October 17, 2020 - The cities and the municipalities that make up the urban agglomeration of Split will soon be connected by a public bicycle system. 

The project for the development of public bicycle systems in the Urban Agglomeration of Split plans to further popularize the use of bicycles as an alternative form of public transport in the UAS, by developing and improving the cycling infrastructure network that will enable faster access to public transport stops, but also serve as an upgrade and supplementing the existing form of public transport on the daily routes of the inhabitants of the urban agglomeration.

The project is called "Choose a bicycle!", which was applied for co-financing with European Union funds within the ITU Call "URBAN MOBILITY - Development of public bicycle systems in the Urban Agglomeration of Split."

As part of the activities of this integrated project, the City of Split and 7 partners - cities and municipalities from the Urban Agglomeration of Split (Solin, Trogir, Kaštela, Podstrana, Klis, Dugopolje and Dicmo), will receive 41 new stations with a mixed contingent of 242 bicycles and two bicycle roads will be established - in Split (in the area of Trstenik Bay) and Trogir (in the area of Brig-Lokvica). Through project activities, an analytical basis will be prepared - a document for establishing an integrated system of bicycle roads in the Urban Agglomeration of Split, which will be the basis for establishing a planned integrated system of bicycle roads in the Urban Agglomeration of Split.

These 41 new locations with bicycle terminals will be distributed in eight local self-government units per the analysis of needs and possibilities for the implementation of the system, as follows:
City of Split: 16 terminals with 50 electric and 20 classic bicycles;
City of Solin: 6 terminals with 12 electric and 26 classic bicycles;
City of Trogir: 3 terminals with 10 electric and 10 classic bicycles;
City of Kastela: 6 terminals with 30 electric and 30 classic bicycles;
Municipality of Podstrana: 2 terminals with 6 electric and 6 classic bicycles;
Municipality of Klis: 2 terminals with 4 electric and 8 classic bicycles;
Municipality of Dugopolje: 4 terminals with 10 electric and 10 classic bicycles;
Municipality of Dicmo: 2 terminals with 4 electric and 6 classic bicycles.

The project's total value is HRK 13,609,435.83, of which the grant amounts to a total of HRK 10,893,396.68. It is planned that the activities for implementing the public bicycle system will be carried out by June 2021, and the construction and marking of bicycle roads by mid-2022. The project application was prepared by the Development Agency Split - RaST d.o.o., with the support of the Service for International and EU Projects of the City of Split.

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June 6, 2020 - Good news for everyone that attends the Solin Cultural Summer programs, as work has finally begun on Gradina, a medieval fortress and favorite summer stage in the city. 

Slobodna Dalmacija reports that workers are currently removing the old auditorium and stage, which largely rests on the archeological site of the old Croatian church located inside Gradina.

"Because of that, the works are being carried out very carefully and at a somewhat slower pace, so as not to damage the site. Everything takes place under the supervision of the Archaeological Museum and the Conservation Department in Split," said Tonći Ćićerić, director of the Public Institution of Culture "Zvonimir".

In the next phase, the existing wooden benches and iron structures will be removed.

"After that, archaeologists will probe the terrain, or they will conduct excavations in the auditorium and the church in order to open the space for research, since dismantling the stage and new stands for the audience are planned on the site of the current auditorium. About 750 seats, numbered seats are planned in Gradina, which has not been the case so far," says Ćićerić and adds that the stage will be moved along the east wall, closest to Ribnjak, due to the presentation of the church.

The audience will look east, towards Mosor.

"The planned deadline for the execution of works with complete equipment is eight months, but the works will take place in phases, given the specifics of the project. Since it is a cultural and historical monument, there is a lot that we do not know what awaits us when the probes are excavated. Only when the archeological works are completed can we predict the real dynamics," the director points out.

As part of the rehabilitation of Gradina, the conservation of all walls is planned, with a lot of reconstruction work on the east and north walls as they are in the worst condition, while the west and south walls were already treated in the 60s. The project also envisages the construction of a bypass road or a wooden path around the entire site, from the inside, and the existing three towers will be arranged.

Completely new electrical installations are being introduced, and video surveillance will be installed.

