Thanks to a group of tireless enthusiasts - people who love the sea and maritime tradition have been working hard on organising the Fiumare festival - The Kvarner Festival of the sea and naval tradition. It's an exciting event for both local people and visitors to Rijeka, taking place for the eighth time, with the final goal of reviving the hundred-year-old maritime tradition of the city. During the festival, Rijeka is taken back one hundred years, when the area around the Dead Channel was the location of the intensive merchant traffic every day. 

It's a unique festival of the sea and maritime tradition, and numerous events are held offering visitors a look into Rijeka's merchant past, still connected with today's everyday life. Thirty partners participated in the creation of the program, ten associations are guests in the organisation of the festival, and it will take place in 25 locations throughout the city. 

Traditional wooden sailboats are moored in the Dead Channel, merchants and crafts-people are wearing traditional outfits from all parts of Kvarner, and there are interactive workshops of various maritime and fishing skills. There will be ship modeling workshops as well as promotions of old traditions, photos and pictures, traditional songs and dances, and traditional and indigenous food and drinks. Organised tours of the theatre and historic locations in the centre of the town, regattas by traditional sailboats - all of this will be a part of the collage of the Dead Channel through the centuries. 

The festival started on Tuesday, May 28th, with the presentation of a traditional boat which was rebuilt using the funds given for that purpose by a European project, and a parade by the participants of the festival. On Friday and Saturday, the people of Rijeka are invited to participate in the programs which will be organised on the Pier of Karolina Riječka, mostly for children and young people, including lectures, education, musical events, and exhibitions. 

Rijeka's Mayor Vojko Obersnel stresses that the primary value of the Fiumare festival is the fact that it brings to the attention the true roots of the area related to maritime tradition which helped form Rijeka into an open, cosmopolitan town which attracts many new people, boats, and ideas, which it is today. 

The company Rijeka Property d.o.o. and the Orbis Group, the strategic partner of Accor Hotels in Central and Eastern Europe, signed an agreement for the 20-year cooperation of the first ibis Styles hotel in Croatia to open in Rijeka in 2021, reports Poslovni.hr on May 27, 2019. 

"Ibis Styles is the world's leading hotel chain known for its affordable rates that perfectly combines comfort and recognizable design. This well-known brand gives us great flexibility in building the personality of our hotel, whether it's a cushion, a bathroom, a bar, or a complete interior design. We have room to tell the story of Rijeka through every detail. This product is still not in Croatia and we are confident that ibis Styles brings a new level of quality, energy, and hospitality to the markets of Rijeka and Croatia. That's our ambition,” highlights a representative of the investor in Monday’s announcement.

Works on the ibis Styles Rijeka hotel should start before the end of this year and the investment will amount to 18.5 million euro. The hotel will have a total area of 14,969 square meters, with 150 rooms, of which 18 are family rooms, a modern bar, restaurant, four conference and meeting rooms, a wellness area and 115 parking spaces for hotel guests and citizens. 

The interior of the hotel will bring guests closer to the industrial heritage of Rijeka, the largest Croatian port and one of the most important ports of Southeast Europe. The new hotel will employ about 45 people to accommodate the first guests in the second half of 2021.

"We are excited that our partners have chosen the ibis Styles brand and us from Orbis and Accor for such a significant hotel project. Rijeka, as the largest port in Croatia, offers a robust business environment and relaxing facilities at the same time. We definitely see opportunities for development, not just in Rijeka and in the main city, but also the whole of Croatia,” said Frank Reul, head of the Orbis & Accor Group for Central and Eastern Europe.

Within a 20-minute walk from Korzo, a two-hour drive from Zagreb and well connected to the rest of the country by the highway and rail network, ibis Styles Rijeka will attract tourists and business visitors alike, according to the announcement.

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

May 27, 2019 - The 36th round of the Croatian First League closed out the 2018/19 season on Sunday with the highly anticipated 'Eternal Derby’ between Dinamo and Hajduk. Sunday’s games, which were all held at 7 pm, also included a meeting between Osijek and Inter, and Lokomotiva and Gorica. 

Without further ado, here is our recap for the final round of the Croatian First League this season. 

