July 5, 2021 - Mate Rimac's company Rimac Automobili has become the majority owner of Bugatti, and Rimac Automobili becomes Rimac Group divided into two companies - Bugatti Rimac and Rimac Technology.

This was announced this afternoon by Rimac Automobili. This confirmed the speculations that Rimac would take over Bugatti, a famous company known for super-luxury cars, reports Index.hr.

Mate Rimac accompanied the announcement of this news on Facebook with a photo showing Nevera, Bugatti, and Porsche on the runway.

More information about this great event will be announced tonight in Dubrovnik. In addition, speeches by Mate Rimac, founder and CEO of Rimac Automobili, Oliver Blume, CEO of Porsche, and Lutz Meschke, vice president and chief financial officer of Porsche, have been announced.

Rimac Automobili says it is at a "turning point in the company's history," and the move, which became public today, is described as "merging with the icon of car brands, Bugatti Automobiles, into a new automotive and technology company."

In just 10 years, Rimac Automobili has progressed from a startup and one man in a garage to create a new company Bugatti Rimac d.o.o., in collaboration with two of the most famous and powerful car brands in the world - Porsche and Volkswagen Group, the statement said.

This Croatian brand has proven that it can keep up and open new vistas, imposing performance and technology standards on others. Combining Rimac's technical knowledge and efficient business with 110 years of design tradition and a strong Bugatti brand is leading to the emergence of the most important company in the hypercar market, Rimac Automobili announced.

Rimac Group will be the largest shareholder of the new company Bugatti Rimac d.o.o., with a share of 55%. Mate Rimac will retain its existing stake in the Rimac Group of 37%, Porsche remains at 24%, Hyundai Motor Group at 12%, and other investors at 27%. The development, production, and delivery of battery systems, powertrains, and other EV components, for which Rimac is known and gained the trust of many car manufacturers, will be separated into a new business entity - Rimac Technology - which the Rimac Group will wholly own. Rimac Technology remains an independent company that cooperates with many global car manufacturers, according to Rimac Automobil, from which they also sent an infographic of the new ownership structure.

Mate Rimac will head the new company. As CEO of the Rimac Group, he will lead Bugatti Rimac and the new company Rimac Technology. With this, Mate Rimac continues to manage all business segments of the Rimac Group, which now includes Bugatti. Bugatti and Rimac continue as separate brands, retaining existing production facilities and distribution channels, while the headquarters and all development for both brands will be in Croatia.

The Rimac Group will continue to innovate, create its own hypercars and develop systems and technologies for many of the world's car manufacturers. Such innovative technology will be applied in future Bugatti models, Rimac Automobil said in a statement.

Both brands, Rimac Automobili and Bugatti, will continue to develop car models within the new company. In the future, Bugatti Rimac's global headquarters will be located at the new Rimac campus, which will also be the headquarters of Rimac Technology, as well as the production of technology and components for cars of both brands, while the assembly of the Bugatti model will continue in Molsheim, France, thus continuing to use the historical location, which is inseparable from the Bugatti brand. The 200m-euro campus, with a building area of 100,000 m2, which should open in 2023, will be the base for all research and development of future Rimac and Bugatti hypercars. Conceived as the core of high-tech innovation, the Rimac campus will bring together 2,500 people driven by shared curiosity and a desire to reach extremes, the statement said.

Commenting on today's announcement, Mate Rimac, founder and CEO of Rimac Automobili, said: "This is an exciting moment in the short but turbulent history of Rimac Automobili. We have gone through so much in so little time, but this new project takes things to a whole new level. Rimac and Bugatti complement each other perfectly. As a young, agile, and fast automotive and technology company, we have won the trust of our partners and a strong position in the high-performance electrical technology industry.

With Nevera, we have also proven that we can develop and produce outstanding hypercars, which are fast and exciting, and high quality. Bugatti has more than a century of experience in engineering excellence and one of the most impressive car lines.

We recently unveiled our latest hypercar, the Nevera, which was met with positive reactions from professional media and automotive enthusiasts worldwide. I am therefore extremely excited about the potential that is combining the knowledge, technology, and value of these two amazing brands in creating some exceptional projects. In addition to creating new and exciting cars, we want to create an extremely successful and profitable company, which will be successful for the next 100 years," said Rimac.

Oliver Blume, CEO of Porsche AG, said:

“We combine Bugatti’s strong expertise in the hypercar business with the enormous innovative power of Rimac in the up-and-coming field of electromobility. In this joint venture, Bugatti brings its brand of rich tradition, icons, a base of loyal customers, and a global network of dealerships. In addition to technology, Rimac is introducing a new development and organizational approach."

Lutz Meschke, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board and Member of the Management Board for Finance and Informatics of Porsche AG, said: "We bought our first stake in Rimac three years ago and have since increased it successively. This has allowed us to build a close relationship with Mate and his highly innovative team. We now benefit from the investment. Rimac helps us with his knowledge to successfully introduce an emotional and important brand of the Group into the future. I am very proud and happy that we have completed this joint investment despite many challenges. This is an important day for Bugatti, Porsche, and the entire Volkswagen Group."

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July 5, 2021 - A new Rimac Automobili milestone will be announced tonight at 8 pm, just one month after the Nevera was revealed. 

Rimac Automobili has announced on Facebook that it will present the next "milestone in the company's history" tonight, reports Index.hr.

