May 25, 2023 - The fastest weekend in Slavonia and Baranja has been announced at 998 Garage! The long-awaited 29^th Osijek Street Race Show is taking place on May 27 and 28 at the Čepin - Osijek Sports Airport, and it's expected to gather around 200 competitors and about 6,000 visitors, making Osijek the centre of extreme sports for a weekend.

As SiB writes, the city of Osijek, the organization, and friends of the event contributed to one of the most visited sports competitions in Osijek and eastern Croatia in general. Deputy Mayor of Osijek Dragan Vulin, HAKS President Davorin Štetner, HAKS Motorsports Committee President Dragan Serden, and the main organizer and president of the "Slavonija" Auto Club Rudolf Kalkan announced the event at a press conference.

According to Rudolf Kalkan, we can expect the biggest Osijek Street Race Show to date: "This is also the 15^th anniversary of Auto Club Slavonija, which makes this event even more significant!" Dragan Serden emphasized this special day for Street Race because this discipline was declared a sport in HAKS exactly eight years ago, and he expressed his satisfaction and love for the City on the Drava, to which he is always happy to return!

"The whole team is doing a great job; a lot of effort, sacrifices, sleepless nights, and a great amount of enthusiasm have been invested, without which this sport wouldn't even exist!" said Davorin Stetner. Dragan Vulin expressed great satisfaction and thanked the organizers for doing it all for the 29th time, which Osijek is proud of: "Osijek is a city of sports! This includes the Osijek Street Race Show. Here we also associate sport with tourism, where this event plays a big role in the number of overnight stays and visitors to this area. This is one of the events that makes Osijek a city!"

Spend the coming weekend surrounded by the fastest cars and motorcycles in a relentless test of strength! See you at the start line!

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

May 26, 2023 - The city of Osijek truly lives its urban vibes. Last weekend at Osijek's Ante Starcevic Square, Osječka Tvornica Ideja (the Osijek Idea Factory) gathered 20 artists from 7 countries, leaving visitors of the Oscans graffiti jam speechless and delighted.

What was it all about? As we wrote, Osijek hosted a festival of urban art and culture - the Oscans graffiti jam, organized by Osječka Tvornica Ideja and Sugar Factory. The event was conceived to popularize street art, and as the organizers themselves said, no one hid their satisfaction.

The whole thing started at 10 a.m. with workshops for the youngest and knowledge transfer sessions. The judges of the afternoon's main event held a graffiti school where they taught the little ones about the basics of graffiti, art and behaviour, and culture on the streets. The workshops were packed full, whether due to the opportunity to learn from the legendary artists Dalet, Atek, and Mr. Pain or the Ledo ice cream, which all participants were gifted. Parents and children expressed their great satisfaction with the opportunity to learn and the need for more such workshops on an annual level.

The main event started at 1:30 p.m., and just an hour before the competition, the artists received the official theme of the battle - 50 years later.

In this way, the organizers wanted to emphasize that graffiti and street art are an excellent medium for sending a message and for intervention in space and society. The task for the contestants was to show the world 50 years from today. Will it be happy and cheerful or dark and apocalyptic? What is their vision? What message do they want to send to the public?

For an hour, the graffiti artists sketched their visions on paper and figured out how they would stand out from the others and win valuable prizes. The local Osijek scene was represented by Rebus and Wasko and Moler and Heir, Croatia by Tramsky and Rancho, Hungary by Coke and Suzie, Slovenia by Azram and Boriz, Slovakia by Doke and Rems, Serbia by Wunste, Junk, Hope and Noks, Italy by Ypsilon and Dr8ste. There was a Greek-Croatian combination there as well, Snuz and Sec.

With the strike of the Osijek co-cathedral at 3 p.m., the Oscans graffiti battle began. The artists hastily took the spray cans and started sketching on the tram and two buses. As the hours and minutes passed, the vehicles received a new face, and several thousand visitors stood and enthusiastically observed what was happening and what all those patterns and lines would grow into.

At 19:00, the competition was officially over. The judges entered the scene, facing the huge challenge of choosing the best of the best. All the competitors came to their aid and participated in the evaluation by ranking their competition. The fact that only one or two points decided winners and places also speaks volumes about the level of the competition.

