ZAGREB, March 9, 2020 - A public electric bicycle system - RiCikleta, which allows citizens to rent 28 bicycles located at four terminals in the city, has been recently presented in Jadranski Trg Square in Rijeka.

RiCikleta is a smart electric bicycle with GPS tracking. The bikes are rented by scanning the QR code, that is, paying the rental through a QRPay code.

The first bicycles were ridden by Rijeka cyclist Vladimir Miholjević and Deputy Mayor Marko Filipović.

Renting a bike costs 10 kuna per hour and the maximum time of use is three hours. Bicycles will be available for use to persons over the age of 18 and the rental ends once the bike has been properly returned to the stand.

The total value of the project is HRK 1.3 million, most of which had come from the Rijeka city budget, while HRK 195,280 was provided by the Ministry of Tourism.

The project is about introducing the trend of micro and smart mobility in urban transport, which contributes to the development of alternative forms of sustainable mobility.

More Rijeka news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

March 5, 2020 - The 25th round of the Croatian First League was played mid-week, from March 3-4, 2020. This round featured the always exciting ‘Eternal Derby’ between Hajduk and Dinamo at Poljud Stadium in Split. 

Lokomotiva v. Slaven Belupo (3:0)

Lokomotiva and Belupo opened the 25th round on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in Zagreb in front of 706 fans. 

While the first half went without goals, Uzuni scored at the start of the second half in the 59th minute for 1:0. An own goal by Jeffren made it 2:0 two minutes later, and Budimir sealed the victory for Lokomotiva with a penalty in the third minute of injury time for 3:0.

Lokomotiva is currently in 4th place with 43 points, while Belupo is in 7th with 23. 

Rijeka v. Inter Zapresic (4:1)

Rijeka and Inter met on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, at Rujevica Stadium in front of 3,376 fans. 

Colak scored the first goal for Rijeka early on in the 9th minute for the 1:0 Rijeka lead. Lepinjica increased Rijeka’s lead in the 41st minute for 2:0 at the half. Galovic made it 3:0 in the 66th minute, while Mamut gave Inter one goal in the 70th minute for 3:1. 

Muric scored in the 84th minute for the final score of 4:1. 

Rijeka is currently in 3rd place with 44 points, while Inter is in 9th with 17. 

Istra 1961 v. Osijek (1:0)

Istra and Osijek met in Pula on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in front of 603 fans. 

Delic scored the only goal of the game in the 2nd minute for 1:0 Istra. 

Istra is currently in 8th place with 19 points, while Osijek is in 5th with 39.

Varazdin v. Gorica (2:2)

Varazdin and Gorica met on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, at NK Varteks Stadium in front of 1,411 fans. 

An own goal by Canadjija made the game 1:0 for Varazdin in the 31st minute. Benko scored three minutes later to make it 2:0 at the half. 

Lovric came back with a goal in the 65th minute for 2:1, and a penalty equalizer by him in the fourth minute of injury time made it 2:2, which was the final score of the game.

Varazdin is currently in 10th place with 17 points, while Gorica is in 6th place with 35. 

Hajduk v. Dinamo (0:2)

Hajduk and Dinamo closed out the 25th round on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in the 'Eternal Derby' at Poljud in front of 22,436 fans. 

A red card in the 40th minute for Hajduk’s Ismajli completely changed the game, which was still 0:0 at the half. Dinamo took advantage of having a player more in the second half and Kadzior scored two minutes in for the 0:1 Dinamo lead. Ademi increased Dinamo’s lead to 0:2 in the 75th minute, which was the final score of the game. 

Hajduk is currently in 2nd place with 45 points, while Dinamo is in first with 62.

You can see the full HNL table here.

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

March 3, 2020 - It was almost 20 years ago to the day that I first came to Croatia, more specifically to Cres, Opatija and Rijeka. I was here to write a travel piece for a Brighton based magazine for which I was the production assistant – when the editor called out across our office “who wants to go to Croatia for a week?” I stuck my hand into the air eagerly although not being 100% sure about where I’d be going. On that trip, I experienced a tiny piece of Croatian life and the Rijeka Carnival and was greatly impressed. In 2003, I left Brighton and Hove (the city’s full title) and moved to Rijeka.

