Firstly, apologies for the lack of Total Split service in the last few days. I have been working hard to get everything ready for the launch of Total Croatia News, our latest (and most ambitious) project, which will go live next week. After a short break, Tracey is also back in the saddle next week, so full Total Split service will be resumed, and with interest...

Total Croatia News is almost there, and I am looking forward to the challenge of provide a (hopefully positive) daily stream of articles about all aspects of Croatian life and from all over the country, as well as Croatian communities abroad. Our first interview was published in leading portal Index.hr yesterday, and I was genuinely shocked and greatly encouraged at all the messages of support and offers of help that hit the inbox after publication. Thank you all, and if I haven't responded yet, it is because I am a little overwhelmed. 

You can read an English version of the article below, and here is the original Croatian version on Index. Join us! If you would like to make a contribution in this experiment in citizen journalism, we would love to hear from you on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Or follow Total Croatia News on Facebook. Thanks for your support, and we look forward to seeing you on this exciting journey into unchartered territory.

Over to Index...

After more than 11,000 articles promoting life and tourism in Dalmatia, Hvar-based British blogger Paul Bradbury is turning his attention to perhaps his most ambitious project yet, a daily news portal for Croatia in English.

Bradbury, whose work on Total Hvar, Total Split and Total Inland Dalmatia earned him the FIJET 2014 Marco Polo Award for best international promotion of Croatia at the National Society of Journalists last December, plans to launch Total Croatia News early next month.

What is Total Croatia News and why do we need it?

Total Croatia News is an attempt to fill a much-needed gap in the Croatian media scene. We have now been EU members for two years, and apart from the work of our colleagues Croatia Week, who do an excellent job reporting on the Croatian media, and some reporting on Dalje, there is almost nothing online in English about news in Croatia. Interest in Croatia is growing, and there are many great news stories about Croatia to report, and I am looking forward to the challenge.

Is there a place for a new news portal on the media scene and tell us something about the targeted audience?

If the portal was in Croatian, I would not attempt the project, but there is so little media information in English that I think there is place, yes. We want to promote the positive about Croatia where possible (not always possible when dealing with the news here...), as well as highlighting the success stories. I was at the Korean Embassy recently for the anniversary celebration of the Croatian – Korean club, for example. Some amazing work is being done, in both directions, and that work deserves to be shared with the world.

Our audience target is threefold. Initially of course, we will be looking to attract readers from the diaspora and foreigners interested in news about Croatia, but we also hope that by offering something a little different and living by the Total philosophy – Give People What They Want – that we will be read increasingly by locals. This was the case with Total Hvar, with many islanders commenting to me how much they appreciate the comprehensive reporting of life on Hvar, even some who do not even speak English. We will have a big focus on business, and if reporting on the numerous Croatian business success stories in the international language of business helps attract investor interest, we will be more than happy.

Will you produce the original material or will it be just the news from the Croatian news portals?

It will be a combination of the two, but our emphasis will be on original material as much as possible. We are very open to collaboration with national and local media with an interest in an online presence in English. We will of course be scouring the Croatian media and reporting on some of that, but we will also be producing plenty of original contact and topics. The Korean story above is one such example. The amount of original news will obviously be linked to how many journalists we can employ.

How will you distinguish/differentiate yourself on the market?

Apart from the language issue, I believe we will be different by actively working to create the news, rather than lazily reporting on the words of others wherever possible. TCN is also an experiment in citizen journalism, by which I mean we are encouraging people all over Croatia (and the diaspora) to report on relevant news where they are. It is an idealistic project, and we hope people embrace it and help us to grow it. We have a very healthy early interest so far, much more than I was expecting. Although we will cover Croatian politics, the site is non-political, and that could be a refreshing change for many in this very political society.

Tell us something about the team that's behind Total Croatia?

