August 19, 2019 - The sale of Hotel Marjan to the Adris Group means that this former tourist pearl and a current eyesore on the West Coast Riva in Split will shine once again. 

Frankly, there is no reason not to believe that in the years to come, after its reconstruction and renovation, 'Hotel Marjan' will become the pride of this Rovinj group, just like the Hilton Imperial Hotel in Dubrovnik and the Grand Park in Rovinj, which opened in April this year with a HRK 1.5 billion investment, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

Therefore, when the public electronic auction of Hotel Marjan ended with one Adris Group bid of 324,046,698 kuna, Split collectively let out a sigh of relief. Recall, we’ve waited for the sale for four years, which is how long the bankruptcy proceedings of "Adriatic d.d." took at the Split Commercial Court. You can read more about that here.

This Rovinj group has waited long enough to invest big money in Split, and we can only hope that the transaction will be completed as soon as possible. Though we know the sale process is far from complete. 

Ante Gabelica, bankruptcy manager of "Adriatic d.d.", said it will take months before the buyer receives the papers that will allow them to register as the new owner of the famous Split hotel.

The Adris Group didn’t want to get ahead of themselves, either. 

“Let's wait for the legal process to be completed, after which we will be able to talk about the details of the hotel renovation. So far, we can only tell you that we did not hide our ambitions. Adris is a serious investor. We are sure that Split will get the hotel that this beautiful Croatian city deserves,” said Predrag Grubić, director of corporate communications at Adris Group.

At the moment, we only know about their plans for Split, which were published on its website in June:

“By 2023, Adris will invest more than HRK 2 billion in tourism, keeping 95 percent of hotel capacity at the highest level of supply. In addition to investments in Rovinj, Vrsar, Zagreb, and Dubrovnik, there are plans to invest in Split, a growing and recognizable Croatian tourist destination.”

Former employees of the failed Adriatic company are pleased with the sale. Representative Ante Ledenko pointed out:

“We want the Adris Group as a quality investor to make a great hotel and to settle our claims of EUR 2 million, as promised in writing to each worker individually. We should be treated as partners, not as factors that hinder investment.”

The entry of the Adris Group also means that the staunch construction site of the hotel will no longer be the eyesore of Split. Back in 2012, the hotel was closed by a building inspection, as its owner, Željko Kerum, stepped down from the main project. Since then, this space has been without sufficient physical and technical care. Because of this, homeless people, foreigners, and other curious strangers have entered the construction site for years almost unobstructed, and are exposed to a decrepit structure and many broken windows. 

Written warnings from the police, as well as from the city's Department of Public Utilities, indicate that this is a major problem, pointing out that damaged panels on the front of the hotel endanger the safety of passers-by.

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August 8, 2019 - Split's 'green lungs,' Marjan hill, has been under treatment since March. A look at the forest park before and after the rehabilitation to remove the bark beetle infestation. 

At the July session of the Split City Council, Mayor Andro Krstulović Opara, Nenad Ružić, Mate Omazić, and Dragan Brtan informed the councilors about the rehabilitation of the Marjan Park Forest since it has been under treatment for the infestation of the bark beetle. The president of the Marjan Task Force, Nenad Ružić, then revealed details of the first phase of rehabilitation, reports Dalmacija Danas.

“I can say that the works on Marjan are over. Everything was cut down that needed to be cut. Now we are waiting for the situation to be monitored and observed. The bark beetle in most of the landscape is in a drastic decline, though it is still in some areas.”

After the summer, when the bark beetle is calmed, we will see the real situation. Technically speaking, the Matima company has established 90 wire lines. That’s how many were needed to get to every tree. Exactly 12,790 cubic meters of wood, or 38,000 trees, were removed, both dry and infected. In addition to Matima, city services and companies were also involved,” said Nenad Ružić, among others.

Summer is slowly nearing its end, and in a few months, we will know if this significant intervention in the Marjan forest did indeed result in the eradication of the pest. However, in the meantime, we are left wiht the last aerial shots of Split thanks to Google Earth.

Zooming in on the Marjan Park Forest area, it's not hard to notice the impact the rehabilitation has had in the last few months, giving us a look into the reality of the figures spoken by Nenad Ružić.

