Children are full of an enviable amount of energy, and in the popular Istrian city of Pula, an idea that is totally unique in Croatia has come to the minds of those wanting to harness the mild climate and create what is being described as an outdoor, forest kindergarten.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 28th of December, 2018, grazed knees, muddy clothes, jumping around in ponds, climbing the trees, cold, rosy cheeks and smiling faces are everything that should be expected of a child, and Pula has come up with an innovative idea to harness childrens' curiosity for the outdoors, an idea entirely unique in Croatia.

As Glas Istre reports, the vision is that of a happy early childhood spent a unique ''forest kindergarten'' which is an idea that should come to life during springtime in Pula. The conceptual initiator of this unique idea is psychologist and certified nanny Francesca Miličević, who is herself a mother of a two-year-old child.

When asked how she came to the idea of ​​opening a kindergarten where most of the time children would stay outside, she said that she had observed how it's done in Scandinavian countries, and that she united various pedagogical systems, as well as permaculture, ecology, and of course, spirituality.

''The Kindergarten is being created in cooperation with the Heartface association and another specialist organisation, and the process of leasing a part of the forest at Veli vrh from Croatian Forests (Hrvatske Šume) is already underway,'' stated Milićević, explaining that this kindergarten will receive children from ages threee to six, and the idea is unique in Croatia as it will differ from the classic type of kindergarten in that the emphasis will be placed primarily on the children spending more time out in the open, enjoying nature, regardless of the weather conditions.

''We're blessed with the climate, it's the end of December, and outside there is beautiful sunshine. These kind of kindergartens are common in countries where the winter is extremely cold, so getting too cold isn't something that really needs to be feared. Indeed, scientific research proves that children who spend more time outdoors, in the fresh air, are healthier than those who spend more time in confined spaces,'' says the kickstarter of this kindergarten which will be one of a kind, and unique in Croatia.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for much more.

Just hours after British low-cost carrier EasyJet announced four new routes to Croatia for next summer, including connections between Dubrovnik and Berlin (Tegel), Pula and Amsterdam, Pula and Geneva, and Zadar and London (Gatwick), another line was introduced - Dubrovnik to Nantes, reports AvioRadar on December 13, 2018. 

Yet another new line for the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’, EasyJet will operate between Dubrovnik and Nantes with three flights weekly, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from June 24 to August 30, 2019. 

This will be the first EasyJet line for Croatia from Nantes, in the northwest of France, though it is the 18th line from Dubrovnik and the fourth connecting Dubrovnik and France. Either the Airbus A319 or the Airbus A320 will be used for this service.

These 2019 announcements, however, are all a part of EasyJet’s plans to expand their operations in Croatia, which should see over one million seats on sale going to and from Croatia next year. The plans also place particular focus on Pula, reports Ex Yu Aviation on December 14, 2018. 

"With more than fifty services operating in Croatia, EasyJet is committed to providing Croatian clients with affordable trips, offering them a broad network of connections with major European cities. Pula is very trendy both with young people who want to go to the various festivals of Croatia, but also with more mature people as well, and we expect all our new routes to be especially popular with passengers,” said EasyJet’s UK Country Manager, Ali Gayward. 

"This announcement of our expansion highlights our commitment to providing affordable routes to summer holiday destinations. We’re sure that they will prove extremely popular for those looking for a summer break or visiting friends and family,” Sophie Dekkers, EasyJet's UK Country Director, added. 

The new EasyJet routes are also in direct completion with airlines such as Croatia Airlines (which flies between Amsterdam and Pula) and Swiss International Air Lines (which operates between Geneva and Dubrovnik). The new Nantes route for EasyJet, which flies to the Pearl of the Adriatic, will compete against Volotea and TUIfly Belgium, while the Dubrovnik-Berlin (Tegel) route faces off with Eurowings. 

In 2019, EasyJet will operate over 3,100 flights to Croatia during the peak season - July and August.

To learn more about EasyJet in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

British low-cost airline EasyJet will launch four new lines to Croatia in their 2019 summer flight schedule, including two to Pula, one to Dubrovnik, and one to Zadar, reports AvioRadar on December 13, 2018. 