Well, apart from this fat English blogger, we will have two bilingual full-time writers, one an experienced journalist with extensive knowledge of Croatia, the other an American living full-time in Dalmatia. If our funding plans come off, we will be looking to add to that team very quickly, but I am honoured to have already received quality contributions and offers of help from a variety of great sources. These include Andrew MacDowall, a freelance journalist who writes for The Guardian and FT about the region, Cliff Rames in New York, the pioneer of international promotion of Croatian wines, leading Aussie blogger in Zadar Sarah-Jane Begonja, one of the country's most respected gourmet experts, Zoran Pejovic of Paradox Hospitality. And several more. We are also partnering with various national media outlets both as a source of news and a strengthening of our brand. We actively encourage cooperation not competition.

Will there be a different approach in reporting the news from Croatia? Maybe a different angle, a positive one?

The aim is to be extremely positive, as we have been 99% of the time with our Total projects in Dalmatia. I see TCN as a force for good, and an opportunity to promote the very best of Croatia. I am delighted that my photo heroes Romulic and Stojcic – surely the most talented photographers in the country – have agreed to work with us, and we will have a Photo of the Day through their lenses, exploring this great country in all its nooks and crannies. That is a great promotion opportunity for Croatia. As I am officially the worst photographer in the country, having Mario and Drazen on board is a huge bonus.

In your experience, what's the main difference between Croatian media and media abroad?

The politics! I don't think I have lived in any other society where the appointment of a kindergarten director is a political appointment, or where local tourist board directors have more to do with political loyalty than actual ability or passion for the job, and this is reflected in the media. The quality of Croatian media could be a lot better, and while the British media doesn't always get it right, I laughed for a week when I read that my volunteer editor at Total Hvar had not only met the Queen, according to the Croatian media, but she was also the only Croat ever to be received at Buckingham Palace. She has never been to the palace or met the Queen... We do not always get it right, but we do try and source and reference as much as possible.

How did you prepare for what's ahead of you and what are your expectations?

My main expectation is abuse, and lots of it. I have long ago learned that a foreigner having an opinion about Croatia, even when it is positive, will attract lots of negative comments. Dealing with anonymous abuse and even death threats is a fact of daily life, and one reason the site will not have a comments section. As for my expectations, I really have no idea. Naively perhaps, I hope that enough people will embrace the site and want to support it so that we can move it to the next level. But one thing I have learned after 13 years here is to expect the unexpected...

Are you planning on starting "with a bang" or are you gonna start slow and see what's best?

If you are willing to provide the fireworks and Champagne, we can have a VERY jolly party... There will be a press conference, more details to come. We plan to launch in July.

What are the short-term/long-term plans?

We will see! I am interested in the reaction, and we will be guided in part by that. I had a very productive week in Zagreb recently, meeting ambassadors, businesses, PR companies, media outlets. I was asking for advice and gauging interest, and I was greatly encouraged by the very positive reception. I would like to move it forward, working with anyone who wants to work with us.

Long-term, things are finally branching out nicely. We are in discussions to expand our Total tourism promotion services to other parts of Croatia, as well as starting the same project in Munich. A life between Munich and Hvar sounds quite appealing... The more people who want to be involved in a positive way, the better the product we can make to portray Croatian life and business internationally in a positive light. I would hope the project will be well received, but this is Croatia...

Our site will go live next week, but for now we have a Facebook page where people can contact us. 

She is, according to the Croatian media, the only Croat every to be received by the Queen at Buckingham Palace, and so it is a true honour that Vivian Grisogono has agreed to join the Total Croatia News team.

The fact that young Vivian has neither been to the Palace nor met the Queen is by the by, another example of the sensationalist inaccuracies of the Croatian media on occasion. As Total Hvar's original pedantic and unpaid editor-in-chief, I have been very grateful to Vivian for all her support, encouragement and advice since launching the project in October 2011. She has been there from the start, and our daily meetings for late morning refreshment at Cafe Splendid have become an important part of the Total daily routine. 