They invited people to join the live presentation of their new venture on Monday at 8 pm Croatian time.

"What's next? Here at Rimac, we never rest.
Following the recent launch of the #Nevera, we are announcing the next major milestone in our company's history. Join us in this celebration and watch the live stream on July 5th at 8pm CEST / 11am PDT," Rimac Automobil wrote on Facebook, and Mate Rimac also shared the post on his profile.

They also shared a link where you can follow the presentation. 

It’s hard to even guess what this could be about after Mate Rimac recently, after a long wait, introduced the sensational Nevera that pushed all boundaries.  

This second-generation hypercar is limited to 150 units, and deliveries of Nevera to customers will start this year.

The price of the car is two million euros, and in recent weeks the review has appeared in almost every auto-moto magazine and portal.

"The Nevera is the most powerful production car ever produced, with 1900 horsepower, under 2 seconds from 0 to 100, under 9 seconds per quarter-mile, making it the fastest accelerating car ever on the road. It is an indicator of what we can think of in technology and work for other manufacturers such as Porsche or Hyundai who are our investors. Of course, we want to build a strong business in the production of sports cars," said Mate Rimac.

Mate Rimac announced the big news three weeks ago, which he will finally announce tonight. It was during a speech at the Auto @ 2030 Adria convention of the automotive industry, organized by the Swiss School of Business and Management (SSBM).

He said that he was sorry that on the ten-year path of development he no longer ignored the competition, that is, that he analyzed it too much, instead of working on his own. He stressed that the car industry is facing huge changes - in his opinion, in the near future, there will most likely no longer be car owners, vehicles will be autonomous and will not use only three percent of available time as now, but more than 90 percent.

"Cities will change, real estate prices, there will be fewer police on the roads," Rimac said, adding that there are still many unknowns in the whole story. The question, he said, is whether some new kids will even take the driving test, whether they will have the time and will to service the vehicles.

He also announced that Rimac Automobili will soon start with the serial production of components for vehicles.

In recent weeks, there has been speculation about Rimac going public, but also about taking over Bugatti. German Manager Magazine wrote, and Reuters reported the news, that Rimac Automobili will go public in 2022 with a company value of five billion euros.

"We are considering different possibilities, but it has not been decided in which direction we will go," Rimac Automobili said for Index. 

Recall, the contract to take over Bugatti is likely to be announced over the summer and will transfer this brand from VW to Porsche. Car and Driver also recently announced that Rimac and Porsche would then launch a joint venture with Rimac, in which Rimac would be the majority shareholder.

"Getting a Bugatti at the age of 33 would be impressive enough. But this year, Volkswagen is expected to leave the Bugatti brand, or at least a major part of it, to 33-year-old Mate Rimac because he can better design the electric powertrains that Bugatti will need in the electrified era," Car and Driver wrote recently about Rimac.

Spiegel also wrote about Rimac taking over Bugatti.

"As a supplier, Rimac has caused a sensation in the automotive industry due to deals with Hyundai and the VW Group, and the company is also supplying components for Koenigsegg and Aston Martin. Porsche has just increased its stake in the company from 15 to 24 percent. It is said that Rimac will soon take over Bugatti and make the most exclusive VW brand capable of the future with an extreme electric car," the renowned German newspaper Spiegel said about Rimac's business successes.

Under Rimac's leadership, Bugatti could produce an electric super sports car with a luxurious ambiance, the media wrote.

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

June the 18th, 2021 - Croatian entrepreneur Mate Rimac went from being an unknown individual with a dream to the most talked about Croatian entrepreneur of the modern day in the world. Having proven that you can succeed and even do so beyond your wildest dreams here in Croatia, he claims that his only mistake was paying too much attention to what others were doing.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Darko Bicak writes, Rimac Automobili has raised a massive 250 million euros in capital so far, and although they are now considering new options, no decisions have been made yet, said Mate Rimac when discussing a recent announcement from the German media that Rimac Automobili is going public and that their estimated value is raised capital of about five billion euros.

Croatian entrepreneur Mate Rimac was a guest at the recently held regional Adria conference Auto2030 organised by the Swiss School of Business and Management Geneva (SSBM), which was held in a hybrid form from Zagreb with online presence from the capital cities of neighbouring countries - Ljubljana, Sarajevo and Belgrade.

Mate Rimac said that after 10 years of his company's existence, he came very close to the goal he set a long time ago - to have a plant from which one car will be able to be made daily, and at the same time that trucks and wagons of batteries, components and parts will go out to customers from there every day.

"One thing I blame myself for now is that I paid too much attention to what others were doing and talking about and then adjusted myself and my plans to that. The Concept_One was a dead end and the Nevera project is just what makes sense now and what we should have started working on right away,'' said Rimac.

Talented entrepreneur Mate Rimac sees the future of motoring through autonomous vehicles, with ownership being different because customers will "buy" kilometres, and not the vehicles themselves, which will be continually owned by their operators. He expects that existing car manufacturers will continue to be serious players, but no longer the biggest and most important ones.

"Today we have a situation where most people live and work in bigger cities, in the future, people's places of residence will be completely irrelevant, which will then affect many other things - 60 percent of the police today are related to work involving traffic control, airports generate a significant share of income from parking, there is a large network of car distributors who sell and maintain cars today, and who knows what that will all be like in the future and who some new players will end up being,'' said Rimac.

