August 4, 2019 - The 3rd round of the Croatian First League was held from August 2 to 4, 2019. Each 3rd round victory achieved by Osijek, Hajduk, Dinamo, Rijeka, and Istria featured three goals.

Dinamo v. Gorica (3:1)

Dinamo and Gorica opened the 3rd round of the Croatian First League on Friday, August 2, 2019, in front of 2,676 spectators at Maksimir stadium in Zagreb. 

Spanish superstar Dani Olmo scored for Dinamo first in the 22nd minute for 1:0 at the half. Moro increased Dinamo’s lead in the 57th minute for 2:0, while Gojak made it 3:0 in the 83rd minute. Lovrić managed to score Gorica’s only goal in the 86th minute. 

Dinamo is currently in first place with 9 points while Gorica is in 6th place with 4 points. 

Istria 1961 v. Varaždin (3:1)

Istria and Varaždin met for the second game of the 3rd round on Friday, August 2, 2019, in front of 1,922 spectators at Aldo Drosina stadium in Pula. 

Ćuže scored for Istria already in the 9th minute of the game for 1:0, which was the score at halftime. Ćuže came back with another goal in the 48th minute for 2:0, though a penalty was awarded to Varaždin ten minutes later to bring the score to a less comfortable 2:1 for Istria. 

Ćuže, however, saved the day with a hattrick and his third goal in the 73rd minute for the 3:1 Istria win. 

Istria is currently in 5th place with 6 points while Varaždin is in 8th with 0. 

Rijeka v. Slaven Belupo (3:1)

Rijeka and Slaven Belupo met at Rujevica stadium on Saturday, August 3, 2019, in front of 4,289 spectators. 

Čolak opened the game with a goal for Rijeka in the 24th minute, which was followed with one by Lončar in the 30th for 2:0 at the half. Krstanović managed a goal for Belupo in the 47th minute, though Rijeka secured their victory in the 73rd minute after Tomečak scored for 3:1. 

Rijeka is currently in 3rd place with 9 points while Belupo is in 9th place with 0. 

Hajduk v. Lokomotiva (3:0)

Hajduk and Lokomotiva met at Poljud stadium in Split on Sunday,  August 4, 2019, in front of 15,156 spectators. 

Hajduk’s first goal came in the 40th minute after a brilliant assist by Eduok found the boot of Caktaš for 1:0. Just three minutes later, Eduok scored a goal of his own for 2:0 at the half. 

But Hajduk wasn’t done scoring yet, and Nejašmić hit a rocket for 3:0, which was the final score of the game. 

Hajduk is currently in 2nd place with 9 points while Lokomotiva is in the last place with 0. 

Osijek v. Inter Zaprešić (3:1)

Osijek and Inter met on Sunday, August 4, 2019, in front of 1,855 spectators at City Garden Stadium to close out the 3rd round. 

While Inter was the first to score thanks to a goal by Serderov in the 20th minute, Osijek picked up the pace in the second for two goals in two minutes to take the lead (Bočkaj 68’, Kleinheisler 69’). 

Mance secured Osijek’s win in the 75th minute for 3:1. 

Osijek is currently in 4th place with 6 points while Inter is in 7th with 1. 

You can find the full HNL table here. 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

NK Osijek was eliminated in the second round of the Europa League qualifiers after a penalty shootout against CSKA Sofia on Thursday at City Garden stadium. 

NK Osijek and CSKA Sofia met for the return match of the second round of the Europa League qualifiers on Thursday at City Garden stadium. Recall, Sofia won the first leg 1:0 at home, reports HRT on August 1, 2019.

Osijek needed to put up a tough fight to stay alive in the Europa League and did just that on Thursday night in Osijek. In the 23rd minute, Bočkaj hit the wall from a free-kick and had an even better opportunity a minute later when he crossed the ball to Šorša who shot over the goal. 

But Osijek finally got their chance in the 27th minute after Ante Majstorović nailed a header from Žaper's cross from the right. After exactly half an hour of play, the game could have been 2:0. Marić fooled the Sofia player to find Mance, though their stopper cleared Osijek’s attack. 