In the following years, I visited many parts of the country but I always thought that the city was different and even the Croats I met on those trips told me that Rijeka stood out as being alternative.

From music to art to literature this city has proved this to me with the opening of the Rijeka 2020 – European Capital of Culture (ECoC) this February and it made me realise that Brighton and Rijeka have several things in common so I put together a list:

1. They are both cities by the sea – south of their capitals - obvious I know. Brighton is the closest big city to London and a huge tourist destination. Rijeka is Croatia’s third-largest city, not, unfortunately, a big tourist destination, however, in the past, it was a very important industrial and transport hub and with ECoC and all that this investment, opportunity and status will bring, it now has much more potential.

2. Theatres – both cities have theatres that came into popular use in the late-19th century. In Brighton the Theatre Royal and in Rijeka the Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc. In each city, there is also an unused venue. Rijeka’s Opera hall was recently opened for the opening day of ECoC when several rock bands played well into the night and it has recently hosted a dance event, which will surely boost its rejuvenation. Whilst in Brighton the Hippodrome’s future is still in the balance. Both these venues have seen better days during their century-long lives.

Brighton’s Theatre Royal

Rijeka’s Croatian National Theatre Ivan pl. Zajc

Brighton’s Hippodrome Theatre

Rijeka’s Opera hall

3. Both cities have old original cinema theatres. The Duke of Yorks picture house in Brighton is an art-house cinema. It was one of the first in the world and was opened in 1910. It has experienced many lows and highs over the years but has survived and today it is still the oldest working movie theatre in the UK. Rijeka has Art-kino, which under a different name was founded about 1928 and then went through many variations and premises over the decades. The movies were incredibly popular in Rijeka, with films being shown from all parts of Europe, America and the Soviet Union. In fact, at one point in time Rijeka country had more cinemas screens than any other town in Croatia (45) and in the first six months of 1950 more than 750,000 cinema tickets were sold in the city. A law was even in force at the time which meant that the sale of tickets by touts outside before a popular film was screened became a criminal offence – those found guilty were fined, imprisoned or even expelled from the county! During Rijeka 2020 ECoC there will several locations arranged for open-air film screenings around the city and even on the roofs of tower blocks. Brighton also has open-air cinema shows during the summer.

Brighton’s Duke of York’s Picture House

Rijeka’s Art-kino cinema

Both cities also have multiplex cinema complexes, however, these two small independent art-house cinemas have survived where other theatres have disappeared or been repurposed, and they still draw in the crowds.

4. Graffiti and murals. Both cities are adorned with murals and let’s say artistic graffiti. With tasteful and professional illustrations buildings, parks and other public spaces can be really brought to life, enhance the image and even become talking points and landmarks of towns and cities in place of drab, grey, depressing, crumbling structures. During Rijeka 2020 ECoC there will be an international festival of murals and street art will appear around the city painted by local and foreign artists.

Mural on Brighton’s Prince Albert pub features famous departed musicians and singers. More and more every year, unfortunately.

New mural on the wall of the IVEX building in Rijeka

5. Rijeka was and still is a centre of new music. In the 60s the first rock bands in the former Yugoslavia emerged here, in the 70s and 80s punk and new wave groups such as Paraf flourished. Later in the 90s and early 2000s, the club and dance scene was led by the Fun Academy and Quorum Colours. Brighton has always been an innovative place for new music. In the late 80s and 90s, it was a key place for the emerging dance and rave scene, which I really enjoyed. In the mid-90s I played bass in a rock band. My friends and I did it for the joy of music – we didn’t expect to be famous – we weren’t – but like so many others we did it for the fun of playing. 3-4 times a week we went to gigs, in pubs and clubs. This is similar to the feeling I have in Rijeka now – there is a varied musical scene, from flamenco to bluegrass and I have got to know several musicians by helping them with their English language as well as reminiscing about the heady 90s rave scene and concerts by bands that people here would have enjoyed seeing. Of course, all the musicians I’ve met here are much more proficient and professional than I was back then. One particular star from Brighton, Fatboy Slim has played in Croatia several times and Nick Cave, who is immensely popular in Croatia lived there more many years (bumped into him twice in Brighton’s shops).

