Istrian Town of Porec Continues With Tree Planting Tradition
As Morski writes on the 9th of November, 2020, this year, much like last year, the Istrian town of Porec will join the praiseworthy action of the collective planting of trees under the initiative entitled "Plant a tree, don't be a stump".
Namely, the Association "Plant a tree, don't be a stump" is continuing last year's successful tree planting campaign across the Republic of Croatia, in which more than 20,000 diverse participants across Croatia planted 60,000 trees in just three days. This year's action, originally planned for the first week of December, was postponed to March due to the epidemiological situation. However, all those who are ready can start planting trees earlier, the Association noted, meaning the action will take place in the aforementioned Istrian town in the week spanning November the 23rd to the 29th, and the plan is to plant and divide a total of 500 seedlings.
''After last year's action earned a lot of public interest, I'm glad that this year we can continue with the positive practice,'' said the Mayor of Porec, Loris Persuric, noting that in that Istrian town every year there are regular activities encouraged to maintain and enrich the the local ecosystem in spring and autumn, and this action will be an opportunity to further improve urban oases and raise awareness of the need to preserve and protect nature.
''It's important for us to take care of our green areas and this is something that Porec has become known for, especially because some trees were damaged during bad weather or had to be removed due to dilapidation or for practical reasons. However, for each felled tree, several new ones are planted, and through the spatial and general urban plan, the balance of green and construction areas is taken into account. In public areas alone, not including private plots, there is more than 50 percent greenery in urban areas, while in the wider area it exceeds 80 percent,'' he stated.
The collective planting of trees in this Istrian town is divided into two parts: the first part takes place from the 23rd to the 29th of November, when the planting of trees begins with local committees. Namely, certain areas were visited and the type of trees and mirolocations for planting were suggested, such as in places where trees were recently damaged by storms, and in children's playgrounds. Of the trees, primarily native cultures will be represented, but there will also be some less represented species planted there.
The second part of the action will take place on Friday, November the 27th starting at 09:00. Over 300 seedlings of indigenous trees will be distributed free of charge to all interested fellow citizens, which they will plant in their areas.
''Last year we were planting trees everywhere: from kindergartens and schools, to playgrounds, promenades and beaches, species such as laurel, palm, pine, holm oak, chestnut, fig, almond and other species were planted. Forests damaged during the summer storms were enriched, and tree-lined avenues were planted in several places. Representatives of local committees, locals and a large number of children took part in the actions. That is why this year we'd like invite all interested parties - whether they be companies, associations, clubs or individuals - to join us and plant a tree to help create an even more beautiful and greener Porec, the shade of which will be enjoyed by generations to come,'' concluded the mayor of this Istrian town.
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Istrian Tourism Continues to Shine - Hotels Work, Restaurants Full
November the 8th, 2020 - Istrian tourism is continuing to shine bright in the otherwise concerning world of not only Croatian tourism but global travel. The Istrian peninsula has been praised on multiple occasions throughout the duration of the ongoing pandemic for its handling of not only the spread of the infection but the way it has coped in a broader economic sense.
As Morski writes, this weekend in Rovinj, three large hotels are open and functioning: Grand Park, Lone and Eden. Maistra is too meticulous of a company financially to keep three big hotels open if it isn't paying off. In fact, there is a great demand for rooms.
''We booked the Lone hotel through Booking.com. On Thursday night, the page read that there were only two rooms left,'' writes plavakamenica.hr.
Two weeks ago, the luxury wine hotel Franca Cattunara in Nova Vas was also full to the very last room, as was the famous San Rocco in neighbouring Brtonigla. Restaurants in Istria are also solidly full on weekends, which was revealed this morning in Rovinj's Rio, which, at this time of year, also serves breakfast in precisely the same way as it does during the very height of the summer tourist season.
