April 14, 2021 - After eight years at Palmižana hotspot Laganini, established Split chef Hrvoje Zirojević moves back home to lead the kitchen at seaside restaurant Dvor.

Split chef Hrvoje Zirojević invented new genres in Croatian gastronomy and catering at Laganini restaurant in Palmižana. With Zirojević's innovative and passionate but always elegant fish cuisine and excellent service set in the extreme conditions of a beach restaurant, Laganini has become a restaurant institution and a model for many similar attempts.

However, after eight intensive years at Laganini, Zirojević is taking over the kitchen at popular Split restaurant Dvor. He will be succeeded at Laganini by chef Matko Bukovec.

“I felt it was time for a new phase. No less ambitious, just different," Zirojević said for Plava Kamenica.

"Apart from wanting to be closer to my family, I want to apply in a new way everything that has proven to be a winning combination for both work and guest satisfaction."

Dvor, a restaurant in an attractive Firule location that Zirojević will run in cooperation with Split restaurateur Marko Balić, will boast a concept based on a specific interaction of traditional and modern cuisine that Zirojević very successfully established at Laganini, but applied in a different, broader way.

Dvor has an aquarium with live fish, fresh French oysters, and some classic French dishes such as cold duck breast. Still, the menu also includes risotto with shrimp and asparagus and Zirojević's signature dishes such as tuna rolls with goose liver, tartare with timut peppercorns, and onion and ceviche jam.

One of the huge assets of Dvor is a beautiful terrace with a garden on the sea, in which there will be a lounge area. Although preparations for the season are still ongoing, Zirojević is already receiving guests at Dvor.

"We started calmly and quietly; the situation is still uncertain due to the pandemic; it requires experience and caution. But regardless of that, I think that the restaurant must promote quality first of all, and we still have a lot of plans in that segment. If you are really good, you will find people wherever you are," says Zirojević.

Dvor, however, will not be difficult to find. It is located in one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Split, behind one of the most beautiful terraces in Split, and has one of the best Croatian chefs.

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

April 11, 2021 - Four students from Split have designed a device for cleaning microplastics from the sea, which unlike other such devices is remote-controlled and can move around.

Antonija Buzov, Petra Kundid, Matej Radić and Andro Rudan have designed a system that can filter seawater and remove microplastics from it, and can be guided by remote control, which makes it better than other similar purifiers.

"The problem with microplastics is that it adsorbs heavy metals, so when you swallow microplastic particles from the sea, you are actually ingesting heavy metals, which could eventually lead to various cancers, bleeding and other diseases," said Petra Kundid, who is working on a doctorate in parasitology.

As microplastics are found on the surface and the very bottom of the sea, they originally envisioned a roller with holes, with the properties of a sponge, but as they did further research, they designed a semi-submerged box that filters and cleans the sea water that passes through it. They called the product "CBRO".

"We used cheap materials because this kind of product normally requires a lot of money, which is, I believe, why individuals do not dare to 'tackle' this problem," Andro Rudan while explaining their prototype.

"The propeller was printed on a 3D printer, the engine is from a drill and is powered by three batteries from laptops that are no longer used. The electronics and the device are connected to the Internet. We control the rudder and the engine speed via mobile phone," he said, adding that they intend to install sensors which would measure the amount of water that passes through the device in order to obtain numerical data which would later be easier to use in studies.

Plastic makes up 85% of waste on beaches around the world, and last year the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said that over 200,000 tonnes of plastic leaks into the Mediterranean every year, with a sharp warning that by 2040 the amount will double unless significant measures are taken.

At a plenary session in late March, the European Parliament, in its resolution on marine litter, underscored the damage it caused to fisheries and called for urgent measures to reduce such waste, from further restricting the use of disposable plastics to promoting collection and recycling. The resolution also called for a stronger inclusion of the maritime aspect into the European Green Deal.

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April 10, 2021 - Jet2 flights to Dubrovnik, Split, and Pula have been postponed until the end of June, as the British low-cost airline blames the UK government's lack of clarity over travel plans this summer. 

Croatian Aviation reports that the well-known British tour operator has postponed traffic to tourist destinations in Europe, including previously announced flights to Croatia.

Due to constant changes in some countries related to the free movement of passengers (which directly affects passenger demand), Jet2 has decided to cancel all announced flights to well-known European tourist destinations, including flights to Croatian airports - Pula, Split, and Dubrovnik.

Although the flights were originally planned for the end of March, then postponed to the beginning of May, the latest decision is that there will be no flights to Croatia until the end of June. A significant number of routes have been announced only from July!

