March the 30th, 2021 - The Sibenik company Cantabile is going from strength to strength despite the ongoing coronavirus crisis thanks to the Sibenik business zone - Podi.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Darko Bicak writes, the Dalmatian city of Sibenik's Podi business zone, despite the coronavirus crisis, is doing well to manage to maintain the economic activity of its enterprises, and news of new investments is coming in almost on a monthly basis.

One of those enterprises is the Sibenik company Cantabile, which purchased 5,853 square metres of land within the business zone, with plans to build its new and unified plant for the production of confectionery products there.

As Ante Gulin, the owner and director of the Sibenik company Cantabile revealed, this company was established a decade ago and initially, through its exclusive catering brand Moderato Coffee & Cakes, was engaged in the production of sweets, but for the last four or five years their main sales channel has been HoReCa for clients from Istria to Dubrovnik, and recently they've been present here in Zagreb with their range.

"We realised that we needed to standardise our production because only that can guarantee quality and recognition out there on the market. We're currently present at three production sites in Sibenik, which we now want to combine with a new production facility into one.

If you work only for yourself, then we're talking about relatively small quantities, but when you add the exceptional seasonality that is a reality in Sibenik and along the entire Adriatic coast, then it's clear that you're in trouble with that attitude, both because of the quantities and because of the workforce as things run seasonally and you have to make great efforts to be able to get your hands on quality employees every year,'' said Gulin when discussing the reasons as to why this company decided to step out more strongly into the wholesale market.

Currently, 20 percent of the Sibenik company Cantabile's sales are accounted for by their own capacities, and 80 percent by HoReCa, with a tendency for further growth.

"We have a quality product based on quality, Croatian raw materials - lavender, cherries, olives, carob, etc, all of which the market recognises and seeks. Now, with a small capacity and dislocated production, we aren't able to complete the entire system of procurement and control of those local raw materials, but with this investment, we'll manage to achieve this,'' explained Gulin.

The new plant in Sibenik should be operational by the end of this year, and construction work in Podi is expected to begin soon. As the owner of the Sibenik company Cantabile explained, the value of the construction works stands at around five million kuna, and with the equipping of the plant with machines and equipment, this investment will rise to 12 to 14 million kuna.

The new plant should employ about 50 new people, but their specific number, which could be even higher, will still depend on the state of the market, the tourist season, and especially on the situation regarding the coronavirus crisis and the state of the economy and society as a whole.

The planned area of ​​the Sibenik business zone is 550 hectares, and so far 130 hectares have been built, while about 100 hectares are currently available for construction. There are currently about 50 enterprises operating within the zone, who employed 1,350 workers at the end of last year. This figure sadly at the beginning of 2021 due to the continuing pandemic.

However, as Jakov Terzanovic, the director of Podi pointed out, the number of employees from last year should soon return with new investments, and by the end of the year they will surpass those old numbers. There are currently 10 active contracts with various enterprises who will likely build their respective plants within this zone this year, and most of them will start doing business there too.

At the beginning of the year, it was announced that the plot of 70 thousand square metres was snapped up by the largest Croatian retailer of sanitary equipment, Feroterm, and the other, covering 11 thousand square metres, was purchased by SeaTech. Feroterm plans to build a large logistics centre for the whole of Dalmatia in Podi, and the German investor SeaTech would build a factory in Sibenik for the production of ship rescue and service equipment.

In addition to the Sibenik company Cantabile, the land in Podi has been bought by a company named Rock, which comes from the construction sector, and on a plot of 7977 square metres, it intends to build a hall for the production of building elements with storage and office space. Terzanovic also announced that a new tender for the sale of a plot of 5,682 square metres is currently being prepared.

For more on Croatian companies and doing business in Croatia, follow our business section. For current coronavirus information specific to Croatia, including border and travel rules, as well testing centres up and down the country, bookmark this page.