The strongest new line for the carrier will operate between Dubrovnik and Berlin (Tegel) three times a week, on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. This new line is in addition to the long-standing Dubrovnik-Berlin (Schonefeld) route. Unlike the Schonefeld route, the new Tegel route will begin operating almost two months earlier - from May 2, 2019. At the same time, this route will run until the end of the summer schedule, or October 26, 2019. 

The Schonefeld line, however, will also get an upgrade. The popular route will now be strengthened to four flights per week, instead of three, and run on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. This brings the total number of flights between Dubrovnik and Berlin to seven a week, which is an additional four flights compared to last year. 

Pula will also get two new routes next summer from the Netherlands and Switzerland. The new Pula-Amsterdam line will operate twice a week, on Tuesdays and Sundays, from June 25 to September 1, 2019. The new Pula-Geneva line will also circulate twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, from June 26 to August 31, 2019. This will be the second line to Pula from Switzerland after Basel was introduced this year, which will continue operating with two flights per week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, in 2019. 

The fourth new EasyJet line for Croatia next summer is between Zadar and London (Gatwick). The new line will operate twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays, from April 30 to October 26, 2019. Similar to Dubrovnik, this is an additional line for EasyJet from London, which already operates to Zadar from London Luton Airport. The existing EasyJet flight from Luton will run twice a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays, from April 30 to October 26, 2019.

All EasyJet flights will use an Airbus A320 aircraft or the smaller Airbus A319. 

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

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 4th of December, 2018, every year, this Pula company produces almost 4,000 tons of varying baked products, and it's mostly bread and other rolls whose sales are continuing to grow.

Brionka, a Pula company, is the leading Istrian bakery and confectionery producer operating within the wider Rijeka area, and in early December is marketed popular and traditional dry Christmas cakes to mark the beginning of the festive season, as well as sweet bread with raisins. Over the past month, they have placed a new dessert on the market, namely a marble cake, and they are currently preparing for the upcoming placement of three more new desserts, cheesecake and cakes with a cookie which will be available at the end of this year or at the latest, early next year, according to Ivan Smetko, the production manager of the aforementioned Pula company.

As Glas Istre writes, in spite of numerous past doubts and the unenviable debts of Brionka's former management body, this Pula company is now operating positively, the salaries of its 250 employees increased by 20 percent, and the plans are to move to a new location in Pula or even in nearby Vodnjan where they could work from one place and thus further reduce the company's overall expenses, says Brionka's managing director, Mladen Anić.

As stated, this Pula company produces an enormous amount of food, with their production of almost 4,000 tons of bakery products, the most being bread rolls which have seen company sales grow by three to five percent. The biggest increase of 20 to 30 percent per year, however, is owing to the company's more salty range, including the beloved burek, which is commonly picked up on the go owing to the fast pace of life and the need for fast food.

Make sure to follow our dedicated business and Made in Croatia pages for more information on Croatian companies, products and services, what's going on in the business world in Croatia, and doing business here.

As Glas Istre writes on the 26th of November, 2018, calculations show that almost a million people per year can be found on Pula's riva (waterfront), with the highest concentration naturally being in the tourist season, during the warmer summer months. Could the introduction of a Pula riva tram be the answer to a silent yet pressing question for the city?

These high concentrations of people are all potential users of the historic Istrian city's future tram. Rather than driving cars into the city and its roads, a tram could be a much better option. Ultimately, the benefits of such a move would be multifaceted. Pula would have the opportunity to put its abandoned resources back into proper use, namely the railway line, and solve a good part of its traffic problems in an environmentally friendly manner.

Can the introduction of an electric tram along the Pula riva significantly reduce the traffic and crowding during the summer, and eliminate the proverbial tourist suffocation on the streets of Pula? Yes, it can - claim Livio Nefat and Ivan Skol, who are completing their project on the introduction of an electric tram in Pula, by reactivating the neglected railroad tracks which already exist in the popular Istrian city.

Instead of going back into the past, the Pula riva tram project introduces us to the future, just like in the film. We imagine that it would be able to travel along the entire Pula Bay, where there is already a line from older times. To be able to take a tram to go swimming at Punta Krišto, Štinjan and Hidro on one side, or go shopping in Max City on the other. And how would it be, during the summer, to be able to sit on a tram that would take you under the tunnels below the Montezaro park all the way to the exit not far from Elektroistra? It sounds unreal, but it isn't an impossible task.

