May 3, 2022 - Dump Days 2022 returns on May 14 and 15 at the FESB in Split, bringing together the technological giants of the Croatian IT scene. 

The DUMP Days conference, organized by members of the DUMP Association of Young Developers, has brought together the technological giants of the Croatian IT scene for six years. The free student conference will be held on May 14 and 15 at the FESB, and this year brings even more opportunities to share knowledge and experiences while networking.

"Finally, we return to the standard edition of the conference, which will be held live, but this time with 32 leading IT companies with offices in Croatia and more content than all previous editions. This May, FESB will once again become the center of the Croatian IT scene," said Nino Borović, conference organizer and vice president of the DUMP Association of Young Developers.

In addition to world-renowned sponsors, including Blank, Extension Engine, Photomath, and Rimac Technology, the conference will be joined by several prominent speakers who will cover the latest trends in tech, development, design, and marketing. Practical workshops are a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the most modern technologies and techniques used in the profession.

Ilija Brajković, Executive Director of Kontra Digital Agency and a lecturer at last year's DUMP Days, has only words of praise for the young organizers: “Regardless of the situation, the Association created a top conference. Excellent preparation, communication, and top support before and after the lecture make each lecturer's job much easier. In addition, the quality of the lectures and the content, in general, was top notch."

The sponsorship stands of the companies are open to all visitors and are located in the atrium of the faculty. Those seriously looking for a job in IT should sign up for Fly Talks. Short-speed dating interviews are ideal for presenting yourself and your resumes to employers! In addition to Fly Talks, there are also Campfire Talks, a mini panel discussion between several professionals and the audience.

“When the organization of a tech event is approached with professionalism that, due to such capacity, exceeds one hundred percent, the result is always spectacular, memorable, and contagious with positivity, knowledge, and expertise. So I'm coming again - and you as you wish," added Dragan Petric, IT expert and editor-in-chief of the BUG web portal magazine, who has participated in DUMP Days several times, and this year is leading a panel discussion.

On the second day of the conference, the prize draw winners will be announced. All participants who sign up for the DUMP Days app and collect points can take part in the hunt for valuable prizes such as Quest 2 VR, a drone, smartwatch, headphones and much more.

The conference doors are open to anyone who wants to step into the business world. Log on to days.dump.hr and join the new generation.

Text by Ian Paligorić, photos by Josip Svalina

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

May 1, 2022 - The 2022 Ultra Europe music festival will be the biggest yet. Organizer Joe Bašić reveals what we can expect this summer in Split.

Ahead of the 8th Ultra Europe music festival, Slobodna Dalmacija spoke with Joe Bašić, the official organizer of the festival and owner of MPG Live, who revealed what awaits us for the festival's return.

After a two-year break, the festival returns to Split. How are ticket sales going?

"We are thrilled that the ULTRA Europe festival is back, after two years without festival organizations around the world due to the Covid pandemic. People are very excited and eager to re-experience everything that makes festivals special and get together and celebrate music and life. The return of our festival was perceived positively not only in Croatia but also in the world. We are delighted because this is the first major international event that will allow us to go back to when close meetings and mass gatherings were normal.

It is crucial that people feel people again. Still, we are also aware that Covid has not disappeared and will continue to be among us, so we will continue to monitor the situation closely and do everything necessary to make the festival safe for its visitors. Croatia is a safe country and one of the leading tourist destinations globally, and this is confirmed by the interest in our festival, which has never been greater. Based on current sales trends and numerous inquiries from our fans, we can expect the festival's eighth edition to be our biggest edition to date. Tickets have already traveled to over 90 countries around the world. According to our expectations, Split and other festival destinations will be visited by more than 140,000 people from July 7 to 14, which we can confirm with certainty - ULTRA Europe is back!"

You recently returned from Miami, where the Ultra Music Festival took place. What are your impressions, and can you compare the Croatian and American editions?

"ULTRA Miami is back, sensational! Given that this was the first international event to be canceled in March 2020 due to Covid, a lot was expected from the return to Bayfront Park in March. However, with more than 200,000 visitors, a massive lineup of performers, and crazy production, many claim that ULTRA Miami 2022 was the best-organized event ever.