March the 10th, 2021 - First a pandemic, now a meteorite. A meteorite in Dalmatia has prompted an investigation and a search for the rock from space somewhere around the Sibenik hinterland.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, back at the end of February this year, the Croatian Meteor Network (CMN) recorded the fall of meteors in the area of ​​Dalmatia, more precisely in the hinterland of the City of Sibenik. This event was filmed by four cameras that are part of the system of more than 30 cameras operating under the Croatian Meteor Network. It is quite certain that the meteor "survived" the fall through the Earth´s atmosphere, and the Croatian Meteor Network is currently busy organising a search for the meteorite in Dalmatia.

As the aforementioned network explained to Dalmatia Danas (Today), it is necessary to search for the rest of the rock from space as soon as possible, because such ¨items¨ from space are strongly influenced by our atmospheric conditions, primarily humidity and precipitation. After finding a meteorite, it is best to preserve it in a vacuum, ie in conditions that will not affect it much.

¨The burning of a meteor starts at about 140 kilometres in height, and up to 40 kilometres in height it usually either burns up or "goes out". If it is not completely burned up or has not completely disintegrated, a "dark flight" occurs. Then altitude winds are very important, the values ​​of which are known by altitude meteorological measurements. All this affects the trajectory, and then we can determine quite precisely where the meteorite fell,¨ they explained from the Croatian Meteor Network when discussing the meteorite in Dalmatia.

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February 10, 2021 – 10 of the most outstanding examples of contemporary Croatian architecture have been selected by the Association of Croatian Architects to compete in the extremely prestigious Mies van der Rohe Awards. Held only once every two years, they are the European equivalent of the Pritzker Prize for Architecture.

The Mies van der Rohe Awards are a really big deal. The greatest works of European architecture compete for recognition in the competition. The greatest success of Croatian architecture in the awards was attained by UP studios' Toma Plejić and Lea Pelivan, who received a special award for upcoming architects and had their high school in Koprivnica named the best building in that category in 2009. The success has had a considerable impact on their careers since.

Being held only once every two years, Croatian architecture projects completed since the closure of entries for the 2019 awards are eligible to be submitted. Here are the outstanding examples of contemporary Croatian architecture that will represent the country in 2022.

Cinema Urania Zagreb

An old neighbourhood cinema built into the back streets near Kvatric. In their redesign, 3LHD preserved the best features from this early example of concrete engineering in Croatian architecture. They added a glass pavilion at the entrance, atriums and skylights, flooding the former darkness with the natural light needed for its new purpose as an event and work space.

© Jure Živković

Grand Park Hotel, Rovinj

Sprawling widely across six stepped levels, the new luxury Grand Park Hotel and spa could easily have looked a long swipe of concrete. But, by places greenery on each of its staged roofs, architects 3LHD have ensured that no matter where you are in the 500-guest-capacity building, your view places you within a garden, looking out onto Rovinj Old Town and the expanse of the Adriatic. Croatian architecture at its most breathtaking.

© Alukoenigstahl hr
Ivanja Reka Elementary School, south Sesvete, east Zagreb

If every elementary school looked as pretty and was as well equipped as Ivanja Reka Elementary School in the south of Sesvete, eastern Zagreb, you could well believe daily attendance would never drop below 100%. Designed by a team of architectural authors (SUBMAP studios Marija Burmas and Ivo-Lola Petrić, and Jakša Kalajžić from JKA Arhitekti), the multi-level main building sits centrally, surrounded by sports, recreation and other facilities creating an impressive view for both those outside and within.

© Ivanja Reka Elementary School / Domagoj Blažević

Roxanich Wine & Heritage Hotel, Motovun, Istria

The view is unmistakably Istria. Vineyards carpet the land below and - rising above - the picturesque hilltop town of Motovun. Helmed architecturally by consistently bold Rijeka designer Idis Turato, this multi-level, multi-purpose redesign retains the traditional feel of its existing stone building and its purpose – there's a huge wine cellar beneath – but has opened up the space to give stunning views, not least over a sun deck that spectacularly reflects the sunrise and sunset. This is an active winery, with works and equipment all housed within its lower floors, not that you could tell from the 25 person capacity boutique hotel, restaurant and wine shop upstairs.