For more, follow our business section.

June the 10th, 2021 - The German media has been no stranger to the entire Rimac story, with numerous articles praising the Croatian Mate Rimac, being referred to as the ''Elon Musk of the Balkans'' and compared to genius and countryman Nikola Tesla. That trend hasn't stopped and the showers of praise from Germany continue for this remarkable entrepreneur from Livno.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the popular German publication Der Spiegel has featured the brand new car made by Croatian Mate Rimac, as reported by Index. The beautiful new Nevera is described by the publication as "superior", and Rimac has been referred to as a person who is "introducing new standards" to the electric car industry.

“The 2000 hp Rimac Nevera sports car demonstrates the superiority of electric drive on the racetrack,” Der Spiegel points out in an article entitled ''Bugatti was yesterday. Now comes Rimac's Nevera.''

The German paper also states that Croatian Mate Rimac's truly stunning Nevera represents "the current peak of a brilliant career", during which Rimac, in ten years from being "completely unknown" became an advisor to some of the most famous managers in the automotive industry, even advising the bosses of Volkswagen and Porsche on switching to electric cars.

However, Der Spiegel critically states that "Nevera plays on the lowest instincts", reports Index.

"We wanted to show off what is technically possible. And, of course, have a little fun,'' Rimac told Der Spiegel, who recalls that he started his career as a race driver. "Infidelity is not a contribution to mass mobility, but it's a fun activity for a few," explains Rimac.

Despite appealing to speed lovers and perhaps ''the lowest human instincts'', Nevera should also demonstrate "what Rimac Automobili can produce". According to the Index, Der Spiegel believes that Rimac's "technology can make ordinary vehicles faster, more economical, or safer".

For more, follow Made in Croatia.

June the 4th, 2021 - Croatian entrepreneur Mate Rimac recently unveiled the gorgeous Nevera, and it turns out that no two Rimac Nevera supercars will be the same, giving this remarkable vehicle even more of a special touch.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Mladen Milicic/VL writes, three years after the premiere of the C_Two prototype with which the Croatian technology company Rimac Automobili impressed the entire world, this Sveta Nedelja-based company recently presented a serial version of the most powerful and fastest electric car in the world, which was given a very resounding name - Nevera.

The Rimac Nevera supercars carry with them a proud Croatian name that truly reflects their utterly incredible performance - 1914 horsepower, acceleration from 0-60 mph in 1.85 seconds, up to 300 km/h in just 9.3 seconds and a top speed of 412 km/h. This is precisely why this impressive Croatian supercar is named after a quicj, unexpected and powerful Mediterranean storm.

''That's it. This is the car I dreamed of when I embarked on this ''impossible'' journey a decade ago. All of our hard work has resulted in Nevera - our record-breaking hypercar. This car was created to surpass everything and to raise the bar, to raise the standards for high performance cars. Not only in terms of performance, but also as a rounded, balanced road car. When we first introduced the C_Two we set soe extremely high goals. But from the beginning, we were looking for ways to surpass them,'' stated Mate Rimac, the founder and executive director of Rimac Automobili.

A technological flagship

He founded the company at the age of 21 back in 2009 with the aim of producing the fastest e-car in the world. Even back then, Rimac chose an excellent niche, the development of e-vehicles, which has now become the main development path for all manufacturers due to ecology issues.

Today, Rimac Automobili and its subsidiaries employ about 1,000 people, and a 200,000-square-metre campus project was recently presented in Kerestinec near Zagreb, which should be built in 2023 with an investment of 200 million euros and a plan to employ another 1,500 people.

Sophisticated e-car technology is sold to the world's most renowned car companies, and the likes of Porsche and Hyundai have invested hundreds of millions of kuna in the company. The last major investment came in March 2021 when the German giant Porsche invested another 70 million euros in Rimac's company and increased its stake from 15.5 to 24 percent.

"We'll produce only 150 Rimac Nevera supercars, with each car produced here in Croatia, motivated by the passion of the entire team for cars," said Rimac. The prominent price for the Nevera is two million euros.

We're most pleased that most of the key components of the Rimac Nevera supercars were developed at the company's headquarters in Croatia and contain many unique technologies, and all systems have been improved over the last three years since the first prototype was shown, by hundreds of our engineers and experts working at Rimac Automobili,'' Rimac stated.

E-motor efficiency: 97 percent

The key to Nevera's outstanding performance is in Rimac's unique electric drive. Each component of the electric powertrain has been developed to achieve higher torque, better performance and increased efficiency.

The unique, liquid-cooled H-shaped battery with 6960 cells, with a capacity of 120 kWh, was designed by the Rimac team from scratch and placed in the very heart of the Rimac Nevera supercars.

Four separate motors with permanent magnets individually drive each of the wheels. Together they deliver 1914 hp and 2360 Nm of torque, which is more than any supercar with a “conventional engine” currently available on the market. The front and rear wheels are connected to the engines via a single-speed transmission.

Designed to achieve maximum torque immediately, Nevera electric motors achieve an efficiency of 97 percent - compared to 40 percent seen in the most efficient internal combustion engines - and no maintenance is needed throughout their service life.

With space for two passengers and luggage (100 l boot/trunk capacity), the Nevera is a car made for regular use. There are three high-resolution TFT screens in the cockpit, and the driver chooses how much information they want to see.

