July 14, 2021 - Dinamo defeats Valur for a spot in the 2nd Champions League qualifying round!

Croatian football champion Dinamo advanced to the 2nd qualifying round of the Champions League after defeating Valur 2:0 in the return match of the first round of the competition in Reykjavik. In the first match at Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb, Dinamo celebrated 3:2.

Luka Ivanušec scored in the 31st minute for 1:0, and Mislav Oršić in the 89th minute for the final 2:0. 

Dinamo won 3:2 in Zagreb last week after having a 3:0 lead and a missed penalty in the 82nd minute, after which the guests scored two goals in the last five minutes of the game. This time, Dinamo did not allow any drama. 

In the second qualifying round, Dinamo will play against Cypriot club Omonia. The first match is in Zagreb next week and the return match in Nicosia.

After Dinamo was weakened in the first match by playing without Croatia national team players, Damir Krznar did not want to risk anything this time, so from the first minute, Mislav Oršić, Bruno Petković, and Luka Ivanušec were in the team. Interestingly, a chance was also given to the Swiss Francois Moubandje, who has not been in Dinamo's plans so far and spent last season on loan at Alanyaspor.

"We can be satisfied; we have achieved our goal, the second round of qualifications follows, against Omonia Cyprus. Now we are shifting the focus to that game, and before that to the beginning of the HNL, i.e., Slaven Belupo. This match - calm, routine, again in some moments with black holes, but considering the beginning, all this is understandable, mostly, all in all - satisfied," said Dinamo coach Damir Krznar after the match.

It was not complete domination as in the first match at Maksimir.

"Valur stood firmly in the block without wanting to open, they increased their line, and that on this artificial grass slows down and makes the game harder. However, we were patient, and after 1:0, the matter was resolved," said Krznar and added:

"They created some chances from our mistakes, and we will have to work on that. But, it cost us nothing, and we move on."

Source: HRT

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April 20, 2021 - Check out the newest TCN series "Friends of Croatia", dealing with all things diplomatic, by TCN reporter Ivor Kruljac

December 22, 1990, the Croatian parliament known as Sabor brought its first independent constitution, known as „The Christmas Constitution“. After that, the same parliament officially declared Croatia as an independent country and no longer part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on June 25, 1991. Then followed the Ex-Yu War known in Croatia as a Homeland War, which lasted until 1995.

While this war is one of the foundations of Croatian independence, noted by the modern constitution as well as on other grounds of historic events, the dedication of soldiers, tactics, weapons, force and combat skills weren't the only cards Croatia had to achieve its sovereignty. It was also the communication with the international community and international recognition. This allowed Croatian citizens to not end up in the trap of Transnistria, a sovereign state officially recognized as part of Moldova, where Moldova does not rule due to the army and force monopoly by the Transnistrian government, but whose passports have no benefit for its citizens and despite being a state, in official maps does not exist.

Iceland was the first sovereign country to recognize Croatia as a sovereign state on December 19, 1991, followed by Germany in whose recognition took effect on January 15, 1992. Slovenia technically did recognise Croatia first, the same as Croatia was the first to recognise Slovenia, but neither country had international recognition at the time, which is the reason Iceland counts first. Floored by Iceland and Germany, other countries started to recognize Croatia and the new-found Republic joined the UN on May 22, 1992. The international status was then additionally boosted with joining Nato on April 1, 2009, and the EU on July 1, 2013.

Today, Croatia has 176 diplomatic relations; and for TCN writers, reporting on diplomacy is nothing new. Diplomatic relations can be viewed, in layman terms, like friendships, and this is why this series is called „Friends of Croatia“. As stated by the E-International relations site, diplomacy has existed as long as the human race. It can be viewed in the first negotiations amongst individuals before graduating to the level we know today.

„Among the many functions of diplomacy, some include preventing war and violence and fortifying relations between two nations. Diplomacy is most importantly used to complete a specific agenda. Therefore without diplomacy, much of the world’s affairs would be abolished, international organizations would not exist, and above all, the world would be in a constant state of war. It is for diplomacy that certain countries can exist in harmony“, writes the E-International relations site.

And indeed, shutting down diplomatic relations is a final step before potential war escalation and the spread of violence. Even with certain diplomatic tensions, Croatia has with Slovenia around Piranski Bay, or with Serbia regarding uncleared questions from the Homeland War, the fact there are diplomatic relations both with Serbia and Slovenia ensures that these tensions can be solved by peace and not violence.

But what exactly are the details of Croatian diplomatic relations with other countries and international organizations? This is precisely what this series strives to bring by explaining the history of Croatian diplomatic relations by talking to diplomats, embassies, and representers of international communities, with an informative, unique approach to each specific relation. The series wants to inform of the ups and downs of Croatian international collaboration, how to make them better, what benefits are there in these relations for Croatia, and what benefits are there for other countries. Keep your eyes open for articles in these series with more details and interesting facts about diplomacy in general too.

If you are working in the embassy or in an international organization in Croatia, feel free to reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  

To read more from the series "Friends of Croatia", follow TCN's dedicated page.

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

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