© Roxanich.hr

Four Houses for Four Brothers, Diklo, Zadar

Judging from a theme of project titles used by architects Iva Letilović and Igor Pedišić, we're not sure that Four Houses for Four Brothers was actually commissioned by four brothers or that four live there. But, you could well believe they could. The ultra-modern set of independent houses, located next to a beautiful stretch of coast in a north Zadar neighbourhood, was specifically designed to address a distinctly Croatian reality – how to open up some of your dwelling to seasonal guests while you remain at home. The design separates the buildings clearly into separate quarters which allow privacy, comfort and minimal encroachment for both visitors and residents.

© Igor Pedišić

Galić Winery, Kutjevo

Award-winning outfit Zagreb-based studio Dva arhitekta have an existing, jaw-dropping design for a rural winery commissioned by famous makers Galic. However, that project, as yet, remains unrealised. But, their winery for Galic in the centre of Kutjevo town is complete. Melding the traditional and the contemporary, the upper section of the building is a bold and unblemished red brick, adorned with the winemaker's unmistakable logo. Beneath, concrete arches invite your eyes into the actual wine cellar – neat rows of barrels, protected behind glass walls that are set back from the facade. Brilliant!

© Damir Fabijanić

Seecel Centre, Zagreb

Designed as a regional centre for the development of entrepreneurs and its construction costs generously part-funded by European money, the Seecel Centre arrived long overdue and does not house its intended inhabitants. Such matters are best left for different articles as, here, we're concerned with the undeniable finery of this building's architecture and appearance. Holding space for accommodation, offices, communal collaboration, education and presentations, the five-floored building uses ultra-modern building materials and construction methods to make it low-energy, its great blocks of covered concrete, with glass windows set further back, echoing old fortifications. It was designed by Igor Franić who, in Croatia, is perhaps best known for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb and completed by him and his team at SZA / Studio za arhitekturu d.o.o.

© Site Project d.o.o.

Trg Poljana, Šibenik

Not a small amount was asked of project architects Atelier Minerva from Dubrovnik in the task to create Trg Poljana in Šibenik. The site had long been earmarked for a much-needed, official town square – a place for events and public gatherings. But, the town was also woefully short on parking. By burying a multi-level car park beneath the open space, the architects successfully met both demands. Triangular shapes sit at an angle above shaded seating, echoing the inclines on the roof of the Juraj Šižgorić City Library opposite. Clever.

© Ervin Husedžinović / Eccos-inzenjering

Homestead on Hartovski vrh, Žumberak, Zagreb County

A collection of multi-purpose rural buildings, Homestead and Meditation Centre on Hartovski vrh was commissioned and designed for use by the Buddhist Center Zagreb. Their aim was to relocate activities such as chan, yoga, meditation, healthy living and teaching to a peaceful retreat outside of the city. Architects Branimir Rajčić and Mariela Žinić began the project in 2015, with the completed site arriving in 2019. Modern building materials are used, but not so the striking collection seems out of place within a partially agricultural setting. The set of buildings includes a residential dwelling and a larger hall for meetings and activities, both of which use large windows to allow the light and nature to flood in.

© Robert Leš

Square of Traditional Crafts, Varaždin

A tricky task was given to architects Studio Konntra – how to enliven and modernise a traditional old square in the centre of one of Europe's best-preserved Baroque Old Towns. They did this by constructing transportable kiosks to house small outlets for local artists and craftsmen that cater to visiting tourists who come to the square. When occupied during the day, the plain wooden interiors allows the crafts to take centre stage. But, after closing time, the outsides of the wooden doors are brightly coloured and adorned with paintings, a welcoming environment for residents to use at night.

© Studio Konntra

February 4, 2021 - The 19th round of the Croatian First League was held mid-week, on February 2 and 3, 2021. In this round, Hajduk tops Istra, and Osijek records a 3:0 win against Slaven Belupo.

Osijek v. Slaven Belupo (3:0)

Osijek and Belupo opened the 19th round at City Garden Stadium on Tuesday, February 2, 2021.

Brlek opened the scoring spree for Osijek with a goal just before the whistle blew for halftime (45+3'). A quick goal to start the second half by Zaper made it 2:0 in the 52nd minute, and 3:0 in the 55th minute thanks to Bohar. 