"This project is extremely important for Solin, it is the center of the city's cultural events and we are all sentimentally connected to Gradina. Despite the limited funds of the City in this situation due to the coronavirus, the project goes further, and European funds in the amount of 7.2 million kuna have been provided for it," points out Mayor Dalibor Ninčević.

Simultaneously with the Gradina rehabilitation project, the removal of the existing barracks in the city center near the Post Office began, where associations, political parties, and the kindergarten administration were located. This is a project related to the construction of the Cultural Information Center.

"The tender for the demolition of the barracks has been completed, the works have begun, and this is a prerequisite for archaeological research of the terrain, and ultimately for the realization of the project," confirms Nincevic on the realization of this facility, which will, among other things, have a hall with 250 seats, an exhibition multipurpose hall, changing rooms for performers and the audience, office space, a souvenir shop and an information point.

"This year's 25th Solin Cultural Summer was designed to be a little more impressive and exclusive, however, due to the coronavirus situation, prolonging the start of work on Gradina, budget savings, as well as new epidemiological frameworks for performances, we will have to tighten the program a bit. The programs will be held with fewer viewers, but in terms of quality, we will keep the current level in terms of guest names.

Since we do not have Gradina at our disposal, we will adapt to the available scenes to which our audience is already accustomed. In the hope that we will get out of this situation as soon as possible and return to our budget, we will organize what we planned for the jubilee summer next year as the grand opening of the 26th Solin Cultural Summer, when Gradina will shine in all of its glory," concludes the mayor.

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May 10, 2020 - The Diocletian Aqueduct is an archeological site in Solin, a suburb just outside the city of Split. 

Dalmacija Danas reports that this Roman aqueduct was built at the same time as Diocletian's Palace (late 3rd - early 4th century), its purpose was to bring larger amounts of drinking water from the source of the Jadro river to Diocletian's Palace, and most likely the surrounding settlements.

From the source of the Jadro river to the Palace, the aqueduct is about nine kilometers long, and visitors can explore its underground part, which is about 700 meters long and starts at the 5th kilometer. 

Polish blog Crolove explored the site two years ago, and wrote that the difference in level is 33 meters and the slope is equal 3% on the entire stretch. You can find steel pins nailed into the wall of the tunnel every few tens of meters, which were used to fit a string that helped the constructors set the slope. 

The Diocletian Aqueduct stopped working as early as the middle of the 6th century when it was damaged in the invasion of the Goths, after which it did not work for a full 13 centuries. It was mostly renovated during the reign of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and there is evidence that the renovation was done in earlier periods as well.

Since 1932, when the modern water station in Kopilica began working, this famous Roman aqueduct was abandoned, as new pipes for water supply to the city of Split were laid, and only the excess water flowed through the old aqueduct.

In 1948, after the typhus epidemic, the use of drinking water from aqueducts was prohibited. Since 1979, the aqueduct was completely interrupted (downstream from the intersection of today's Domovinskog rata and Puta Stinica streets). 

The aqueduct is currently being restored. 

Sapa Split, a local photography group, accompanied The Mladichi on an exploration of the ancient aqueduct a few days ago. You can check out their experience below.

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

After Ivica Todoric revealed publicly that his family is struggling to survive, a Split association will organize a humanitarian effort this Sunday. Citizens can bring food, clothing and other supplies. The president of the association promised that he would deliver everything in person to Kulmorovi dvori on Monday January 20, 2020.

As reported by Lauren Simmonds/TCN, on January 9, 2020; Ivica Todoric, who is awaiting trial in Croatia, has alerted the media that he and his family are struggling to survive. His announcement has provoked quite a response because he was known to have been one of the richest people in Croatia for decades.

His words have been taken seriously by Jakša Bulić, president of the association for national development “Bili cvitak”.

Bili Cvitak Launches Humanitarian Effort to Help Todorics

Therefore, he has announced a humanitarian effort "Let's Help the Todorics", which will be held on Sunday, January 19, 2020 in Solin. The association calls on all citizens of goodwill to donate food, hygienic supplies, clothing and footwear to Ivica Todorić and his family, according to Dalmacija danas on January 13, 2020.