The phenomenon of stability during the second wave of the coronavirus crisis is obviously happening for Istrian tourism. Despite the virtually closed borders and the very small number of people infected with the new coronavirus, a solid number of guests still continue visit this gorgeous part of the country and boost Istrian tourism each and every weekend. These visitors are mostly from Zagreb, which was confirmed fifteen days ago by the owner of San Rocca, Tulio Fernetich; The ''weekend invasion'' of guests from Zagreb to Istria was visible this morning as well, according to numerous Zagreb registrations on cars parked in front of Rovinj hotels.
Istrian tourism, or at least some parts of Istria, are doing relatively well given the truly extraordinary circumstances that govern Croatia at this moment in time. Therefore, any lockdown measures for Istrian tourism and the local Istrian economy would be quite catastrophic indeed.
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Unexploded WWII Ordnance Removed from Istrian City of Pula
As Morski writes on the 5th of November, 2020, the end of the action of removing the remaining unexploded ordnance from the Second World War in the area of Vallelunga in the Istrian city of Pula was announced on November the 4th at a press conference held by the mayor of that Istrian city, Boris Miletic, the director of the port authority Dalibor Brnos and the head of MUP's anti-explosion service, Marijan Nikolaus.
The clearing up of Vallelunga's terrain on the northern side of the Bay of Pula from was finally completed on Tuesday, November the 3rd, 2020, and destruction began on November the 4th at the Marlera test site.
''As soon as the explosive devices were discovered, aware that this could pose a danger to the health of our citizens, we immediately launched an initiative to protect and fence off this area so that there would be no free access and possible unwanted consequences. After that, we started the process of removing it all and Id like to thank the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defense, without which we wouldn't have been able to do this on our own,'' stated Mayor Boris Miletic.
The very first phase of the removal of the unexploded WWII ordnance from the Istrian city was completed in February this year, and also included the clearing of trees and low-lying vegetation. The situation with the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down and prolonged the continuation of these works, and at the end of June 2020, the second phase of terrain rehabilitation was completed, which included the disposal of the ordnance and the preparation of the route for the arrival of an armored excavator, done in close cooperation with the Directorate of Civil Protection, the Croatian Armed Forces, and the Istrian Police Administration. The third and final phase of removing the unexploded ordnance began in September this year. The works were supposed to be completed during the month of September, but more unexploded ordnance was discovered in unexpected areas.
The head of the anti-explosion service of the Ministry of the Interior, Marijan Nikolaus, said that during the operation, they inspected 10,000 square metres in Vallelunga and removed more than 8,000 cubic metres of various construction materials, including about 60 tonnes of explosives, including everything from hand grenades to artillery shells.
The full destruction of the discovered unexploded WWII ordnance will take two weeks, during which two explosions will be heard a day at intervals. The destruction is taking place in strictly controlled conditions and there is no danger for anyone, and upon completion of the entire action, the area will be reopened once again as normal.
When discussing the plans for the future, the director of the Pula Port Authority, Dalibor Brnos, said that a passenger terminal for maritime traffic would be built in the area, which would be able to receive even the largest vessels of up to 400 metres in length.
''What awaits us is obtaining a location permit and talking to potential investors. The project will have significant economic effects not only for Pula, but also for Istria County as a whole,'' concluded Brnos.
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VIDEO: Instagram Monkey Hangs From Croatia's Highest Building
October 25, 2020 - Teenage British daredevil Adam Lockwood is the first Instagram monkey to have been filmed hanging by one hand from the 340-metre-high chimney of the thermal power plant in Plomin, Istria - the tallest building in Croatia
In the latest installment of his social media posts, teenage British Instagram monkey Adam Lockwood has posted a short video of a recent visit to Croatia. Posted to his 'thelittlenuisance' Instagram page on Friday, the video shows Adam hanging by one hand from the top of the 340-metre chimney of the thermal power plant in Plomin, Istria. The chimney is the highest structure in Croatia.
In the text which accompanies the video posting, Lockwood thanks a Croatian peer for inviting him to the country in order to tackle the climb. He also thanks the Croatian accomplice for the video footage, implying that Lockwood was accompanied on his illegal entry to the site – and filmed – by a local.