Osijek is currently in 2nd place with 42 points, while Belupo is in 6th place with 20. 

Dinamo v. Lokomotiva (2:0)

Dinamo and Lokomotiva met for the Zagreb derby on Tuesday, February 2, 2021, at Masksimir Stadium. 

Gavranovic scored an early goal for Dinamo in the 9th minute for the 1:0 lead, which was the score at the half. Atiemwen increased Dinamo's lead to 2:0 in the 64th minute, which was the final result.

Dinamo is currently in 1st place with 42 points, while Lokomotiva is in 9th with 15. 

Varazdin v. Gorica (2:1)

Varazdin and Gorica met in Varazdin on Wednesday, February 3, 2021. 

While Gorica had the lead going into the first half thanks to a goal by Lovric (0:1), Obregon equalized for Varazdin in the 76th minute, and in the 90th minute, Boban gave Varazdin the lead and ultimately the 2:1 win.

Varazdin is currently in 8th place with 18 points, while Gorica is in 3rd with 33. 

Rijeka v. Sibenik (2:2)

Rijeka and Sibenik met at Rujevica Stadium on Wednesday, February 3, 2021. 

Sibenik shocked Rijeka with two goals in the 27th and 32nd minutes by Sahiti and Juric. Pavicic scored for Rijeka in the 35th to make it 1:2. 

It was until the final minutes of the match when VAR ultimately ruled in Rijeka's favor, and after an 11-minute ordeal, Rijeka was awarded a penalty, which Andrijasevic scored for 2:2 (90+10'). 

Rijeka is currently in 4th place with 27 points, while Sibenik is in 7th with 20. 

Hajduk v. Istra 1961 (1:0)

Hajduk and Istra closed out the 19th round at Poljud Stadium on Wednesday, February 3, 2021. 

The only goal of the game came in the 16th minute when Nayir scored for Hajduk. The same player, unfortunately, missed a penalty 10 minutes later to increase Hajduk's lead. 

Hajduk is currently in 5th place with 23 points, while Istra is in the last place with 13. 

You can see the full HNL table HERE.

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

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February 1, 2021 – At today's press conference, the Sibenik police released new details about quadruple murder in Sibenik, revealing that the killer used the Chinese version of a Kalashnikov.

The Šibenik police held a press conference today on the quadruple murder and suicide in Šibenik and Vodice on Saturday, January 30, 2021. The Chief of the Šibenik-Knin Police Administration, Ivica Kostanić, opened the conference by explaining the case's chronology.

Kalashnikov procured illegally

"At 12:56 pm, we received a report that a dead man was found in a Mercedes in Vodice. We found him with gunshot wounds. The ambulance informed us about three more dead people on the South Highway. It was determined that they had gunshot wounds. An arrest warrant has been issued for the perpetrator.

During the inspection at 18:22, we received a report that a vehicle had been seen in the Vodice area. The report was from the citizens, and I have to thank the citizens for their help. The suspect's body was dead in the vehicle.

We determined that he used a 7.62 caliber weapon, the Chinese version of the Kalashnikov. He killed three people near Šibenik and then drove towards Vodice in the car of the murdered 60-year-old. He parked in front of the store of the injured 47-year-old. When he came out, he fired shots at him from the same weapon. Then he drove the Škoda outside Vodice, got out of the vehicle two kilometers away, and killed himself with the same weapon.

In addition to that weapon, he possessed a pistol, a rifle with optics, and 302 pieces of ammunition. We have determined that the motives are of a business nature and related to the pre-bankruptcy procedure," said Kostanić.

He added that the perpetrator acquired and owned the Kalashnikov and all other weapons illegally, and they are now investigating how. Kostanić also denied the possibility that there was any indication that the killer would commit this crime because there was no farewell letter.

Motive of the murder – business relationship

"By reviewing the documentation and interviews, we determined that the motive for the crime was a business relationship between the suspect and the victims related to the bankruptcy proceedings against the suspect's company and the amount for which the suspect's real estate and movables were or should be sold," Kostanić said.

Bankruptcy proceedings are being studied. The criminal investigation continues in the establishing business relations and court proceedings at the Commercial Court in Zadar.