Istra 1961 v. Rudeš (2:0)

Istra and Rudeš, the two worst-placed teams this season, met on Friday, May 24, 2019, in Pula to open the final round of the season in front of 392 fans. 

While the first half went without goals, Iglesias scored for Rudeš in the 63rd minute for 1:0, and Pavić secured the win for the home team thanks to a goal in the 92nd minute for 2:0. 

Istra ended the season in 9th place with 25 points, while Rudeš finished in last with 14. 

Slaven Belupo v. Rijeka (1:1)

Belupo and Rijeka met in Koprivnica on Saturday, May 25, 2019, in front of 872 fans. 

Another game where the first half went without goals, it was Belupo’s Plantak to score first for 1:0 in the 57th minute, though their lead didn’t last long thanks to an equalizer by Acosty in the 64th for 1:1. 

Belupo finished the season in 7th place with 37 points, while Rijeka finished in 2nd with 67. 

Osijek v. Inter Zaprešić (3:1)

Osijek and Inter met on Sunday, May 26, 2019, at City Garden Stadium in front of 2,820 fans. 

Inter was the first to score thanks to a goal by Postonjski in the 15th minute. Osijek equalized in the 42nd minute after Lepa scored for 1:1 at the half. 

Pilj put Osijek in the lead with a goal in the 50th minute, and Bočkaj closed out the victory for Osijek with a goal in the 83rd for 3:1. 

Osijek finished the season in 3rd place with 62 points, while Inter finished in 8th with 31. 

Lokomotiva v. Gorica (2:3)

Lokomotiva and Gorica met on Sunday, May 26, 2019, in Zagreb in front of 380 fans. 

Lovrić scored for Gorica in the 14th minute to put the away team in the lead at the half, though Ivanušec came back for Lokomotiva to equalize 1:1. Gorica retook the lead thanks to Miya’s goal in the 52nd, and Lovrić secured another in the 60th minute for 1:3. Burić was able to get one back for Lokomotiva in the 92nd minute, and the game ended 2:3. 

Lokomotiva finished the season in 6th place with 49 points, while Gorica finished in 5th with 59. 

Dinamo v. Hajduk (3:1)

Dinamo and Hajduk met on Sunday, May 26, 2019, to close out the final round of the 2018/19 season in front of 15,433 fans. 

Hajrović scored for Dinamo in the 20th minute for 1:0 at the half. Gavranović increased Dinamo’s lead at the start of the second half for 2:0 in the 49th minute and scored again less than 10 minutes later for 3:0. 

Hajduk was able to come back with one goal thanks to Caktaš in the 68th minute, who was named the top goalscorer of HNL this season. 

Dinamo finished the season in first place with 92 points, while Hajduk finished in 4th with 62 points. 

You can find the full table here. 

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

As Suzana Varosanec/Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 23rd of May, 2019, investors have recognised the potential, which for the Port of Rijeka, means a step forward to the leading container-logistics centre in the Northern Adriatic.

With new investments, Rijeka is being returned to the former position that it once enjoyed at the tail end of the 1970's, when it was a large and significant port centre. Those have been the type of messages sent to the director of the Rijeka Port Authority, Denis Vukorepa, on the occasion of the completion of the Zagreb Deep Sea Container Terminal (Zagreb DSCT) project in the Port of Rijeka.

There has been a great level of interest from potential concessionaires, including as many as seven of the world's largest operators from Europe, the Middle East and the Far East. Officially, the Chinese, and also the CRBC which is currently building Pelješac Bridge, have made themselves known.

The Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure, Oleg Butković, will also visit the terminal at which the works are taking place today. To briefly recall, the most important capital project in the Rijeka Gateway Project II, worth 112.5 million euros, of which 84 million euro is from a World Bank loan, while 28.5 million euros is financed by the state. However, in addition to those amounts, the Rijeka Port Administration has continued to invest 40-50 million euros in its own investments.

When this part is completed, individual talks are expected in June and July when potential concessionaires will present their respective terminal management concepts.

It's certainly not excluded that the interest for the second phase of the construction of the terminal will gain traction, and for which permits have been prepared. The expected term for the signing of a contract currently stands at the end of September.

Traffic in the Rijeka basin in the container area has increased by about ten percent over more recent years, but a more dynamic growth in freight volumes and cargo flow is expected, which is the subject of interest for rail freight operators, and is expected to attract a larger volume of truck traffic.