6. Brighton is one of the key centres for the publication of The Big Issue magazine which was established in 1991 to help homeless people get back on their feet and make a small living from writing and selling the magazine. The Big Issue was one inspiration for Rijeka’s own magazine called Ulične svjetiljke which is now sold throughout Croatia.

7. Universities – both cities have renowned universities and big student populations. Several campuses and faculties are spread around each city. The students’ energy and enthusiasm are a constant drive in both communities. And of course, with large numbers of students come festivals and events to cater for them. Rijeka has the multi-day Student Day Festival – the largest in the region, which has just celebrated its 10th anniversary. It features cultural, educational, sports, humanitarian, entertainment and scientific events for up to 40,000 students from Rijeka, all over Croatia as well as nearby countries. The highlight being the weekend of free concerts in the very centre of the city featuring famous local names – something that made me reminisce of student gigs back in the early 90s in Brighton.

8. In Brighton the culture of recycling is firmly established. It is the only city in the UK which has a Green Party Member of Parliament. In the city, every household has separate bins for each kind of waste that is then collected by the council and dealt with. The City of Rijeka is trying – with separate containers for waste plastic, paper and glass for each neighbourhood, and it regularly distributes leaflets about how to cut down on unnecessary waste and raise awareness of recycling. Recently the city received more money from the government for the expansion of its recycling facilities. There is also one excellent initiative in the city called Riperaj, which is Croatia’s first repair café. It was opened in late 2019 and offers its citizens a free repair service (excluding any necessary spare parts) for their household electrical items and furniture and anything that would otherwise be thrown into the rubbish and end up in a landfill. It also offers a programme of workshops for everyone who wants to learn more about recycling and repairing household equipment. Repair cafés are a rapidly worldwide growing concept. Brighton also has its own Repair Café which was opened in 2012. During ECoC there are several green initiatives, such as Zeleni Val, beginning in Rijeka including the conversion of previously unused roofs of tower blocks into gardens and the greening of deserted areas owned by the city. Something that the local communities are invited to get involved with.

There are many other ways which Rijeka could also benefit from sustainable and renewable energy. Off the coast of Brighton, there is a massive wind farm with more than 100 windmills. Imagine the electricity which could be generated when the fierce “bura” wind blows!! Solar power too when considering the number of sunshine hours which the Adriatic Sea enjoys – in fact, a solar power plant on the nearby island of Cres is due to be constructed.

Recently the Port of Rijeka was given a waste collection device – the Seabin – the first in Croatian waters. This simple, inexpensive bin for collecting surface waste is a global initiative that aims to clean up the water around harbours and ports.

9. Brighton has a very big gay community. The Brighton Pride Festival is the largest and proudest LGBT event in the UK with an average of 450,000 attendees every year. Although Rijeka does not come close to this kind of event, it is important to note that in 2013 the people of Rijeka voted against the proposed Article 61 of the Croatian Constitution which was upheld nationally as proclaiming that “Marriage is a living union between a woman and a man” - effectively meaning same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. Croatia’s first lesbian organisation - LORI - was established in 2000 in Rijeka and it supports the rights of the LGBT community in society. During ECoC there will be the annual Smoqua festival of LGBT culture which will feature performances, a concert, an exhibition, artist and activist interventions in public spaces, workshops, panel discussions and other activities in order to introduce visitors to the importance of queer and feminist history and it will be attended by participants from around the world. Just recently, in 2019 a new website, aimed at gay travellers and tourists was launched by a woman from Rijeka – gaytravelcroatia.net. Since living in Rijeka I have met many friendly, open-minded people of all generations from school children and pensioners, artists, writers, musicians and professors with whom I share the same passions, opinions and positive outlooks as those I know back in Brighton. Although the two cities do not share similar histories, I think that Rijeka’s past has only added to its diversity and tolerance for others as well as the desire for change and improvement.

