September 12, 2020 - The Croatian police reported on a drug-raid today in which almost a ton of cocaine was confiscated in Spain. 

The raid, under the code-name "Falkuša" (named after a historic Croatian sailboat), was directed against the members of the so-called Balkans Cartel, specialised in drug-smuggling on various yachts and sailboats. At least three Croatian citizens are known to be part of the organisation. They were recruited by the cartel to smuggle the drugs across the ocean on a large sailboat, registered under the Croatian flag, numerous Croatian media outlets (including Večernji list) have reported.

The sailboat sailed out of the Šibenik port in early 2020, only to be sailing along the African smuggling route in late August of this year, south of the Canary Islands, and towards the shores of West Africa. That's where the locally organised crime groups loaded the cocaine on the sailboat. The special team of the Spanish "Guardia Civil" intercepted the Croatian sailboat with three crew members, all three of them being Croatian citizens. This was carried out on the morning of September the 8th, 2020, in international waters after obtaining the approval by the Croatian authorities.

The boat was taken to Spain's national waters in the Canary Islands, and 980 packages of one kilo of high-purity cocaine each were found on it. 

The street value of the cocaine was estimated to be over 40 million euros. It was destined for European markets, specifically the Spanish and the Croatian markets. Simultaneously, the Croatian law enforcement agencies performed some activities in Šibenik-Knin County, where they apprehended several computers, phones, and other materials that can be linked to the international drug raid. 

We can't wait to see the new season of Netflix's series Narcos, titled "The Balkans" with ER's Goran Višnjić in the leading role! 

ZAGREB, July 16, 2020 - Health Minister Vili Beros on Thursday expressed confidence that the government would find a solution with drug wholesalers regarding the debt which amounts to more than HRK 4.2 billion, claiming that patients need not worry in that regard.

As a result of the debt which is currently more than HRK 4.2 billion, drug wholesalers allegedly will suspend delivering medicines and medical material as of Monday and are seeking at least HRK 1 billion of that debt to be paid.

During a press conference by the national COVID-19 response team, Beros said that as a responsible government they want talks in that regard.

He announced that the first meeting with drug wholesalers would be held on Monday and then again on Wednesday "and some sort of solution will be found."

He claimed that patients need not be worried. "We will do everything to settle debts and not to generate this kind of debts in the future," he said.

"Asking is one thing, possibilities are something else, but we will endeavour to find a compromise next week. We have to look for systematic solutions. Only in that way will we be financially sustainable in the future and be able to provide quality health services," he underscored.

Beros added that he had already put forward some proposals for a solution to the prime minister.

He underlined that the COID epidemic has caused an imbalance in payments. "While responding to the epidemic, the health system did not provide other services except emergencies. Today we are trying to respond in a different way but we cannot ignore the fact that the virus is still among us," he said.

He added that a lot of hospitals are shortening the waiting lists which emerged and they will continue to do so in the future. He said that the hospital sector is not the only segment that generates debts and that they occur in the primary sector too. "A serious reform of the health system awaits us," he concluded.