The team from Slovenia took first place, making the duo €800.00 richer, plus a LELO sponsorship package and a golden plaque from the School of Applied Art and Design. The second place went to the team from Serbia, Noks, and Wunste - €400.00, a rich sponsorship package, and a silver plaque. The third place went to the Greek-Croatian sensation, who received €200.00 and also got a rich sponsorship package and a bronze plaque.

In addition to the graffiti jam itself, visitors had the opportunity to enjoy the Artbeat exhibition, a breakdance competition, and the sounds of hip hop along with a relaxing chill zone and Beck's - the official beer of the festival. The festival was fully rounded to celebrate 50 years of hip-hop culture and put the city of Osijek on the map as the center of one of the main urban spots in Europe.

But what was the "sweetest" thing for all artists? The after-battle after-party, of course. The day after the competition, most artists gathered and decorated a wall, the "Dale Hall Of Fame," and another van. In a relaxed atmosphere, many artists left a lasting mark in Osijek. They expressed their desire to come again, which speaks of the sheer quality of the organization and Slavonian hospitality.

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

May 18, 2023 - As the regional center of Slavonia and Baranja, Osijek is known for its history, culture, being the greenest city in Croatia, and other interesting things. Among them, unfortunately, the Osijek mosquitoes. So much so that there are statues and artwork dedicated to the little flying nuisances, festivals that have one as their logo, and even an enclosure in the bushes of the city zoo with their name. Summers in Osijek are equally fun and itchy.

This year, the city of Osijek will, for the first time, approach its mosquito problem from a wider angle by including the area of several neighboring municipalities from whose floodplains the mosquitoes come to the city. As announced by the City Administration, they expect that a more systematic approach will gradually reduce the mosquito population.

Deputy Mayor Dragan Vulin said at a press conference that for the first time since Croatian independence, the city of Osijek reached an agreement on the financing of larvicidal treatments in the area of the surrounding municipalities of Petrijevci, Darda, Bilje, and Erdut, where the largest floodplains from which mosquitoes come to the city can be found, writes Index.

Research has shown that 95 percent of mosquitoes in Osijek come from those flood areas, so the city has taken on the obligation to finance and carry out the treatment to prevent the emergence of mosquitoes in those areas, explained Vulin.

The city will finance the larvicidal treatments in total, and in addition, Vulin points out, it was agreed with the municipal authorities that 90 percent of the amount will be co-financed from the Osijek city budget for corrective adulticidal mosquito treatments, intended for mosquitoes that survive the larvicidal treatment, while the municipalities will provide the remaining 10 percent.

Planes will dust over the residential areas

Given that larvicidal treatments are not fully effective anywhere in the world, Vulin announced that Osijek would also carry out adulticidal treatments from the ground and the air in the city, and the first treatments are scheduled for this Thursday and Friday. He noted that the City Administration is having discussions with the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development regarding obtaining a permit for the larvicidal treatment of the peripheral areas of the Kopački rit Nature Park, as a large number of mosquitoes come to Osijek from the park's southern parts.

Vulin reported that 700,000 euros have been provided in the city budget for mosquito control this year, while the Osijek-Baranja County will participate in financing with an additional 200,000 euros.

When the funds allocated by individual municipalities are added, it amounts to more than 1.1 million euros. In addition, the City of Osijek expects help from the government, from which Mayor Ivan Radić requested funds.

Vulin believes that more than 1.5 million euros will be available for the fight against mosquitoes this year, which is more than in the past few years.

Regarding the agreement with the surrounding municipalities, Vulin says that they wanted to fight mosquitoes outside the city, which will also help municipalities that cannot provide enough funds for an effective fight against mosquitoes. This does not mean that there will be no mosquitoes at all, but it is certain that with this systematic approach, the mosquito population will decrease this year and in the following years, Deputy Mayor Vulin said.

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

May 15, 2023 - Artists from Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Italy, Greece, and Hungary are coming to Osijek for an urban culture festival and the Oscans graffiti jam! The competition will take place on Saturday, May 20, at Ante Starčević Square, and the day will be filled with lots of fun.

