March the 14th, 2023 - Marko Boras Mandic, the President of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County's Assembly, took to social media with a very clear post titled ''Look how robbing us!'' in reference to no less than toilet paper.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Marko Boras Mandic has been delving into the situation of price hikes across Croatia, which have occurred as a result of both inflation and Eurozone accession back at the very beginning of this year, and using one very basic household necessity as an example.

Marko Boras Mandic published photos of two rolls of toilet paper on Facebook, one of these rolls was bought in Italy and the other was purchased right here in Croatia. Both rolls in the photo have been weighed, the Italian one weighs 147 grams, and the Croatian one - only 69 grams. Marko Boras Mandic explained in his status what he considers to be a problem with this.

"On the left is toilet paper bought in Italy, on the right is toilet paper bought in Croatia. Their prices are equal, the Italian one is a little cheaper, but only very slightly. At first glance, they're the same price, about 4 euros for 10 rolls. But... it's not quite like that. The roll of Italian paper is much more compact and weighs 147g, while the Croatian roll weighs only 69g! So the Italian one is more than twice as heavy!

And then when you go to "unpack" the product right to the end, you come across another interesting thing. With the Croatian roll, you have exactly 120 pieces of toilet paper at your disposal, and with the Italian roll, exactly 352 pieces of toilet paper of the exact same dimensions! Let me translate - if you buy toilet paper in Italy, it will last exactly three times longer!! In other words, we're buying the same thing but it's three times more expensive.

I don't know if this post will manage to reach any portal for publication, but it would certainly be good if our regulatory agencies and consumer protection associations deal with this topic. When Croatian stores are having such enormous prices for food and household items, it would be nice if we at least knew exactly what we were getting for our money! And of course, we should know what level of quality it is! And until then, shopping will be being done in the direction of Trieste and Ilirska Bistrica.''

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

June the 26th, 2022 - The popular cross-border Zadar-Ancona Jadrolinija line is now back in function which is sure to delight all those seeking a trip from this coastal Dalmatian town across the Adriatic Sea to neighbouring Italy and back again.

As Morski writes, the "Marco Polo" Jadrolinija ferry is set to sail on the line Zadar-Ancona Jadrolinija line, as was recently announced by the aforementioned company.

In the period until July the 15th, the Zadar-Ancona Jadrolinija line will sail once a week, and from July the 18th, it will make that journey twice a week. The line will be maintained until September the 9th this year, according to Jadrolinija's statement.

Back in April, the Coastal and Liner Transport Agency gave Jadrolinja the consent to maintain the international line between Zadar and Ancona throughout the aforementioned period in 2022.

The timetable between the nearest part of the Croatian and Italian coasts across the Adriatic Sea will be maintained with three different traffic dynamics of the "Marco Polo" ferry, which will, during these 80 days, be engaged on the line between Split and Ancona.

Namely, in the period from June the 23rd to July the 17th and from September the 1st to the 9th, the ferry will operate once a week. The ferry will depart from Ancona on Thursday at 22:00, and will arrive in Zadar on Friday at 07:00. On the same day at 10:00, the ferry from Zadar will return to Ancona (17:00).

In the period from July the 18th to August the 18th, when the highest traffic of the Croatian summer tourist season is expected, the ferry will operate twice a week. It will depart from Zadar for Ancona on Mondays at 22:00 (with an arrival in Ancona on Tuesday at 07:00) and on Fridays at 10:00 (with an arrival in Ancona at 17:00). Departures from Ancona to Zadar are scheduled for Monday at 10:00 (arriving in Zadar at 18:00), and Thursday at 22:00 (arriving in Zadar at 07:00).

The third version of the sailing schedule along the Zadar-Ancona Jadrolinija line refers to the period from the 9th to the 26th of August, when two lines per week are also planned. Departure from Zadar will take place on Mondays and Fridays at 22:00 (arriving in Ancona on Tuesday and Saturday at 07:00), while the ferry from Ancona will depart for Zadar on Mondays and Fridays at 18:00 (with an arrival in Zadar on Mondays and Fridays at 10:00).