The above is the vision of the Pula locals, who have been steadily and enthusiastically engaged in the Pula riva tram idea for the last four years.

''Thousands of tourists a day, from the nearby tourist zones, from settlements, camp sites, and hotels from various places across Istria, come to the centre of Pula during the summer in their cars and on buses to see its sights, to embark on a boat tour or to go to one of the evening performances at Pula Arena. They go and park wherever they arrive in the city centre, and more and more are parking at large car parks at the entrance to the city - at Mandrač, on the outskirts of the riva in the north, on Marsovo polje, and at the former Industrokema in the southern part of the city. There are no adequate, targeted means of transport now. Walking in the summer at 35 degrees is a problem for everyone. After all, they want to be comfortable, most aren't bothered about walking, but they'd be happy to drive,'' Livio Nepat states.

According to his idea, the Pula riva tram would initially run from the car park at Mandrač, near the railway station, and then along the waterfront all the way to the Forum. If the line ended up being extended as planned, and then realised, the southern part of that same symmetrical line would see a tram take tourists and other travellers from the Forum to the future garage located at Marsovo polje, where there are other larger car parks. Therefore, the tourists would leave their vehicles in the aforementioned parking areas, at Mandrač and Marsovo polje, in order to get into the city by public transport, more specifically by electric tram. This smart solution would significantly relieve Pula's burdened roads of the overwhelming crowds during the summer, according to the authors of the planned project.

According to the business plan they have developed, the first phase of the investment is worth about five million kuna, and that could be paid off within a three year period. These calculations show that almost a million people can be found on the waterfront per year, where they then embark on ships, excursion boats, buses on the waterfront, or go to concerts and other various events held at Pula Arena. These are, as stated, all potential users of Pula's future tram.

Ultimately, the benefit of the introduction of such a tram service in Pula would be a multifaceted one. The city would put its unused and abandoned resources back into proper use, such as the railway line, and thus solve at least a good part of the traffic jams in an environmentally acceptable way, explained Ivan Skol.

As far as the second phase of the project is concerned, the proposal is to use a railroad that runs along Pula Bay as a whole. The track already exists on one side all the way to the cement factory (alternatively, the old route from back in 1904 could be restored) not so far from Muzil, Max City, the Naval cemetery and the church, and on the other side, to Punta Guc at Valellunga, where a cruise terminal is planned. So, an even greater influx of tourists who need transportation to Pula Arena, the Forum, the market etc is expected. By extending the line from the cement factory to Muzil, it could also even reach an important future tourist area, as well as a new shopping centre.

On the other hand, the railway line towards the north, from the railway station to the military airport, already exists. With the addition of the section to the civilian airport, the Pula riva tram would be able to offer an elegant transfer service for thousands of passengers from the airport to the city, as well as to the future cruise terminal.

''I've been working on this tram north-south simulator for four years now. So far, a lot has been agreed. After lengthy negotiations, (with particular emphasis and thanks to the professional staff of the traffic section of Pula and Istria) HŽ confirmed to us that it's technically possible to use two tracks that are not being used at Pula railway station. The licensed company from Zagreb, authorised to design the railway infrastructure, has been working on completing the entire design process over recent days. We got a CD from the City of Pula with all the necessary geodetic substrates of the Mandrač - Forum route for the project, for which we're especially grateful to the Administrative Department for Spatial Planning of the City of Pula,'' noted Livio Nefat.

The author's desire is to present the "Tw" Pula riva tram project to the City of Pula when all of its loose ends are tied up. It is the City itself which will decide whether or not the project will come to life. Without the green light from them, it is impossible to realise, among other important things, the availability of a funding channel through European Union money. With EU cash behind it, the whole project would be easier to kickstart and then later continue to elaborate.

The two Pula locals have said that their desire to bring this project to fruition comes from their wish to make a contribution to the community as citizens of Pula, for the citizens of Pula, and in cooperation with the City of Pula, with the help of EU funds, ITU mechanisms and other forms of financing to realise a self-sustaining entrepreneurial venture, from which everyone would benefit.

Want to find out more? Make sure to keep up to date with our lifestyle page.