This company has the largest number of operations to Dubrovnik Airport. These are direct lines from Belfast, Birmingham, Edinburgh, East Midlands, Leeds, London, Manchester, and Newcastle. Four of the eight lines have now been announced from the end of June, while the remaining lines will start operating only from July. Given that British guests are traditionally the most represented in Dubrovnik, this is a rather strong blow to the local tourism of Dubrovnik and the region. It is expected that other companies from Great Britain will start flights to Croatia much later than planned, with a smaller number of weekly operations.

Postponed operations to Pula and Split

Six lines to Split Airport (from Birmingham, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Leeds, London, and Manchester) have also been postponed to the end of June, while the line from Edinburgh will start operating only in July.

According to Pula Airport, Jet2 is planning only one line this year - from Manchester. The start of traffic on this line has also been postponed to the end of June.

Jet2 chief executive Steve Heapy said in a statement on Friday:

“We are trying to run a business so that we can take customers away, but we need the Government to provide us with clarity to achieve this.

After several weeks exploring how to restart international travel, with substantial assistance and input from the industry, the framework lacks any rigorous detail about how to get international travel going again. In fact, the framework is virtually the same as six months ago.

Following the publication of the framework today, we still do not know when we can start to fly, where we can fly to and the availability and cost of testing. Rather than answering questions, the framework leaves everyone asking more.

Because of the continued uncertainty that the framework provides, it is with a heavy heart that we have taken the decision to extend the suspension of flights and holidays up to and including 23 June 2021.

Where customers yet to travel are affected by any programme changes, we will automatically cancel their booking with a full refund, and our team of travel experts will be in touch to help them to book their summer getaway for later in the year."

Recall, UK ministers announced a new traffic light system for international travel from May 17, which will categorize countries based on risk.

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 10, 2021 - The ATP Challenger Split Open 3rd edition, which starts on Monday, April 12, was announced at a press conference on the Firule Tennis Center's terrace.

Tournament director Ismar Moralić said that this week's tournament, which is still in progress, is going great, and he also revealed that three invitations for the main tournament go to Croatian tennis players Borna Gojo, Duje Ajduković, and Nino Serdarušić.

"The first tournament is taking place in a nice atmosphere so far. It is disturbed only by bad weather and low temperatures that we struggle with every day. We are bravely going to the second week," said Moralić, expressing satisfaction that all the players, their entourage, and the tournament staff are negative for Covid-19.

"This is actually a key thing because only one infected person can knock down an entire tournament like a domino. Tests are according to the ATP protocol every Wednesday, and I hope that next week we will all be negative."

Veljko Martinović

Like this week, Duje Ajduković and Nino Serdarušić will receive two invitations for the main tournament. The third will be given to Borna Gojo, who skipped the first tournament due to a back injury.

"Borna worked hard, went through therapy, and we believe that he will achieve a good result in the next tournament, just like Duje and Nino. Duje returned in an incredible match against Brown, and Nino defeated Clarke in conditions that were more similar to polar ones, and that certainly took away a lot of his strength for the next match," said Moralić.

The list of players will remain similar to this week.

"The 'cut' for the main tournament is 202nd place, and for the qualifications 220th, so even a little lower than this week. We hope for a slightly better weather forecast," Moralić added.

Borna Gojo, who was also at the press conference, spook about his back problems.

"It started in Australia when I was quarantined for 14 days. The day after I went out, I played with Popyrin and carried those problems ever since. It's taking a while. I expect to win every tournament, so do Duje and Nino."

Unfortunately, there will be no audience in the stands next week either.

"The audience will be missed a lot. I wouldn't be the first to play in the semifinals last year if it weren't for the audience. They pushed Duje and me. Home is always a special feeling. From what I hear from other tennis players, the impressions are positive. They are satisfied with the club, organization, and accommodation," said Gojo.

Veljko Martinović

Ajduković, on the other hand, hopes for a better result than this week when he was eliminated in the second round. However, he’s happy to be playing at all, given that he recently got over the coronavirus.

"My fight and effort brought me back to the match against Brown, and against Role, I chose the wrong tactics, and after that, it was difficult to come back. I had COVID-19, because of which I spent ten days in isolation in Zadar, and now it is not easy to regain my old form. I didn’t even know if I would play, so these two matches will help lift my form. I will definitely be better next week," said Ajduković.

Serdarušić also dropped out in the second round, but that is also a shift compared to last year when he was knocked out in the first round.

"Thanks to the director for the invitation, it's great that we have three Croatians in the main tournament. For me, this week was positive because I didn't really play this year. I also went through COVID-219 and quarantine. The situation is certainly not normal because we are quarantined almost every week, we have to get tested, and we don’t know if we will cross the border, but at least we are lucky to be able to play. A lot of players are under stress, and no one is in great shape. It’s great for us that we don’t really have to travel outside the country every week, and now we’re home for two weeks. These conditions on Firule can only be compared to Monte Carlo, in that the terrain is immediately at sea."