The game saw no other goals, and after 90 minutes with a 1:1 aggregate from both games, it went into extra time. However, no winner could be decided in the dramatic added minutes, and the winner was then to be decided on penalties. Unfortunately, Osijek failed to overcome the Bulgarian club on penalties, losing 3:4 in the end. Thus, Osijek joins Hajduk and is no longer competing in the Europa League this season.

City Garden Stadium in Osijek welcomed 7,200 spectators for the Europa League clash between Osijek and CSKA Sofia.

This game was also the return of Ljupko Petrović to City Garden. The expert took over CSKA Sofia after the club dismissed Dobromir Mitov at the beginning of the season. Petrović's first encounter with Osijek was his debut for the club, and in the second he beat city rivals Slavia 2:1.

Petrović is the best scorer in Osijek history with 139 goals and has achieved his greatest career success as the Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) coach, winning the European title in 1991.

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

Osijek, Croatia’s well-known city on the Drava river, is flaunting a new investment in tourism infrastructure which upgraded the city’s most famous bathing area into the modern age. 

Namely, Kopika beach in Osijek, which you might know better as Copacabana beach, now features five smart benches, three changing cabins, ten smart showers, twenty new LED lighting fixtures with columns, two seating sets, and one smart tree. Thus, Copacabana is the first smart beach in Croatia, reports HRTurizam on July 31, 2019.

The beach offers six customary and six USB sockets which can be found on the unique tree display, which will pump solar power through 810-watt photovoltaic panels. Visitors can also enjoy 12 seats under the canopy of the tree. Furthermore, on the solar benches and seating sets, you can charge two mobile devices wirelessly and use up to 4 USB ports.

“Our Osijek is the first in the region to have the honor of enjoying and being proud of the new Copacabana smart beach. At any time, everyone who goes for a swim can charge their mobile devices and laptops. Of course, if they are on an electric bike or electric scooter ride, they can sit back, rest and recharge their vehicles,” explained Osijek Deputy Mayor Žana Gamoš.

The project has an investment value of 1,053,876.25 kuna, of which 392,000.00 kuna is co-financed by the Program for the Development of Public Tourism Infrastructure and the Ministry of Tourism. The rest of the necessary funds, or more than 660,000 kuna, was provided by the City of Osijek. The grant contract was signed in December 2018, and the project implementation began in May 2019, with work being completed in July this year.

It is important to emphasize that the smart benches, showers, changing rooms, seating sets, and solar tree are all Croatian products.

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

The 2nd round of the Croatian First League was held from July 26 to 28, 2019, and featured big wins for Hajduk and Dinamo, while Osijek suffered a major upset to Gorica. 

Inter Zaprešić v. Istria 1961 (0:2)

Inter and Istria met on Friday, July 26, 2019, at the Zaprešić stadium to open the 2nd round of the 2019/20 season. 

While the first half went without goals, Istria’s Cuze scored in the 83rd minute for the 0:1 lead, and increased the lead in the 93rd minute for the 0:2 Istria win.

Inter is currently in 7th place with one point, while Istria is in 6th with 3 points. 

Slaven Belupo v. Dinamo Zagreb (0:3)

Belupo and Dinamo met on Saturday, July 27, 2019, in Koprivnica for the second game of the 2nd round in front of 2,517 spectators. 

Dinamo’s Petković was quick to score in the 4th minute for a 0:1 Dinamo lead. Atiemwen increased Dinamo’s lead to 0:2 five minutes before the half. Dinamo secured one last goal in the 89th minute thanks to Moro, and walked away with a 0:3 victory. 

Belupo is currently in the last place with 0 points, while Dinamo is in 1st place with 6 points. 

Lokomotiva v. Rijeka (0:1)

Lokomotiva and Rijeka met on Saturday, July 27, 2019, at Kranjčevićeva stadium in Zagreb in front of 829 fans. 

The game went without goals until the final minutes when Rijeka’s Čolak scored in the second minute of added time for the 0:1 win. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 9th place with no points, while Rijeka is in 3rd with 6 points. 