“We have decided to launch "Let's Help the Todorics" a humanitarian effort for religious citizens and Catholics collect donations and supplies for the Todorics. On Sunday, January 19, 2020 we will collect everything from 10am to 12pm in front of the post office in Solin,” announced Jakša Bulić, president of the association.

Donations Will be Delivered to Todoric Residence on Monday

They group has already participated in various humanitarian efforts, such as an effort to build a school and a water supply system in Ogorje.

Citizens can bring food, shoes, clothing and other supplies, and the president of the association confirmed to Dalmacija danas that he will bring everything in person to Kulmorovi dvori, the Todoric residence, on Monday.

“It is up to Mr. Todoric whether he will accept our donations, but it is important for us as citizens to show our goodwill,” Bulić emphasized.

Follow our Lifestyle page to keep updated on the upcoming trial of Ivica Todoric.

ZAGREB, January 3, 2020 - The European Commission approved on Friday an investment from the Cohesion Fund worth more than 128 million euro to modernize the water and sewerage infrastructure of the Split-Solin agglomeration.

The project will provide four thousand people with high-quality drinking water and 25,000 inhabitants with sewerage service.

Water is one of our most valuable resources, but not everyone has equal access to drinking water. Thanks to this EU investment Croatian citizens will be able to use water sources more effectively, guaranteeing high-quality drinking water and cleaner waste water, which will ultimately lead to less sea and groundwater pollution, said Cohesion and Reforms Commissioner Elisa Ferreira.

In addition to the environmental benefits, the water and sewerage infrastructure modernization will boost the local economy by expanding tourism, the main economic activity in the area. By implementing this project, the Split-Solin agglomeration will align itself with the EU drinking water and urban waste water directives, the Commission states.

The project of Split-Solin water utility infrastructure improvement consists of the construction of a water supply, drainage and sewerage system and covers the area of the City of Split, the City of Solin and municipalities Klis, Dugopolje and Podstrana.

More Split news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

Croatia’s famous long-distance swimmer Dina Levačić has announced that her next challenge is the Tsugaru Strait in Japan, one of the seven channels in the world every endurance swimmer seeks to complete.

This will be Dina’s fourth swimming marathon out of the seven major international swimming marathons she intends to complete in her career, reports Dalmacija Danas on August 9, 2019.

Due to respiratory problems at the end of July, Levačić had to give up her second attempt to swim the 54 kilometer trip from Vis to Split, though it didn’t take long for her to announce her next world venture.

“At the end of August this year, I am leaving to swim the Tsugaru Strait in Japan, which is considered one of the hardest swimming marathons in the world because of the strong currents. This will be a big challenge for me because there are tuna and sea snakes in that channel, but it is not life-threatening,” said the 23-year-old from Solin, emphasizing that the Tsugaru Strait is 30 kilometers long and that only 30 swimmers have managed to swim it so far.

The ‘Ocean Seven’ is a series of seven international swimming marathons, modeled after the Seven Summits mountaineering challenge. Dina Levačić has already swum three marathon channels from the ‘Ocean Seven’ series: Catalina Channel, English Channel (La Manche) and Moloka’i Channel. After the Tsugaru Strait in Japan, Dina will still need to overcome the North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland, the Strait of Gibraltar between Europe and Africa and the Cook Strait in New Zealand.

Dina Levačić is an open swimming champion and member of the long-distance swimming club in Split. She first recorded impressive results at her Argentine tour at the age of 17, placing fourth in the Rosario marathon and securing sixth place in the 57-kilometer marathon from Santa Fe to Coronda. This Argentine trifecta was the longest open-swimming marathon in the world, following an 88-kilometer route. Dina finished in less than 10.5 hours, and placed 5th overall, less than an hour after the winner of the competition.

Dina then accepted the marathon challenge of her career - the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. It began with the Marathon Island Marathon Swim, which saw the Split native swim 48.5 km in 7:33:50. Dina then tackled the Catalina Channel, where she swam 32.5 km in 9:47:53. The infamous part of the Triple Crown, however, was the English Channel - a 33.7 km stretch between England and France. Dina completed the challenge in 11 hours and 42 minutes and thus became the first Croatian female athlete to swim the La Manche in its entirety, and the first Croatian athlete to complete the Triple Crown. Not to mention that Dina is also the sixth athlete in history to have completed the Triple Crown in under 90 days. 