Click here for the original article by Jasna Orlic for Glas Istre

While Volotea has significantly increased operations to Croatia in recent years, next summer, the Spanish low-cost carrier has made an even more significant leap forward with their new route from Athens to Dubrovnik. 

Croatia's shipyards are struggling, and for a long time the state has had its hands firmly tied when it comes to offering them potential ways out of their issues. Uljanik's workers have previously gone as far as to take to the streets in protest against the way in which they're being treated, often going dangerously long periods without being paid. 

Issues at the very top of the management board have resulted in long wage delays for dedicated employees who have been made so desperate they have gone on strike, but it seems as of tomorrow, things will return to normal, at least for now...

As Morski writes on the 18th of November, 2018, in spite of the payment of minimum wages, negotiations between the Croatian Government and Uljanik's unions apparently did manage to bring fruit, as was announced on Monday, and the strike in which Uljanik's employees have continuously held since October the 22nd should come to an end.

''We've been paid the minimum for now, and we were promised that we'd not have to wait so long in October. We simply decided that it was time to stop the strike, because that's what the shipowners expect from us. We will be the ones ending ourselves if we don't continue to work. We'll take a fifteen day break from strike activities, but we won't disband the strike board,'' said Đino Šverko, a member of Uljanik's strike board, for N1.

He also said that Uljanik's employers had nothing against Uljanik and May 3 being separated.

''We have to start thinking about work. The strike is going on and on, if it lasts until the end of the month, we'll end up closing everything ourselves, we can't see a way out. We're starting work, we'll carry out our tasks and then everything remains in the hands of the the Croatian Government,'' Deni Širol told N1.

For more information on the state of the domestic economy, Croatian companies, business and the possible fate of Uljanik, make sure to follow our dedicated business page.

ZAGREB, November 15, 2018 - After a meeting between Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and the management boards of the 3. Maj dock and the Uljanik shipbuilding group, shipyard workers and unions on Thursday, union representative Juraj Šoljić said that workers will continue striking until their demands are met and workers, who received the minimum wage for September, are paid their full wage.

"Even if workers at 3. Maj were to stop their strike, they don't have anything to do," Šoljić said, underscoring that there is no material for them to work with that would enable the continuation of production at that Rijeka-based shipyard. He added that during the meeting with Prime Minister Plenković, workers' representatives reiterated their stance.

Workers are demanding the replacement of the 3. Maj Supervisory Board and the appointment of a new one, comprising two members from Pula and two from Rijeka in addition to the current workers' representative. They are also demanding that the dock's director, Maksimilijan Percan, be replaced, an emergency administration appointed, and all sectors that used to be part of 3. Maj, including the engine factory, be restored as part of the dock, as well as that workers' representative be included in preparing a restructuring plan for the Uljanik Group.

Workers also want the 3. Maj shipyard's separation from the Pula-based Uljanik to be included in the restructuring plan and that it be prepared carefully so that 3. Maj can continue working and contracting new jobs.

Šoljić said that workers want to know what will happen to the ships currently being built at the dock. Over the past two days, we had informal contact with the ships' owner regarding the completion of those ships because they mean life for 3. Maj, he added. He said that workers were told at the meeting that they would be able to participate in preparing the restructuring plan.

The unionist underscored that workers' representatives said that they would not back down from their demand that the Supervisory Board be replaced and a new one appointed, adding that if an agreement was not reached on that point, the state would have to step in.

Šoljić said that the management board had still not prepared the restructuring plan for Uljanik even though it was said that it would be completed by the start of the week. "As far as I understood, the potential partner for Uljanik has to prove its financial capacity for the programme to survive," he added.

He added that they were assured at the meeting that 3. Maj would not be shut down and that negotiations were being held with various partners.

With regard to separating 3. Maj from Uljanik, Šoljić said that it can't be done overnight and that it is necessary to regulate Uljanik's repayment of a 523 million kuna loan given to it by 3. Maj, the completion of the four ships under construction, investment into technology and injection of fresh capital by a new partner, as well as the sale of shares.

I believe that the bids also offer something and I trust that a model will be found for 3. Maj's survival and that if nothing else, it will be privatised and operate independently, Šoljić concluded.

For more on Croatia’s shipyards, click here.

Croatia has become home to a great many live performances, live music gigs and festivals over recent years, and Pula in Istria stands out for its popularity in particular.