Gorica v. Osijek (3:1)

Gorica and Osijek met on Sunday, July 28, 2019, in Velika Gorica in front of 1,280 spectators. 

Gorica was the first to score in the 35th minute thanks to a goal by Ndiaye for 1:0 at the half. Miya increased Gorica’s lead to 2:0 in the 53rd minute,  and Ndiaye came back with his second goal of the match for 3:0 in the 75th minute! While there was not much hope for Osijek, they were able to get one goal in the 90th minute thanks to Marić. 

Gorica is currently in 4th place with 4 points, while Osijek is in 5th place with 3 points. 

Varaždin v. Hajduk (0:3)

Varaždin and Hajduk met on Sunday, July 27, 2019, to close out the 2nd round at the NK Varteks stadium in front of 5,132 spectators. 

While the first half went without goals, Hajduk pressed in the second half to score all three goals of the game - the first by Dolček in the 49th minute, then a Caktaš penalty in the 55th, and a debut goal for new Hajduk player Eduok in the 86th for 0:3. 

Varaždin is currently in 8th place with zero points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 6 points. 

You can find the full HNL table here.

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

July 12, 2019 - As previously reported on TCN, the first Domovina Birthright Program is taking place in Croatia at the moment, an initiative between the American Croatian Association of Professionals, and the Croatian Government.

The idea of the program is to take the young adults of Croatian descent (ages 18 – 30), who wish to learn about their heritage, explore Croatia, connect with their Croatian identity and meet other young Croatian adults on an amazing trip to Croatia.

Kristiana Banđen is one of the 34 initial participants in the program, and she has kindly agreed to document her journey as she explores the country of her heritage. Over to Kristiana:for Day 3:

So far, this trip has been truly amazing!

This is my first time in the Slavonian region and it was absolutely breathtaking. 

Croatians are known for being hospitable and the warm welcome and hospitality of everyone we have met in Slavonia has been beyond expectation. We are being treated like royalty.

During our 3 day stay our lodging was in the student dorms, each room had bedding for two, small kitchen, and private washroom in the room. Our days are long with a start time of 7:30 am and ongoing until midnight.  

Day 3, again did not disappoint we visited the University of Vukovar before making our way to Đakovo.  

In Đakovo we were greeted by the Mayor Marin Mandarić who joined us in a tour of the cathedral and walked us over to City Hall where we were welcomed with refreshments. The cathedral left us all in awe. The amazing history, character and artwork was magnificent. We were fortunate to have been taken down to the basement to view the tombs, which is not open to the public.  

We enjoyed another amazing meal at National Lipizzan Stud Farm Đakovo along with domaći kolači. An amazing venue for weddings and events. Not to mention, the horses were beautiful!  

Our day continued to the University of Osijek where our group was divided to smaller groups, to have a private tour of the university and town. So far, it has been really great to have opportunities to speak to locals, giving many of us the opportunity to practice our Croatian and make connections. Our group leaders joined us for a private tour and performance in the Croatian National Theatre in Osijek accompanied with more vino of course!  

My favourite part of our third day of our trip was our evening dinner. Enjoyed in a beautiful property in Osijek, we were able to savour in our meal with the sounds of Mario Zbiljski playing tamburica joined with a group of musicians playing the cello and small guitars.  

Follow #domovina2019 and @kristianabanden @kikibann for more insights.

To follow the latest news from the Croatian diaspora, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

July 8, 2019 - As the number of digital nomads rises globally, some are choosing to spend some of their time in Croatia. A new TCN series meeting international digital nomads calling Croatia their temporary home. Meet Julie Odler from Denver.

As recently featured on TCN, the world is projected to have a billion digital nomads by 2035, people from all over the world doing all manner of jobs and business with one thing in common - a flexible, mobile workplace connected to the Internet. If even a fracture of that number becomes a reality, the economic opportunity for countries which can attract these wealth-generating individuals has the potential to dwarf Croatia's current tourism revenues. And there are few countries better placed than Croatia to take advantage. Safe, beautiful, great gourmet scene, top tourist destination, English widely spoken, well connected to other destinations, and a superb lifestyle. 