Last August, Dina conquered the 42-kilometer long Molokai channel, from Molokai Island to Oahu Island, Hawaii, in 13 hours. 

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

Ivan Mrvoš, one of Croatia’s top innovators, entrepreneurs, and founder of the Solin company 'Include' can already boast a big year. Back in February, his smart benches secured him a spot on the Forbes ’30 Under 30 List’ in the Manufacturing & Industry category for 2019 in Europe. Shortly after, he started recapitalizing the company in which he raised 15 million kuna. The serious interest of investors is testified by the fact around 7.5 million was collected just on the first day - and Include's current value has risen to 110 million kuna, reports Index.hr on July 1, 2019.

Include has tremendously grown in five years and will exceed 50 employees by the end of summer. The company currently has open bids for 14 positions, and for those interested who are not from the Split area but want to work at their headquarters in Solin, they also offer accommodation. 

Namely, the end of summer, Include will employ 55 people and build a development team of 18 people to work on new products - and for Index.hr, Mrvoš even revealed his ambitious plans to construct a campus of 15,000 square meters. Thus, if this project is realized, it will be the first Croatian smart city for production, but will also house Include employees who are not from the Split area to permanently solve the problem of accommodation and output.

“We are negotiating with several investors and banks, and next year they would begin building the first Croatian smart city, a campus that would probably be located in the wider surroundings of Split. Whether it will be in Split, Solin, Klis, we still do not know. We are speaking to some of the mayors, so we'll see how that is going to develop. The idea is to make a production plant that would have about 4,500 square meters, with offices, production, laboratories and even a co-working area for startups from this area that are just beginning. Also, within the campus, there would be 30 apartments that would be used by Include employees who are not from this area, free of charge. That project would cost a total of about 28 million kuna. This is all still in the negotiation stage, but by the New Year we will definitely know whether we are going to do it or not,” said Mrvoš for Index.hr.

You can read the full interview on Index.hr.

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Big Brother may well be watching you in and around the wider Split area as local police approve a significant number of brand new surveillance cameras in numerous locations within that aforementioned area of central Dalmatia in the name of heightened security.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 17th of May, 2019, the Croatian police in Split-Dalmatia County will issue their approval if all of the necessary conditions for the placement of the new surveillance cameras are met, and if they deem that the setting of the new video surveillance system will positively affect the level of general security of people and property.

The Split Police Administration has stated that approvals have already been issued for the installation of new surveillance cameras in the nearby areas of Trogir and Solin.

As Slobodna Dalmacija reports, as of the beginning of 2019, the Split Police Inspectorate has issued two approvals for the placement of video surveillance systems in Trogir in 23 locations and in Solin in a further 10 locations. Before the new approvals came, Solin had received police approval for three cameras, and this year Solin requested a police review of locations where the administration could set up three times as many such devices.

Should local police give the green light to the new surveillance camera locations and agree that their placement would be beneficial to the area's overall safety and security levels for both people and for property, then all of the approvals will be given. In previous years, licenses were granted to Split for fifteen different locations, Solin received approval for three locations, Makarska got the green light for six locations, Hvar was okayed for twelve locations, Sinj was approved for one and the Lovreć Municipality received approval for four locations.

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

The Croatian company Include from Solin has strengthened its exports, entered the Polish and even the Chilean markets, a new investment round is on its way, and of course greater production and employment will naturally follow that.

As we reported recently, during the first quarter of 2019, this remarkable Croatian company from Solin recorded some excellent export performance, and it seems that Include is just going from strength to strength.

As Marta Duic/Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 7th of April, 2019, the amount of orders placed, when compared to just one year ago during the first quarter of 2018, increased by a massive 109 percent to 2.3 million kuna, while Include's total income increased by an equally impressive 115 percent.

"The first quarter is always frozen in our [type of] business. So far, we haven't achieved significant results during Q1, as plenty of markets are still covered in snow, and the first installations take place during the spring. But the first quarter of this year has been the best quarter ever since we've been doing business,'' stated Include's founder and director, Ivan Mrvoš, before going on to reveal everything Include has been busy doing since the beginning of 2019 alone.