"These are all criminal offenses in the field of economic crime. Extensive documentation should be studied here, and, based on what we have established, we could fully explain the motive for the committed crime. The fact is that it was a business relationship and the consequences related to it," Kostanić said.

Suspect had his weapon confiscated earlier

The murder happened an hour after the three victims, and the killer met in a business meeting at a warehouse in Ražine. In Vodice, the killer came in front of the "Djelo" shopping center and waited for the fourth victim.

At the murder places near the warehouse in Ražine, the police found 16 shell casings of automatic weapons and 21 shell casings in the car of the 47-year-old. They found a CZ pistol and 125 pieces of ammunition, a silencer for an automatic rifle, and a knife in a holster in the vehicle of the person they presume to have killed.

In the Škoda, which was searched for on Saturday, the police found an automatic rifle with 28 rounds of ammunition and a hunting cartridge. In one of his houses, ammunition for a pistol, an air rifle with optics, and ammunition for a hunting rifle was found. Bankruptcy documentation was found in another house.

"Although he was a hunter, his weapon was illegal and was previously confiscated due to domestic violence. In 2009, the weapon was confiscated. In 2014 it was returned. However, in 2018, the weapon was confiscated again due to the threat to one person. No elements were identified then, but when the police entered the house, they found that the weapons were kept inconsistent with the law. And we filed a misdemeanor motion, and the proceedings were ongoing," the chief explained.

He added that the mentioned report for the threat had nothing to do with this event. It was about neighborly relations.

As TCN reported earlier, a 47-year-old businessman from Šibenik was killed in Vodice. A 42-year-old businessman, a 61-year-old bankruptcy trustee, and her 62-year-old husband were killed in Šibenik. The suspected 57-year-old businessman was found dead after the murder.

Source: Index

February 1, 2021 - The 18th round of the Croatian First League was held from January 29 to 31, 2021. This round saw Dinamo, Hajduk, and Rijeka all record losses, while Sibenik, Lokomitva, and Gorica celebrated. 

Slaven Belupo v. Varazdin (2:0)

Belupo and Varazdin opened the 18th round on Friday, January 29, 2021, in Koprivnica. 

Galvcic scored the first goal for Belupo in the 15th minute for the 1:0 lead. Knoll increased Belupo's lead just before halftime for 2:0, which was the final result of the match. 

Belupo is currently in 5th place with 20 points, while Varzdin is in 8th place with 15 points. 

Osijek v. Istra 1961 (1:0)

Osijek and Istra met at City Garden Stadium on Saturday, January 30, 2021. 

Mierez scored the only goal for Osijek in the 30th minute, which was the final score of the match. 

Osijek is currently in 2nd place with 39 points, while Istra is in the last place with 13 points. 

Dinamo v. Sibenik (1:2)

Dinamo and Sibenik met at Maksimir Stadium on Saturday, January 30, 2021. 

Sahiti put Sibenik in the lead for 0:1 in the 13th minute. Dinamo's Atiemwen equalized for 1:1 less than 10 minutes later. Juric put Sibenik back in the lead for 1:2 in the 65th minute, which was the final result. 

Dinamo is currently in 1st place with 39 points, while Sibenik is in 7th with 19. 

Hajduk v. Lokomotiva (0:1)

Hajduk and Lokomotiva met at Poljud on Saturday, January 30, 2021. 

The only goal of the game came in the 4th minute - Petrak scored for the Lokomotiva win. Hajduk captain Mijo Caktas missed a penalty in the 50th to equalize. 

Hajduk is currently in 6th place with 20 points, while Lokomotiva is in 9th with 15. 

Rijeka v. Gorica (0:2)

Rijeka and Gorica closed out the 18th round on Sunday, January 31, 2021, at Rujevica Stadium.

An own goal by Andrijasevic put Gorica ahead in the 27th minute. Lovric increased Gorica's lead to 0:2 at the half. The match ended with a red card for Rijeka's Capan and Gorica's Moro in the 4th minute of added time (90+4').

Rijeka is currently in 4th place with 26 points, while Gorica is in 3rd with 33. 