This 49-year-old ship which will carry out this service is otherwise 128 metres long and has 153 cabins or a total of 551 beds. The ship can accommodate 1082 passengers.

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

May the 14th, 2022 - Dalmatian firefighters have got their hands on some very welcome brand new equipment as the height of the summer season rapidly approaches and temperatures soar, which often results in wildfires being sparked.

As Morski writes, Split-Dalmatia County handed over new communication and surveillance equipment to Dalmatian firefighters recently, and the equipment was procured within an Italian-Croatian cross border project, having been financed from the European Regional Development Fund. The total value of the project stands at a massive 316 thousand euros.

The value of the equipment delivered to Dalmatian firefighters costs 307 thousand kuna, and among the most interesting pieces of the new package delivered was an innovative software platform that integrates institutional and local sources and also takes into account data about fire threats published on social media.

''The platform retrieves data that has been published publicly on social media and filters it using artificial intelligence and sends it directly to the emergency services so that they can better assess the threat and respond in an appropriate manner,'' explained Ognjen Cavar, the project manager.

In addition to constantly equipping Dalmatian firefighters, which is something Split-Dalmatia County uses European Union funds for more than others do, new fire houses are being built on the islands and in the hinterland, as reported by HRT.

''As the crown of all this, we're working on a new training centre in Vucevica which will be of exceptional value as it won't only benefit Dalmatian firefighters but also those from a much wider area and even in the rest of Southeastern Europe,'' emphasised Blazenko Boban, Split-Dalmatia County Prefect.

When it comes to the summer tourist season, when most fires are started and which can result in tremendous damage, the firefighters are as ready to deal with issues as they possibly can be.

''So far, we've had over two thousand interventions, some of them being fires, some being technical interventions. We work all year round and of course we are ready for what may happen this summer,'' stated Ivan Kovacevic.

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

ZAGREB, 27 April 2022 - The Italian investment fund Investindustrial is investing a total of €120 million in Rimac Group in several rounds of financing, the high-performance car manufacturer has told Hina.

The money will be used primarily for the further development of the Rimac Technology company and serial production of key components for the electrification of vehicles for global car manufacturers.

The main shareholders in Rimac Group are Mate Rimac (32.64%), Porsche AG (23.5%) and Hyundai Motor Group (10.35%), while all other shareholders hold together 33.76%.

"The shareholding structure is subject to change in the next round of investment," said the group's spokeswoman, Marta Longin.

Investindustrial predicts that every third new vehicle on the road will be powered by electricity by 2025 and every second by 2030.

Mate Rimac started the Rimac Automobili company in 2009 in his garage, and today he employs more than 1,300 people. The company manufactures some parts for Aston Martin, Pininfarina, Hyundai, Kia, Koenigsegg and Porsche, among others, and is well-known for its high-performance sports electric vehicles. It is developing an autonomous vehicle, also known as a robotaxi.

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

April the 19th, 2022 - The seasonal Jadrolinija Zadar-Ancona ferry line is set to return to function, connecting that Dalmatian city with the Italian port city and the capital of the Marche region across the Adriatic Sea.

As Morski writes, the Coastal and Liner Transport Agency has given Jadrolinija consent to maintain the international line between Zadar and Ancona during 2022's season.

The timetable between the nearest part of the Croatian and Italian coasts across the Adriatic Sea will be made available to use for passengers from June the 23rd to September the 9th, with three different traffic dynamics of the "Marco Polo" ferry. Over these 80 days, the Jadrolinija Zadar-Ancona ferry line be transporting passengers back and forth from these two cities, according to local portal Zadarski.hr.

In the period from June the 23rd to July the 17th, and then from September the 1st to the 9th, the Jadrolinija Zadar-Ancona line will operate once a week. The ferry will depart from Ancona (Italy) on Thursday at 22:00, and will arrive in Zadar (Croatia) on Friday at 07:00. On the same day, more precisely at 10:00, the ferry will return to Ancona from Zadar (17:00).

