July the 31st, 2022 - Primosten beach has been made much more disability friendly with the addition of a new automatic aid to allow those who struggle with physical disabilities the ease of entry and exit into and out of the sea below.

The Republic of Croatia is full of ancient stone streets, hills, mountains, thin, slippery steps and narrow old streets. If there is one thing it struggles to be purely due to the very nature of the way its cities and towns have been designed, not to mention the natural landscape, it's disability friendly. Things are changing, however, and Primosten beach is the latest in a line of beaches up and down the coast to make things more accessible and easy for those who have various diabilities which hinder them.

As Morski writes, the Municipality of Primosten has received an automated aid for people with disabilities with which they can easily and independently enter the sea in a safe and secure way.

''Leading with the fact that the Municipality of Primosten is a leading destination during the summer months in the sense of the visits made by foreign and domestic tourists alike, listening to peoples' needs, and especially those with special needs, the first Aqualift has been installed on the beach on Ban Josip Jelacic Street (Ulica ban Josipa Jelacica), which will allow people with disabilities to enjoy smooth access to the sea below,'' they explained from the Municipality of Primosten.

The operation of the new Aqualift aid is fully automated and adapted to ensure the user independent and easy access the sea below with minimal effort and with maximum safety ensured. The procurement was funded in part from the budget of the Municipality of Primosten, while the second part was funded by the state budget of the Republic of Croatia.

With this project, this Primosten beach, with an already existing ramp, has provided people with disabilities even an even simpler and more practical approach to the sea in order to cool off during the scorching and often harsh and oppressive summer months.

The initiator of the idea was Jadranka Luketa-Markovic, as reported by local portal Primosten Plus.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, 12 June 2022 - Even before the latest price hikes poverty and social exclusion were some of the burning problems faced by persons with disabilities, Ombudswoman for Persons with Disabilities Anka Slonjšak said in an interview with Hina, noting that in the past two years their number has increased by 115,000.

In January 2020, there were 497,000 people in the national register of persons with disabilities while in March 2022 their number was 612,000, which is a significant figure considering that according to the 2021 census, Croatia has a population of some 3.9 million.

The Croatian Public Health Institute, which is in charge of the register, says that the increase is due to a change in data collection methodology, after in 2020 it had access, for the first time, to the complete data base of the Institute for Expertise, Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities, Slonjšak said.

New law on register in force as of 11 June

The new law on the register of persons with disabilities, which took effect on 11 June, should enable a better coverage of data on persons with disabilities and a faster and better exchange of data from all available official records.

Slonjšak expressed regret that most of her proposals, presented during public consultation on the new law, had not been accepted, and in that context pointed to proposals regarding the creation of conditions for the introduction of a European disability card.

She said that currently the biggest problems faced by persons with disabilities were poverty and social exclusion.

Slonjšak said that poverty and social exclusion were among the most pressing problems of that community even before the latest price hikes, and in 2021 one-fifth of all complaints to her office concerned access to social benefits and housing and to disability or material deprivation-related rights.

Social as well as disability benefits have so far been low and insufficient to cover the basic cost of living, and in the context of current price hikes and inflation the situation has become even more difficult, she says.

"The long-awaited minimum increases in individual benefits in February 2022 have already been annulled by inflation," she says.

Waiting for inclusion allowance

Slonjšak welcomed the government's measures intended for the general population and the HRK 250 increase in disability allowance (monthly disability allowance amounts to HRK 1,750) as well as the increase in the allowance for vulnerable energy buyers, but stressed that overall, they had not significantly improved the standard of living for persons with disabilities, which was why they expected additional help.

Asked about laws on personal assistants and disability inclusion allowance, whose adoption has been announced for a long time, the ombudswoman said that they were expected to be adopted in the last quarter of this year but that their adoption had been announced many times in the past ten years and that it was therefore difficult to say if they would be adopted by then.