During the all-day program in the central square, as writes SiB, graffiti drawing workshops for children and young people and break dance workshops are coming. It's all, in a way, a celebration of the 50^th anniversary of hip-hop culture. There will also be an exhibition of stickers and a few different activation zones where all visitors can enjoy coffee or beer with the good sounds of DJ Armand, DJ Marushka, and DJ Mef.

Mario Krešo, representing the Sugar Factory as a co-organizer, having been there since the very beginning, emphasized that the event is significant for the development of urban culture, cultural industries, and Osijek's urban scene.

"I am pleased that we are doing something like this in our city for the third year in a row, and it is great that this kind of event has grown and reached this top level."

The central part of the program is the 2vs2 graffiti battle competition. Twenty artists will draw graffiti in pairs following a specific theme, while three judges will closely monitor and evaluate their works. The three best teams will be awarded valuable prizes by the organizers. The first place will win a cash prize of 800 euros, the second place will win a prize of 400 euros, and the third place will win 200 euros. In addition, LELO Hex is providing rich rewards for the winners, while the artist Željka Fuderer Levak, together with her students from the School of Applied Art and Design, designed and made the sculptures that will be presented to the artists.

Željka emphasizes that such events are necessary for the city of Osijek and for young people to experience the scene of urban culture in its true sense.

"Having such artists in Osijek is a sign that we are headed in the right direction when it comes to the graffiti scene. The organizers did their best to fit all segments of urban culture into one story in the best possible way, from graffiti to breakdance, to hip hop music and workshops."

Dalibor Smiljanić, a long-time artist and one of the judges, emphasizes that artists come from Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Italy, Greece, and Hungary, and that in the last 15 years, such strong names from the graffiti scene have not been found in the same place. Visitors can expect a real urban, artistic spectacle.

In cooperation with the transport company GPP, the artists will use their trams, buses, and vans as a canvas for their artwork.

With the support of the city of Osijek, that of the Tourist Board of the city of Osijek, and partner and co-organizer Sugar Factory, Oscans is bringing a real urban spectacle to Osijek's main square.

The organizers emphasize that the time has passed when graffiti was seen as vandalism and that today they are an essential thing in society, both for the expression of top artists and conveying a message, as well as for urban interventions in space.

Event schedule:

10:00 -13:00 graffiti workshops
13:30 Gathering of artists
14:00 Distribution of sprays and assignment of the theme
15:00 - 19:00 2vs2 graffiti battle
19:30 Announcement of the winner
20:00 After party in the courtyard of American bar Dollar

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

May 10, 2023 - NK Osijek will play in a brand new stadium next season, and the popular 'Pampas' finally received an official name - Opus Arena.

The sponsor of the new stadium is the largest Hungarian media empire, Opus Global Nyrt, and it is one-quarter owned by the NK Osijek owner Lorinc Meszaros.

The stadium is practically finished, and Osijek fans have finally welcomed a beautiful new pitch. 

"The stadium itself is part of the NK Osijek camp and the NK Osijek Football School, which has seven fields. The characteristics of the stadium are a UEFA category four stadium, and all Croatian League and European matches can be played there," said Valentina Koprivnjak, a member of the NK Osijek Board.

The best view is from the west stand or the Sky boxes. The away fans will sit in the north, the east is reserved for home fans, and the south for Osijek's ardent fan group Kohorta. 

In addition to beer, the restaurant will serve excellent cuisine. Visitors will also be delighted by a fan shop, cafes, and 13 four-star hotel rooms for footballers. The field boasts automatic watering and even underfloor heating.

The construction of Pampas cost around 65 million euros and was funded thanks to the Hungarian owners of the club, but also by the Hungarian government and sponsors.

"In the beginning, exotic, unusual things for stadiums were also imagined, such as constructing a jacuzzi to watch the games. However, that was withdrawn from our plans because the real idea was to build a sports gladiator arena, so the money for these exotic facilities overflowed into the stadium's expansion from 12,800 to 13,005 seats, as it is now," they explained. 