In the period from July the 18th to August the 18th, when the most traffic associated with the very height of the summer tourist season is expected, the Jadrolinija Zadar-Ancona line will operate twice a week. It will depart from Zadar for Ancona on Mondays at 22:00 (arriving in Ancona on Tuesday at 07:00) and on Fridays at 10:00 (arrival in Ancona at 17:00). Departures from Ancona to Zadar are scheduled for Monday at 10:00 (arriving in Zadar at 18:00), and Thursday at 22:00 (arriving in Zadar at 07:00).

The third version of the timetable refers to the period from the 19th to the 26th of August, when two lines per week are also planned. The ferry's departure from Zadar will take place on Mondays and Fridays at 22:00 (arriving in Ancona on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 07:00), while the ferry will depart for Zadar from Ancona on Mondays and Fridays at 18:00 (arriving in Zadar on Mondays and Fridays at 10:00).

The hydrofoil line last sailed back in 2020, and was discontinued due to low passenger interest and the coronavirus pandemic causing said effect. Its re-establishment, at least during the two and a half months of this year's main summer tourist season, is interpreted as a result of pressure from local politics and State Secretary in the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure, Josip Bilaver, on Jadrolinija's overall management.

For more, check out our travel section.

31 March 2022 – The European continent is infamous for its ethnolinguistic diversity. Anyone who has journeyed across the winding and seemingly haphazard borders which paint the atlas know that accents, dialects, and even whole language families can change within as little as 5 km. A look into Croatia's minority communities. 

Some countries are pointed out more frequently as linguistic mosaics, while others have yet to garner such recognition. For example, most Spaniards would likely agree that anyone who visits Barcelona and fails to embrace the Catalan ethos has not fully captured the essence of their destination. The same could be said about the Welsh in Cardiff or Breton in the French city of Rennes. While it may not receive the same attention, Croatia is no exception to this rule of multiplicity. Home to a plethora of unique ethnic and linguistic minorities, each with their own historical and cultural origins, Croatia is a destination where visitors will benefit significantly from putting effort into scratching beyond the surface. As more and more people act on their desires to explore and discover, cultural awareness is becoming an increasingly valuable tool in the traveller’s skill set. So, to make cultivating this vagabond essential a little easier, I have put together a list including three of Croatia’s largest minority groups by population. This catalogue is far from complete, but I hope it will wet the palate of those looking to dive deeper into Croatia’s beautiful and surprising diversity. 

Serbians

The relationship between Croats and Serbs extends back centuries. The two groups have coexisted in towns and villages throughout the Western Balkans since the fall of the Roman Empire, an epoch when both peoples were establishing themselves in the region. Comprising just over 4% of the total population, Serbs are the most numerous ethnic minority in Croatia. Similarly, Croats maintain a similar status in the neighboring republic. Given their cultural, linguistic, and historical ties, it is no surprise that ethnic Serbians within Croatia has much in common with the local majority. 

Despite the parallels, several notable differences exist, which may be almost redundant to outline on this platform. So, I will keep it brief. Religion is pointed out most often as a significant difference between Croats and Serbs. Serbians are majority Eastern Orthodox by tradition, and Croatians are Catholic. Moreover, Cyrillic script is standard and employed by those writing in the Serbian variant of the language. On the other hand, Croatia uses the Latin script, making an already challenging language a little simpler for those of us who speak English, Spanish, or German as our mother tongue. 

Beyond these somewhat superficial distinctions, the Croatian-Serbian relationship contains deeper, more far-reaching nuances. I would advise anyone considering a holiday in Southeastern Europe to do their homework. As you may already know, the history of Croatia is dense, convoluted, and filled with many thorny spots that have influenced the psyche of many of the country’s current inhabitants. It is best to approach specific topics with respect and be culturally aware. Topics such as the Homeland War and Yugoslavia are excellent examples of such cases. That said, do not shy away from a conversation inspired by genuine curiosity. Many locals are willing to discuss history with curious tourists. Just be respectful and prepared to receive an ear-full of opinions. 