As part of their European tour, The Slackers played a great rock steady live music gig full of high energy to a sold out crowd in Pula at Klub Kotač on the 8th of November, 2018, and promised to come back again soon. 

After an amazing set and a quick beer, the The six-piece ska/reggae/dub/jazz band from New York returned for another thirty minutes of encores.

They continually interacted with the audience and to the partying and dancing crowds' delight, they played many of the requests from their back catalogue as well as tracks from the new eponymous album ''The Slackers''.

Club Kotač is a non-commercial club founded by the Seasplash Collective as an upgrade to the already existing Edusplash Platform - Multimedia Platform for Education and Development.

It is located on the ground floor of the Social Center "Rojc" in Pula. There are regular events such as concerts and workshops being held at Club Kotač and its popularity is growing.

For more images of any of the bands in concert, you're more than welcome to view Chasing The Light Art, the music photography magazine of Total Croatia News photographer David Gasson.

There are a few more concerts  coming up in and around Pula which we at Total Croatia News will be covering, as well as bringing you exclusive pictures of, including:

Madeleine Peyroux, the popular American jazz singer and songwriter, on the 9th of December, 2018.

All tickets and more information can be found at Backstage Live.

Want to keep up with more info on live music performances, festivals and gigs across the country? Make sure to stay up to date with our lifestyle page.

November 10, 2018 - The latest flights to Croatia roundup, with El Al starting direct flights to Dubrovnik, Ryanair expanding, Volotea moving into Rijeka, and more records smashed at Croatian airports.

New Direct Flights to Croatia - El Al from Tel Aviv to Dubrovnik

Isreali interest in Croatia has been steadily increasing in recent months, with Croatia's controversial US$500 million purchase of Israeli F16s, a shift in the Croatian position in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, as well as a raft of business announcements. The latest strengthening of ties comes with the announcement that El Al will start the first-ever direct flights to Dubrovnik from Israel, starting on June 4. The weekly Tuesday flight will run under the tourist brand Sun d'Or until September 24, and the new route will be in addition to the longer running connection between Tel Aviv and Zagreb. The flights to Zagreb will be three times a week from April 2 to October 23 - all details of timetables can be found via Avioradar. 

Flights to Rijeka - Welcome Volotea!

Volotea's steady expansion in the Croatian market continues, and the Spanish low-cost carrier has announced its first flight to Rijeka, European City of Culture in 2020. And if you are quick, promotional tickets are just 9 euro. The new route will be once a week from Marseilles, and it will run from June 6 to August 28. 

New flights to Pula from easyJet and Volotea

More easyJet love for Istria, as the famous orange and white livery will be connecting Pula with Amsterdam next summer, as already reported by TCN. 

It is not the only new route to Pula to be announced this week. Having already established Nantes to Pula, Volotea will commence direct flights to Pula from Bordeaux once a week on June 5, reports Avioradar.

More flights to Split with Wideroe

No market has opened up to Dalmatia as much as the Scandinavian market with the arrival of budget flights, and national carrier Norwegian can be credited with a major part in establishing the market. Where one goes, others follow, and yet one more option for Norwegian tourists next summer, as Wideroe has announced another charter option from Oslo Torp to Split. 

Cheap Flights to Croatia - Ryanair to add more Zadar Routes

Despite being the first to enter the low-cost market in Croatia back in 2007, Ryanair has not expanded as much as easyJet, Norwegian or some other competitors. It seems that some efforts to addressing this will come next year. 

"The budget airline, which last year held a 5% capacity share in Croatia and was well behind rivals such as easyJet and Eurowings on the market, will strengthen its seasonal base in Zadar next year with the launch of up to eight new routes. The carrier has already scheduled new services from Hamburg, Prague, Cologne, and Nuremberg to the Croatian coastal city next summer. However, it is expected that the no frills airline will no longer have an aircraft stationed in Croatia." Read the full story of Ryanair's plans for both Croatia and the wider region on ExYuAviation.

Flights to Croatia - more record passenger numbers to Croatian airports

The records keep on tumbling. More information on record passenger numbers in two TCN reports this week - Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik airports set October record, and  Airports See 10.5% More Passengers than Last Year.

For the latest flight news to Croatia, follow our dedicated page