Below, you can find a comparison of the forest before and after the first rehabilitation phase.

Before

After

Recall, before the rehabilitation, Marjan had more than 120,000 trees, 30 percent of which have been cut. Many people in Split believe that Marjan will never be the same again.

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May 1st, known as International Workers' Day, Labor Day, and May Day, is celebrated today in many parts of the world. Labor Day is celebrated in the name of labor solidarity in the struggle for better working conditions. It is also marked to remember the bloody protests in Chicago on May 1, 1886, where workers fought against exploitation and sought an 8-hour work day and higher wages. Croatia joined the movement in 1890, and the first gathering was organized at Maksimir Park in Zagreb. Workers described their demands with the three 8s: eight hours of work, eight hours of rest and eight hours of cultured education.

In time, the struggle for workers' rights retreated to the background, and May 1 today is no longer focused on protesting but is a work-free holiday with the tradition of beans and carnations. 

While the largest May Day celebration in Croatia will take place in the Croatian capital at Maksimir Park, where mayor Milan Bandić and associates will distribute about 60,000 servings of beans with sausages, the Dalmatian Capital will be bean-free, reports Dalmacija Danas on May 1, 2019. 

Namely, the traditional gathering at Marjan with free beans and socializing - which is a symbol of this holiday in Split - will break tradition this year. As the celebration has been organized by the Association of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH) together with the City of Split, the trade unions have said that they are focused on the initiative "67 is too much" (“67 je previše”) and emphasized that they cannot be in two places at the same time.

Instead, three Trade Unions (Savez samostalnih sindikata Hrvatske (SSSH), Nezavisni hrvatski sindikati (NHS) and Matica hrvatskih sindikata (MHS), will collect signatures to call for a referendum on changes in retirement conditions in the places where Labor Day is traditionally marked. 

In Croatia, May 1 will be celebrated in various ways in the organization of cities, municipalities, associations or parties, and many citizens will spend this non-working day out in nature with friends and family. 

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

The Society of Marjan revealed on Tuesday morning that the City of Split canceled the tender for an adrenaline park on Marjan, precisely in the Bene area, reports Dalmacija Danas on April 9, 2019. 

Soon after their announcement, the City of Split announced:

"After yesterday's talks with the stakeholders of the Marjan Park Forest and representatives of the civil society under the leadership of the 'Our Marjan' initiative, in order to further harmonize all misunderstandings, the City of Split decided to temporarily annul the procurement procedure of the Adrenaline park for climbers planned in the area of Bene. The acquisition of the adrenaline park will take place after the reconciliation of the foreseen micro-location, which will also least intervene with the natural habitat of the Marjan Forest Park.

Please note that the City of Split remains committed to the fact that Marjan is a living room and the main recreational zone of all our citizens, as well as numerous climbers and children who are engaged in sports climbing, who are eagerly awaiting the first of such content in our city. According to the procurement plan of the project, the works of the construction of the adrenaline park will be carried out as soon as possible, following the pace of the rehabilitation of the Marjan forest from the bark beetle. 

The preservation and revitalization of our Marjan needs to remain our only goal, and we can only come to it through the joint and unified action of all stakeholders,” the City of Split said on Tuesday morning.

Recall, as part of the project "Marjan 2020 - a hill of the past, an oasis of the future", last week, the City of Split initiated the public procurement procedure for the construction of setting up a demountable adrenaline park.

The location of the future adrenaline park would be located east of the bay of Bene, where it is easier set up more compatible content, such as paintball, picnic areas, and a bocce ball court. Marjan Forest Park does not currently feature an adrenaline park, although the program is fully compatible with the recreational character of the space, the City of Split said.

The goal was to make quality moves with minimal interventions in the natural heritage - putting the entire previously devastated infrastructure into the function of new growth, development, employment, as well as improving the overall sustainability and the biodiversity of the Marjan Forest Park.

The installation of the demountable adrenaline park was said to be in line with the project activities of the School of Multilingual Development and Sporting Facilities of Marjan.