Italians

One only needs to visit the colosseum at Pula to know that Italians have made a home in Croatia since antiquity. The Italian ethnic minority of modern Croatia is small, comprising only around 20,000 people or less than 0.5% of the total population. Despite these low figures, the Italian influence along Croatia’s notoriously stunning coastal regions is apparent. The Italians of Croatia are descendants of Romanized Illyrians and transplants from the empires that later ensued.

Venice ruled over much of Dalmatia and Istria for nearly 400 years, leaving a mark on these territories that still stands the test of time. Many of the cities and islands which litter cruise itineraries, and travel blogs worldwide actually have a second Italian name, a testament to the varied history of these settlements. Think of cities like Spalato (Split), Ragusa (Dubrovnik), and Zara (Zadar). In fact, Fiume (Rijeka) is a direct translation meaning river in both languages.  

While the Italian population is modest, it was once more pronounced, comprising substantial proportions of essential centers in Istria and Dalmatia. Two massive exoduses occurred in the aftermath of both WWI and WWII, which resulted in the drastic reduction of the Italian population. Enthusiastic tourists should pay attention when traversing the villages, towns, and cities that dot the eastern Adriatic. A short history lesson will go a long way, providing new insights into the monuments, architecture, and people that coalesce to provide one of the most iconic destinations of the 21st century. 

Hungarians

Much like the previous entry, Croatia’s Hungarian minority is a direct result of human migration and the rise and fall of empires. With approximately 14,000 individuals, ethnic Hungarians only make up less than 0.4% of Croatia’s total population, residing predominantly in communities near the Hungarian and Serbian borders to the east. Hungary and Croatia share a long relationship that extends back to the 11th century when the former proclaimed sovereignty over the Kingdom of Croatia. This union persisted until 1918, leaving plenty of time for people to move and blend across the borders we recognize today. 

Those with a Hungarian connection may find interest in visiting municipalities like Kneževi Vinogradi and Bilje, where Hungarians constitute nearly a third of the local population. Similar ethnic minorities live in surrounding Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, and Slovenia, showing visitors that Magyar magnificence doesn’t stop at Budapest. 

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

March the 13th, 2022 - An online publication has detailed the ongoing process of the Rijeka military fortification renovation project which is set to breathe new life into these old and often neglected structures.

As Morski writes, in order to transform the slowly deteriorating cultural heritage in Rijeka, as well as lead its transformation for the purpose of cultural tourism, the cross-border project ''Revival'' was launched, as part of which the old Rijeka military fortification was restored.

The Revival project was implemented within the INTERREG VA Italy-Croatia Cross-Border Cooperation Programme 2014-2020, which aims to revitalise and placed back into use the neglected heritage of the entire Adriatic landscape of the two nations and to make available to the local population and tourists abandoned buildings and military fortifications and bunkers that represent an important form of local cultural heritage which also boast significant economic, tourist and cultural potential.

In the Northern Adriatic city of Rijeka, as part of the project, the ''Katarina B'' stronghold was revamped, as a representative example of the buildings of the Alpine Wall defense system in the Rijeka area. This Rijeka military fortification dates back to the 1930s, it has 12 underground tunnels and military bunkers and is located in Pulac. It is an exceptionally well-preserved fortification, and the inner and outer part of it is now accessible to visitors.

As part of the Rijeka military fortification renovation project, an online publication was published in which it has been made possible to see the development of the project as well as the activities that were carried out in each of the cities involved in it in both Croatia and Italy.

The project holder is the Italian City of Forli, with its partners; the Italian cities of Campobasso, Cesenatico and Pesaro, the City of Rijeka and the City of Zadar, and the project partners are the Public Institution RERA S.D. for Coordination and Development of Split-Dalmatia County and the University of Zadar.

The total value of the project stands at 1,825,035.00 euros, the grant provided by the European Regional Development Fund is 136,127.50 euros, and the remaining funds were provided by the project partners themselves.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, 24 Jan 2022 - Transport and Infrastructure Minister Oleg Butković on Monday held talks with Zadar County Prefect Božidar Longin  on to the most important transport and infrastructure projects in that county including a connecting four-lane road from the Zadar 1 exit on the motorway.

