained.

She added that ex-Minister Kujundžic's files contain proposals for national strategies that would lower the death rate in Croatia from preventable diseases which is currently 293 per 100 thousand inhabitants compared to 140 per 100 thousand in the EU. The mortality from treatable diseases in our country is 140 per 100 thousand compared to only 90 out of 100 thousand in the EU.

“Therefore, I am calling on the new Health Minister, Vili Beroš, to discharge them and move on to combat chronic non-communicable diseases and conditions in Croatia,” Strenja urged.

Ivan Bekavac | N1

Bekavac: Action Plan Another 'Wish List'

Ivan Bekavac, Advisor for Most’s Health Council, pointed out that two key documents should guide the future of Croatians: The Draft Proposal for the Prevention and Control of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases 2020-2026 and the Draft National Cancer Plan 2020-2030.

"The Action Plan for the Prevention and Control off Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases 2020-2026 does not sufficiently emphasize the responsibility of the Croatian government for the health of the population, because it must place much greater emphasis on the coordination of all departments in promoting and preserving health. It is just a wish list of suggestions, and is almost identical to the previous action plan, and again lacks elements of supervision, monitoring, performance evaluation and research," he explained.

He also considers it a disadvantage that the Draft National Cancer Plan 2020-2030 omitted family medicine doctors who are most familiar with their patients, their habits and family heritage, and emphasized that they should be key stakeholders in encouraging and mobilizing patients for preventive examinations.

Follow our Politics page to keep updated on the health care crisis in Croatia.