The project would directly affect the increase in the number of visitors and tourists through targeted content, activities, products and infrastructure, and bring Marjan glory and recognizability in Croatia and the world as one of the main symbols of the City of Split, the City added. The estimated value of the works for the new adrenaline park is 554.800,00 kuna (without VAT).

You can see all the planned projects for Marjan here. 

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The City of Split sent out a press release regarding the implementation of the project "Marjan 2020 - Hill of the past, oasis of the future", reports Splitski Dnevnik on April 5, 2019. 

“Following on the topic of activities within the Marjan Forest Park as part of the project 'Marjan 2020 - Hill of the Past, oasis of the future', we want to inform the public about the real situation, to communicate every phase of this project, which we are incredibly proud of, actively and transparently from the start. 

Over the past couple of days, two planned items within the project have started a public debate, namely setting up an adrenaline park for children and adults and setting up a network for the paintball field. We emphasize that these two financial activities amount to about 850,000 kuna with VAT, which represents about 4 percent of the value of 21 million kuna. The value of the paintball field in the project is only 117,000 kuna.

Furthermore, it is only these two activities in the Forest Park itself, along with the Botanical Gardens after reconstruction, which are planned to be reviewed.

For all citizens of Split, most of the activities will be free, and we remind you that the project involves the renovation and reconstruction of all these contents and the implementation of the following activities:

- Interpretation of the Botanic Center - Botanical Garden:

- Designing a detailed project for the Botanical Garden - estimated amount 80,000,00 kn

- Revitalization of the Botanical Garden - estimated amount 1.997.914,10 kn

- Reconstruction of Marjan’s houses - estimated amount 401.100,00 kn

- School in nature for Children (Bene) - estimated amount 334.624,00 kn

- Thematic ecological and educational trails - the story of Marjan - estimated amount 96.000,00 kn

- Educational trail ‘Baba Marta’ - estimated amount 54,700.00 kn

- Visitor registration and monitoring system - estimated amount 158.250,00 kn

- Electric bus for the transportation of visitors - estimated amount 1.050.000,00 kn

- Educational film about the flora and fauna of Marjan - estimated amount 120.000,00 kn

- Application - interactive guide of Marjan - estimated amount 240.000,00 kn

- Multimedia content for kinesiological development of children and young people in the nature school with a 3D game - 'Meet the botany' and equipment - estimated amount 184.000,00 kn

- Multimedia presentation of Marjan - estimated amount 128.000,00 kn

- Workshops for pre-school children - estimated amount 48.000,00 kn

- Workshops for Split Elementary Schools - estimated amount of 48.000.00 kuna

- Workshops on multifunctional development of children and young people in nature - estimated amount 11.200,00 kn

- Educating the local population - estimated amount 24.000,00 kn

- Guide training - estimated amount 20.000,00 kn

- Audio guide and a map of Marjan - estimated amount 148.000,00 kn

- Watchtower - Sedlo - estimated amount 3.793.296,38 kn

- Communal equipment - Benches and baskets - estimated amount 175,023.20 kn

- Children's Town - estimated amount 214,700.00 kn

- Outdoor exercise equipment - street workout - estimated amount 363.910,00 kn

- Routes and roads - estimated amount 371.100,00 kn

- Mountain biking trails - estimated amount 535,700.00 kn

- Paintball area - estimated amount 93.850, 00 kn

- Mobile adrenaline park - estimated amount 554.800,00 kn

- Signaling system and road signs for Marjan - estimated amount 101.400,00 kn

- Internet points - estimated amount 120.000,00 kn

- Specific souvenirs - estimated amount 24.000,00 kn

- Futsal and basketball court (Spinut) - estimated amount 949,970.00 kn

- Bocce at Bene - estimated amount 68.400,00 kn

- Picnic zone Bene and First peak - estimated amount 53.760,00 kn

- Promotional tourist material for Marjan - estimated amount 189.600,00 kn

- Info on the opening day of Marjan - estimated amount 8.000,00 kn

The above amounts exclude VAT. The total eligible costs are 16.855.478,97 kn (21.069.338,71 kn with PDV).

We believe that it is clear from all this that the project 'Marjan 2020' is directed towards the public, primarily to Split citizens of all ages, concerning future commercial content.