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

Click here for the original article by Suzana Varosanec for Poslovni Dnevnik

Rijeka crushed Dinamo’s hopes of winning the double crown again this year and topped the Zagreb club 3:1 in the Croatian Cup final in front of 6,742 spectators at the Aldo Drosina stadium in Pula, reports HRT on May 22, 2019. 

It was a fantastic final and a deserved victory for Rijeka, who for the fifth time won the Croatian Cup and celebrated for the second time in the last three seasons. In Dinamo’s 22nd final, this is their seventh defeat.

Antonio Čolak (13’), Tibor Halilović (40’) and Zoran Kvržić (84’) were the goalscorers for Rijeka, while Mislav Oršić scored for Dinamo in the 63rd minute. Dinamo had an excellent opportunity to equalize in the 73rd minute thanks to a penalty, but Rijeka goalkeeper Simon Sluga brilliantly defended Dani Olmo’s shot. 

Dinamo opened the match better, and in the first minutes of the game, they barely let Rijeka breathe - Dinamo attacked, and Rijeka was forced to defend. However, Rijeka’s first serious attack also put them in the lead. 

Tomečak shot from 20 meters, but Livaković pushed the ball out for a corner. Kvržić crossed the ball in, and Petković responded poorly in front of the Dinamo goal, allowing the ball to arrive at Čolak, who scored for 1:0 in the 13th minute. Two minutes later, Halilović threatened Dinamo again,  but Livaković successfully reacted. 

The first real chance for Dinamo came in the 31st minute, but Oršić shot over the goal. In the 37th minute, Petković threatened, though he too missed. Three minutes later, Rijeka increased their advantage. Zoran Kvržić brilliantly pushed the ball up the right wing and through the legs of Rrahmani to find Halilović who scored for 2:0. 

Dinamo was desperate, and knew it was all or nothing. Nenad Bjelica introduced Gavranović and Leovac instead of Atiemwen and Rrahmani and with two attackers, they pushed to equalize. Gavranović threatened in the 50th minute, however with a weak shot. 

Dinamo picked up their pace and Oršić got Dinamo back into the game with a goal for 2:1 in the 63rd-minute. 

Seventy-three minutes into the match, Dinamo had another excellent chance to score thanks to a penalty, though Dani Olmo was unlucky. The young Spaniard shot at the right side of Rijeka's goal, though Sluga reacted fantastically. The game remained 2:1.

All doubts about who would win came to an end in the 84th minute with an impressive goal by Zoran Kvržic for the big 3:1. 

In the first round of the Cup, Rijeka defeated Križevci 9:0 in the first leg of the Cup, and with a result of 2:1, Rijeka topped Kumanovo, Lokomotiva and Inter to advance to the final.

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

The residents of Croatian islands often have rightful complaints about their connections to the mainland not being up to scratch in many cases, and while efforts are being made to create better, more reliable and more frequent connections between Croatia's many inhabited islands and the mainland, many remain less than satisfied.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 22nd of May, 2019, the carrier of this idea and the launcher of the line itself is the company GV Line Iadera from the Dalmatian city of Zadar which has many years of experience in navigation on important state routes under its belt.

Every single day as of June the 15th to September the 15th, there will be a fast passenger line on the Rijeka-Zadar route and this will also connect the islands of Krk, Rab, and Pag. This is otherwise the first and the quickest fast passenger line to connect Zadar and Rijeka and the islands in this manner, as 24sata reports.

This new line will certainly contribute to not only the ease of the lives of the residents of the aforementioned islands, but also to the overall enrichment of the tourist offer of both Dalmatia and Kvarner respectively, as well as to the better linking of the islands, since the islands of Krk, Rab and Pag have never been connected in such a way with each other, nor have they ever been connected in this way to the Croatian mainland.

Make sure to follow our dedicated travel and lifestyle pages for much more.

May 21, 2019 - The 35th round of the Croatian First League was held from May 18 to 20, 2019. The second to last round of the season saw Hajduk move into third place and Osijek fall to fourth after a loss to Gorica.

Inter Zaprešić v. Dinamo (2:3)

Inter and Dinamo met in Zaprešić in front of 1,688 spectators to open the 35th round on Saturday, May 18, 2019. 