In order to look at the issue in more detail, we have decided to look at some of the digital nomads who have Croatia in their lifestyle plan, and to find out why Croatia, what Croatia offers, and what are the things that countries should be looking out for to take advantage of this economic opportunity. I am very grateful to Tanja Polegubic from Split's waterfront co-working space, Saltwater in Split (see location below) for her help in connecting me to various digital nomads using her space. 

Our next digital nomad in Croatia is Julie Odler, who is currently loving life in Osijek, a far cry from her native Denver.

You are one of a growing number of digital nomads. Tell us briefly who you are and what you do.

What brought me here to Croatia wasn't tourism, but the language itself. I just decided to learn it one day, and began studying it and speaking it whenever I could. I joke that some kind of "magical vortex" or "past life" drew me in long before my first visit here in Zagreb three and a half years ago.

This led to meeting contacts online so that I could practice the language. Some have become good friends.

Moving also made practical sense. There is a persistent myth that you have to have a lot of money to "travel," but I made a decision that made sense for me, as a woman over 50 in the digital marketing industry. It simply made more sense for me to start my own business, (Tech and Wine Digital Marketing) and reduce my overhead and living expenses by moving out of the U.S.The timing was in fact perfect for me. 2 years ago, I sold everything I had within 3 months and found a cheap one-way flight on July 4 to Amsterdam to start my nomad journey in Europe. I've lived in or spent time in Nijmegen, NL, Buzet Istria, Trogir, Split, Hvar, Zagreb, Belgrade, Sarajevo, Mostar, Kotor, and now Osijek.

I started out with almost nothing. The process has been a challenge, and honestly, moving abroad, being a nomad, and building a business on the road has not been easy, but it has been very much worth it. 

Working from your laptop rather than in an office seems like the dream lifestyle. What are the main pros and cons?

Pros:

Not having to get dressed up and go to an office every day. I can instead spend that time working! I actually love what I do and have no problem jumping right out of bed first thing in the morning to make coffee and work on my laptop.

Living in Croatia has probably resulted in creating more balance in my life. Because I love what I do, I tend to work so much I burn myself out. Now I'm more likely to take a break in the middle of the day to have coffee, go on a bike ride, go for a swim, or take a nap. The result is that I'm actually MORE productive, but at the same time I'm not living SOLELY for the sake of productivity, which is strongly ingrained in the North American culture. I feel very, very fortunate to be able to do what I'm doing,

Cons:

1. I had to learn to manage my energy and work smarter, not harder, so that I wouldn't sacrifice my health. I had to find my own rhythm. On the road this can be a challenge.

2. Not every place in Croatia is open to DN's. I tend to gravitate not only to larger cities,. but also smaller towns and villages that may not quite be aware of the concept of remote work. I've been turned down a few times when seeking apartment rentals because the landlady assumed that I didn't have a "real job."Sometimes it seems like I still have to answer a lot of repetitious questions like "Where do you work?" Who do you work for? Why Croatia, and not the U.S.?" from strangers to explain my living and working arrangements, although most of the inquiries arise from simple curiosity. My standard reply is now "I build websites" and that seems to work when I'm not in the mood to go into it. There are some I've met who can't quite wrap their head around entrepreneurism, let alone digital nomadism, but there are also many who not only get it, but are progressive, have great ideas, or are either are entrepreneurs or think like one.

I've also had a few people ask why I'm not able to just drop everything and go out for coffee on a Thursday evening (when I may have an online meeting with a U.S. client at 7 pm CET) or just take off the entire month of August, but most people I've talked to understand. Also, sometimes you do
have to work when others are winding down for the day, but it has not been a huge issue for me.

3. In some places, the weather keeps me "trapped" indoors, since I don't have a car. I'm talking the coast, where the Bura can be brutal. So I really have to be mindful and find creative ways to stay active, especially in the winter.The PRO that trumps them all: All these cons and sacrifices are ok with me. I can walk to a beautiful old city, (Tvrđa) right now. As in walk away from my laptop for an hour to take a break at a cafe there. I can easily ride a bike to Kopački Rit, which is a beautiful wildlife preserve not far from Osijek.