It was the perfect message for the whole world that the time of great festivals is back and that it is possible to organize them safely. Therefore, I would say that millions of fans worldwide have regained their confidence that they can start planning to go to their favorite music festivals worldwide, including ULTRA Europe.

Memorable moments in Miami were undoubtedly the guest appearance of 50 Cent with Kygo and the unforgettable sets of Afrojack, Armin Van Buuren, Martin Garrix, and the return of Hardwell.

Comparing the Miami ULTRA Music Festival and our release, we can conclude that Miami is undoubtedly a larger event with more than ten stages, a massive list of performers, and a fantastic production in which significant funds have been invested. On the other hand, ULTRA Europe offers a smaller number of stages with high-quality production and a more intimate feeling, compensating for the difference in the size of the event with incredible fans from 100+ countries who create an exceptional level of energy and experience.

All the performers who come to us always agree that ULTRA Europe has fan energy and that the vibe of the whole event is unique and incomparable to any other event in the world. That is why our edition is visited by fans from so many different countries who come back for even more, and I think we are stronger and more unique than the American edition.

ULTRA Europe is currently the second-largest event in the large ULTRA family and is projected to become the largest in the years to come. Therefore, I am very excited about the future of ULTRA Europe and ULTRA Worldwide in the years to come."

You have also provided regional tickets for domestic visitors. How are sales going, and what is the interest of local visitors in relation to international guests?

"We recorded much better and greater interest in regional tickets than in previous years. We sold out the first contingent of three-day tickets at the lowest price in the festival's history, which amounted to 700 kuna, or less than 235 kuna per day. Croatians are very excited about the return of ULTRA and can't wait to re-experience the energy of a major international festival, especially considering the pandemic, earthquake, and everything that happened over two long and difficult years. We expect more than 30,000 visitors from Croatia during the seven days of the festival, which makes us especially happy."

What are the sales in overseas countries - the USA, Australia, Canada, and South America? And which countries are the most loyal when coming to Croatia?

"To date, we have sold tickets in more than 90 countries. We are delighted that our strongest countries before Covid are Great Britain, Ireland, Spain, France, Australia, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Germany, and still strong markets for our festival, with double-digit growth from the USA, France, Slovenia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. We expect even more international guests because we have increased the number of flights coming to Croatia, and there are more accommodation options in Split than in 2019."

Has the war in Ukraine thwarted plans?

"We have not noticed any changes in sales trends since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. On the contrary, sales have increased since March, following the Miami Festival and the announcement of Hardwell's arrival in Croatia, and lifted Covid measures."

How is the cooperation with the city going?

"We have always had the strong support of the City of Split, Split-Dalmatia County, and the Tourist Board. The ULTRA Europe Festival is of strategic importance to the Government of the Republic of Croatia, and the substantial economic benefits and global promotion of Split and Croatia generated by the festival are important reasons why the City of Split and all relevant state institutions have priority to support this event.

When we started our story ten years ago, we weren’t squandering the numbers of expected visitors, nor were we seeking the support of our partners promising miracles.

We believed in this project, and its potential, and we believed that it would be recognized by all state institutions based on facts and achieved results. But we believed equally that both Split and the Split people would recognize the opportunity and develop together with the festival.

Today, we can proudly point out that this is Croatia's largest international music event. We have more than 140,000 visitors from more than 140 countries during the seven days of the festival. We have generated immeasurable marketing results, and this is not the end.

We are proud to see that Split has become one of the most sought-after tourist destinations among the younger population and is recognizable worldwide for Hajduk, Diocletian's Palace, and the ULTRA Europe festival. We are sure that the festival will be one of the main postcards in the future."

The festival remains at Park Mladeži (Youth Park). How many stages will there be, and how many visitors do you expect per day?

"As announced in 2019, the Youth Park is the new home of the festival and a place that will enable further development and growth of this event.