Rimac's factory won't produce two Nevera cars the same, as customers can choose from a wide range of custom designs and materials themselves.

In addition to a state-of-the-art personalisation programme, Rimac Automobili will offer its main model in GT, Signature, Timeless or Bespoke custom models. As part of the user journey, every Nevera owner will be invited here to Croatia to design their car to their liking.

For more, follow Made in Croatia.

June 1st, 2021 - Rimac Automobili just announced their newest model, 'Nevera,' the best electric hypercar and the most powerful car with the best acceleration in the world. 

Picking a name for a new car model is never an easy task, and Mate Rimac, founder and CEO of Rimac Automobili, wanted the name to be meaningful and reflect Rimac's creation rules and car character. The newest model is named after an electrified, powerful, and unique force of nature, the summer storm of the Mediterranean. 

"At the beginning of the project, we set ourselves really high targets; global homologation, fastest acceleration of any car, most powerful production ever, lots of features and functionalities, autonomous driving features, and comfort in the car. Making it usable, not just to sit in the garage but for people to actually enjoy it," said Mate Rimac, founder and CEO of Rimac Automobili.

"I'm very proud that we nailed pretty much everything and even overachieved with some of our targets. One of the things that make this car very special is that everything has been developed and designed specifically for this car. Everything is custom developed for this car by our team here. 

We are really proud of the results and think we have something really special", Rimac stated. 

Never in history has there been a car like the Rimac Nevera, a fully electric next-generation hypercar that opens up new dimensions in road performance.

Compared to the concept, the numbers remain the same: with 1914 horsepower from four electric motors, the Nevera can accelerate to 100 km/h in 1.85 seconds and 100 miles per hour in just 4.3 seconds. Stunning acceleration is maintained throughout the full-throttle cycle and reaches 300 km/h from the start in 9.3 seconds.

The first test drive was done just last week on the airstrip of island Pag and documented on some of the most famous YouTube car channels in the world, the Late Break Show, CarWow, Mat Watson Cars, and many more. 

As part of the user journey, every Nevera owner will be invited to Croatia to design their car to their liking. Nevera is exclusively available through Rimac’s global network of partners at 19 locations and more, located in many of the largest cities across Europe, North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Check out the full model reveal below! 

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

May the 31st, 2021 - Mate Rimac is set to reveal yet another more than likely jaw-dropping electric Croatian supercar on social media, which will also boast a new name.

When it comes to Croatian entrepreneur Mate Rimac, there aren't many who have a bad word to say. The owner of the internationally recognised Rimac Automobili, headquartered in Sveta Nedelja near Zagreb, has placed Croatia on the global automotive map, providing it with a position that would never have occurred otherwise in this country with next to no automotive output globally.

This Livno-born car lover boasts dogged determination and a true love for cars. Having busted the myth that ''nothing can be done in Croatia unless you belong to a certain party'' quite successfully indeed with his strong combination of grit and an inventive mind, this 34 year old entrepreneur has even schooled the government in how to attract foreign interest following his massive cash injection from no less than German car giant Porsche.

Having been compared to both Elon Musk and his fellow countryman Nikola Tesla, Mate Rimac, who is currently busy creating his new campus, has made it more than clear that when it comes to creating the iconic Croatian supercar brand, he isn't planning to stop at ''just'' the Concept_One and Concept_Two. 

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Mate Rimac's company Rimac Automobili announced that on Tuesday, June the 1st, 2021, they will present their brand new electric Croatian supercar which will be made in series production on social media.

The new Croatian supercar, hitherto known as the C_Two, will also be given a special new name.

Mate Rimac recently posted a video on his personal Facebook profile taken while testing this model out in Zemunik. He wrote that ''every day two world journalists test the production version of the car he designed, developed and produced right here in Croatia, in spite of everything.''

For more, follow Made in Croatia.

May the 30th, 2021 - The German Die Welt publication, which is highly popular among German readers, has praised Croatian entrepreneur Mate Rimac once again, referring to him as the Elon Musk of the Balkans.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the German Die Welt reported that ''Mate Rimac actually just wanted to be a successful professional auto-moto driver, but over time he became a symbol of hope for car manufacturers on the road to electromobility,''

The Berlin-based Die Welt looks back at one episode with which the success story of this much loved Croatian entrepreneur began. Mate Rimac's old BMW "troika" failed in one race and the engine "died", writes Die Welt journalist Thomas Geiger: "At that time, it seemed like the biggest possible accident that could happen, but in actual fact, nothing better could have ever happened to Mate Rimac...''

If it weren't for that technical problem, Rimac might never have come up with the idea to install the simple electric motor of a forklift in his car, instead of an expensive new engine. And so, writes the German Die Welt, Rimac's green "troika" became the well known "Green Monster", and Rimac himself became the "king of drifting". The innovative Croat's videos were watched by millions of people on YouTube, and later he became "the man who made the strongest sports e-car in the world, that is, an ardent supporter of electric propulsion".

"The Elon Musk of the Balkans"

"A skilful Croat with an almost shy smile hidden behind a thick beard is currently one of the most sought-after people in the industry," the German newspaper wrote in its article entitled "Visionary under voltage", emphasising that Rimac is only 33 years old, and that a lot has happened in his life in the past ten years alone. "Once an average student, and then an ingenious inventor" is now a partner and supplier of sophisticated technological solutions, from batteries to engines - he has become the "Elon Musk of the Balkans", writes the German Die Welt, as reported by Deutsche Welle.