Life for a DN is not about being on an endless vacation. It can get stressful at times. There are sacrifices. However, actually LIVING in a place that many people only dream about visiting is priceless and wonderful. The friends and the people I've met, and the adventures I've had and the stories I have to tell.. I can't put a price on those either!

It goes beyond being a tourist, though. This is also now my home, and that also has a lot of meaning to me that is hard to put in words at the moment.

Laptop living gives you the freedom to travel and choose your place to live. Where are the global hot spots currently for digital nomads?

The only other place that really spoke to me was Arnhem, NL, which has a few workspaces that also offered healthy food and plenty of coffee. Maybe I have a thing for bike culture, rivers, bridges, and towns with a cool vibe. Except that I never could grasp Dutch, and I don't do well with short, dark, winter days.

You chose Croatia and specifically Osijek - why?

Again, it could be a long story, but here I am.As a digital nomad, I've found it to be the most "livable" place in Croatia, based on my own "livability" index of course.

It has a bike-friendly infrastructure. It's easy to get around and has an excellent public transportation system which is a breeze to navigate. It lacks big crowds but is still vibrant, with an abundance of culture and beauty, nature, healthy food, gyms, a low cost of living, and just an overall good "vibe."The wifi here is probably the best I've experienced anywhere, including the US and NL, for real. However, to be honest, if you are an Apple user and need tech support, your best bet is still going to be Zagreb, which is still less than a few hours away.

It is centrally located, with easy and quick access to Zagreb, Belgrade, Sarajevo, and Budapest.

To me, it's still a bit of a "well-kept secret." It's unpretentious and reasonably priced for what you get, in my opinion. I prefer a place where you can easily find interesting things to experience that aren't about "being entertained" by tourist traps or cafes and bars that try too hard to be cool. It's easy to just relax here, live more like a local, and never get bored.

Being a nomad and building a business on the road can be exhausting, and sometimes I just crave peace and quiet. I have to admit that came here expecting it to be "pleasantly boring" and a place to get a lot of work done till I made my way back to Sarajevo.

But it surprised me in many ways. For one, it is NOT boring at all. There are often live bands playing in or near my neighborhood, including well-known bands like Hladno Pivo. There was a huge BMX and skateboard competition I could walk to in 15 minutes. It seems like there is always SOMETHING interesting happening and indeed there is a lot of history and culture here.

Still, peace and quiet is not hard to find. There are no crowds, with plenty of greenery all around.We even have a "Riva!" It's not Split, but I like it. It's along one of the major bike paths. After a long ride, just hop off the bike, park it next to a table, and order a drink and watch the sunset on the Drava or gaze at the beautiful pedestrian bridge, which is lit up with vibrant color at night. (Tip: bring mosquito repellant in the height of summer)I was also surprised by the beauty of the farmland, which is a short bike ride west, and often take evening rides to the neighboring village of Višnjevac along a gorgeous and peaceful bike path.

I also prefer snow, rather than cold rain and high winds in the winter, as it is less likely to keep me inside. This is another reason I chose Osijek over the coast, although I still adore Dalmatia.

If you like bird watching, craft beer, or wine, you will be in heaven here. Kopački Rit is easy to get to via bicycle, although it helps to have a guide (friend) to get you there the first time. Wine is also a big deal here, and I can’t wait to experience more of it.

I think Osijek has been very good for me. It also helps to have friends that get me out of the apartment for coffee or lunch, and I've been fortunate to have made friends here rather effortlessly.

What are the most important things a destination should offer to be most compatible for the digital nomad lifestyle, apart from that all-important good WiFi?

The most valuable resource I've had is friends and contacts who really seem to understand my lifestyle rather quickly, which I appreciate profoundly.

If you have a Croatian friend, this can be very, very helpful. (make sure to do something nice for them too!)

One way to attract more DN's is to make it easy for us to find affordable housing year round.

Many of us don't need or want anything fancy, and we don't have the same needs as a tourist. I personally avoid Airbnb, 3rd party booking services and agencies because I don't want to pay fees every 3 months or inflated tourist prices. I use local listings in Njuškalo, or my growing network of personal contacts.I prefer to use Viber and Whatsapp because I like to make arrangements before I move.