While it was Kadzior to score the first two goals for Dinamo (5’, 17’), Inter’s Ajayi came back with a goal in the 32nd, and Tsonev with another in the 35th to equalize. Dinamo was awarded a penalty in the 61st minute which Andrić scored for 2:3.

Inter is currently in 8th place with 31 points, while Dinamo has already claimed the Croatian championship and sits in first with 89 points. 

Rijeka v. Lokomotiva (1:0)

Rijeka and Lokomotiva met on Saturday, May 18, 2019, at Rujevica stadium in front of 3,068 fans. 

Murić scored the only goal of the game in the 36th minute, which ultimately gave Rijeka the home win. 

Rijeka is currently in second place with 66 points, while Lokomotiva is in 6th with 49. 

Hajduk v. Istra 1961 (4:1)

Hajduk and Istra met at Poljud in front of no fans on Sunday, May 19, 2019. 

While Istra was the first to score thanks to Ivančić in the 6th minute, Hajduk picked it up in the second half and managed four goals. Caktaš scored first in the 48th minute, followed by Gyurcso in the 56th for 2:1. Jairo scored in the 77th minute for 3:1, and Nejašmić in the 93rd for 4:1. 

Hajduk is currently in third place with 62 points, while Istra is in 9th with 22. 

Gorica v. Osijek (1:0)

Gorica and Osijek met on Sunday, May 19, 2019, in Velika Gorica in front of 1,693 fans. 

While the first half went without goals, it was Gorica’s Suk to score in the 57th minute for 1:0, which was the final score of the game. 

Gorica is currently in 5th place with 56 points, while Osijek is in 4th with 59. 

Rudeš v. Slaven Belupo (0:1)

Rudeš and Belupo closed out the 35th round on Monday, May 21, 2019, at Kranjčevićeva street stadium in front of 83 fans. 

The first half went without goals and it wasn't until a penalty for Belupo in the 78th minute that Delić scored for 0:1. 

Rudeš remains in the last place with 14 points, while Belupo is in 7th with 36. 

You can see the full HNL table here. 

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

Seven companies from Europe, the Middle East and the Far East have expressed interest in the construction of the new container terminal in Rijeka, the Rijeka Port Authority director Denis Vukorepa said, adding that he was not allowed to disclose their names and references, reports Jutarnji List on May 19, 2019.

However, sources close to the government have disclosed that among the interested companies is the Chinese consortium Ningbo Port and CRBC (China Road and Bridge Company), the company that is constructing the Pelješac Bridge and the port of Singapore.

After analysing the documents received, which is expected in the next 15 days, all seven applicants (or perhaps fewer, depending on the quality of their references and project visions) will be invited to send their final bids for a 50-year concession. The estimated value of the concession (excluding VAT) is 20.5 billion kuna.

"These are respectable port terminal operators. We are very pleased because we were hoping for such a response. It turned out that this transport route is very interesting," said Vukorepa. The first stage of the concession process formally concluded on Friday, and the plan is to sign a contract for the Zagreb Deep Sea terminal by the end of September.

The tender is looking for a concessionaire for the performance of construction works and the provision of services, with the obligation of investing about 70 to 80 million euro in the construction of the terminal which is now 400 meters long and was partially built as part of the project with the World Bank and the European Union.

During the recent visit by the Chinese prime minister to Croatia, it was announced that Chinese companies were interested in the concession, but Vukorepa did not want to comment on this information.

The intention is to build the Zagreb Deep Sea terminal in the second phase up to a total length of 680 meters. If the concessionaire is not interested in this, the concession would be reduced to 30 years. The Port Authority is offering to the concessionaire a ten-year exclusivity, meaning that no new capacities for container shipment would be built during that period. The main advantage of the new terminal is that it will be able to receive ultra-large container ships because the sea depth is 20 metres.

The Port Authority says that it is expected that the ports of the northern Adriatic will reach their maximum capacity by the next year, which means that the new terminal will be constructed in just the right moment. It will be able to transport more than 400,000 TEU per year in the first phase, and at least 800,000 to one million TEU per year when it reaches full capacity, foreseen for 2030.

Translated from Jutarnji List (reported by Gordana Grgas).