10. Both Rijeka and Brighton like to feel as though they are different and independent. People visit Brighton for a weekend away, for the arts, nightlife and shopping. The community feeling is very close. In the 2016 Brexit referendum 68% of Brighton’s residents voted to remain in the EU. For me, Rijeka too has a similar feeling - immediately after the ECoC opening ceremony on the blackboard of a popular bar in Rijeka – Caffe la Guardia - whose daily pearls of wisdom over the years have been highly amusing and succinct, stirred up some reactions - read into this what you will.….. 

Of course, this is just a quick list of things that immediately came to my mind after enjoying the opening ceremony of Rijeka’s year of holding the title of European City of Culture – many people I spoke to in the days following that day agreed that Rijeka should have a similar, although more modest, event every year. The year-long programme and the lasting effects after 2020 could be the initiator for a new annual Rijeka festival – RiFest (?) which would bring extra energy and interest to the city just like Brighton’s world-famous Festival. 

Late February saw the annual Rijeka Carnival Parade through the city centre. An extra special event this year to celebrate the European Capital of Culture, and something that I experienced 20 years ago on my first visit to Croatia. Every year I am always impressed by the effort, ingenuity and joy that its people can create and in doing so make it unique – just like my previous home of Brighton.

So Rijeka, in the words of your own annual carnival slogan may you always “be what you want to be.”

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

March 2, 2020 - The 24th round of the Croatian First League was held from February 27 to 29, 2020. In this round, Dinamo Zagreb stunned Rijeka with a 4:0 win, while Osijek and Hajduk played without goals at City Garden Stadium. 

Inter Zapresic v. Lokomotiva (0:2)

Inter and Lokomotiva opened the 24th round on Thursday, February 27, 2020, in Zapresic in front of 669 fans. 

Kastrati scored for Lokomotiva one minute before the half for the 0:1 lead, while Jakic increased Lokomotiva’s lead to 0:2 in the 69th minute, which was the final score of the game.

Inter is currently in 8th place with 17 points, while Lokomotiva is in 4th with 40.

Slaven Belupo v. Varazdin (0:0)

Belupo and Varazdin met in Koprivnica on Friday, February 28, 2020, in front of 873 fans.

Neither team was able to score throughout the game, which ended 0:0.

Belupo is currently in 7th place with 23 points, while Varazdin is in the last place with 16.

Gorica v. Istra 1961 (3:0)

Gorica and Istria met in Velika Gorica on Friday, February 28, 2020, in front of 791 spectators. 

The first half went without goals, and Gorica scored all three in the second - Dvornekovic in the 57th, Maslowski in the 80th, and Lovric in the 4th minute of injury time for the final score of 3:0.

Gorica is currently in 6th place with 34 points, while Istra is in 8th with 17.

Osijek v. Hajduk (0:0)

Osijek and Hajduk met on Saturday, February 29, 2020, at City Garden Stadium in front of 6,593 fans. 

Neither team was able to score throughout the game, though Hajduk had more chances in the end. The game ended at 0:0. 

Osijek is currently in 5th place with 39 points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 45.

Dinamo Zagreb v. Rijeka (4:0)

Dinamo and Rijeka closed out the 24th round on Saturday, February 29, 2020, at Maksimir Stadium in front of 5,497 fans. 

Ademi opened the scoring spree for Dinamo in the first minute of the game, a record this season, for 1:0 at the half.

Dinamo didn’t increase their lead until the 81st minute when Kadzior scored for 2:0. Orsic made it 3:0 in the 85th, and Gojak made it 4:0 in the third minute of injury time.

Dinamo is currently in first place with 59 points, while Rijeka is in 3rd with 41.

You can see the full HNL table here.

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

A sixth case of coronavirus in Croatia has been confirmed, reports Index.hr on February 29, 2020.  

The sixth case of coronavirus in Croatia has been confirmed. This is a man from Rijeka who is in close contact with those already ill from Rijeka. According to unofficial information, it is the brother of a woman who became ill after her husband. They are all in good condition and have milder symptoms.