The goal is to host more than 200,000 people in the coming years, and the Youth Park can follow this vision with its position and capacity. In 2022, we plan to have five stages with 200+ performers over three days and 13 stages over seven days. The Croatian edition lasts from July 7 to 14, in 5 cities and three islands.

This is a demanding production project, and we all still remember the impressive main stage. Will there be any news this year?

"We are focused on improving the overall fan experience at the entrances, in the toilets, and the offer of food and drinks. In addition, the production will feature the latest advances in technology, including a spectacular show never seen before in Croatia.

We tell all our fans that this year's edition should not be missed. We are all eagerly awaiting the day when we will finally open the doors, and I believe that will be one of the reasons why we will especially remember the eighth edition."

Who will be performing in Split?

"Above & Beyond, Adam Beyer, Afrojack, Alesso, Amelie Lens, Armin van Buuren, DJ Snake, Hardwell, Joseph Capriati, Marco Carola, Martin Garrix, Marshmello, Nicky Romero, Nina Kraviz, Oliver Heldens have confirmed their performance in Split so far. In addition, Richie Hawtin, Steve Aoki, Tiësto, Timmy Trumpet, and Vini Vici will be joined by ACRAZE, Airod, ANNA, Frank Walker, Ilario Alicante, Krewella, Sam Feldt, and SOFI TUKKER."

Who else could perform?

"We have not yet announced the third phase of the line-up, which has over 30 names, and which we plan to announce at the end of May."

Who is this year’s biggest star?

"People are very excited about the return of Hardwell, who has been known as the best DJ in the world for many years and who will perform in Europe for the first time since 2018 at our festival. ULTRA Europe is one of his favorite festivals, and he is preparing a special show with a lot of new music in Split.

In addition, fan favorites include Marshmello, Martin Garrix, Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Adam Beyer, and Ritchie Hawtin. This year’s line-up is one of the best, and we are sure the experience will be unforgettable."

After Split, the festival moves to the islands. Who are you bringing in this year?

"ULTRA Europe is the leading destination music festival and is the only festival in the world organized in 4 different cities, on three islands, and more than 13 stages.

The beautiful Adriatic Sea, ideal sunny weather, food, and people from Croatia, make our destination events on the islands of Brač, Hvar, and Vis special, and the performers are always excited to be part of this unique story. In addition, our VIP guests increasingly recognize what we offer over seven days. We can already confirm that we are receiving eight megayachts, with exclusive guests worldwide.

In 2022, we have a few surprises that will only confirm how special such events are in the world, and more details will be announced in July."

This will be the eighth edition of the ULTRA Europe festival. Can you single out some of your favorite moments?

"There are several! In 2013 I first saw a picture of flags from all over the world in front of the main stage and witnessed the energy and pride of Croatian fans because music fans from all over the world hosted in their country.

Then the moment when Marshmello performed Srce Vatreno, before the Croatia-England match in Russia. I will never forget when Martin Garrix performed the single Animals for the first time, nor the feeling when Armin Van Buuren released This Is What It Feels Like, in front of a crowded stadium and spectacular fireworks."

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

May 1, 2022 -  Hajduk and Shakhtar Donetsk played a humanitarian friendly match at Poljud on Sunday under the theme 'Football for Peace'.

The goal of the match is to raise funds to help orphaned children in war-torn Ukraine who now need accommodation in Croatia.

Tickets were 30 kuna while a donation line is also open to call until May 15. The number is 0609006. A call center was set up at Poljud's White Salon on Sunday, where many celebrities answered the phones, from athletes to actors, singers, current first-team players, veterans, and members of the club's Management Board. A special guest is UEFA President Alexander Ceferin.

Hajduk's new home jersey was also officially presented for the first time at the friendly match. 

 Since this is a humanitarian meeting aimed at raising funds to help orphans in war-torn Ukraine, Hajduk put the first 12 jerseys up for auction, and all funds will be donated to the humanitarian action.

The club will publish two jerseys from Hajduk's first-team players every day on the club's official Facebook page. Bids can be left in the comments below the post with the winner being the highest bidder. Each of these jerseys will be signed by the player whose jersey is up for auction. The auction ends on May 7.