"The law on personal assistants would help resolve problems airing from the fact that it is a service that over the past 15 years has been secured exclusively through projects launched by nongovernmental organisations while disability inclusion allowance, a cash benefit depending on the type and severity of disability, should contribute to improving the living standards and social protection of persons with disabilities", Slonjšak said.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, 16 April 2022 - Ombudsman for Persons with Disabilities Anka Slonjšak has warned that in 2021 there was a rising number of incidents in which children with disabilities were exposed to discriminatory speech and that some of those cases that outraged the public, criminal proceedings were launched.

"We have warned about the cases of hate and prejudicial speech," Slonjšak said in her annual report.

In one of those cases, a child with autistic spectrum disorder was told to leave a patisserie in the town of Samobor with the explanation that "such children belong to the woods". In another case, a mother and her daughter with Down Syndrome had to leave a cafe in Zadar as they "are damaging the reputation of the cafe."

Some incidents of this kind have been the reason to press charges against bullies whose behaviour outraged the public.

The Office of Ombudsman for Persons with Disabilities monitors and promotes the rights of over 612,000 persons with disabilities, including 30,000 students with developmental disorders.

In 2021, a number of complaints lodged with the Office increased by a fifth compared to 2020.

Most complaints referred to the conduct of social welfare (502), while 329 referred to difficulties in employment and on the labour market, and 280 concerned access and mobility.

COVID takes lives of 2,500 disabled persons

During the COVID pandemic almost 110,000 of them caught coronavirus, according to the statistics kept until 9 March 2022, and approximately 2,500 died from the infection, while in Croatia so far about this infection has taken over 16,000 lives. 

The pandemic has led to the degradation of the rights of disabled citizens, the Ombudsman warns.

ZAGREB, 3 Dec 2021 - Associations for people with disabilities on Friday called for a law that will regulate social housing and ensure a sufficient number of flats for the disabled who cannot pay market rent prices.

On the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, several associations, supported by the disability ombudsman, forwarded an appeal to the government for a law to be adopted on social housing which is something they have been calling for, for years.

Croatia does not have any organised housing for disabled persons or any regulations in that regard. The associations said that over the past few years, several social measures were adopted but without any significant positive impact.

"Flat rent prices have increased and many beneficiaries of guaranteed minimum allowances have been on waiting lists for public housing for years," Marica Mirić said on behalf of the associations.

It is much harder for disabled persons to afford housing or rentals and often they are discriminated against.

State real-estate should be earmarked for social housing

Findings of a survey, conducted among people with disabilities about housing, were presented today.

They show that 97.5% of the respondents believe that the state should adopt an appropriate legal framework for social housing while 84.2% said that "their needs have partially, or not been satisfied in light of their earnings in households."

Too low an income as an obstacle regarding housing issues was cited by 51.1% of respondents while 61% said that up to HRK 1,000 a month would be an acceptable price for rent.

As much as 66.7% consider that Croatia needs to build more social housing units and 60.5% consider that state-owned real-estate should be earmarked for social housing.

European Commission and Parliament: Finance social housing

The European Commission's Strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030 calls on member states to promote and ensure financing for appropriate social housing that takes account of disability issues including elderly disabled persons, and to deal with the problems faced by the homeless and disabled persons.

Last year saw a rapid increase in real-estate prices hence accessibility to affordable housing continues to be a challenge.

The European Parliament has called on member states to recognise appropriate housing to be a fundamental human right and that this should be incorporated in legislation.

An online international panel discussion was held to mark the international day of the disabled presenting a comparison of housing opportunities for the disabled in Croatia, the EU and the region.

It was said that housing in Croatia is implemented through existing laws and that it would be worthwhile to adopt a comprehensive law at the national level.

Croatia doesn't treat social housing as a fundamental human right

Gojko Bežovan from the Zagreb Faculty of Law underscored that Croatia has ignored the issue of social housing. We have strategies in all other fields except for social housing which is a fundamental human right, he said.