The fact that this remarkable entrepreneur comes from Croatia gives this whole story an additional, special element, writes the Berlin daily. "On the colourful car map of the world, the former Yugoslavia has been a relatively white spot since the end of production of the small Yugo back in 2008, there are almost no automotive manufacturers there. Nevertheless, decisive development began right there: only 200 kilometres southeast of the headquarters of Rimac's company in Sveta Nedelja, a certain Nikola Tesla was born,'' notes the German Die Welt.

''Rimac is geographically closer to Tesla than he is to Elon Musk,'' writes the German journalist.

Regardless of the electrical engineering thanks to which he became famous, Rimac doesn't "insist" on changing the world for the better, at least not on the road, the article notes:

”Rimac's penchant for e-cars has its source not in environmental protection, but in the joy of driving, the taste that these cars give him,'' notes the journalist.

Regardless of all the successes that Croatian entrepreneur Mate Rimac has stacked up over recent years, and despite all the models he has developed and sold for high sums of money, "Die Welt" still notices one particularly Croatian problem plaguing the entire thing - the lack of skilled labour.

"Croatia isn't exactly the armpit of the world, but the outskirts of Zagreb aren't a magnet for experts from abroad either. That's why it isn't surprising that Rimac is currently planning a new headquarters, which is a bit reminiscent of Autostadt in Wolfsburg or a little more like Apple's headquarters in Cupertino/ And in those new headquarters, Rimac's Green Monster will of course get a place of honour,'' concludes the German Die Welt article.

For more, follow Made in Croatia.

May 24, 2021 - A new Rimac project in Zagreb envisions a mobility center, self-driving taxis, a town square, and a park right on the Sava. 

The founder of Rimac Automobili is taking the first step towards realizing a 3.4 billion kuna project to develop and establish a network of electric self-driving taxis in Zagreb, reports Index.hr.

In 2024, Zagreb will become one of the first cities in the world where a robotaxi service will be available - the use of self-driving, electric taxis via an application. Sounds crazy, right? If we trust the entrepreneur Mate Rimac, it will soon become a reality, Index adds. 

Namely, the founder of Rimac Automobili is starting to build a park, square, storage, and charging station for electric, self-driving taxis, or robotaxis, as they are called, on the Sava - on a meadow across from the Zagreb "Stjepan Radić" Student Home.

The competition has been announced and the solutions of the architects are arriving, and the entire facility should be completed by the end of 2022. The robotics service in Zagreb should be launched by 2024. And right at the beginning of Jarunska Street, Rimac will build a base for robots, from where they will scatter towards the city and return to recharge their batteries.

The complex, officially called the Mobility Center - which includes a town square, a park, and an e-charging station - is only the first step towards realizing the 3.4 billion kuna Rimac project, announced in March this year, to develop and establish a network of electric, autonomous taxis in Zagreb.

As Rimac replied, the idea is that the Mobility Center on the Sava serves two purposes.

"The idea is to create such a center of autonomous mobility on the Sava that would have, on the one hand, a social role, a place where people will come to meet new technologies and talk to experts in a pleasant environment, and on the other, functional side, for charging, maintaining and cleaning robotaxi vehicles in an environmentally sustainable way," explained Rimac.

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

May 20, 2021 - The fifth article in the series "Friends of Croatia: British Embassy", saw TCN reporter Ivor Kruljac sit down with the UK Ambassador Andrew Dalgleish and discuss all things regarding diplomatic relations between the UK and Croatia. Diplomatic relations are, overall, really good and developing well, with Brexit being a challenge, but also an opportunity for deeper bilateral cooperation between the two European nations.

The diplomatic relations between the UK and the Republic of Croatia were formally established on June the 24th, 1992.

Almost 29 years later, I found myself in front of the Ambassador's residence and being warmly greeted by Snježana Vukić, the British Ambassador's advisor for communications. If you're inclined to think in stereotypes, you would expect a cup of tea, but instead, the cup of coffee with the creamy flat white texture turned out to be a much better beverage during the interview—both for me and for the Ambassador.

''We can sit wherever you like'', said Ambassador Andrew Stuart Dalgleish as he welcomed me inside the premises. A warm, kind, competent communicator that evened out the serious conversation about diplomatic topics with occasional humorous remarks to ensure both had an enjoyable and informative talk. The pins of both British and Croatian flags on his left coat lapel turned out to be a visual clue to the notion the friendship the UK and Croatia has long since held is still going well.

TCN reporter Ivor Kruljac with Ambassador Andrew Dalgleish © British Embassy Zagreb

Croatia and UK sharing western values

Andrew Dalgleish has served the UK as the Ambassador in Croatia since July 2016. He graduated with First Class Honours Degree in European Law at the University of Warwick, which included a year at Bordeaux University IV studying French Law. From 1998-1999 he worked in the Department of Social Security. His extensive knowledge of European law saw him work in UKREP (the United Kingdom Permanent Representation to the European Union) from 1999 to 2004, firstly as the Second Secretary for Social Affairs, and from May 2001 as a First Secretary for the Environment.