Before the match, HRT spoke to Hajduk president Lukša Jakobušić and former Croatia national team captain and Shakhtar legend Darijo Srna.

"I would like to immediately thank the President of Hajduk for this great gesture. I never dreamed we would play this kind of game today. However, it is life, we have to deal with it, and we have to fight it. Many thanks to them, many thanks to the fans, Croatia, Split, Dalmatia. This is a great honor for us and once again a huge thank you to Hajduk. Two months ago, when I talked to the president he said ‘Darijo, send all the children, we will take them all. We’ve been through it all, we know what it means to help at this point. Believe me, me personally, my club, and the whole of Ukraine will never forget this from Hajduk," said the former Vatreni captain and the legend of the Split club. Srna is the current sports director of Shakhtar.

"In our DNA is defiance of the powerful and protection of the weak. We in this area know what trouble is, we know what war is and the least we can do is help. We help as much as we can, we know what Darijo did for Croatia and Hajduk. Out of respect for him and the children, we will try to help them at least a little," said Jakobušić.

Lineups for Sunday's friendly match

HAJDUK: Posavec, Fossati, Elez, Lovrencsics, Biuk, Zulić, Lazar, Letaj, Bradarić, Jakir, Ljubičić
Bench: Subašić, Fesyuk, Simić, Pukštas, Čuić, Brajković, Krolo, Nazor, Zubanović, Jurak, Grgić, Hrvojević, Petrović, Vrcić

SHAKHTAR Pyatov, Matviienko, Korniienko, Bondarenko, Marlon, Stepanenko, Konoplia, Sudakov, Topalov, Mudryk, Solomon
Bench: Shevchenko, Puzankov, Trubin, Rakytskyi, Farina, Bondar, Buleza, Udod, Stasyuk, Drambaev, Kapinus, Chekh, Myshnyov, Shostak, Siheev, Kryskiv, Khromel, Boirachuk

Marin Ljubičić scored the first goal of the match for Hajduk in the 10th minute for 1:0, which was the score going into halftime. 

Franjo Lazar scored an early goal in the second half for 2:0 going into the 49th minute. Anel Zulić was subbed off for Zubanović in the 50th minute. 

In the 57th minute, Hajduk subbed off Marco Fossati for Rokas Pukstas, Josip Elez for Stefan Simic, and Franjo Lazar for Luka Jurak. 

Dmytro Topalov scored for 2:1 in the 59th minute and Petro Stasiuk equalized for 2:2 in the 74th minute! But Hajduk's Marin Ljubičić made it 3:2 with 10 minutes to go.

Boriachuk scored during stoppage time for the final 3:3! 

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

May 1, 2022 - A new eco fabric Hajduk home jersey has been revealed for the 2022/2023 season, made of 100% recycled plastics! 

HNK Hajduk Split and technical sponsor Macron presented the new home jersey the first team will wear in the 2022/23 season. The new set especially expresses the technological and stylistic innovation that characterizes this Italian brand and sets the direction in which production will take place in the future. The use of increasingly efficient, high-quality fabrics, along with the help of eco-friendly materials, attention to detail, and personalized visual solutions, has resulted in a new jersey that connects history and identity and the direction the club is heading, reports Hajduk.hr.

Namely, the new home jersey is made of 100% recycled plastic, a material certified by the "Global Recycled Standard," and 13 plastic 0.5 L bottles are needed to make one jersey. In addition, the front of the jersey is made of a unique eco-technological fabric, which follows "Body mapping," and the jersey itself has perforations (holes) in places where athletes sweat the most while creating a special visual effect reminiscent of armor.

With all these details, the new home jersey comes with a knitted collar and sleeve edges with red and blue lines that represent the Club's tradition, and on the back, on the collar, there is a sewn inscription "Hajduk lives forever." Furthermore, on the front of the jersey, on the right side, there is the silicone logo Macron Hero, while on the left side, over the heart, is the silicone HNK Hajduk coat of arms.