The chimney and plant are under the authority of the national Croatian electricity company HEP. Both HEP and the Croatian police are investigating how the pair gained access to the site in order to make the heart-stopping climb.
This is not the first illegal ascent Lockwood has made. This Instagram monkey has over 34, 000 followers on that particular platform and has posted pictures of himself atop buildings in Malta, Madrid, Barcelona, Edinburgh and in Italy. In previous videos he has half0heartedly used the excuse of not being able to understand 'warning' and 'no entry' signs that he comes across because he does not understand the language they are written in. If accompanied this time by a local, this is an excuse he cannot use for his climb in Istria.
Instagram monkey Lockwood said that he and his accomplice illegally entered the property of the thermal power plant at 2am to avoid the workers. The actual ascent of the chimney took two hours. The pair are said to have climbed down again the following night, having spent 21 hours within the compound. Lockwood has a further 8000 subscribers to his Youtube channel which has several videos of similar ascents he has previously made.
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Valamar Invites All Digital Nomads to Istria and Krk Island
October 23, 2020 - Valamar invites all digital nomads to Istria and Krk Island as part of its 'long stay offer,' valid until March 2021.
Valamar is the latest to include a "long stay offer" or accommodation rental for at least one month, which is valid from September 30, 2020, to March 31, 2021.
HRTurizam reports that the special offer can be used in two Valamar camping resorts that are open all year round - Istra Premium Camping Resort 5 * in Poreč and Ježevac Premium Camping Resort 4 * on the island of Krk.
"The service of renting mobile homes for longer stays in Valamar's camping resorts is ideal for all guests who want to change the current location of their offices and allow themselves or their employees to work in nature with a fast internet connection," says Bruno Radoš, director of camp operations and regional director at Valamar.
In the package of services at the Istra Premium Camping Resort, guests will be able to use the free shuttle service and use the saunas, indoor pool, and gym at the nearby Valamar Diamant Hotel & Residence. The camp also has a Stay Fit program for exercise, fitness, and recreation through which they will be guided by coaches and other types of sports recreation and entertainment.
The offer also includes a modern camping home by the sea, high-speed internet connection (200/200 Mbit / s), premium family facilities, organized entertainment for children within the Maro Club, Multimedia Game Lounge, and Istra Theater.
"A longer stay in Valamar's camping resorts is ideal not only for guests who want to relax but also for companies that want to provide their employees with the opportunity to move their offices and stay in nature by the sea this fall and winter. When, in addition to all the services and benefits we provide to our guests, we add the excellent price of the accommodation package, which starts at 450 euro per month, we believe that guests will recognize a great opportunity for a long-term stay at sea," added Radoš.
Guests who decide to spend a longer period in Ježevac Premium Camping Resort on the island of Krk also expect opportunities for recreation on the multi-purpose sports field and rich facilities in the Multimedia Game Lounge - an entertainment zone with video games.
There is also a great complement to Valamar's online store Valfresco Direkt with free delivery of ready meals and groceries.
Thus, Valamar joined the new "long stay" trend of opening hotels according to the workspace model, following other global hotel chains, such as Hilton, Marriot, InterContinental, and many others. Also, Booking com and Airbnb have recently introduced options for longer stays in accommodation facilities.
"Digital nomads promote a new way of working and living, and we invite all those who simply want to change their place of residence for a while to come to Istria and the island of Krk and make a good and relaxing use of the coming months," concluded Radoš.
Interestingly, when we look at the bigger picture, Valamar is targeting families, digital nomads, and digital companies that can move their office to the modern campsites.
To read more about digital nomads in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Six EU Grant Agreements Presented in Istria
ZAGREB, October 19, 2020 - Regional Development and EU Funds Minister Natasa Tramisak on Monday presented six grant agreements for Istria County, and they were awarded to the City of Vodnjan, the Municipality of Barban, Juraj Dobrila University and Istrian Development Agency.