You can see the full HNL table HERE.

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

January 31, 2021 – The Sibenik police issued a statement about the quadruple murder and suicide yesterday in Vodice and Šibenik.

The area of Šibenik and Vodice was shaken by four murders yesterday, and later in the day, the perpetrator of the murders was also found dead. Here we bring a statement from the Šibenik police about the fourfold murder.

"At 12:56 pm, the Šibenik-Knin Police Department received a report that a dead man had been found in a vehicle next to the road in Vodice. Investigations established that it was a 47-year-old man who was found in a car with multiple gunshot wounds on the body.

At 1:23 pm, police received a report from the Emergency Medical Service of finding three dead people, two men and a woman, in a facility on the South Highway. During the investigation, it was determined that they were a 42-year-old man, 62-year-old man, and 61-year-old woman, who, as determined, died a violent death and had gunshot wounds on their bodies.

Considering the collected information, a search for the possible perpetrator was announced, and the public was informed that a gray Škoda Karoq vehicle, registration number ŠI-959-HF, was wanted. The entire operational staff of the Šibenik Police, together with the Zadar and Split-Dalmatia Police Directorates, established checkpoints at the entrances/exits to detect and locate the perpetrator.

During the investigation at both places where the dead bodies were found, led by the Deputy County State's Attorney from Šibenik, at 6:22 pm, we received a report that a personal vehicle was found in the Vodice area, as well as the dead body of a 57-year-old suspect.

The dead bodies of all persons were transported to the Pathology Department of the General Hospital in Šibenik for an autopsy and to determine the cause of death. The used vehicles were transferred to the Police Administration, where inspection activities will be carried out during the day.

Also, during the day, police officers will perform some additional measures and actions to connect all the events that preceded the commission of criminal offenses, after which it will be determined what the motive of the perpetrator was," reads the statement from the Šibenik police.

The police will inform the public about all the new information at a press conference tomorrow.

Although the Šibenik police did not reveal the victims' nor the murderer's identities, Croatian media soon found out who they were.

Jutarnji.hr reports that a well-known Šibenik businessman was first killed in his car in front of the "Djelo" shopping center in Vodice at around 1 pm. The entrepreneur, allegedly killed by a burst from an automatic rifle, was the head of the entire "Djelo" retail chain, one of the largest in the county and Dalmatia and Croatia, a member of the national "Ultra" chain.

Then three more dead bodies were found in Ražine, in the basement of the former Matkol bakery. It was soon learned that those three people were the director of Sabirač company, a well-known Šibenik bankruptcy trustee and HDZ city councilor, and her husband, who happened to be at the scene of the murder, allegedly driving his wife to a pre-arranged meeting.

It soon turned out that the perpetrator, who was eventually found dead next to the car in which he fled to the police, was also a well-known Šibenik businessman. He failed in his bakery business, and his company, which he had been building all his life, went bankrupt before the great crisis of 2008.

January 30, 2021 – Four people killed in the Sibenik area today. Namely, at about 1 pm, one man was killed in Vodice. Shortly afterward, information arrived about a shooting in Šibenik, where three more people were killed. At about 7 pm, the police found the killer's dead body near Vodice. It is presumed that he commited suicide.

According to the first information, one man was killed with an automatic rifle in front of the "Djelo" store in Vodice. Šibenik.hr unofficially reports that he is a well-known entrepreneur. The attacker continued the bloody raid in Šibenik, in a bakery in the Ražina area, where three other people were shot. However, the police have not yet confirmed the link between these two murders.

Shortly after 3 pm, the Šibenik police reported on the events in a statement.

"The Šibenik-Knin Police Department received a report at 12:56 pm that a dead man had been found in a vehicle by the road in Vodice. At 1:23 pm, police received a second report from the Ambulance about three dead people, two men and a woman, in a facility on the South Highway. Initial information indicates that persons died a violent death.

An investigation is underway at both sites, and at this moment, we cannot confirm whether the deaths were related. Additional police forces were immediately sent to the field to find the person that could be linked to the found persons' death.