The home kit is complemented by newly designed blue shorts and blue socks. The shorts have red details on the back and the silicone logo Macron Hero and the coat of arms of HNK Hajduk on the front, while the socks come with white details and the inscription "Hajduk" in white.

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

April 28, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as 23 Eurowings Croatia lines from Germany will run next month!

The German low-cost airline, Eurowings, a member of the Lufthansa Group, is resuming traffic on a number of seasonal routes to several Croatian airports in May this year. These are lines from Germany to Pula, Rijeka, Zadar, Split, and Dubrovnik, reports Croatian Aviation.

Eurowings is already present in Dubrovnik, Split, and Zagreb, and next month it will resume traffic to Pula, Rijeka, and Zadar. These are a significant number of routes that will have a smaller number of weekly flights to most airports, while increases are expected in June and July.

Lines to Pula:

Dusseldorf, from 07.05, once a week, on Saturdays, from 24.05., twice a week, additionally on Tuesdays,

Cologne, from 22.05, 2 times a week, Thursdays and Sundays.

Lines to Rijeka:

Dusseldorf, from 21.05, once a week, Saturdays,

Stuttgart, from 21.05, 2 times a week, Thursdays and Saturdays,

Berlin, from 22.05, 2 times a week, Thursdays and Sundays,

Hamburg, from 22.05, 2 times a week, Wednesdays and Sundays.

Lines to Zadar:

Berlin, from 21.05, once a week, Saturdays,

Cologne, from 21.05, once a week, Saturdays,

Dusseldorf, from 21.05, once a week, Saturdays,

Hamburg, from 21.05, once a week, Saturdays,

Stuttgart, from 22.05, once a week, on Sundays.

Lines to Split:

Dusseldorf, 6 times a week, except Tuesdays, from 23.05 on a daily basis,

Stuttgart, 5 times a week, except Mondays and Wednesdays,

Hamburg, 4 to 5 times a week, except Wednesdays and Fridays,

Cologne, 4 to 5 times a week, except Mondays and Wednesdays,

Dortmund, 2 times a week, Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Lines to Dubrovnik:

Berlin, from 01.05, once a week, on Sundays,

Dusseldorf, once a week, Saturday / Sunday,

Hamburg, from 08.05, once a week, Sundays,

Stuttgart, once a week, on Saturdays.

Lines to Zagreb:

Cologne, 6 times a week except for Saturday,

Dusseldorf, 3 times a week, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays,

Stuttgart, 5 times a week except for Tuesdays and Saturdays.

According to current announcements, Eurowings will have more than 50 weekly flights on 23 international routes to 6 Croatian airports in May. Although the number of rotations to Pula, Rijeka, Zadar, and Dubrovnik will be relatively small, which is expected at the beginning of operations, the airline plans to increase the number of flights in June, which will certainly depend on demand for all flights in the coming weeks.

Eurowings is planning A319 and A320 aircraft on the routes to Croatia, which have a capacity of 144 to 180 seats in the passenger cabin.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, check out our dedicated travel section.

ZAGREB, 26 April 2022 - Split City Council president Jakov Prkić said on Tuesday, after the Council could not hold a session due to a lack of quorum, that the incumbent council would no longer hold meetings and that the Justice and Public Administration Ministry would launch activities to dissolve it and call an early election.

"There was a lack of quorum at today's session, the seven deputies from the Centre party have in the meantime resigned, which means that the present Council will no longer hold meetings," Prkić said.

He added that even though he could try once more to convene the City Council, he would not do so due to a lack of quorum following the resignation of nine HDZ councillors on Monday and the resignation of seven councillors of the Centre party today, which constitutes a majority in the 31-seat council.

The three deputies of the opposition Bridge party in the City Council today tendered their resignations as well.

Prkić said that once the Split City Council was dissolved, the government would appoint a commissioner who would ensure the Council performs the minimum necessary activities.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated politics section.

April 26, 2022 - The songs and performers at the 62nd Split Festival, held at the beginning of July at Prokurative in Split, have been announced! 