For me, the basics for setting up a home "office" include a spacious table or desk, a comfortable chair, (not the couch and the coffee table, those may never even get used) space to do yoga, an outlet with a surge protector near the table, a modem that can easily be reset if need be, and some lighting sources besides the harsh overhead light, such as a table lamp.

Everyday eateries that offer options that are healthy, affordable, diverse, and accessible can make or break a decision to stay in a particular destination, at least for me.

Overall, we as digital nomads are guests in a particular country or destination and don't demand special treatment, but I for one am thrilled when people "get" us, meaning MUP/police station employees, landlords, mobile service providers, laptop service and repair shops, banks, and people in general. I hope that we can also give back, and it's something I enjoy doing in whatever way I can.

What are the competitive advantages that Croatia has to attract more digital nomads?

It still blows my mind how diverse Croatia really is, within such a small geographical area. I don't think I could ever get bored here. I'm sure many articles have covered the low cost of living, the diversity of nature, the culture, the beautiful sea, and the opportunities to be active. I could blog for a whole year about that.

I also think that Croatia is just RIPE for digital nomads and slow-travellers. The timing is good.

Another advantage: It's easier to position yourself in a non-Schengen area, at least part time, when you aspire to be a digital nomad in Europe. For some that could be the main motivation for coming here.

On more of a romantic level, I think the vibe here just suits many people. Sure, there are plenty of places all over Europe with beautiful old city streets and beaches and food and such. But many people that come here fall in love with it, or are drawn to it, like I was, for no particular reason, or for a thousand little reasons. It's just a cool place. To je to.

If you would like to follow my journey, I’m about to (finally!) launch my new blog, The Balkan Nomad. My digital marketing company, Tech and Wine, has also done websites and content marketing for the tourism industry. 

To learn more about Croatia for the digital nomad, check out the Total Croatia Digital Nomad guide. 

Are you a digital nomad in Croatia who would like to be featured in this series? Please contact us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Want to learn more about Osijek? Check out the Total Croatia Osijek in a Page guide. 

June 19, 2019 - Croatian clubs Dinamo, Osijek, and Hajduk have learned of their opponents in the Champions League and Europa League for the 2019/20 season. 

Namely, Dinamo Zagreb will kick off their Champions League campaign this year in the 2nd qualifying round where they will meet the winner of FC Sheriff Tiraspol from Moldova and FC Saburtalo from Georgia. 

The first match will be played in Moldova or Georgia on July 23 and 24, while the return match will be held on July 30 or 31 at Maksimir in Zagreb.

With its coefficient of 29,500, Dinamo had the status of a top seed in the first qualifying round draw. 

ℹ️ The official result of the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round draw.

(matches 23/24 July & 30/31 July)#UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/Ms1mGm0Jr2

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) June 19, 2019

Sheriff is expected to advance over Saburtalo, and Dinamo should make it to the 3rd qualifying round. Otherwise, Sheriff is an old acquaintance of Zagreb, and in the last decade, they have met three times in the qualifying rounds for the Champions League. In 2010, the Moldavian club went ahead thanks to a penalty shoot-out, while there was no dilemma in 2012 - Dinamo celebrated 5:0. In 2013, the draw coupled the two clubs again, and Dinamo went through with a 4:0 aggregate.

In the Europa League, Hajduk Split will meet Gzira United from Malta in the 1st qualifying round of the competition. If they advance, they will face the winner of FK Ventspils and Teuta. 

Osijek will enter the competition in the 2nd qualifying round and unfortunately pulled the most difficult rival. Namely, Osijek will play against the better of CSKA Sofia and Montenegrin club OFK Titograd. CSKA Sofia was a club both Osijek and Hajduk, who were in the same group for the draw, wanted to avoid.

The biggest stars of the Bulgarian club, which finished second in the championship with five points behind Ludogorets in first, are Portuguese midfielder Tiago Rodrigues and Ruben Pinto. According to Transfermarkt, CSKA is worth eight million euros more than Osijek, and Titograd is nine times more expensive.