Public information has been published several times, saying that the area for the paintball field occupies 40.000 m2, which is entirely inaccurate, and the planned space for this is 2.500,00 m2 (50 * 50 m2), which is 20 times less!

There is entirely inaccurate information on how we will build a fence wall. It is about setting a transparent protective net which will be lowered and raised depending on the event, 200 meters long and not 800 as some have specified.

It is not true that the trees will be removed! Activities of this kind are just happening in a natural environment and trees are absolutely needed in the field. Only tree branches the height of a tall man would be removed to prevent injuries.

The mobile adrenaline park was developed after previous workshops, which showed the need for the development of climbing content in cooperation with affirmed sports climbing athletes in the Forest Park, and because there is no room for climbers in Split, especially for the youngest, a park with climbing facilities and climbing instructors. This park is demountable and mobile and will adapt its setting to opportunities within the forest area.

All these elements, i.e., the whole project, obtained consent from Split-Dalmatia County, the Department of Communal Affairs, Utilities and Environmental Protection in March 2017, and from the Ministry of Culture, the Cultural Heritage Management, the Conservation Office of Split in April 2017.

The Ministry of Regional Development and Funds of the European Union also signed an agreement at a session of the Government of the Republic of Croatia held in Split in May 2018 with the project manager of Marjan.

The City of Split continues to be open in communication about this project with any interested institution and all its citizens, as it has from the beginning, through the media announcements and through the public presentation of the project on Marjan on September 13, 2018.”

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As part of the project "Marjan 2020 - a hill of the past, an oasis of the future", the City of Split initiated the public procurement procedure for the construction of setting up a demountable adrenaline park, reads the City of Split Facebook. 

The location of the future adrenaline park will be located east of the bay of Bene, where it is easier set up more compatible content, such as paintball, picnic areas, and a bocce ball court. Marjan forest park does not currently feature an adrenaline park, although such a program is fully compatible with the recreational character of the space, the City of Split says. 

The modern tourist market makes the adrenaline park a common and viable part of the offer of destinations that aim to meet a wide range of requirements. The goal is to make quality moves with minimal interventions in the natural heritage - putting the entire previously devastated infrastructure into the function of new growth, development, employment, as well as improving the overall sustainability and the biodiversity of the Marjan forest park.

The installation of the demountable adrenaline park is in line with the project activities of the School of Multilingual Development and Sporting Facilities of Marjan.

The project will directly affect the increase in the number of visitors and tourists through targeted content, activities, products and infrastructure, and bring Marjan glory and recognizability in Croatia and the world as one of the main symbols of the City of Split, the City adds. The estimated value of the works for the new adrenaline park is 554.800,00 kuna (without VAT).

Please note that bids must be submitted no later than April 16, 2019 (Tuesday) by 10:00. The offers must be sent to Grad Split, Split, Obala kneza Branimira 17, on April 16, 2019, by 10:00.

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While one side of Split will see some 20,000 trees chopped down thanks to a bug that infested Marjan Hill, the city's Parks and Horticulture announced the first ambitious tree-planting after many years, and even decades, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on March 11, 2019. 

Namely, by the end of 2019, this utility company intends to plant 500 trees, 3,200 bushes and shrubs and 4,100 perennial plants, as confirmed by Gordan Tahirbegović, head of the Department of Urban Greenery at Parks and Horticulture.

Saša Franjkić took over the leadership of the city company 15 months ago and works under the motto “chop down one, plant two“. Franjkić emphasized that planting new greenery is one of the priorities of their work. 

Currently, Parks and Horticulture are in the final stages of planting trees at Bačvice, where 50 trees were replaced by new ones.

“By the end of this year, we plan to arrange Matoševa street in Spinut, or replace the old trees with lime trees. There will be 83 trees planted, and in agreement with the City, the sidewalk will be repaired,” Tahirbegović adds.

In addition to Matoševa, due to old age, the silver birch trees should be replaced by some other trees at both Rendića street and Sukoišanska, and Franjkić even announced new trees in Stobreč. 