At this year's 62nd music event, in addition to the final evening of new songs, the program will also include a retro evening and an exclusive Split Festival opening concert. On July 3, the final evening, some of the biggest names in the music scene will perform new songs alongside young musicians and songwriters who are given the opportunity to embrace one of the most beautiful stages, reports Dalmacija Danas. 

After an intensive, multi-day, and exhaustive listening to three hundred songs received for the competition, the Split Festival artistic jury consisting of Eduard Gracin, head of the music department of Radio Split, Katarina Perišić, music editor of Radio Dalmatia, professor Nenad Šiškov, composer, producer and arranger, Jelena Vlačić, and composer and director of the Split Festival Tomislav Mrduljaš, has selected the performers and songs that will be featured at the 62nd Split Festival, the most important festival of popular music in Croatia.

Twenty-five songs have been selected to be performed at Prokurative this year.

1. ADIO LJUBAVI (Goran Karan-Nenad Ninčević-Nikša Bratoš) 4 TENORA
2. BUDIŠ ME (Marko Kutlić-Marko Kutlić/Aleksandar Čubrilo-Antonio David Perina) MARKO KUTLIĆ
3. DALMATINAC ZAUVIK (Marija Mirković-Alka Vuica-Hrvoje Domazet) MATE GRGAT
4. FORTUNATA (Lea Dekleva-Lea Dekleva-Nikša Bratoš) DANIJELA
5. JEDNO BEZ DRUGOGA (Tonći Huljić-Vjekoslava Huljić-Tonći Huljić/Hrvoje Domazet) LORENA
6. JOŠ BI TIJA (Rajko Dujmić-Nenad Ninčević-Igor ivanović) TOMISLAV BRALIĆ & KLAPA INTRADE
7. JUBE MOJA ZNAJ (Neno Belan-Nikša Sviličić-Neno Belan) NENO BELAN
8. KAD SE RODIŠ USRID SPLITA (Branimir Mihaljević-Mario Mihaljević-Branimir Mihaljević) LUKA NIŽETIĆ
9. LIP KA DALMACIJA (A.K.Leo-Fayo-Branimir Mihaljević) LIDIJA BAČIĆ
10. LIPO MI JE TU (Pero Kozomara-Sanja Tafra-Leo Škaro) KLAPA RIŠPET
11. LJUBAVI PROMIJENIT ĆEMO IME (Ante Pecotić-Ante Pecotić-Bojan Šalomon Shalla) MARKO TOLJA
12. LUDO SRCE (Toni Lasan-Bratislav Zlatanović/Siniša Vuco-Toni Lasan) WILLY FAMILY
13. MOŽDA NEKOG VOLIŠ (Vinko Barčot-Vinko Barčot-Leo Škaro) TEDI SPALATO
14. NE DA MI PISMA (Goran Karan-Goran Karan-Nikša Bratoš) GORAN KARAN
15. ONA MI NEDOSTAJE (Fedor Boić-Nenad Ninčević-Fedor Boić) JASMIN STAVROS
16. PARTENCA (Siniša Garbin/Pavle Sviličić-Siniša Garbin-P. Sviličić/D.Pjanić/J.Ivelić) MJESNI ODBOR
17. PJESMA ZA KRAJ (Vlaho Arbulić-Vlaho Arbulić) MARKO BOŠNJAK
18. SA MNOM (Ines Prajo-Arijana Kunštek-Ivan Popeskić) IVO PERKUŠIĆ
19. SJEĆANJE (Suzana Štefanić-Robert Pilepić-Elvis Stanić) IBRICA
20. SVE ŠTO TREBAM (Vinko Barčot-Vinko Barčot-Leo Škaro) IVAN IVE ŽUPANOVIĆ
21. TAKO NEDOSTAJEŠ (MaTune Music-MaTune Music-Goran Kovačić) STJEPAN LACH
22. VILO MOJA SVA U BILOM (Ljubo Šeperić Luppo-Nenad Ninčević-Mario Mikšić) MLADEN GRDOVIĆ
23. VOLJELI SMO JEDNO DRUGO (Raay-Nenad Ninčević-Leo Škaro) IVANA KOVAČ
24. ZA TEBE BISERE NOSIM (Rudolf Dvorski-Rudolf Dvorski-Ivan Popeskić) IVICA SIKIRIĆ IĆO
25. ZAGRLI ME (Hari Rončević-Hari Rončević-Hari Rončević/Albert Limić) HARI RONČEVIĆ

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

April 26, 2022 - Hotel Bellevue in Split is a symbol of the city, still frequented by locals for the old-school feel of its kavana. The hotel, cafe, and restaurant will close until further notice at the end of this week. 