Now happily enjoying a very busy and productive retirement in the village of Pitve on Hvar, Vivian had a distinguished physio career in the UK, including working with the British Olympic team in Moscow in 1980, and she is a distinguished author in the field of sporting injuries. Apart from berating Total Hvar for the continual typing errors, Vivian has been ploughing her energies into several projects at an age when others might take things a little easier. She founded the charity Eco Hvar last year, which has quickly become an environmental rallying point for people who care about green issues on Hvar and beyond, and her lobbying is mirrored by some of her fantastically detailed research on key issues, such as this piece on the dangers of Glyphosate, an article which deserves a global audience.

Not only that, but Vivian is also making progress to open the first animal shelter on Hvar, and anyone with an interest in getting involved is welcome to contact her. Her passion for all things Dalmatia is reflected in this extraordinary piece she wrote recently about a new interpretation into Diocletian's Palace.

Viv will be contributing as time permits, and she will bring a welcome closer look at some of the environmental issues in Croatia, as well as whatever else she feels like sharing with us. Welcome, Grofica, and thanks for your continued support. The next coffee must be on me. A little about Vivian - by Vivian. 

"Born in London, where her Croatian parents had finished up as refugees from the Second World War, Vivian Grisogono lived in England for most of her life, but came to live permanently on Hvar when the opportunity rose in 2004. Educated at St. Paul’s Girls’ School and Oxford University, after graduating in Modern Languages she took up physiotherapy and specialized in sports injuries. During the 1991 – 1995 war against Croatia she organized and participated in projects to help the war victims. She has done extensive teaching and writing, and in 2012 published her tenth book, a completely new version of ‘Sports Injuries a Self-Help Guide’. On Hvar her time is divided between treating patients, writing, tending her olives, looking after numerous dogs and cats, and promoting measures for improving health and caring for the environment."

You can contact Vivian via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Join us! If you are interestied in contributing to the site, we would be interested in hearing from you, or follow Total Croatia News on Facebook. We are launching early next month. 

I have wanted to hire this Australian lady for quite some time, but knowing how in demand she is with her unique set of skills, I never quite had the courage to ask her until recently. If I was to have a daily national portal, I would need colleagues who were not only bi-lingual and experienced writers able to work to tight deadlines, but also those who understood the undercurrents of the Croatian political scene, and who had contacts thoughout the land to get the very best interviews and the very latest info.

I have lost count of the many faces of Danni over the last couple of years since we first met; organiser of the highly successful Days of Croatian Small Boat Building, presenter on Radio Split, Master of Ceremonies at events hosted by embassies to small associations, excellent copywriter, simultaneous translator, an extremely effective connector of people, and a very nice lady on top of all that. Her combination of Western mindset and sarcastic humour make her the perfect companion in the Total editorial room, and her understanding of the nuances of Croatian life mean that she is a valuable addition to the Total Croatia News team. Through her media and PR responsibilities, Danni is in a position to get the best news and the exclusive interviews for us, such as a VERY rare interview with one of America's most controversial doctors in Bol recently, Dr. Anthony Atala. 

Danni will be one of the main writers for Total Croatia News initially. Thanks for joining the team, Danni, and I will enjoy taking sarcasm to the next level in the office. A little more about Danni, by Danni:

Born and raised in Australia, Danni describes herself as an accomplished media and communications professional (she insists she’s in no way an expert, still needs few more Vegemite sandwiches to achieve that status) with more than 10 years of experience in internal and external communications, social media, blogging, printed, radio and TV journalism, copywriting, content and editorial media relations in travel, tourism and hospitality. For the last 5 years she’s been putting her strong journalistic and PR background to good use as a communications consultant for various tourist boards across the Mediterranean. Listeners of HRT – Radio Split are well familiar with her voice as she hosts several daily shows a week.

You can contact Danni via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Join us! If you are interestied in contributing to the site, we would be interested in hearing from you, or follow Total Croatia News on Facebook. We are launching early next month. 

After almost four years of the Total Project, a nice thing is happening to me. I am finally getting to meet and sit down with people who are widely respected in the region for their excellence in their chosen field, and finally also feeling brave enough to ask for their help. And they are saying yes...