The draw for the qualifiers, singles tournament, and doubles tournament is scheduled for Saturday.

"I hope that we will have at least one Croat in the final. Let Borna, Duje, and Nino agree on who it will be!" concluded Ismar Moralić. 

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April 11, 2021 - An overview of the big events in Croatia from April 5 to 11, 2021. 

The first week after Easter saw Croatia bitter on the tragic death of a 2-year-old girl, followed by a shock of heavy snow fastly coming and fading in Croatia's capital. Dinamo fans were disappointed by the Europa League loss at Maksimir stadium, while Pula is finally starting a big project of connecting its underground tunnels with an important surface site. Citizens of Split saw two candidates coalition together to unify liberal and progressive election bodies.

Highlights of the week: New headmaster of Social Service in Nova Gradiška 

© Ivica Galovic / PIXSELL

Following the tragic death of a 2-year-old girl who was heavily beaten by her mother and neglected by her parents resulted in Marija Jugović taking the position as the new headmaster of Social Welfare Centre Nova Gradiška on Monday. Jugović replaced the former headmaster Branko Medunić, following the controversial decision of returning the girl from her foster family back to her biological parents, who previously neglected and abused her, which ended fatally.

As Večernji List reported, Medunić is still employed in the Centre, and Jugović said on Monday that the investigation by the ministry would show if there were any misconducts in handling the case.

„Medunić is a social worker, and he is currently doing the job according to his occupation“, said Jugović.

Pending the results, Jugović announced lay-offs in the Nova Gradiška Centre. The investigation was expected to be complete by Wednesday.

„It's determined that there were mistakes in the procedure, which was the mistake of the headmaster. We are still waiting for professional findings from Croatian Social Workers chamber and Croatian Psychology Chamber“, said Josip Aladrović, Minister of family and social policies, on Wednesday as a guest On National Croatian Radiotelevision (HRT).

He added that restrictions in the Centre were done immediately based on those findings, and other results are expected to be complete by the end of the week.  

Highlights of the week: April snow in Zagreb brought shock and traffic 

© Bruno Fantulin / PIXSELL

The heavy snow, which was announced but still surprised the citizens of Zagreb thanks to its intensity, caused chaos on Zagreb streets on Tuesday. Traffic was jammed and several accidents occurred. Still, the snow quickly melted away and meteorologists announced warmer weather by the end of the week.  

Citizens of Zagreb were in disbelief of such heavy snowfall in early April, a day after it was a little under 20 degrees Celsius.

Highlights of the week: Ivica Puljak and Bojan Ivošević competing together in Split local elections

© Ivo Cagalj / PIXSELL

Mayoral candidate of Centre Party Ivica will compete in the upcoming local elections for Split Mayor with the independent candidate Bojan Ivošević who aims to be his vice-mayor. As Večernji List reported on Tuesday, the pair said this decision was easy for them as neither one had to betray their beliefs when agreeing to this collaboration.

„In this election, the civil, progressive Split we represent is waking up like never before. We united our teams, Split has a chance it didn't have in decades, and if we don't use it, we won't get another opportunity for four years, maybe even longer. We have to take this chance“, said Ivica Poljak.

Bojan Ivošević is confident they will win elections and „return freedom to the citizens of Split and end trading authority in Split“.

Highlights of the week: Construction of connecting Kaštel fort with underground tunnels ongoing in Pula

© Sasa Miljevic / PIXSELL

One of the most interesting tourist projects this year is taking place in Pula. Fort Kaštel is being connected with a network of underground tunnels that date back from the Austro-Hungarian times when Pula was the main military port. After the project was announced as early as 2019, the shaft where there will be a tourist elevator that will connect the fort with tunnels was finally been pierced last Friday.

Highlights of the week: Dinamo defeated by Villareal

© Goran Stanzl / PIXSELL

After the brilliant victory against Tottenham, Dinamo's luck and skill took a blow in the clash with Villareal on Thursday.  

Despite Dinamo handling well against the first attempt of Villareal and few risky shots aimed at Zagreb's gate, it all went well until the very end of half-time when Moreno scored for the Spanish club, taking advantage of a penalty Dinamo received for Theophile's handball.

Dinamo didn't manage to level the result or turnover the game but reduced the loss to the lowest possible outcome. Whether Dinamo is able to come on top against Villareal will be known next Thursday when they visit Villareal in Spain.