That same passion for the environment led him to DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs), where he was the Project Manager for the Climate Change effort during the UK Presidency of the EU, and he also represented the EU in UNFCCC plenary meetings. In his service to DEFRA from 2006 to 2008, he participated in the creation of the Office of Climate Change (2006), and moved to be the Deputy Head of Group, in Environmental Land Management too. From 2008 to 2011, Dalgleish continued working as the Head of the European Union Strategy Department, where he held preparations ahead of the Prime Minister’s European Council briefings and assisting other ministries in shaping deliverable policies; coordinating influencing strategies and lobbying efforts within the EU.

''I should tell you, I'd never been to Croatia before I arrived here professionally, and I'm one of those rare British people who hasn't been here on holiday“, Dalgleish began as I asked him about his impressions of the country, and of course, of Croats.

''What struck me the most was the warmth of the people, the welcome, general sense of friendliness. Croats are really proud of their country, and quite rightly so, and they also really want you to love the country too,'' said the Ambassador, adding that the Croats he met took him to lots of places and restaurants where he discovered various new dishes.

He continued that one of the delights of Croatia in his opinion is its variety, and he finds it impossible to pick one location that fascinated him the most.

''I remember going to Vučedol near Vukovar, and it was mindblowing. The walking that I can do in Žumberak, not far from Zagreb is fantastic. You go to Brijuni and you have Roman ruins, or you go to Poreč and you've got the basilica there, or Vis, which is a paradise,'' he stated in his list.

His description of Croats as warm and friendly seems to demonstrate to what we could call Croatian values. But, what are British values? When asked this question, Dalgleish argued that these are habits we may consider to be national characteristics, but they aren't values, per-se.

''Brits are very proud of the idea that we believe in fair play, that will we do the right thing even if we lose the game. Maybe that's why we're terrible at sports,'' the Ambassador said with a touch of humour as he was describing the national characteristics of British citizens.

While stating that Croats should be asked what the UK is most famous for in Croatia, as an Smbassador who frequently talks to Croats, he did manage to come up with some conclusions on the issue.

''Football, clubs such as Chelsea or Manchester City, but also the British sense of humour. Croats laugh at similar things as we do. So much British TV is here, and the cultural exchange is really, really important as well,'' said the Ambassado,r referring to cult shows such as Only Fools and Horses (Croatian: Mucke).

''The Royal Family is very recognisable here, too. I think lots of interest and affection is shown for the Royal Family, and of course our brilliant 'weather' “, the Ambassador added.

When it comes to joint values, the Ambassador noticed that Croatia and the United Kingdom share many opinions that are neither Croatian nor British values, but rather a Western, European, or even Transatlantic view of the world.

''This encompasses a wide range of things that we very often take for granted but which are the foundations of our societies", explained the Ambassador, citing examples the freedom of the media or the rule of law.

''The democracies we live in, embrace and find to be a really important foundation are what we need to protect and defend for the sake of our societies.''

 Zagreb Pride, Ambassador Dalgleish with other diplomatic colleagues during Zagreb Pride © British Embassy Zagreb 

Things could be better at the commercial level, but there have been improvements...

The values ambassador Dalgeish described are the basis of diplomatic relations between Britain and Croatia, but how good is this relationship, actually? Where is it at its best, and where is it at its worst, where can things be better?

''The starting point is that diplomatic relations are really, really good, and I feel lucky that the cooperation our two countries enjoy is overwhelmingly positive,'' said the Ambassador. He added that as in any close relationship, two countries might disagree about something, but to the British Ambassador, being able to disagree and be fine with that is also a sign of a strong relationship.

''One great expression of our cooperation is NATO where we're really good, very close partners,'' continued the Ambassador, even referring to the recent DEFENDER-Europe-21 exercise in Zadar.

In addition to that, the recent visit of Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team to Croatia's Krila Oluje Pilots is also a good sign of cooperation and mutual friendship. 

The Royal Airforce Aerobatic Team and the Ambassador © British Embassy Zagreb

''Croatia occupies an almost unique position in terms of expertise that it can give on Southeastern Europe, as well as comprehensive understanding of what is a very complicated situation in this region,'' he said.

''All of this is very good, strong and positive, and it makes a global impact, and it's not just about how our two countries get along,'' he said.

The Ambassador also added that both Croatia and the UK are members of the Global Media Freedom Pledge and stand for freedom in the media. He also works very closely with both the Croatian Government and Croatian president Zoran Milanović to promote awareness of the threat of climate change.

''You'd expect me to say I communicate the most with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and it would be true, it's where diplomatic relations are grown in a formal way. But I also communicate with all branches of the Government, with Parliament and with Pantovčak. Just today, I've been to the ''Dr Fran Mihaljević'' Clinic for Infectious Disease in Zagreb where I talked with its director, Professor Alemka Markotić, about what we can do about COVID-19“, added the Ambassador.

However, as expected, there are areas in which British-Croatian cooperation could be much better.

''Where I'd like things to be better, speaking very frankly, is in commercial relations. The UK has been less present on Croatian market and less accessible due to simple geography, especially when compared to the likes of Austria or Germany. When I arrived here, this is where I said I'd want to try to make a difference. I have made a difference, I hope. A small difference, but its a difference in the right direction, and the commercial relationship is better for that today,'' said the Ambassador.