Stay tuned for the official Opus Arena opening!

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

May the 4th, 2023 - The Osijek company Saponia's revenues have exceeded a very impressive 27 million euros, and the company's most significant investment yet is now entering into its final phase.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Mladen Miletic writes, the beginning of the year brought an almost 10 percent increase in revenue to the Osijek company Saponia, which exceeded 27 million euros (27.1) in the first quarter of 2023.

In the financial report published last week for the first three months of this year, the company notes that a strong increase in profitability of 35 percent was created with the achievement of EBIT of 1.2 million euros, as well as a proportional increase in EBT of 32 percent, with the achievement of profit before tax in the amount of 1.2 million euros.

Revenues from sales on the domestic market grew significantly, which, in relation to the same period last year was 18 percent higher and amounted to 15.3 million euros. On foreign markets, which are responsible for 43% of total revenues, that realisation amounted to 11.4 million euros.

Balanced growth

"Despite the increased absorption of input costs, the Osijek Saponia company's operations are continuing to head in the planned direction. Significant growth in terms of business income was achieved in a very difficult cost and operational environment.

The financial progress of business income consequently preserves and improves other key business indicators, and as such the ratio of net debt to EBITDA was maintained at 1.8, and the level of net working capital recorded an increase of 57 percent and amounted to 39.5 million euros. The value created in the first quarter of 2023 confirms that the balanced growth of Saponia has been created," the quarterly financial report states.

However, it has been noted that the business is still primarily characterised by cost pressure through the growth of prices of raw materials and packaging, energy costs and further increases in the gross salary of employees.

"As such, the costs of production materials are 23 percent higher, and the costs of energy and fuel are 55 percent higher compared to the first quarter of last year. The work of our employees was supported by an increase in payments for labour costs of 16 percent, which had an aliquot effect on the increase in the average gross salary for 1,071 employees," they stated.

Energy restoration

In a period in which the importance of energy sustainability and savings is becoming more and more clear, the Osijek Saponia company is beginning to "harvest" the benefits of intensive investments in increasing energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources, about which the company said the following:

"Certainly the most important project for the development of the Osijek Saponia company as a modern and environmentally conscious enterprise is energy renovation, which is entering the final phase, and even at first glance you can see the change on the facades of all four buildings, and we expect the end result, i.e. savings, by the end of the year. The workers in the production plants are already seeing the announced positive changes in working conditions, and our goal is to continue this process and a number of new projects have been prepared and are ready for implementation,'' the statement read.

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

Wine

April 27, 2023 - The City of Osijek, in cooperation with the British Embassy, will celebrate the coronation of King Charles III on Saturday, May 6, in the Osijek Archaeological Museum.

The mayor of Osijek, Ivan Radić, and the ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Republic of Croatia, H.E. Simon Thomas, held a press conference at the city administration in Osijek. As Lokalni writes, Mayor Radić reminded that King Charles III, when he was still the Prince of Wales, was delighted by Osijek during his visit in 2016, which is why the city administration decided to celebrate his coronation.

Vlado Kos / Pixsell

Main Ceremony

"King Charles III visited the Archaeological Museum, socialized with citizens, and tasted the products of local OPGs on the old town's Holy Trinity Square. He also rode the Osijek tram from old town Tvrđa to the co-cathedral and got to know the city from the tram. In commemoration of that visit, the main ceremony will be held in the Archaeological Museum", said the mayor.

He announced that a large screen would be installed on the appropriately decorated Holy Trinity Square in the old town, where citizens could watch the live broadcast of the king's coronation. As it is the first Saturday of the month when the traditional Antiques Fair takes place near the square, all visitors are invited to round off their morning at the event.

"The Tourist Board of the city of Osijek will prepare biscuits and tea for the citizens, and the "royal tram," the same one in which King Charles III and his wife Queen Camilla rode, will be circling through the city. The passengers on the tram will have a chance to hear the story of the royal family and the king's great-grandfather, Franz von Teck, who was born in Osijek. They will also see photos of the annual tickets the city transport office made and gifted to the king and queen with a lifetime right to ride Osijek's trams. I hope that the king and queen will have the opportunity to use it once they come to Osijek again", said Mayor Radić and added that on the coronation day, the Osijek pedestrian bridge will light up with the colors of the British flag.