"We have 176 tested so far, two findings are still pending. We have another positive finding. It is a close relative of patients from Rijeka. So everything is under control, it has not expanded as it is spreading across Europe. We have an increase of 200 patients in Italy, 20 patients in France, 19 in Germany ... I thank all Croatian citizens who are in isolation and quarantine ... That is about 120 contacts and 1151 persons under surveillance," Health Minister Vili Beros said.

"The person in Rijeka is feeling well, has mild symptoms. There is no cause for concern. The remaining two positives in Rijeka are also doing well," said Alemka Markotic.

The Croatian Ministry of Health has released some information and contact numbers, as well as sources to find updates to the situation, which you can find here. 

Two eminent Croatian scientists have recently weighed in with their thoughts and expert advice. 

Croatian Scientist Ivan Djikic on Coronavirus: Don't Spread Panic.

Croatian Professor Igor Rudan Addresses Media on Coronavirus.

We will continue to keep you updated with significant developments on the spread of coronavirus in Croatia with dedicated articles on any key developments, but for a rolling update of developments in Croatia and around the world, follow Forrest Stilin's live updates here. 

February. 24, 2020 - The 23rd round of the Croatian First League was held from February 21 to 23, 2020. This round featured an unexpected Hajduk blowout against Gorica, while Rijeka topped Osijek in this weekend's derby.

Varazdin v. Lokomotiva (0:2)

Varazdin and Lokomotiv opened the 23rd round on Friday, February 21, 2020, in Varazdin in front of 1,787 fans.

Lokomotiva scored both goals in the first half thanks to Uzini (7’) and Karacic (38’). 

Varazdin is currently in the last place with 15 points, while Lokomotiva is in 5th with 37.

Hajduk v. Gorica (6:0)

Hajduk and Gorica met on Saturday, February 22, 2020, at Poljud stadium in front of 8,847 fans. 

Hajduk’s scoring spree starting in the 10th minute when Krekovic scored for 1:0. Jairo increased their lead in the 35th for 2:0, and Caktas made it 3:0 six minutes before the half. 

Caktas scored again for 4:0 in the 47th, and Jairo’s penalty made it 5:0 in the 56th. Eduok scored 8 minutes after being subbed in for the final score of 6:0.

Hajduk is currently in 2nd place with 44 points, while Gorica is in 6th with 31.

Rijeka v. Osijek (1:0)

Rijeka and Osijek met on Saturday, February 22, 2020, at Rujevica stadium.

Gorgon scored the only goal of the game in the 11th minute for the Rijeka lead. Osijek’s Skoric was given a red card in the final minute of regulation time, and the game ended 1:0.

Rijeka is currently in 3rd place with 41 points, while Osijek is in 4th with 38.

Dinamo v. Inter Zapresic (3:2)

Dinamo and Inter met on Sunday, February 23, 2020, at Maksimir stadium in front of 2,378 fans. 

Dinamo’s Leovac scored in the 6th minute to make it 1:0, though Bosec equalized just before the half to make it 1:1.

Kadzior helped Dinamo retake the lead in the 60th minute for 2:1, and Orsic missed a penalty in the 68th to keep the game at that score.

Gavranovic made up for the miss in the 72nd minute for 3:1, though Andric gave Inter their second goal in the first minute of injury time for a final score of 3:2.

Dinamo is currently in first place with 56 points, while Inter is in 8th with 17.

Istra 1961 v. Slaven Belupo (1:1)

Istra and Belupo closed out the 23rd round on Sunday, February 23, 2020, in Pula in front of 830 fans.

Paez scored for the Istra lead in the 4th minute, though Krstanovic equalized in the 33rd minute for 1:1, which was the final score of the game.

Istra is currently in 9th place with 16 points, while Belupo is in 7th with 22.

You can see the full HNL table here.

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

February 17, 2020 - The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for new flights to Croatia with updates from Rijeka, Dubrovnik, and Zadar. 