This includes a new two-year distribution agreement with Deutsche Telekom, featuring fifty global markets; the sale of 44 Steora smart benches, a move worth more than 1.1 million kuna, and the opening up of the Polish market.

Our recent article on Include's success reports on the fact that these Croatian smart benches have been delivered to numerous other European countries, such as to Italy, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and to Spain. In February, a new order came from Montenegro, and then new doors outside of the European continent opened up to Include, and a new market was ''cracked'', that of the very distant Chile.

"That's how we managed to arrive to the last possible continent. I'm not counting the Antarctic," smiled Mrvoš. The month was completed with the deliveries of 27 smart benches to Greece, Ireland, Israel, Poland, Italy and Hungary. March resulted in orders for a new product - Monna cyclo benches for Dublin.

Include's entrance onto the Chilean market marks a new achievement for the Croatian company, whose products are gradually finding themselves leaving Europe and spreading further and further across the world.

Make sure to stay up to date with Croatian companies, Croatian products and services, doing buisness in Croatia and much more by following our dedicated Made in Croatia and business pages.

Click here for the original article by Marta Duic for Poslovni Dnevnik

At the beginning of 2019, the Croatian company Include signed a two-year distribution agreement with one of the largest global providers of telecommunications services - Deutsche Telekom.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 4th of April, 2019, 42 global markets, six continents, 260 cities across the world, more than 1000 smart benches installed, cooperation with major global corporations, the European Parliament, Deloitte, Forbes... all in just four years - this is just part of the successful results the Croatian company Include from Solin has achieved since May 2015, when the first smart bench was introduced, until the beginning of 2019.

In the first quarter, Solin's Include didn't manage to acheive any real or significant results, as most markets were still covered by snow, and the first installations usually only begin in spring, but in 2019, Include achieved significant export performance. The amount of ordered benches, when compared to the first quarter of 2018, just one year ago, increased by an impressive 109 percent to  a staggering 2.3 million kuna, while total revenues increased by 115 percent.

At the beginning of this year, Include signed a two-year distribution agreement with one of the largest global providers of telecommunications services, Deutsche Telekom. The contract was signed for fifty global markets, and Include became one of the few Croatian companies with this type of somewhat prestigious contract.

In January this year, 44 Steora smart benches worth over 1.1 million kuna were sold and a new market opened its doors, Poland. The largest share of the bench sales relate to exports, and the Steora smart bench has found its way across Europe, having been delivered to Italy, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Spain.

In February this year, Include continued its export activities - with new orders from neighbouring Montenegro, a new market opened (Chile, with two Steora Standard benches) and the month ended with deliveries of 27 smart bench to Greece, Ireland, Israel, Poland, Italy, and Hungary.

March 2019, as the ''test polygon'' for spring, resulted in orders of a new product from Include's sales portfolio - the Monna cyclo tables for Dublin. The new product was presented at the Smart City Expo World Congress in mid-November 2018 in Barcelona, Spain. In addition, two new distribution agreements were signed (Slovenia - 50 benches, France - 72 benches), five Steora benches for Chile and Bermuda were ordered, as were 38 benches for other European countries - the United Kingdom, France, and Montenegro.

It's certainly important to highlight the continuation of Include's global digital outdoor advertising project via the Steora Urban+ smart benches. After they started the project with the installation of fifteen Steora Urban+ benches in Bratislava (at the best locations in the city), at the end of 2018, the project increased its pace in March this year with the another fifteen new Steora Urban+ smart benches, this time in Dublin, Ireland.

Currently, two major cities in the European Union are using Include's external digital advertising system through the Steora smart bench, it is an advanced DOOH system developed within the company itself. The system works using Facebook-like technology, enabling you to choose multiple advertising screens at the same time, set marketing campaign goals, and track advertising results in real-time.

Croatia's Include expects significant business results in the upcoming two quarters, and in addition to that, the realisation of a new investment round is being prepared, followed by the expansion of production capacities and the recruitment of new employees.

Make sure to follow our dedicated business and Made in Croatia pages for much more.