He underscored that the EU, like Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina all have laws on social housing and other regulations in that regard. 

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

ZAGREB, 3 Dec 2021 -  Deputy Parliament Speaker Željko Reiner sent a message on the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Friday, recalling that more than half a million disabled persons live in Croatia.

The disabled account for 12% of the total population, which is almost three times the population of Split, Reiner said in his message.

"It is up to us to ensure that disabled persons have access to all civil, political, social, cultural and economic rights," Reiner said at the start of Friday's sitting of the Sabor.

"May marking this day fulfil its objective and contribute to improving the quality of life for disabled persons, alleviate the consequences of their social exclusion and raise public awareness of their presence in the community and of the problems they encounter," Reiner said, recalling some of the steps Parliament has taken to assist disabled persons.

Following a motion by MP Ljubica Lukačić (HDZ), since October 2017 plenary sessions of the Sabor that are aired on the public television HRT have been interpreted in sign language, and the rostrum has been adapted for disabled MPs.

Reiner recalled that Croatia was the third country in the world to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. "That shows the ability and need of Croatian society to ensure equal opportunities for this special vulnerable section of the population."

For more news, follow TCN's dedicated page.

December 3, 2021 – On International Day of Disabled Persons, we take a look at how inclusive Šibenik makes this a welcoming city for everyone

Lying on a truly unique stretch of Croatia's coast, the city of Šibenik is famous for many things.

History, heritage and events

Barone Fortress © Šibenik Tourist Board

Sitting above the city are three fortresses. Historically, they defended Šibenik from attack made by any possible direction. There's another fortress below the city, in the middle of St. Anthony's channel. It guards the entrance to Šibenik from the sea and is a UNESCO protected heritage site. It's not the only one here.

Events at Barone Fortress © Šibenik Tourist Board

Šibenik's spectacular Cathedral of St. James is also a UNESCO heritage site. Understandably so. It's an architectural treasure. These five titanic landmarks are cornerstones of Šibenik Old Town. Its historic streets are among the most charming and atmospheric in Croatia. During warmer months, Šibenik's renowned music, children's, dance, theatre and cinema events spill out onto these streets.

Special gastronomy

Inclusive Šibenik: Bakalar (salt cod), served traditionally with potatoes © Maja Danica Pečanić

Šibenik has long been known for its classic Mediterranean brunches – marenda. For as long as anyone can remember, these simple yet tasty dishes have been enjoyed casually in the back streets and stone-paved alleys of Šibenik Old Town.

Inclusive Šibenik: Octopus © Maja Danica Pečanić

Consistently voted Croatian Restaurant of the Year, the international reputation of Šibenik restaurant Pelegrini received a boost in 2018 when it was awarded a Michelin star. Not only does it still hold the award, but its presence in the city has also helped raise the bar for fine dining throughout Šibenik's eateries.

Inclusive Šibenik © Maja Danica Pečanić

Furthermore, in the hills surrounding Šibenik, you'll discover some of Croatia's greatest small-scale wine producers. They might not be the most famous, but the winemakers of Šibenik-Knin County are consistently among the most highly decorated producers featured at elite international wine awards.

Landscape, nature and recreation

© Krka National Park

Few Mediterranean cities can boast natural assets like Šibenik's. And nowhere else looks exactly like this city.

Just 20 minutes drive from the town is Krka National Park. It is one of Croatia's most famous, most popular and most spectacular National Parks. Within 100 square kilometres of epic river valley, green wilderness and karst rock canyons, you'll discover seven spectacular waterfalls and a variety of birds and animals.

© Antonia Viljac / Šibenik Tourist Board

Closer to the city centre, St. Anthony's channel is a natural waterway that flows from Šibenik's sheltered harbour out to the open Adriatic. Running along the length of the channel's southern shore is one of Šibenik's best-loved areas of recreation. There you'll find St. Anthony's walking path and beaches with endless promenades.