If Hajduk advances past the Malta club, they will play against Ventspils from Latvia or Teuta from Albania. In the clash of the Latvian and Albanian teams, it is difficult to determine the favorite. Ventspils only secured fifth place in the championship this season. Teuta came in third last season and was led by former Hajduk player Tomislav Bušić.

The first matches of the 2nd qualifying round are played on July 25, with the return match one week later. Osijek and Hajduk will play away in the first round. 

Rijeka is included in the 3rd qualifying round of the Europa League and will be a top seed. 

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

ZAGREB, June 11, 2019 - Chinese entrepreneurs are interested in constructing a cargo and logistics centre at Osijek Airport and the government is expecting to receive a letter of intent in that regard as well as negotiations with the relevant ministries, it was said during a visit by a Chinese delegation to the biggest eastern Croatian city on Monday.

President of the Chinese Southeast European Business Association (CSEBA), Mario Rendulić, said that the promotion of Osijek Airport has to date stirred great interest among Chinese partners.

In addition to plans to build a cargo centre at the airport, Chinese entrepreneurs are expected to establish a logistics centre too.

Things are moving along and we are pleased about that. They are developing slowly but they are moving forward. We expect a letter of intent to be sent to the government so that we can move on even further, Rendulić said.

Chinese businesswoman Jiang Yu said that she is very interested in this location particularly since it can be combined with the possibilities provided by the Osijek river port and that negotiations are expected now on further details of possible cooperation.

Osijek-Baranja County Prefect Ivan Anušić assesses that the latest visit by a larger Chinese delegation than on 18 April means they are truly interested, adding that further steps are being discussed and advertising a call for bids is within the remit of state government bodies and not at the county level.

I think that we're entering the final phase when talks need to be conducted between interested investors and the relevant ministries. They are interested in the airport, both for passenger and cargo transport which entails the construction of a logistics centre and we have more than 250 hectares of land available, Anušić said.

He believes that due to the airport's close vicinity to the river port, the pan-European Vc motorway and railway corridor as well as the closeness of the border with Hungary and with Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Osijek is an ideal location which has been recognised by the Chinese entrepreneurs, he added.

The Osijek Airport director, Davor Forgić, informed that last year was a record year as far as passenger transport was concerned with 67,235 passengers catered for, up 55% on the year.

More Osijek Airport news can be found in the Travel section.

June the 10th, 2019 - The Pannonian Challenge turns twenty this year after hosting two decades of extreme sport and music festivals in Osijek. Over the past two decades, the Pannonian Challenge has grown to become one of the most popular events in extreme sports in Croatia, attracting international athletes across the world to take part in this spectacular five day event.

With a space of some 25 000 m2, together with a campsite next to the catacombs, the location sits on the left coast of the river Drava, next to the popular swimming pool Copacabana. If you’re walking along Osijek Promenade you can hear the music beats across the river Drava.

When you look back at the grass roots of this event in Osijek, with just a few skateboard fans starting it out with a completely different name, one can see that it has exceeded it origins of being just a group of people showing off some crazy moves, and for many people, it has exceeded their expectations since it first started twenty years ago.

Osijek has become the home of many extreme sports enthusiasts and a place to show off the most incredible moves for BMX, in-line and skateboarding. Total Croatia News was on the scene recently to see the some of the biggest names in Croatian and European skateboarding.

Day one started in Trvda at 18:00 in the Kazamat Gallery, showcasing the works of past and present photography art. With an incredible book collaboration of photographs from many artists that focuses on the subject of extreme sports in Osijek at various locations throughout the city, with the courtyard being the spotlight to enjoy the beats of DJ OMKE and UMBO taking you into the early morning of the next day.

Day two started with a bang early in the morning as many guests might have woken up to the sounds of thunder and lightning with a quick downpour. However, it cleared up just in time for the start of the warm-ups and registrations for the skateboarding competition. At 14:00, things really started to heat up at the Pannonian skate park in Osijek as riders were feeling the pinch. Fans showed up early as there were plenty of things to do and see while catching some rays under the warm Croatian sun.

With just a ten minute warning for the riders to get ready, you could see the spectators grabbing last minute cold drinks and something to eat.