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April 9, 2021 - The second largest city in Croatia has been highlighted not only for its tourism but also for meeting the expectations of seniors around the world. The esteemed travel portal Travel and Leisure lists Split among the 9 best European cities to retire!

The international travel web portal Travel+Leisure recently published a list of the best places in Europe where people can make their retirement plans come true. Although the cost of living is a factor to take into consideration, the list considered others such as the climate, environment, culture, sights, and the health system quality.

Photo: Romulić and Stojčić

Despite the list recognizing Croatia in general as a tempting destination for retirees, due to its decent climate in both summer and winter along its nearly 6000 kilometers of coastline, the city of Split stood out above the rest.

‘"The Roman emperor Diocletian built his palace in Split, and its remains have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Restaurants, bars, cultural and entertainment venues, and many English-speaking residents make it relatively easy to adapt," writes Travel+Leisure.

It should come as no surprise then that the Roman Emperor Diocletian decided to spend his last years in retirement in his palace, located in the heart of Split.

Photo: Romulić and Stojčić

The portal also added that to get permanent residence in Croatia, it is necessary to spend five years in the country as a temporary resident. Likewise, it considers the Croatian health system to be adequate and something positive for those traveling from abroad is the availability of English-speaking doctors. You can find what you need to know about living in Croatia here.

Those interested in fulfilling their retirement plans on the Dalmatian coast can also consider other locations near Split, such as Trogir, Omiš, Makarska, Stobreč, or Podstrana. To learn more about Split, be sure to read our dedicated Total Croatia page.

Split also stands out for its gastronomic offer, its beaches, its museums and history, and the ease of setting sail in the Adriatic either from its ferry ports or by purchasing a boat; something that all interested seniors should definitely keep in mind.

Photo: Romulić and Stojčić

The full list includes the following cities:

• Algarve, Portugal
• Bordeaux, France
• Budapest, Hungary
• Ljubljana, Slovenia
• Split, Croatia
• Alicante, España
• Valletta, Malta
• Kinsale, Ireland
• Prague, Czech Republic

Follow the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 9, 2021 - The latest flight news for Croatia as Air France flights to Dubrovnik increase this summer, while the Paris-Zagreb route will not see the addition of a second daily flight. 

Croatian Aviation reports that Air France has revised its summer flight schedule for this year, with changes on the routes to Croatian airports. The French national carrier maintains a year-round line between Paris and Zagreb, and in the summer, it also operates to Split and Dubrovnik.

No second daily flight to Zagreb

Back in January 2020, the company announced that it would introduce a second daily flight between Zagreb and Paris. Of course, this did not happen after the pandemic outbreak, but the company resumed traffic on this line in June last year.

Since March this year, Dutch KLM operates twice a day on the line between Amsterdam and Zagreb, and since KLM and Air France are in the same group, it was to be expected that Air France will withdraw its second daily flight, which has now happened.

Namely, until just a few days ago, Air France offered a second daily flight on the route to Zagreb Airport from June this year, but they are no longer available for booking. Instead of two, Air France will have one daily flight on the Paris - Zagreb - Paris (Charles de Gaulle Airport) route, while two daily flights will be operated by the aforementioned partner company KLM on the route to Amsterdam.

The Croatian national airline - Croatia Airlines - also operates on the routes from Amsterdam and Paris from Zagreb. There are currently no carriers other than those mentioned on these lines.

Return to Split and increase in traffic to Dubrovnik

On the last day of May, Air France will resume traffic on the Paris - Split - Paris route. The company will operate daily on this route only from July 1, although initially, daily flights were available from May 31. Air France will offer on average between 2 and 4 flights a week to Split Airport until July. 

From the same date (May 31), the company plans to renew the Paris - Dubrovnik - Paris line as well. It will initially operate with two flights a week, gradually increasing the number of weekly operations. From the beginning of July, daily flights have been announced on this route, while Air France will operate as many as 11 times a week between Paris and Dubrovnik Airport from the middle of the same month.

Of course, these flights will primarily depend on the epidemiological situation in both countries. Still, the positive news is that Air France will resume traffic to Split and Dubrovnik, with the intention of increasing the number of operations to Dubrovnik Airport.

Air France currently plans to use E190 aircraft and aircraft from the A320 family, with A318 aircraft announced for Dubrovnik, a rarity in the European sky, considering that only 80 of them have been sold in total.

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 9, 2021 - Member of Marjan Split Lena Stojković won the gold medal at the European Taekwondo Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria!

On the first day of the competition, the Croatia taekwondo team reached the gold medal in Sofia thanks to 19-year-old Lena Stojković!