On Poljička road in the center island, the missing shrubs will be supplemented, while on Vukovarska between the shopping malls Mall of Split and City Center One, 1000 new oleander shrubs will be planted. 

The park at Karamana street, the Park of Defenders at Banovina, the Park of Emanuel Vidović, Đardin and the West Riva will be revived with perennial plants.  

This year, Parks and Horticulture took over the maintenance of the green areas in front of the Tourist Palace. In that area, they will install a water system, meaning that dried grass in the summer months will become a thing of the past.

In early April, Tahirbegović will announce decorating the green areas on the Riva, or the switching plants after the winter months. 

To conclude, it is interesting to note that given the current state of Marjan, there are no dangerous pests on pine trees in Split’s green areas, such as the Turkish tower, Sustipan or Zvončac, reveals Parks and Horticulture. 

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While Marjan undergoes treatment for the bark beetle, a bug that attacked its pine forest, many areas of the park are restricted to the public. To ensure there are no trespassers, Split police officers have announced they will punish citizens if they enter the enclosed areas of the park where works by company "Matima project" are ongoing, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on March 6, 2019.

Currently, works are being carried out in the area from the Institute to Bene. Recall, almost one-third of the trees inside the park will be cut and removed from the forest during the treatment. This includes trees that are already dead and those that are still thriving but are under the threat of the bark beetle bug. 

“It is forbidden to access the locations where the works are being carried out. However, so far there has been anarchy. I was constantly worried about something that did not happen. But it will not be that way anymore. Applications to the police against an unknown offender in such cases are not effective. The police are on the ground, not on patrols, but literally on the ground. Whoever is caught will receive a fine on the spot,” said Marjan Nenad Ružić, the Crisis Staff Coordinator.

The Split-Dalmatia County Police Administration revealed that the fine for entering the forbidden areas on Marjan amounts to 500 kuna.

“We call upon citizens to respect the temporary measures of the ban on movement, but it is not our primary goal to punish them, this is for their safety. A fine will be imposed as the ultimate measure, only if someone is really disobeying the prohibitive signs, alerting staff on the ground and the police, and challenging their security, property and the lives of others. But we appeal to the citizens to have patience and walk in other parts of Marjan,” says Ana Čepić from the Split police.

While intensified measures to ban access to the workspace will bring more security to the citizens, the process of works on Marjan will now be less visible on social networks and the media, unlike the last few days where we've been exposed to various videos and photos by citizens. 

Recall, the rehabilitation of Marjan began on February 26, 2019, which forced the closure of all traffic (pedestrian and motor) from the Institute to Bene. The regular bus line is also not operating. The works are being carried out by the company Matima Project - and ultimately, Marjan’s pines will be replaced with more sustainable species. Some 20,000 trees will be removed from the Split park in total and the process, as expected, will take time

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March 2, 2019 - Chances are, if you’re in Split, you’re more than aware that Marjan, the ‘Green Lungs’ of the city, is under treatment.

Namely, Marjan was infested with the bark beetle, a bug that attacked its pine forest, leaving many of its trees dead. Almost one-third of the trees inside the park will be cut and removed from the forest during the treatment. This includes trees that are already dead, and those that are still thriving but are under the threat of the bark beetle bug. 

The rehabilitation of Marjan began on February 26, 2019, which forced the closure of all traffic (pedestrian and motor) from the Institute to Bene. The regular bus line is also not operating. The works are being carried out by the company Matima Project - and ultimately, Marjan’s pines will be replaced with more sustainable species. 

“In the next few months, different sections of Marjan will be under siege of forest workers and transportation means, ranging from tractors to horses, only to bring Marjan its best possible look and health. At some point, those sections will be either closed or with limited access, because it will be almost like a construction site. Please be patient, follow directions and don't put yourself and others in any kind of danger. That way you won't only stay safe, but also give important contribution in the preservation of the hill which has the status of a symbol of Split,” wrote the Split Tourist Board. 

Some 20,000 trees will be removed from the Split park in total and the process, as expected, will take time. Today, we have a look into Marjan during its first week of rehabilitation. 

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Want to check out donkeys, sheep and ponies while exploring Split’s famous hill?