More Rijeka news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

May 16, 2019 - The 34th round of the Croatian First League was held on May 14 and 15, 2019. In one of the few mid-week rounds, we saw Rijeka fall to Osijek, and Hajduk crush the last-placed Rudeš, inching them even closer to securing that sacred 4th European spot. 

Without further ado, here is our 34th round recap.

Istra 1961 v. Inter Zaprešić (0:1)

Istra and Inter met in Pula on Tuesday, May 14, 2019, to open the 34th round in front of 488 fans. 

The first and only goal of the game was scored by Inter’s Serderov, which gave the away team the 0:1 win. 

Istra is currently in 9th place with 22 points, while Inter is in 8th with 31. 

Rudeš v. Hajduk (1:4)

Rudeš and Hajduk met on Tuesday, May 14, 2019, at Kranjčevićeva street stadium in front of 738 fans. 

Hajduk’s Mijo Caktaš was the first to score with a goal in the 17th minute for 0:1. Caktaš increased Hajduk’s lead to 0:2 with another goal in the 58th minute, though Rudeš was able to come back with one thanks to Lisakovich who scored in the 62nd. Caktaš nailed a hattrick in the 65th minute for 3:1, and Jradi scored one minute later for the final score of 1:4. 

Rudeš remains in the last place with 14 points, while Hajduk sits in 4th with 59.

Slaven Belupo v. Lokomotiva (1:1)

Belupo and Lokomotiva met on May 15, 2019, in Koprivnica in front of 315 fans. 

While the first half went without goals, it was Belupo to score first thanks to a penalty scored by Mateus for 1:0. Lokomotiva was able to equalize in the 75th minute for 1:1. 

Belupo is currently in 7th place with 33 points, while Lokomotiva is in 6th with 49. 

Dinamo v. Gorica (3:1)

Dinamo and Gorica met on Wednesday, May 15, 2019, at Maksimir in front of 610 fans. 

Dinamo’s Moro scored first in the 17th minute, which was followed by a goal from Olmo in the 21st for 2:0. Gorica did come back with one goal in the 25th thanks to Ndiaye for 2:1 at the half. 

After Petković missed a penalty in the 66th minute, it was Leovac to score in the 71st minute for the Dinamo win.

Dinamo has already clinched the title and is in the first place with 86 points, while Gorica is in 5th place with 53. 

Osijek v. Rijeka (2:1)

Osijek and Rijeka met on Wednesday, May 15, 2019, to close out the 34th round at City Garden Stadium in front of 2,032 fans. 

Rijeka was the first to score thanks to a goal by Colak in the 11th minute, though Osijek’s Marić equalized in the 24th minute for 1:1. Rijeka’s Pavić was sent off the pitch after a double yellow in the 39th minute. 

Marić scored again for Rijeka in the 48th minute, giving Osijek the home win. 

Osijek is currently in third place with 59 points,  while Rijeka is in 2nd with 63. 

You can see the HNL table here. 

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

ZAGREB, May 14, 2019 - The Trieste International Foundation for Scientific Progress and Freedom, the University of Rijeka and the Rijeka 2020 company on Tuesday signed an agreement on cooperation that will culminate in 2020, when Rijeka will be the European capital of culture while Trieste will be the capital of science.

Stefano Fantoni, president of the Trieste foundation, Rijeka University Chancellor Snježana Prijić Samaržija and Rijeka 2020's director Emina Višnić signed the agreement.

Prijić Samaržija underlined that culture and science were being connected as part of a coincidence where two cities with a distance of only 70 kilometres between them become the centres of the most important events in Europe next year.

She added that the two towns had been cooperating for a long time in the fields of science and higher education and that the agreement signed today made that cooperation official.

We expect the two universities to continue sharing information and exchanging visits by their lecturers, she said.

Fantoni said that 2020 would be a very important year for this part of Europe, when all eyes in Europe would be on the two towns. That is our opportunity to show the enormous possibilities of this area, he said.

The two universities and two capitals in 2020 are connecting in a very good way, Višnić said.

Europe is at a turning point in its history, Višnić said, expressing confidence that culture, art and science can provide a framework for a new era for Europe following a period when focus was on economy and trade as a way of connecting EU countries.

More Rijeka news can be found in the Lifestyle section.