The Šibenik-Knin Police Department will promptly inform the public with new, verified, and confirmed information," the Šibenik police reported.

As Jutarnji.hr reports, after a police's statement, unofficial information was published but soon refuted that the suspected perpetrator, allegedly the owner of a stumbled bakery chain, had killed himself. The police denied that information, publishing the car brand and license plates of the male person being linked to the events.

"In connection with the events mentioned above, we are bringing a male person driving a ŠKODA KAROQ personal vehicle, gray, with license plates ŠI-959-HF. We call on citizens to report the location to the police at the following telephone numbers: 192, 022 / 347-139, or 022 / 347-446. We warn citizens not to approach the vehicle but to inform the police immediately. "

Slobodna Dalmacija writes that he is allegedly in a house that is under siege by the police.

As Večernji.hr reports, the police surrounded the area where the perpetrator (or several perpetrators) of the murder in Šibenik and Vodice are allegedly hiding. There is no official confirmation of the number of perpetrators yet and the identity of those killed.

Information about the events change from moment to moment, and Croatian media report that among killed was the owner of a retail chain, Šibenik bankruptcy trustee and city councilwoman and her husband, and another creditor. Unofficial information says that the killer is the owner of a failed Šibenik company that had a number of bakeries and shops in the city, but went bankrupt. The victims' friends claim that an unresolved business relationship caused the tragedy.

The streets of Vodice have been flooded with special forces since early afternoon. A Mercedes in which the victim was allegedly sitting at the time of the murder was parked in front of the "Djelo" store. The Šibenik police are on the streets, the Šibenik bridge, and the intersection in Ražine, where they have set up blockades and inspect cars.

UPDATE:

As Hina reports, Branko Koloper, who killed four people in Šibenik and Vodice earlier today, was found dead after most likely committing suicide.

According to the first information from police, Koloper's dead body was found just before 7 pm in an open space near Vodice. The vehicle that the police were searching for was also found. An inquest should confirm whether it was a suicide, as is presumed. Police did not reveal his identity.

From sources close to the investigation, Koloper, the owner of the bankrupt company Matkol, killed the married couple Mario and Radojka Danek and Toni Šparada in Šibenik with automatic weapons. In Vodice, he killed the executive director of the Djelo retail chain, Tedi Slamić.

A spokesman for the Šibenik-Knin Police Department, Šime Pavić, previously confirmed that the perpetrator was in a business relationship with the victims. The murdered Radojka Danek was the bankruptcy trustee of Koloper's company Matkol, but also the Šibenik city councilor from the ranks of the HDZ.

According to media reports, the spouses Danek and Šparada were killed in Šibenik's Ražine, where Koloper has a production plant. After shooting them with a 'Kalashnikov', he allegedly drove to Vodice where he shot Slamić in front of his shop.

December 28, 2020 – The Sibenik City Museum and the Sibenik Fortress of Culture came up with two new traces of the medieval beginnings of Sibenik, one of the oldest Croatian native towns on the Adriatic.

As reported from Fortress of Culture, they came up with new findings belonging to the early Middle Ages only a few days before the 954th anniversary of the first mention of Šibenik. Namely, Šibenik was first mentioned on Christmas Day in 1066 in the deed of gift of King Petar Krešimir IV. That is why it is also called Krešimir's city.

The Šibenik City Museum, in cooperation with the Nature Institute of Šibenik-Knin County, has been researching the cave of St. Anthony the Great, located in the canal of the same name. The head of the research, senior curator of the Šibenik Museum Emil Podrug, gathered a team to write a scientific paper on this site – eight experts from five institutions and three cities (Šibenik, Split, Zagreb). The research results show that the cave was used from the 13th or 14th until the 20th century.

View of the St. Anthony the Great's Cave on the map of Martin Kolunić Rota from 1571 / Source: Fortress of Culture

Cave of St. Anthony the Great today / Source: Fortress of Culture

Plait from the middle of the 9th century

However, during a recent inspection of a baroque altar's remains in the cave, a well-preserved fragment of the altar partition pluteus (sculpture) decorated with a plait was found. It is a series of two knotted three-bar circles decorated with whirling rosettes.