Warm welcome

© Antonia Viljac / Šibenik Tourist Board

When talking about the distinct qualities of Šibenik, sooner or later you need to mention the welcome. Šibenik loves visitors. Šibenik residents appreciate nothing more highly than those who come to look and spend time here. That's why the city and Šibenik Tourist Board make a special effort to ensure Šibenik is accessible and a city for all. Recent EU project Tourism4all has helped to significantly improve Šibenik's ability to receive all visitors, including guests with disabilities and seniors.

Inclusive Šibenik History and Heritage: Fortresses and Old Town

Inclusive Šibenik © Šibenik Tourist Board

Šibenik Old Town wasn't designed with accessibility in mind. In fact, it wasn't strategically planned at all. Instead, the Old Town simply evolved over several centuries, rising up slopes when its expansion made that necessary. In total, there are over 2000 stairs and steps running through the Old Town. Charming to some, they are an obstacle for others. To help overcome those obstacles, Šibenik Tourist Board - with support from local associations of persons with disabilities - have mapped the accessibility of all the public buildings and tourist attractions. You can check out the map here.

Inclusive Šibenik © Šibenik Tourist Board

Experienced guides from the professional Association of Šibenik Tourist Guides Mihovil have recognised that, on average, at least one member of every guided tour group they lead has special needs. In response, they have invested time and effort to create tours adapted to the needs of persons with different disabilities. One additional tool that's been created to help visitors get around the city centre is a mobile phone app – Šibenik Audio Guide. It was designed with blind and partially sighted visitors in mind, although is useful for everyone. Šibenik Audio Guide is available in English, Italian, German and Croatian and is downloadable from Playstore and iStore.

Inclusive Šibenik: Barone Fortress © Šibenik Tourist Board

Further to these efforts, two of Šibenik's fortresses - St. Michael’s Fortress and Barone Fortress – have been reconstructed to be fully accessible to persons with disabilities. Inside the fortresses, you can learn how they helped defend Šibenik and more about the history of the city itself. One of the most breathtaking events spaces in Croatia, there's a spectacular backdrop of city, nature, sea and islands to performances at St. Michael’s Fortress. All of its dance, theatre, music and film events are fully accessible.

St. Michael’s Fortress

The Tourism4all project has supported the introduction of transport services - a minivan that is equipped for the transfer of wheelchair users visiting the city. It is operated by local NGO Aurora.

Discover the Šibenik food and drink that's right for you

Inclusive Šibenik: Brudet © Maja Danica Pečanić

Within recent memory, many places in Croatia struggled to cater for the growing number of vegetarian and vegan guests arriving at their destinations. But, great advances have been made over the last decade. Nowhere more so than the city of Šibenik, where you can access a food map specifically designed for those with food intolerances or distinct dietary needs.

© Baraka winery

Want to discover more about local food and the celebrated wine of Šibenik-Knin County? Baraka winery, just outside the city, is surrounded by vineyards and olive trees. Their new cookery classes have been designed to be accessible to all and are perfect for small groups. You'll learn to cook local dishes using ingredients popular to the region. Then, you'll enjoy lunch or dinner in these beautiful natural surroundings.

Inclusive Šibenik Nature, Wildlife and Recreation

Inclusive Šibenik © Antonia Viljac / Šibenik Tourist Board

The nature surrounding Šibenik is spectacular. Whatever your abilities or level of fitness, this nature can be enjoyed by all. Sections of Krka National Park with broad accessibility are specially designated by park authorities.

Inclusive Šibenik: Krka National Park 

There are numerous walks and hikes across the cityscape that are designed for people of all ages and abilities. Family groups with several different generations can enjoy untaxing strolls around St. Anthony's channel. Above the city, Šubićevac Forest Park has a fully equipped playground area, designed for inclusiveness and accessibility. You'll get incredible views from both these places.