Another former pride of the city is closing its doors. The famous Hotel Bellevue, restaurant, and cafe will remain open until the end of this week before closing until further notice, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

"It's true. We were told to work until April 30, and then we would all go to the bureau. This agony lasted too long. We signed contracts indefinitely so no one would get severance pay. We have a colleague who is only three years away from retirement, and here she is, going home without any compensation. We can't tell you anything anymore. Contact the bankruptcy trustee. Just write that workers are unprotected. And that we will all be at CES," Slobodna briefly heard from Bellevue employees, where there are about 15 left. Bankruptcy was declared at the hotel back in 2001, and it became one of the longest in the history of these legal entanglements.

The Slobodna Dalmacija team tried to book a room after May 1 this year, but no dates were available. Bellevue's description on Booking.com reads: 

"Hotel Bellevue is set in a historic building and enjoys a central location in Split. It features a restaurant with a spacious terrace and air-conditioned rooms. Free WiFi access is provided. All rooms are individually furnished and have a TV, a work desk, and a private bathroom. Room service is available on request. Guests can enjoy regional dishes in the restaurant and bar. A covered terrace and seating possibilities on the large terrace are provided. Hotel Bellevue has a 24-hour front desk and laundry facilities. The bus and train station, as well as the ferryboat harbour are a 10-minute walk away. This is our guests' favourite part of Split, according to independent reviews."

The bankrupt company "Laurus Bellevue" operated in the building, which intervened in the endless court proceedings, and the City of Split was also considered a co-owner.

Late last year, after an eight-year dispute, the High Commercial Court upheld a February 2013 ruling by the Split Commercial Court that "Laurus" d.d. acquired ownership of almost the entire hotel "Bellevue," a total area of 2209 square meters on the ground floor one and two, first, second, third floor and attic. It was announced then that the hotel would be put up for sale in an international public tender.

In March, Slobodna contacted the bankruptcy trustee:

"A decision on the sale of the hotel has not been made yet, nor has an assessment been made. I hope that this will happen during the summer," said bankruptcy trustee Maroje Stjepović about the final settlement of Bellevue, including 150 former employees of 16 subsidiaries of "Laurus," who have been waiting for years to resolve this dispute. The "Laurus" company employed 1,200 workers in about 60 facilities back in 1990!

As one of the oldest Croatian hotels, Bellevue was first mentioned around 1875 under 'Hotel de la Ville'. It was run by Spiridone Tocigl and was famous for its cafe and healing baths under the supervision of a hotel doctor.

In the early 20th century, when tourism became “in” among gentlemen, the hotel changed its name to the Grand Hotel Bellevue. Historical sources say that the first major refurbishment was carried out in 1933 when the hotel received heating, hot water, an elevator, and en-suite bathrooms.

Many famous and unknown people stayed at the hotel, including Jacques Anatole François Thibault, better known by the pseudonym Anatole France, a French writer and Nobel laureate. The famous Agatha Christie even wrote that she spent a wonderful honeymoon at a hotel in Split - Bellevue - in her memoirs! the 

The building was also the backdrop for Miljenko Smoje's "Velo Misto," as well as the main base of the Split Festival in its golden times, and more recently, a great location for "Pričigin," a festival of storytelling. 

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 26, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Croatia Airlines Split flights have been boosted in the 2022 summer flight schedule. 

The Croatian national airline has made additional changes to this year's summer flight schedule and has increased the number of flights from Split Airport, reports Croatian Aviation. 