British Ambassador Simon Thomas said that on May 6, dignitaries from all over the world will gather in London to attend the new king's coronation and that celebrations of that moment will be organized worldwide.

Another eastern Croatian city will also celebrate the king's coronation - Ilok will traditionally send their Traminac wine for the festivities.

Photo of Osijek

"When we were thinking about where we would celebrate the coronation in Croatia, we immediately thought of the Christmas card of the then Prince of Wales, and now the King, with a photo of His Majesty and Queen Camilla in Osijek, taken during their visit in 2016. Out of all the photos from different parts of the world that year, the king chose that particular photo, which means that the visit to Osijek left a deep impression on him. Not only because Osijek is a city with a rich history and promising future but also because here he met people who share some of his passions and priorities in life: sustainability and nature conservation, work for the community, respect for heritage, development of new technologies and investment into young people. But also because the great-grandfather of King Charles III was born in 1837 right here, in Osijek. Therefore, here we are not only among friends but also among family. We are looking forward to celebrating the coronation in Osijek, and we hope that King Charles III will visit the beautiful city on the Drava once again", said Ambassador Thomas.

1972. Bozidar Kelemenic / Pixsell

 King Charles III's visit to Osijek wasn't the first royal visit - Queen Elizabeth II visited back in 1972 and had a delightful time herself.

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

April 24, 2023 - The SuperSport HNL 30th round was played from April 21 to 23, 2023. This round saw Dinamo draw against Istra, Belupo beat Osijek, and Gorica defeat Rijeka to jump from 10th to 9th place in the standings. 

Lokomotiva - Sibenik (1-0)

Lokomotiva and Sibenik opened the 30th round on Friday, April 21, in Zagreb in front of 581 fans. 

The only goal of the match came in the 81st minute when Tuci found the back of the net for 1-0. Lokomotiva had 61% possession and 14 total attempts compared to Sibenik's four attempts. 

Lokomotiva is in 8th place with 37 points, and Sibenik has dropped to last place with 24. Lokomotiva plays Rijeka next weekend and Sibenik meets Belupo. 

Slaven Belupo - Osijek (2-1)

Belupo and Osijek met on Friday in Koprivnica in front of 3,590 fans. 

While the first half went without goals, Caktas made it 0-1 for Osijek in the 52nd minute. Two quick stoppage-time goals gave Belupo the win - Krstanovic scored a penalty in the 91st minute for 1-1, and Boras made it 2-1 in the 10th added minute. Belupo had 56% possession and 14 total attempts on goal, while Osijek had 20. Both teams had four shots on target. 

Belupo is in 4th place with 40 points, and Osijek is in 5th with 39. Belupo meets Sibenik next, and Osijek meets Istra. 

Istra 1961 - Dinamo (0-0)

Istra and Dinamo met on Saturday in Pula in front of 3,340 fans. 

The game ended without goals, though Dinamo had 57% of possession and a total of 8 attempts on target compared to Istra's 7. 

Dinamo remains in first place with 67 points, while Istra is in 7th with 38. Dinamo meets Varazdin next and Istra plays Osijek. 

Hajduk - Varazdin (2-0)

Hajduk and Varazdin met on Saturday at Poljud Stadium in front of 10,596 fans. 

Benrahou put Hajduk ahead in the 25th minute for 1-0 at the half. Sahiti scored a stunning far-post goal assisted by Benrahou in the 65th minute for the final 2-0. Possession was equal during this match, while Hajduk had 14 total attempts, of which eight were on target. 

Hajduk is in 2nd place with 57 points, while Varazdin is in 6th with 39. Hajduk plays Gorica next, and Varazdin meets Dinamo.

Gorica - Rijeka (1-0)

Gorica and Rijeka closed out the 30th round on Sunday in Velika Gorica in front of 2,362 fans. 

While Gorica's first goal in the 2nd minute was called offside due to VAR, Fucak made it 1-0 in the 63rd minute for the Gorica win. Rijeka had far more possession in the match at 63%, with 11 total attempts on target, too. 