Recalling that these were grants for the tenders for projects valued at HRK 75.16 million of which HRK 55.7 million is in grants under the Interated Territorial Investment (ITI) schemes, Minister Tramisak said that the agreements on the most part related to economic development in the broader area of Pula and surrounding local communities.
"The agreements are supposed to help boost the development of entrepreneurship, institutions in business zones and revitalise cultural heritage or investments in brownfield locations," the minister said.
"We expect exceptional results from these six valuable projects related to the further development and promotion of entrepreneurship and strengthening the business climate," she underlined.
She in particular pointed out the agreement with the University of Pula and its further development of teaching and research activities. The Juraj Dobrila University will manage a project to repurpose a former navy hospital into a new academic centre in the city and the first phase of that project alone is worth HRK 20.7 million.
(€1 = HRK 7.57376)
Secret Behind Istria and Its Success in Fight Against Coronavirus
October 17, 2020 – The other day, due to the good epidemiological situation, Istria was proclaimed as the only Coronavirus free region in Europe. Experts reveal the secret behind Istria's excellent epidemiological situation.
On October 15, 2020, the Belgian Foreign Affairs authorities published a map of Europe by zones according to the epidemiological situation, on which Istria stood out for being green. Although there are 13 new cases of infection in Istria today, the situation so far has been excellent, which is why Istria has been declared the only coronavirus-free region in Europe. Until 12 days ago, more precisely, on October 5, 2020, Istria did not record a single case of coronavirus infection, which made it stand out from all Croatian and even European averages.
Večernji.hr reports how Istrians managed to stay away from the new wave of infection and what they are doing better on that peninsula than in most of Croatia (and Europe), at least for now.
Crisis management
"The expertise of the Headquarters, the responsibility of the citizens, and the support of the local and regional self-government authorities is the key to a good epidemiological situation in Istria. The government must stand behind the Headquarters, and all this would not be worth much without successful interaction with the citizens," is the shortest explanation of the Chief of the Civil Protection Headquarters in Istria County Dino Kozlevac.
Besides, in Istria, this terrible epidemic is dealt with exclusively by experts, some of whom have lifelong education for crisis management and, which is equally important, there is no political influence.
"No, not at all, the local government gives us unreserved support, and people trust the Headquarters and respect the measures. For example, we decided back in June that masks must be worn in stores, transportation, and are also recommended in public places. Today we do not have a free transmission of the virus in the population, only imported cases. Thanks to the good situation in the classrooms, our children do not have to wear masks, and we sent a request to the National Headquarters to exempt Istrian restaurants and cafes from the obligation of wearing masks for two weeks," says Kozlevac.
In Istria, the recent confirmations were carried out in a special regime. They were held only during two weekends, the last ones were about ten days ago, and no case of infection related to these events was reported.
"We cooperate extremely well with the Church all the time, we agree on everything, so the same was going with confirmations. They were postponed in the spring, and are now, in agreement with the bishop, dispersed in two weekends. A letter was sent to the believers with a request that they stay in a small circle, only parents, children, and godparents, the citizens accepted that and there are no problems. And are Istrians more responsible than citizens in other parts of the country? Um, I have friends all over Croatia and I couldn't say that. But I can confirm that the Istrians are responsible," says the head of the Istrian Headquarters Kozlevac.
Prople in Rovinj, Istria / Copyright Romulić and Stojčić
Istrian mentality?
The director of the Istrian Tourist Board, Denis Ivošević, adds that Istrians are "organized, consistent and disciplined". And when that is the case, it doesn't bother two million tourists, or 250,000 of them a day during the summer, nor the thousands of Istrians who go to work in Italy or Slovenia every day. They are a real example that the new normal can be quite normal when things are arranged well.