Croatia Airlines announced the increase in the number of weekly rotations from Split Airport after introducing 5 new seasonal routes from Split to Stockholm, Dublin, Bucharest, Amsterdam, and Milan.

Namely, the Croatian national airline has connected Split with Copenhagen, Dusseldorf, and Vienna in the summer flight schedule for many years, while direct flights to Munich and Frankfurt are available throughout the year. As announced by EX-YU Aviation, the airline will have more flights on the following routes in the upcoming summer season than in previous years.

Split - Copenhagen - Split will operate three times a week, from June to the end of September. One flight per week was previously available on this line,

Split - Dusseldorf - Split will operate twice a week, from June to the end of September. One flight a week was also previously available.

Split - Vienna - Split will be in traffic daily, from June to the end of September. Two to four 4 flights a week were previously available. 

Split - Frankfurt - Split will operate 9 times a week. Last summer it was operated 7 times a week (daily).

Split - Munich - Split will operate 12 times a week. Last summer it was operated 8 times a week.

This is a significant increase in the number of rotations from Split Airport, which only confirms the Croatian national airline's focus is on this airport, according to which demand will be highest in the peak summer season.

Croatia Airlines has competition on all the mentioned routes. SAS and Norwegian will fly to Copenhagen, Eurowings, and Condor to Dusseldorf, Austrian Airlines and Wizz Air to Vienna, and German Lufthansa to Frankfurt and Munich.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, check out our dedicated travel section.

April 25, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as SAS Split flights officially launched over the weekend, with their return to Dubrovnik and Pula scheduled from June. 

On Saturday, SAS Scandinavian Airlines started regular seasonal operations between Split and Copenhagen, and at the beginning of May, it will resume traffic on the routes from Stockholm and Gothenburg to Split. Lines to Dubrovnik and Pula have been announced from June, reports Croatian Aviation. 

Namely, the well-known Scandinavian airline began regular operations between Copenhagen and Split on Saturday, which currently runs once a week. However, the number of rotations will increase to two in early May.

From May 7, there will be regular lines from Stockholm and Gothenburg, and from May 21 from Oslo to Split. The number of rotations will increase significantly in June and July, i.e., during the peak summer season.

SAS will operate to Dubrovnik on three lines - from Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm. However, the start of traffic on these lines is expected from the end of June.

The same is true for Pula Airport, according to which four lines have been announced. In addition to the mentioned lines to Dubrovnik, Pula should be connected with Gothenburg, also from the end of June this year.

SAS will use different types of aircraft on the 11 mentioned routes to three Croatian airports, from the smallest, CRJ900, to aircraft type A321, with a capacity of up to 200 seats.

Recall, TUI recently announced it is planning 15 international seasonal routes to these three Croatian airports, too. 

Lines to Dubrovnik:
Birmingham, from 05.05. to 30.10., from one to two flights a week, Thursdays and Sundays,

Bristol, from 12.05. to 30.10., from one to two flights a week, Thursdays and Sundays,

Cardiff, from 12.05. to 27.10., once a week, on Thursdays,

Doncaster, from 12.05. to 27.10., once a week, on Thursdays,

Glasgow, from 05.05. to 27.10., once a week, on Thursdays,

London, from 05.05. to 30.10., twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays,

Manchester, from 05.05. to 30.10., twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays,

Newcastle, from 12.05. to 27.10., once a week, on Thursdays,

East Midlands, from 12.05. to 27.10., once a week, on Thursdays.

Lines to Pula:
Manchester, from 10.05. to 08.10., twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays,

London, from 10.05. to 04.10. twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays,

Birmingham, from 11.05. to 08.10. twice a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays,

Doncaster, from 14.05. to 08.10. once a week, on Saturdays.

Lines to Split:
London, from 09.05. to 14.10. twice a week, Mondays and Fridays,

Manchester, from 09.05. to 14.10., from one to two flights a week, Monday and Friday.

Various types of aircraft have been announced on routes to Croatia, from B737 and A320 to wide-body B767 and B787. In total, in the peak summer season, TUI will have up to 24 weekly flights from the UK market alone.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, check out our dedicated travel section.