Gorica has now jumped to 9th place with 26 points, while Rijeka is in 3rd with 41. Gorica and Hajduk meet next, while Rijeka meets Lokomotiva.

You can check out the HNL table HERE. 

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April the 22nd, 2023 - The newly built Osijek-Baranja County business centre, one of the most strategically important centres in the entire county, has now officially opened its doors in an investment worth almost ten million euros.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the investment in the brand new Osijek-Baranja County business centre is worth a total of 9.5 million euros (71.6 million kuna), and the works and equipment were completed in less than two years from the start of construction.

With Osijek on the comeback and the battle against the concerning demographic crisis in the eastern part of the country continuing, this new and imposing economic and business complex in Slavonia will open the Spring Fair, where 170 exhibitors from across the Republic of Croatia and abroad will present themselves on more than 2,500 square metres of closed and 8,000 square metres of open exhibition space.

As part of the three-day exhibition and sales event, a number of accompanying events will be held at the newly opened Osijek-Baranja County business centre, from entertainment and promotional to professional gatherings, and products and programmes will be presented by a number of reputable companies such as the Nexe Group, Ancona Group, Saponia and more.

"The main goal of this representative project is the development of the local economy in this county, as well as across all of the eastern part of the Republic of Croatia. After the end of this first phase, phase two has also been planned. That will be the phase in which the business tower and some closed halls will be constructed, but it goes without saying that what has now been built, a facility with almost 5,000 m2 of closed space, offers the opportunity to organise various fairs and other economic activities as it is. Osijek-Baranja County is taking over the responsibility and management of this new facility," prefect Ivan Anusic announced.

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

April 22, 2023 -  An innovative app, Eazytowork, was presented at the Osijek Business Incubator. It offers a unique employment solution in Croatia, especially for young people who want to earn money while utilising all their skills and qualities to leave a good impression at their workplace.

In short, writes SiB, it can be argued that the Eazytowork app makes it easier to find temporary jobs for those who want to work but are not permanently employed. It allows the "booking" of jobs by shift. The employer announces shifts as needed, and the worker selects and "books" their shifts according to their capabilities.

The company Eazytowork itself was created in Ireland about two years ago when its founder Bernard Tomljenović started developing the idea of an application for quick and easy employment. Originally from Osijek, Bernard left for a temporary job in Ireland four years ago. The idea for an app through which employers and workers can easily connect came about during an annual vacation in Croatia.

Namely, Bernard noticed the problem of lack of communication between those who need small and quick jobs done and those who could provide those services. He was particularly motivated by the video of a young man who travelled around the country and provided similar services as a volunteer, so he began to think about a similar way of doing business that would solve the problem of smaller businesses.

The beginning was challenging. First, it was necessary to find the right direction and the right collaborators with whom the app could be launched. In the first ten months, he kept stumbling, which was reflected financially in a loss of over ten thousand euros.

Bernard then established cooperation with the Čakovec company Red Code, and after two years, the app came to life. During that time, Bernard's brother Tadej joined the Eazytowork team, while his high school friend Dominik Bogojević was with him from the beginning.

The innovative venture presented numerous challenges to young men aged 22 to 25, but they overcame them with perseverance, their own financial resources, and a lot of effort. The result is an innovative app for "booking" jobs throughout Croatia.

It should be noted that business registration in Croatia and the creation of a database of employers and employees are currently underway. The Eazytowork team is pleased to note that in just a few days, about a hundred job seekers have registered, and the number of interested employers is also growing.

As they are natives of Osijek, the founders of the Eazytowork team wanted to hold the first presentation of the app in their city, which is now widely known as the centre of the IT sector in Croatia and beyond. The company will continue to make it easier for young people to find jobs and unlock new ways to earn faster.

In addition to the "booking" of jobs, expansions in the app will soon allow all interested parties to publish various services such as tutoring for students, haircuts, installation of PC components, etc., which will greatly benefit young people who provide and advertise services through the app. Employees will also have access to various online courses they can take within the app, such as work safety.

Check it out on Eazytowork's official website.

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