Each rider got their turn to take to the course with the sound of the beep to show their moves in a one minute showdown. With only the top skateboarders in the final, there was still that incredible sense of community amongst them. With a limited time on the clock, technique and execution was paramount.

The rail grinds and flips during a rail slide off the bank wall were just some of the main moves. The following is an excerpt of just some of the judging criteria rules from here.

''Judging Criteria The performance of each rider is judged on overall impression including, but not limited to: - Difficulty - Style - Landings - Height - Consistency - Use of the course - Flow - Variety of tricks - Execution - Originality - Control of the tricks - Progression - Versatility

The overall composition of the runs is most important as the judges evaluate the sequences of tricks, the amount of risk in the routine, and how the rider uses the course. The judges take errors such as falls and stops into consideration.''

The finalist from the recent skateboarding completion were:

First place: Chrisu Khan from Spain
Second place: Timotej Lampe Ignjić from Slovenia
Third place: Bruno Vranić From Croatia

Skate Amateur results:

First place: Adriana Josipovic
Second place: Marko Gojkovic
Third place: Dominic Vargić

The best trick title was taken by Lajos Petrányi with a laser flip.

Here are the highlights:

Day three, Friday June the 7th - Scooter and in-line skating.

Later in the evening, things began at 16:00 with the finals having taken place at 18:00.

Then it was off to the music event where the excitement continued at Club Vega from 21:00 to 5:00.

22:00 - Hladno Pivo
00:00 - Let 3
01:00 - The Nilz
02:00 - Debeli Precjednik
03:00 - Of Apes

Day four, Saturday June the 8th -  BMX qualifications followed by an after party.

Day five, Sunday June the 9th -  BMX finals starting at 17:00 and ending at 20:00, followed by an after party.

This event which took place out in the open under the Croatian sky was full of sunshine and warmth for the competitors in Osijek. Follow our lifestyle page for more.

June 8, 2019 - Croatia and Wales met in Osijek on Saturday for their third qualification for the European Championship in 2020. 

Just over 17,000 fans came out to City Garden Stadium in Osijek to watch the Croatia and Wales qualification match for the 2020 European Championship. Croatia was without superstars Ivan Rakitić and Ante Rebić for the game. 

Croatia had their first real attack in the 8th minute, though Perišić shot over the goal. Croatia attacked well in the first 10 minutes of the game and managed to keep their play in Wales’ half. In the 10th minute, Wales had their first chance by Wilson, though Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livaković made an easy save. 

Croatia had another opportunity in the 13th minute from a corner, though Perišić shot over the goal again. 

After numerous attacks, Croatia finally got their chance in the 16th minute. Perišić crossed the ball into the box to Brekalo, though it hit the foot of Wales defender Lawrence for an own goal and 1:0 for Croatia! 

The game stopped for a 'cooling break' in the 23rd minute due to the Osijek heat - it was said to be around 30 degrees Celsius. 

After a perfect through-ball by Modrić in the 36th minute, Kramarić had a chance to score but hit just over the goal. 

Wales had a good chance in the 41st minute by Vaulks, though Livaković made a great save to keep Croatia in the lead. 

With no real dangerous attacks from Wales in the last 5 minutes, the game ended 1:0 for Croatia at the half. 

The second half started with a goal by Kovačić, though it was called offside. But it was not long for Croatia to get their second goal, which finally came for Ivan Perišić in the 47th minute. Croatia started to look like the World Cup finalists we know well. 

Wales continued without chances, though what could have been a dangerous free-kick from Bale went over the goal in the 55th minute. 

Croatia made their first sub in the 66th minute - Brekalo came out for Pašalić - and in the 75th minute, Kovačić came out for Badelj. 

In the 76th minute, Wales finally got their chance - Brooks scored with the help of a Vida deflection. It was 2:1 for Croatia. 

Croatia had another golden opportunity in the 91st minute thanks to Pašalić, but Kramarić missed in front of the goal. Five minutes of extra time was played.  

While Wales tried to press, it was Croatia to prevail, and the game ended 2:1 for Croatia!

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.