"From the first day, we adhered to the prescribed measures. In Istria, it was difficult to see what was elsewhere on the coast, so tourists also complained that the waiters did not have masks. We immediately educated the employees on how to best protect themselves and their guests, and we also hired two people who only did disinfection. When the guests got up from the table, they would thoroughly disinfect everything every time," says the owner of the Pula tavern Boccaport Toni Draguzet and confirms that individual responsibility ultimately gives to the common good.
Sociologist Dražen Lalić does not deny that the mentality also has an influence.
"I don't like divisions by character. I am especially repulsed when the Dalmatian mentality is blamed for the spread of the infection in Split, and when the infection spreads in Zagreb, then the mentality is no longer mentioned. However, it is true, for example, that the half of Split that does not engage in tourism in the summer necessarily complains that there are too many tourists in the city. In Poreč or Rovinj, that is unthinkable," says Lalić, who blames inconsistencies around measures and the fact that some civil protection headquarters are run by insufficiently professional people for the bad epidemiological picture in most parts of Croatia.
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German TV Praises Istria: Green Oasis on Corona Map of Europe
October. 17, 2020 - German TV praises Istria, as the region has managed to maintain its status as a corona-safe destination in Europe.
Index.hr reports that German RTL praised Istria, calling it a green oasis in a mostly red Europe, and tried to find the secret of the success of this Croatian region in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
RTL stated that about 210,000 people live in the Istrian peninsula and that by far the largest part of Istria belongs to Croatia, and a smaller part to Slovenia and Italy. They said that Istria, if you look at the corona map of Europe, is a green oasis as far as COVID-19 is concerned, because from the beginning of the pandemic until October 15, it had a total of 793 recorded infections, and in May and June it sometimes did not have a single new case.
RTL added that in the early phase of the epidemic, Istria requested a special position and took different measures than other parts of Croatia.
"Given the fact that we are very close to Italy and that a large number of people from Istria go to work in Italy every day, we have been monitoring the situation in Italy since the beginning of February and preparing in time for the possible spread of the infection. We have already taken appropriate measures. Eight days before the National Crisis Headquarters introduced the measures, we restricted free movement in Istria," RTL quoted Denis Ivosevic, director of the Istria County Tourist Board.
One of the explanations for the successful fight against the coronavirus is the serious adherence to measures during the summer months. When the number of COVID-19 infections in Croatia increased in the summer, Istria reacted immediately, said RTL. Istria introduced the mandatory wearing of masks in all stores, with mandatory hand disinfection. Fifteen customers were allowed within 100 square meters in trade. It was similar in the markets, where masks were also mandatory. Measures were also applied on the beach: the deckchairs were spaced apart and disinfected regularly.
Seasonal workers coming to Croatia from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia and North Macedonia had to immediately go into 14-day quarantine, and Istria canceled all events and developed new concepts during the summer season.
"We have invested a lot in making the holiday in Istria safe for everyone," said Ivošević.
RTL concluded that tourists and Istrians appear to have acted responsibly and adhered to measures to preserve their small green oasis in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Istria Seeks Financing of 58 Public Projects Worth 1.8 Billion Kuna
As Novac/Barbara Ban writes on the 15th of October, 2020, Istria is requesting that 58 of its public projects worth 1.8 billion kuna in total be included in the list of countries for funding from the European Fund for Recovery and Resilience.
These are projects that are already under implementation, as well as projects that have been prepared and which need sources of funding. There is a bit of everything among these public projects - from building schools, to arranging the Pula breakwater, homes for the elderly and infirm, to investing in the Pula General Hospital and the Martin Horvat Special Hospital in Rovinj, the digitalisation of public administration, thereconstruction of the county building and things regarding Pula's city administration.
''These are projects that we applied for after the selection of as many as 350 different projects. We started with the selection of projects on August the 20th, in cooperation with Istrian towns and municipalities. Some are already in their implementation phase. I believe that the Government will recognise our projects and include them in its programme,'' said Istria County Prefect Fabrizio Radin. By the way, the county itself was the one to propose 27 projects worth 1.1 billion kuna.