Based on similar examples from Rižinice near Klis and Kašić near Zadar, it can be reliably declared as the work of the so-called Stonemasonry workshops from Prince Trpimir's time and located no later than the middle of the 9th century.

"A stone fragment with a plait into the cave was most likely brought in as a secondary building material. It should be noted that the immediate vicinity of Šibenik is not rich in archeological sites from the era of national rulers. In addition to the very important site of St. Lovre in Grušine near Donje polje, fragments of plait were found at only a few locations, mostly also as a secondary material," said Željko Krnčević, director of the Šibenik Museum.

Examples of plaits from Kašić and Rižinice / Source: Fortress of Culture

One of these rare locations is the Fortress of St. Mihovil. It is less known that a stone fragment with three-bar braids was found in the fortress as far back as 1911. Also, an oil lamp from the second half of the 9th century was found in the 1990s. The site has been used for defense since Illyrian times, and it is believed that most of the ramparts preserved today were built during the Venetian rule.

Šibenik is a century or two older

However, some walls seem older, and today's non-invasive archaeological methods provide new opportunities for exploration. One such wall is the deepest part of the northeastern rampart, whose plaster contained pieces of coal.

Experts from the Ruđer Bošković Institute performed the chemical C14 dating of coal.

A segment of the old wall, the northeastern rampart of the Fortress of St. Michael / Source: Fortress of Culture

The analysis results show date from the very end of the 9th or through the 10th century, more precisely between 881 and 978. This suggests that this part of the ramparts was built during the said period. Just a few meters away, the already mentioned oil lamp was found. The northeastern rampart's foundation extends about forty meters in the northwest-southeast direction, and a Venetian rampart from the 15th and 16th centuries was added to it.

"It was clear before that Šibenik already had to be a developed settlement to host King Petar Krešimir and his court in 1066 during the signing of the well-known deed of gift. These two new clues provide us with additional confirmation and suggest that we move the origin and continuity of Croatian Šibenik a century or two earlier. Perhaps more importantly, these findings motivate us to explore further. We believe that a systematic approach and continuous work, which includes the use of new methods, can lead to further knowledge of even the earliest periods in the history of Šibenik," said Josip Pavić from the Fortress of Culture.

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December 10, 2020 – A joint campaign of the Sibenik Knin County Tourist Board and the agency S.T.A.R. Digital called "Take a walk with us" received the European Excellence Award for the best campaign in Southeast Europe in 2020.

As Hina reports, the Sibenik-Knin Tourist Board said that they won this prestigious European award in a strong competition of finalists: marketing campaigns of Eurobank Bulgaria/BBDO, ING Romania/Zenith, Telenor Bulgaria/Intelday, and Erste Bank Serbia.

"The 'Take a walk with us' campaign promotes privacy, untouched nature, and a safe environment, which have never been more important than now at the time of the pandemic. This is our response to new market demands in the travel industry," said the Sibenik Knin County Tourist Board.

The campaign promotes the destination's natural and cultural beauties with the concept of a "walking" in which the visitor gets to know all its riches through video and "storytelling" formats.

"This year has been extremely challenging, especially in tourism. With a quick response, the communication needed to be designed and adjusted differently to encourage tourists to make quick decisions and visit destinations in times of global crisis," they describe a concept from the S.T.A.R. Digital, adding that the author of the photo and video material is Toma Kezić.

"How to promote a tourist destination in the summer of 2020 with a limited budget and on short notice? Šibenik Region 'walked' the potential travelers through its highlights, offering a perfect getaway from a pandemic. Campaign with compelling videos and storytelling formats achieved strong results in 5 European markets – in awareness, engagement, and ultimately better than expected tourist arrivals," reads the statement on the European Excellence Awards winner list.

As the coordinator of the project, the Šibenik-Knin County Tourist Board, with the support of the Croatian Tourist Board (CNTB), gathered key stakeholders in the destination – the Šibenik and Vodice Tourist Boards, Krk and Kornati National Parks, Šibenik Fortress and Public institution Nature of Šibenik-Knin County. They campaigned in the markets of Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Poland, and the Czech Republic.

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