After the meeting, Butković visited the construction site on the Zadar waterfront which is being reconstructed and said that this was yet another large project in building port infrastructure along with the first European project and a new port in Tkon and Sali.

"This is a very important project and Zadar County is one of the more successful. Preparations are underway and new financing is being negotiated for the seaports at Preko and Biograd. The Biograd port, similar to the one in Gaženica, will transfer traffic while the Preko port will get a new breakwater," said Butković.

"During the meeting, there was talk about a maritime route between Zadar and Ancona which needs to be restored because these are the two closest points on both sides of the Adriatic and Jadrolinija recently shut down that line because it wasn't feasible. At the same time, the line from Split has survived because it is subsidised. The connection with Ancona is important primarily due to freight transport but also for passenger transport," Longin underscored. Minister Butković promised to talk about this issue with Jadrolinija director David Sopta.

There was also talk about amendments to the county's physical plan which are underway and of identifying priorities of all road directions, railway routes, the Zadar airport and port traffic.

ZAGREB, 27 Nov, 2021 - The Italian Drama ensemble of the Croatian National Theatre (HNK) in Rijeka on Friday officially marked its 75th anniversary, with Culture Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek saying the ensemble was the only permanent professional Italian theatre ensemble outside Italy.

The ensemble was established in 1946, as part of the then National Theatre, the main cultural institution in Rijeka, where the Italian language has been promoted on an equal footing with Croatian from the beginning, the minister said.

"The Italian Drama ensemble has been one of the fruitful bridges between the two cultures," she added.

She said that the Italian Drama ensemble performed also in other parts of the Kvarner region, as well as in Slovenia and Italy.

The ceremony at the HNK Rijeka was held on the same date when in 1946 the Italian Drama ensemble performed for the first time, with the "Il burbero benefico" comedy by Carlo Goldoni.

HNK Rijeka director Marin Blažević said the Italian Drama ensemble staged its first performance a month after the first performance of the Croatian Drama ensemble and some 20 days after the first opera premiere of the then National Theatre in Rijeka.

In the more recent time, members of the Italian and Croatian Drama ensembles have been performing together and members of the Italian Drama ensemble also collaborate on other ensembles' projects, he said.

"We are celebrating the unique Italian Drama ensemble and the common international future," said Blažević.

The president of the Italian Union Executive Board, Marin Corva, said the Italian Drama ensemble was one of the most important institutions of the Italian ethnic minority in Croatia and Slovenia.

The Italian Drama ensemble is an example of the two countries' deep ties, he stressed.

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

For more about Croatia, CLICK HERE.

ZAGREB, 21 Oct 2021 - Istrian police on Wednesday seized an Italian fishing trawler sailing in Lim Bay due to illegal commercial fishing in Croatia's territorial waters.

Police officers of the national maritime center for collecting data on technical systems for monitoring the state border at sea noticed on Wednesday at 12.48 p.m. that an Italian fishing trawler had entered the territorial waters of the Republic of Croatia at Lim Bay, the Istria County Police Department reported on Thursday.

A vessel from the Pula maritime and airport police station was immediately sent to the trawler, they said, and police officers started pursuing the Italian vessel, which did not respond to the calls.

In the exclusive economic zone at about 3 p.m., they stopped the trawler, which had tools in the sea and was engaged in commercial fishing, and issued a warning to stop further fishing and head towards the Pula port.

The seized Italian trawler sailed into the Pula port, accompanied by a police vessel, and its 45-year-old captain, as well as crew members aged 28, 49, 50, and 55, were arrested and a criminal investigation was conducted.

Due to the suspicion that they had violated the Schengen Borders Code and the Marine Fisheries Act, an indictment was filed against the five Italian citizens, and the court fined them HRK 2,000 each.

The captain of the trawler received a fine of HRK 7,000 and he has to pay HRK 17,000 as compensation for the damage to the biodiversity of the sea and for the costs of using an official vessel.

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