Avio Radar reports that Latvian national carrier AirBaltic has announced that is will reinforce the new route from Lithuania to Rijeka - Vilnius-Rijeka, which has already been scheduled for one flight per week, on Thursdays, with traffic starting in May this year. 

However, the airline has strengthened the new route before it has even launched, with an additional second flight per week, on Saturdays, from June 6 to September 26, 2020.  The Airbus A220-300 will service this line. 

Furthermore, Avio Radar adds that Irish national carrier Are Lingus will strengthen the Cork-Dubrovnik route in the 2020 summer fight schedule. The line first began operating last year with two flights a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays. 

In the peak season, the third flight per week has been introduced, on Thursdays, from July 2 to August 27. An Airbus A320 aircraft will fly on this line. 

Finally, Avio Radar reports that German low-cost carrier Eurowings will fly four flights from Germany to Zadar instead of Split over the next two weeks. This is because of the reconstruction of the runway in Split. 

Thus, Eurowings has decided to divert all its lines to Zadar from February 17 to March 1, 2020. Tickets for all diverted routes from Dusseldorf, Cologne, Munich and Stuttgart to Zadar are on sale in booking systems. 

Recall, Avio Radar reported last week that regular international flights from Zagreb to Sofia are scheduled from May 1 to the end of October this year. This service will run three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and will operate using the 76-seater Dash 8-Q400 aircraft. 

Two days later, on May 3,  2020,regular international flights on the Zagreb-Podgorica route will be introduced on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Flights will also be operated by the Dash 8-Q400 aircraft. As of today, return airline tickets are sold on both routes. 

Compared to the last tourist season, where Croatia Airlines had a fleet of 14 aircraft (12 of their own and 2 chartered CRJ 1000 aircraft), they will enter this season with one additional aircraft. Based on a long-term dry lease, the fleet will include a 150-seat Airbus 319 in late March and an additional 76-seat Dash 8-Q400 in late April to support unplanned traffic disruptions. In addition, from April to October, a short lease (wet-lease) of one CRJ 1000 aircraft by the Spanish air carrier Air Nostrum is also planned. 

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

February 17, 2020 - The 22nd round of the Croatian First League was held from February 14 to 16, 2020. Dinamo recorded their second defeat of the season, while Hajduk struggled against Slaven Belupo once again.

Lokomotiva v. Istra 1961 (2:0)

Lokomotiva and Istra opened the 22nd round on Friday, February 14, in Zagreb in front of 320 fans. 

While the first half went without goals, Lokomotiva’s Uzini scored in the 63rd and 67th minutes for 2:0, which was the final score of the game. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 5th place with 34 points, while Istra is in 9th place with 15.

Inter Zapresic v. Varazdin (1:2)

Inter and Varazdin met in Zapresic on Saturday, February 15, 2020, in front of 2,045 spectators. 

Inter was in the lead first thanks to a goal by Serderov in the 19th minute for 1:0 at the half. 

Benko equalized for Varazdin in the 60th minute, and Petkovic gave them the lead in the 70th minute for a final score of 1:2.

Inter is currently in 8th place with 17 points, while Varazdin is in 10th with 15.

Slaven Belupo v. Hajduk (2:1)

Belupo and Hajduk met on Saturday, February 15, 2020, in Koprivnica in front of 2,912 spectators. 

Hajduk was awarded a penalty early the game, which Eduok scored for the lead (0:1). However, a double yellow for Juric in the 37th minute saw Hajduk play with a man down for the rest of the game. 

Bacelic-Grgic equalized just before halftime for 1:1.

Krstanovic scored the winning goal of the game in the 88th minute for the Belupo victory. 

Belupo is currently in 7th place with 21 points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 41.

Osijek v. Dinamo (1:0)

Osijek and Dinamo met at City Garden Stadium on Sunday, February 16, 2020, in front of 6,450 spectators.

The second half made up for the uneventful first half. First, Dinamo’s Dilaver was shown his second yellow of the game in the 67th minute, which forced Dinamo to play with a man down. In the 77th minute, Maric scored for Osijek, which gave them the 1:0 lead. 