These small steps saw trade in goods between the United Kingdom and Croatia increase by about 10% in the past few years, a good indicator of how things have been advancing, regardless of the concerns in the past that Brexit might affect it negatively.

''We've also seen investments from the Croatian side into the UK increase in the past few years – for example, Mate Rimac has just opened his research & development centre in the UK – we did help facilitate that through our Department for International Trade (DIT)“, added Ambassador.

UK Minister Greg Hands and Ambassador Andrew Dalgleish with Mate Rimac in Rimac Automobili © British Embassy Zagreb

In addition, the Ambassador used every opportunity to facilitate business and trade contacts between the UK and Croatia. When UK State Secretary in the Ministry of International Trade, Greg Hands, visited Croatia last month, the Ambassador hosted a dinner for him with several leading Croatian business figures for both sides to explore how they might further improve business connections between the two countries.

On top of that, the recent confirmation from the Justice Ministry that British citizens may purchase property in Croatia only further benefited the development of trading between the two European countries.

Leaving the table for face to face conversation

The cooperation Ambassador Dalgeish described sounds great, but when it comes to diplomatic relations with the UK, the elephant in the room screams out in need of a special mention. Brexit remains a hot topic for the British public, and as Croatia is a member of the EU, what changes can Croatia expect in diplomatic relations with the UK as the European island nation which chose to step away from the bloc?

Dalgleish sees Brexit both as a challenge and as an opportunity to deepen diplomatic relations between the UK and Croatia.

''With 28 members states as it was before, you had so many people around the table that when ministers came together for a council meeting, there were just too many people to have a meaningful conversation one on one. So you'd say ''see you in Brussels'', and you would, and you'd wave, and you'd smile, and you might even say hello. But you don't have a meaningful conversation all the time,'' said Ambassador Dalgeish from his own recollection as he spent a lot of time in Brussels.

''We aren't at that table anymore. That means we're going to have to make more of an effort but also that we will have the opportunity to build a more meaningful relationship with Croatia and I think that's quite exciting for me in the job that I do,'' said ambassador Dalgleish calmly but optimistically.

''Whereas before, our bilateral business might have been conducted during these convenient moments in Brussels at these meetings, that doesn't happen anymore. Now, we will hold them in London, and we will hold them in Zagreb. I think that's quite the opportunity to build something more meaningful than what we had in Brussels,'' stated the Ambassador.

As the UK has a massive impact on the world and can boast of very strong diplomatic relations with other big players on the geopolitical stage, I wondered how important the relationship with Croatia actually is, from the UK's point of view, and in regards to the country's interest in global affairs. 

''We look at Croatia as a global partner, and not just from the point of what we get from this bilaterally, but in what we're doing together to make a difference; Croatia sits as a partner,'' the Ambassador pointed out.

Already having mentioned the importance of Croatia's knowledge on Southeastern Europe and the instances of good cooperation through NATO, and issues such as climate change or COVID-19, the British Ambassador's claims are evidently backed up.

''I was sent here by the Foreign Secretary with a very serious mission to deepen the strength of the cooperation that we enjoy. It's a very important mission for me, and I think that's a reflection of how seriously we take the relationship with Croatia,'' confirmed the Ambassador.

The British Royal Family has always been very welcome in Croatia

The Ambassador already mentioned cultural exchange, and the British Embassy as an institution plays a significant role in the cultural promotion of the country. But, given the UK consists of four nations: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, is it possible to represent all these cultures equally? Being Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth II's Ambassador and representing the United Kingdom of Great Britain And Northern Ireland, Dalgeish shows his dedication to the job by equally representing all of the UK's four nations.

''We will proudly fly the St. George's Cross when it's St George's Day for England, but also the Saltire (Scottish flag), when it's St. Andrew's Day. I wouldn't say there is one element of the four nations that is dominant,'' said the Ambassador.

Culture is heavily linked with history, and the UK has been known in the past as a vast empire with colonies that are sovereign independent countries today. As Croatia was never colonised by the UK, are there any differences between the UK's relations with Croatia compared to other countries?

''The UK has a very long list of diplomatic relations, both with the countries who are part of Commonwealth, who were previously colonies, and with countries who were not colonised. So, there's no difference in forming a relationship with Croatia in comparison to such countries. There's nothing I can do about what happened in 1600's or 1700's, but I want to see what we can do in 2021,'' said the Ambassador, stating that the Ambassador's job is to look ahead, not backwards, to work on building the future, while acknowledging all the sensitivities of the past.

As the Ambassador already mentioned, his regular cooperation with the official bodies of the Republic of Croatia is the formal level of communication, while cultural exchange also has a key element in non-formal communication, particularly in education.

''I love going to schools. Talking to the kids about what they think about the UK, and what can they teach me about Croatia, and going to English lessons and causing chaos,'' said the Ambassador on his experiences with the school system in Croatia.

With the mention of the school system in Croatia, I couldn't help but recall my experience in education. Croatians seem to be quite talented when it comes English, but it is mostly pushed towards the American version of English.

''Oh yes I know, it's tragic,'' Ambassador Dalgleish joked in response when I shared my recollections.

He continued by saying that he is happy to see Croats speaking English so excellently, and he doesn't mind what version they learned, nor does he have any intention to have British English compete with American English.