Lena defeated Finn Tammila 22-2 in the first round in the category up to 46 kilograms. She went on to achieve an upset in the quarterfinals with an 18-8 victory against Turkey's Yildirim, the current European champion, winner of an incredible seven world and European medals in senior competition, and a competitor in Tokyo this summer in the category up to 49 kilograms.

HTK

In the semifinals, Lena was dominant against Israeli Rivka Bayech with 28-8, and in the grand final, she defeated the Russian Larisa Medvedeva with 18-10 after another phenomenal fight. The total point difference of 86-28 speaks enough about the young Split woman's superiority in Bulgaria.

With this gold medal, Lena completed her collection of medals in all three age categories. Recall, Lena won bronze at the European Championships as a cadet, while in her junior internship, she won bronze at the Youth Olympic Games and world bronze.

HTK

Lena started practicing taekwondo in her kindergarten days and was welcomed by coach Veljko Laura in Blatine, Split. Together with Veljko, she reached the fourth big medal in her career at only 19 years old.

Kristina Tomić also competed on the first day of the European Championship. The evident Olympic candidate lost to Romanian Musteate 29-21 in the first round in the 49 kg category. It should be noted that Tomić has diabetes and that it is certainly not easy to lose five kilograms three months before the Olympic Games, where the Osvita member certainly has the maximum focus. For Tomić, the European Championship was, after all, just a training run for what follows in July.

Bravo, Lena!

Source: Gol.hr

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April 8, 2021 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Transavia flights to Split resume in mid-April! 

Croatian Aviation reports that well-known low-cost airline Transavia plans to resume traffic to Split Airport from mid-April.

The Dutch low-cost airline, a subsidiary of KLM and Air France, will renew only one route to Croatia in April.

Although the company normally operates on as many as 10 international routes to as many as five Croatian airports (Pula, Rijeka, Zadar, Split, and Dubrovnik), the company will resume traffic on only one route in the middle of this month.

Namely, the Paris - Split - Paris (Orly Airport) will operate from April 16 with two flights a week, every Friday and Sunday.

All other lines to Croatia have been postponed for the middle, and most even for the end of May:

• Rotterdam - Split,
• Nantes - Dubrovnik,
• Pariz - Dubrovnik,
• Rotterdam - Dubrovnik,
• Eindhoven - Rijeka,
• Pariz - Zadar,
• Rotterdam - Zadar,
• Pariz - Pula,
• Rotterdam - Pula

Transavia plans to operate on all of these lines in the high season but reduced compared to the number of operations the company had in 2019 before the global pandemic.

Paris and Split will be connected by a direct line again from mid-April. There have been no direct flights between the two cities since the end of October last year, i.e., the end of the summer flight schedule. Orly Airport is a little less than 20 kilometers from the center of Paris. The journey on this route usually takes a little less than 60 minutes.

In addition to Transavia, there should be other airlines between Paris and Split in the peak of the summer season; Air France, Croatia Airlines, and EasyJet.

Split Airport, along with Zagreb, is the only airport in Croatia to which several foreign carriers are returning in April. The traffic is still modest, but according to the announcements, that should change as early as May. According to the mentioned announcements, Split Airport should have a significantly higher number of aircraft operations on regular routes this season than in the summer of 2020, when Split, along with Zagreb, had a significant number of passengers in the crisis, pandemic year.

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 7, 2021 - It’s that time of year again when the IT sector meets the third sector at Hack4Split! So don’t miss your chance to apply.

Hack4Split is a two-day social hackathon (fjakaton actually, it’s in Dalmatia after all) on the 17th and 18th of April, where teams of up to 5 attempt to solve some social or environmental problems through IT solutions. Think websites, apps, databases, programs, and so on, all to fix up some things we encounter in our everyday lives.

This year the problems focus on donations, young people, cats, the sea, and fast fashion, as a combination of local and foreign activists combine with designers, developers, creatives and programmers get ready to develop their ideas.

It’s going to be a hybrid event due to the world as things are, and therefore people can participate online through Microsoft Teams and in person at Split’s (currently) newest incubator/coworking space SpinIt in Spinut, Split where we will also have food and drink throughout the event. 

At the end of the event, everyone gets to vote on a variety of prizes, the Oscars of the hackathon world if you like. The best team will take away a day sail with 45 Degrees Sailing, 2 nights full board with a massage thrown in at Hotel Krilo, and a prize fund of 5000HRK to develop the idea further, potentially turning it into a social enterprise itself. Other prizes include a coworking membership at The Works, nautical bracelets from Break Time, and an original artwork from Jaman Art Gallery. 

So if you’re in the I.T. world and want to take part and have a positive impact locally to Split, check out the event and apply here.

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