The chances for Dinamo to equalize were even slimmer once Stojanovic was shown a red card in the 4th minute of injury time, and coach Nenad Bjelica was ejected from the pitch two minutes later. 

Osijek is currently in 3rd place with 38 points, while Dinamo remains in 1st with 53. 

Gorica v. Rijeka (0:0)

Gorica and Rijeka closed out the 22nd round on Sunday, February 16, 2020, in Velika Gorica.

Neither team was able to score throughout the game, which ended 0:0.

Gorica is currently in 6th place with 31 points, while Rijeka is in 4th with 38.

You can see the full HNL table here. 

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

ZAGREB, February 10, 2020 - The Croatian coastal region of Kvarner and Rijeka as the European Capital of Culture 2020 (ECC 2020) ware promoted at the BIT tourism fair in Milan on Monday, the Croatian National Tourism Board (HTZ) said in a press release.

HTZ is presenting its tourist trade at the fair from February 9 to 11. BIT is one of the most important tourism fairs in Italy and this year it is marking its 40th anniversary.

Italians account for the fifth most numerous tourists to Croatia and last year they generated a growth of about three percent in arrivals and nights, HTZ director Kristjan Staničić said adding that announcements of positive trends by key tour operators, airlines and ferry services give rise to hope about even better results this year.

Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli underscored that Croatia is one of the favourite destinations for Italian tourists and that Croatia enjoys the image of being safe and an environmentally preserved close destination with a wealthy offer of local wines and cuisine.

He added that Croatia's nautical and health tourism were particularly attractive for Italians.

More tourism news can be found in the travel section.

The first Seabin device, a floating “trash can” and seawater filter, was installed on Friday in the passenger port of Rijeka.

Rijeka Based Initiative S.E.A. Donated Seabin Device

The Rijeka-based Initiative S.E.A. (Save, Embrace, Achieve) donated the Seabin device to the Port Authority of Rijeka to raise awareness about the need to protect and conserve the marine environment. The initiative also introduces sustainable solutions for the use and management of marine life as one of its most valuable resources.

Seabin is a floating trash can which constantly filters seawater, collecting plastics, microplastics, detergents, oils and other materials from the surface, preventing them from drifting off to the open sea and harming marine flora and fauna, according to Morski HR on February 10, 2020.

“The initiative was founded to primarily to raise awareness about the need to change environmental attitudes, especially in our oceans, and to foster further debate on the ‘green transition’ which is beginning to take hold in response to the global environmental crisis. The focus of the initiative is to dispose of plastics and micro plastics. It also promotes implementing the most advanced green methods, practices and technologies for better environmental management and utilization of its resources,” they explained.

Seabin Acts as Floating ‘Trash Can’ in Marinas, Yacht Clubs, Ports

According to their website, the Seabin V5 unit is a ‘trash skimmer’ designed to be installed in water at marinas, yacht clubs, ports and any body of water with a calm environment and available suitable services.

The unit acts as a floating trash can which skims the water surface by pumping water into the device. The Seabin V5 can intercept floating debris, macro and micro plastics and microfibers with an additional filter. By acting as a trash skimmer, the Seabin V5 is also able to clean the water from contaminated organic material including leaves and seaweed.

The Seabin V5 can be equipped with oil absorbent pads that absorb petroleum-based surface oils and detergent which is predominant in most marinas worldwide.

Surface Water Passes Through Catch Bag At 25,000 Liters Per Hour

Water is sucked in from the surface where it passes through a catch bag inside Seabin. The device is equipped with submersible water pump capable of displacing 25,000 liters per hour and can be plugged directly into either a 110V or 220V outlet. The water is then pumped back into the marina leaving litter and debris trapped in the catch bag.

The Seabin V5 can catch an estimated 3.9 kilograms of floating debris per day or 1.4 tons per year (depending on weather and debris volumes) including micro plastics as small as 2 millimeters.

Follow our Lifestyle page for more information on environmental initiatives in Croatia. More information about the Seabin V5 can be found on their website and Facebook page.