These are, for example, the digitalisation of public administration that would be carried out together with Istrian cities, the construction of the Medical School in Pula, the reconstruction and extension of the E. Kumicic Vocational School in Rovinj and the extension and reconstruction of the Svetvincenat Elementary School. Also important is the project of the reconstruction of the building of the Infectious Disease Department of the Pula General Hospital and the preparation of space for the reception of COVID-19 positive patients, the renovation of radiological diagnostics with digitisation in Istrian health centres, the adaptation of the building of the Pula General Hospital to create accommodation for doctors, and the adaptation of the Special Hospital OiR "Martin Horvat" Rovinj with the aim of improving energy efficiency.
There is also a programme to encourage the development of entrepreneurship in the wider Istria County, as well as projects of the Port Authorities of Pula, Porec, Rovinj and Umag-Novigrad.
Along with the above, the City of Pula is asking for the most money for public projects listed in Istria - 213 million kuna.
''We can say that Istria is the locomotive of Croatia, and that the progress of Istria benefits the entire country. Istria is already at the forefront when it comes to digitalisation. We were among the first to introduce e-adminstration, enable the coverage of our area with an internet signal via Wi-Fi hot spots and through broadband infrastructure. We're constantly encouraging the development of start-ups by providing them with space and financial conditions for work, introducing e-schools for teaching, and expanding the number of public services that can be paid for contactlessly, online, etc.
However, our goal is to carry out comprehensive digital transformation, and the aim of that is to make people's lives better and simpler. The first step is to digitalise our administration to the end, to reduce bureaucracy and paperwork to a minimum, to make services fast and accessible, and to raise the transparency of work to an even higher level,'' concluded Pula Mayor Boris Miletic when discussing Istria's planned public projects.
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Open For Autumn: Istria the Only Coronavirus Free Region in Europe
October 15, 2020 – Istria the only Coronavirus free region in Europe, is safe to visit this autumn
Travel information provided by Belgian Foreign Affairs authorities currently places the Croatian region of Istria as the most successful in Europe at curbing the spread of Coronavirus. The region stands alone in being coloured green on the Belgian governmental map. As things currently stand, it can confidently be referred to as Istria, the only Coronavirus free region in Europe.
The map is produced by Belgian authorities as a travel guide. Although it currently says Istria the only Coronavirus free region in Europe, the situation could change at any time. The travel advice and map are constantly updated.
The green colour allocation is the highest possible allocation on the map. It means that 'travel is possible - hygiene and social distancing rules still apply.' This is great news for those hoping to visit Istria during autumn.
The autumn season is particularly inviting to many fans of Istrian cuisine as it is the time of year in which fresh truffles can be taken from the county's forests. Anyone planning to this year join the hunt for truffles can now do so confidently as Istria the only Coronavirus free region in Europe.
On 6th October 2020, Total Croatia News's Donatella Pauković wrote about the county's excellent epidemiological situation in an article in which Boris Miletić, mayor of Pula said 'Istria is Again an Example to The Rest of Croatia!'
The head of Istria County's COVID-19 crisis management team, Dino Kozlevac, praised residents of Istria for their widespread respect of suggested hygiene measures. Explaining the county's good epidemiological situation, he said that residents of Istria have been wearing protective masks in closed spaces for three months, and it is those efforts that have created these positive results. While the awarding of the green status does not mean there is zero risk of Coronavirus being currently present in Istria, its lone standing within the continent does mean that Istria is right now the safest place you can travel to in Europe.
Istria was in the world headlines earlier this month when it was voted the world's best olive oil making region in the world, for the sixth year running. Today it may be famous as Istria the only Coronavirus free region in Europe, but it will always hold its title as one of Europe's best areas of gastronomy. As well as olive oil and truffles, Istria is internationally recognised as one of southern Europe's best wine growing regions. Istrian malvasia and teran are famous all over the world.
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