''I don't hear too many American accents when talking to Croats, maybe it has something to do with British TV shows, maybe it doesn't, I don't know. But either way Croats should be very proud of how well they speak English,'' he concluded.

Ambassador Dalgleish on the Royal Wedding Party in Split © British Embassy Zagreb

As also already mentioned, the Royal Family is a big part of the of the fabric of Britain as it is a parliamentary monarchy.

The Royal family, particularly Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla seem to be very fond of Croatia indeed. Their last visit back in 2016 (following the Prince's earlier visit in 1996) saw the meeting with former Prime Minister Tihomir Orešković, former President Kolinda Grabar Kitarović, for whom Prince Charles highlighted his particular interest in the Croatian economy, as well as an interest in investing in Croatian youth. They also attended the commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the death of the famous English writer and poet William Shakespeare at the Croatian National Theatre (HNK) in Zagreb.

''Their Christmas card even had a photo of them with the members of a folk band from Osijek“, said Ambassador Dalgleish referring to the photo the British Royals took with the dancers of the HKUD 1862 ensemble.

And as Glas Slavonije reported, Osijek is very special to Prince Charles as his Great Grandfather Franz von Teck was born there.

Most recently, however, the Royal Family suffered a tragic loss as the much-loved Prince Philip passed away. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković expressed his deep condolences to Queen Elizabeth II publicly on Twitter, but as the Ambassador pointed out, he also sent condolences through official channels. Social media and overall technological progress now allows world leaders to communicate more directly, but it doesn't diminish the role of the British Embassy.

''Everyone who wanted to express their condolences, expressed them, from Pantovčak, to Parliament and the Government. Social media is an additional tool for us regarding public statements, but of course, embassies remain here for those sensitive issues that need to be discussed Government to Government, not over social media. We're also here for our citizens, and we can't be present in the whole country, so travelling, but also social media, are also very important here,'' explained the Ambassador.

The always attractive Dubrovnik was found to be the best example when it comes to culture in the country, as Game of Thrones and Star Wars were filmed there.

In the UK, the film industry, in addition to private incentives, gets financial support from the state, as the British Film Institute (BFI) is sponsored by a Government department. Following the examples of Star Wars and GoT, could there be more promotion from the BFI of Dubrovnik or Croatia in general as a good filming location?

''I don't really need to say anything about Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik speaks for itself, and more Brits visit Dubrovnik annually than anyone else,'' said the Ambassador with delight.

But if Dubrovnik did happen to need a good word or two; the Ambassador stated that he is not the tourist bord, and promoting Dubrovnik is not part of his duties.

''If someone from the UK contacts me and says that wants to film anywhere in Croatia, but is facing problems, then I'm here. But in general, the less I need to intervene, the better“, said the Ambassador adding that he found out about UK film producers filming in Croatia after it had already happened. One of the more recent examples of that was the filming of the ''The Ipcress File'' series in Zagreb, and the fact that the ambassador didn't need to intervene again only proves the steady and good relations between the nations.

Ambassador Dalgleish, other Ambassadors and Croatian officials attending a Mass for all victims of WW2 at the Zagreb cathedral © British Embassy Zagreb

British and Croatian Ambassadors: Swapping countries but closely talking and cooperating

Foreign embassies, of course, are in Croatia for foreign citizens, and the British Embassy is no exception to that rule.

In addition to the British Embassy and a consul in Zagreb, the UK has two additional consuls: in Split and Dubrovnik, to make sure it is present for UK citizens, not just visitors, but also for Brits who work and live in Croatia.

''We have an honorary consul in Dubrovnik, which isn't officially part of the embassy, but is there to assist our citizens visiting Dubrovnik,'' pointed out Ambassador Dalgleish praising honorary consul Mark Thomas for doing a great job.

When it comes to Croats, visas to visit the UK are luckily not needed, but Croatian citizens can contact the embassy to get more information about Great Britain should they need to.

''When it comes to trying to invest in the British market or getting their products or expertise into the UK, Croats need to contact the Croatian Embassy in London. I'm frequently in contact with the Croatian Ambassador there, Igor Pokaz, who is doing a brilliant job for our two countries to fund and nurture different ways of cooperation,'' explained the Ambassador when discussing his relationship with the Croatian Ambassador in London, Igor Pokaz.

Overall, British-Croatian diplomatic relations are good in general, and the Ambassador's assurance that Brexit can be an opportunity to deepen the already good relationship is a promise to the bright future of friendship. But, as it takes two to have a combo as good as fish & chips, Croatia also has to show that it is willing to continue to develop a good friendship with the UK.

If you're a British citizen or a Croatian citizen in need of information, here is how you can reach a British diplomatic mission in Croatia:

In Zagreb:

British Embassy

Adress: Ivana Lučića 4

Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Phone number: +385 1 60 09 100

British Council (for cultural realations):

Adress: Savska 32

Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Phone number: +385 1 48 99 504

More info on British Council official website.

In Split:

British Consulate

Adress: Obala Hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 10/III

Phone number: +385 1 60 09 100

In Dubrovnik:

British Honourary Consulate

Address: PP 454

Phone number: + 385 1 60 09 100

For all the latest news about the British Embassy straight from the source, visit their official website. You can also follow them on Facebook, Youtube, Flickr, Instagram and Twitter (the British Ambassador is on Twitter and Instagram too).

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

For more about UK - Croatia relations, follow TCN's dedicated page.