Inclusive Šibenik: Dubrava Falconry Center © Šibenik Tourist Board

If you want to get up close to some of the animals that live in this area, then there are several options. Located in a dense pine forest less than 10 kilometres from Šibenik centre, at the Dubrava Falconry Center, you'll meet several different birds of prey.

Inclusive Šibenik: KK Kolan horseriding club at Farma Happy Horse © S. Živković

At Farma Happy Horse you'll meet horses and llamas. In fact, there's a range of domesticated animals waiting to greet you on this small family farm. They're all very friendly. Also, horse riding club KK Kolan operates on the farm. Their experienced team offer specially designed therapeutic horse riding sessions for children and teenagers with disabilities.

Accessible accommodation in Šibenik

© D-Resort Šibenik

D-Resort is a modern hotel resort at the side of Šibenik marina. It sits at the very end of a small, thin peninsula that stretches into Šibenik bay. Its light and spacious rooms have balconies that look out onto the bay, the city and the nature opposite. The hotel has 4 bars and lounges and, just next door, a spa area. The hotel has appointed rooms designed to be accessible and specifically with disabled guests in mind.

© D-Resort Šibenik

Visitors to Šibenik can take advantage of Šibenik Card and obtain various discounts, including 20% discount on accessible rooms at D-Resort. For more information about Šibenik Card, look here.

October 20, 2021 - The Tourist Board of the City of Zaprešić continues with training for tour guides as part of the Second Perspective project, promoting and educating on the importance of including people with disabilities.

Second Perspective is a project that, through various actions and educations, points out the importance of including people with disabilities in creating a tourist story, regardless of their physical limitations and disabilities, reports Turističke Priče. This autumn, the project continues with training for tourist guides and tour guides "Tourist guidance and people with disabilities - how to lead?".

''Tour guides create a successful and quality tourist offer with their work. Their stories, creating experiences, and caring for the guest are a measure of quality, and very often they find themselves in challenging situations and meeting different guests. People with disabilities are part of the tourist movement and our dear guests need to know how to approach well and with quality during the tourist guide'', points out the director of the Tourist Board of the city of Zaprešić Toni Ganjto.

That is why this education will prepare tourist guides and tour guides in quality and focused manner to meet guests with disabilities. Top lecturers and experts from the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation and the Center for Education and the Office of the Ombudsman for Persons with Disabilities will answer questions on how-to guide and care for a guest with a disability through a full day of education.

''We want to actively create and direct the development of "soft" values ​​of smart and sustainable tourism, as well as accessibility tourism at the level of our destination, but also the whole of Croatia. We need more involvement and development of targeted tourism products for people with disabilities. In addition to adapting the infrastructure, it is extremely important to raise awareness of the importance of good access and inclusive tourism, and this is best done by exchanging knowledge and good experiences and quality education of all tourism stakeholders'', concluded Toni Ganjto.

Join the training "Tourist guidance and people with disabilities - how-to guide?", on Saturday, November 13 in Zaprešić in the unique area of ​​Vršilnica in the New Palace of Ban Jelačić.

Details on education and application can be found at the LINK.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, 23 Aug 2021 - The first national gastronomy contests for disabled people above 17 will be organized in several Croatian cities in September and October, and the competition called "Amor Spoon" is organized by an association of teachers in schools for catering occupations and Conventual Franciscans in the country.

Participants will take part in the contest in seven cities: Sisak on 9 September, Vinkovci on 12 September, Novi Marof on 16 September, Pula on 19 September, Šibenik on 23 September, Split on 26 September, and in Zagreb from 1 to 3 October.

They can choose one of a few events in which they can compete: cooking, food serving, and preparing cocktails and drinks.

The most successful participants will be offered to attend free-of-charge workshops within the CookLook project of inclusivity and trips to Rome.

The contest has been so far supported by many associations, NGOs, and centers for rehabilitation said the association of teachers in schools for catering occupations (UNUO) on Monday.

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

June the 9th, 2021 - One Premantura accommodation facility which caters primarily for the blind and visually impaired, but also for their friends and families, has undergone a renovation in order to step up its game for its clients. The Premantura ERKS facility is now more accessible than ever.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Ivan Tominac writes, located a mere twelve kilometres from the popular Istrian city of Pula in the municipality of Premantura is the Educational-Rehabilitation Camp for the Blind - ERKS. Inclusion is an extremely important topic, and this renovated camp, owned by the Croatian Association of the Blind and managed by Tiflotehna, makes the thought a reality.

The project to increase the energy efficiency and accessibility of the Premantura ERKS facility for people with disabilities was co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund. The total value of the project stands at 5.2 million kuna, with a grant of 3.4 million.

Greater accessibility

Today, the Premantura ERKS camp has everything on hand for a relaxing and carefree holiday for people with visual impairments, but also for members of their families and sighted friends. Everyone is welcome, and as the president of the Croatian Association of the Blind, Vojin Peric, points out, this is an environment that gives blind and partially sighted people the opportunity to be independent and still be safe.

“I'm really happy and proud that one job was completed that required so much effort, the effort of the people who wrote and implemented the project, along with the people in charge of building it all to work. This is a place which has different purposes such as a resort, a hostel, a camp, an educational and rehabilitation centre and the ability for people to enjoy socialising and their hobbies,'' added Peric.

The Premantura ERKS project was implemented in 24 months in three different parts: construction and craft measures, electrical measures and mechanical measures. Great attention has been being paid to the facility's environmental sustainability, and inside the building, on the floor and walls, there are tactile surfaces, guide lines and tactile markings for the blind and visually impaired which allow for better orientation and more independent movement. In addition, there are tactile orientation maps and evacuation plans in all rooms and corridors.

“The implementation of these measures achieves energy savings of 39.34 percent per year and a reduction in CO2 emissions by 6.03 t/year, which, in addition to energy-efficient business and ensuring complete accessibility for people with visual impairments, will mean a reduction in operating costs for the facility, which enables the extension of the summer season and the maintenance of an affordable price for blind and partially sighted people of a lower financial status,'' said the head of the energy renovation project of the Premantura ERKS Hostel, Petar Glavas.

Research and recreation

However, not everything was wasted on just the interior and exterior, and much more thought was given to other areas too. It is in this manner that the resort offers the possibility of renting tandem bicycles, all with the desire to enable blind people to enjoy additional recreation and exploration of Premantura in a dynamic and active way with a seeing companion.

For more, follow our dedicated travel section.

ZAGREB, 30 May, 2021 - The UNWTO's recent publication entitled "Accessibility and Inclusive Tourism Development in Nature Areas - Compendium of Best Practices" cites the Bliznec Forest Trail in Medvednica Nature Park as an example of accessible tourism in nature areas, the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) has reported.

This forest trail near the capital city of Zagreb is the first educational trail in Croatia fully adapted to people with disabilities.

The HTZ director Kristjan Staničić has recently stated that for more than a year the HTZ, in cooperation with the UNWTO and its Working Group on Accessible Tourism, has been working on the project of inclusive and accessible tourism.

"We are proud that Croatia has been added to this important publication about the best practices in inclusive and accessible tourism in nature areas," Staničić said.

The 800-metre-long Bliznec trail, along the Bliznec stream in Medvednica, is completely adjusted to visitors with disabilities.

"Apart from being completely available to people in wheelchairs, and therefore families with small children, all texts are available in Braille so that the blind and the people with poor eyesight can read them. To prevent them from being damaged, the texts in Braille are placed in unique 'Forest books'. The trail is primarily made of wood and it blends nicely with its surrounding. It finishes near the sawmill Bliznec where there is now a catering facility," according to the information provided on on the Medvednica Nature Park's website.

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

For more news about Croatia, CLICK HERE.