Although I have only met Zoran Pejović a few times in the flesh, it is hard not to be impressed by his energy, vision and achievements, and when he sent me a message of support for Total Croatia News, I daringly asked him if would like to translate that support into something concrete, such as a few articles in his chosen field of expertise. 

Anyone who follows the gourmet scene in Dalmatia will confirm the towering contribution Zoran has made since opening the first Wine and Cheese Bar, Paradox, in Split a few years ago. With a passion for education and excellence, Paradox remains the standard for all the imitators to match. There are many imitators, but none yet to match, and it was telling that Zoran was the one to be interviewed by the New York Times in that great video yesterday. 

After setting the wine bar standards, Zoran and partner turned their attention to the Split restaurant scene, and the astonishing progress upscale eatery Paradigma has made since opening less than a year ago is quite breathtaking, and the restaurant became a member of Jeunes Restaurateurs d'Europe after just six months. And just in case he had nothing to do in his spare time, the umbrella group Paradox Hospitality has been raising the level at Creme de la Creme. 

And Zoran is a man I have met quite a lot on the road. The major international wine press trip to Hvar, Brac and Imotski last summer culminated in a fascinating tasting of Imotski wines by Zoran in the Imota winery, while the resurgence of Kastela wines - the home of original Zinfandel - was celebrated earlier this year with the Man from Paradox. 

I am delighted that Zoran has agreed to make contributions to Total Croatia News on his specialist subject, gastronomy. He is a fascinating and inspirational man, and I am sure his contributions to Total Croatia News will be of an equally high quality as his contribution to gastronomy in Croatia. Welcome Zoran, and thank you for your support. A little about Zoran, by Zoran...

"Holding a degree in Hotel & Resort Management, from Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, Zoran has been working in the hospitality industry for nearly 15 years. Zoran held positions in the food and beverage department and general hotel management and has special experience in hotel and restaurant pre-openings and openings. Having worked in Europe, Asia, USA and on board cruise ships, Zoran visited over 40 countries on five continents and has a deep understanding of cultural differences and international human resources. Zoran is accomplished in training and motivating team members to provide the highest level of guest satisfaction and prides himself with a hands-on management approach.

"Zoran has worked for companies such as Amanresorts and was part of the pre-opening team of Aman Sveti Stefan, which received, amongst others, the Award for Excellence as the No.2 Best European Resort by Gallivanters Guide and is listed on the Condé Nast Traveller’s Gold List. He also worked for Silversea Cruises and Celebrity Cruises, who pride themselves as being the best in the industry as small and large cruise ship operators, respectively.

"Considering his undeniable passion for the hospitality industry, love for food and wine and desire to create something unique and memorable, Zoran partnered with Marko Sučić in December 2011 to start their own business which was to become Paradox Hospitality in late 2013."

You can contact Zoran via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Join us! If you are interested in contributing to the site, we would be interested in hearing from you, or follow Total Croatia News on Facebook. We are launching early next month. 

The Croatian blogging community is quite small. So small in fact that when a journalist from the national media asked me for suggestions of other quality foreign bloggers a couple of years ago, it took me a while to come up with three.

But I was sure about the first name, a crazy Australian lady in a small village somewhere near Zadar, who had not only relocated halfway across the world to a country where she did not speak the language, but had done it with a small child, while building a home and embracing a new culture. 

And STILL she managed to blog. 

Prodigiously.

Several people have told me that the increasingly popular Chasing the Donkey blog is the best in Croatia, and who am I to disagree. Sarah-Jane Begonja has taken to her task of discovering all aspects of Croatia and all parts of Croatia with such gusto that I am surprised she has not been snapped up by the national tourist board as a real asset (ok, it is the national tourist board we are talking about - perhaps not so surprising..). SJ, as she is better known, has an extremely positive and humorous outlook on life in Croatia, and her blog is extremely entertaining and a must-read for anyone thinking of moving to Croatia or trying to learn more about life here. While I dither between Pinterest or Instagram, and depend on auto-tweeting to cover my Twitter needs, SJ is a social media machine, somehow able to fit everything in with her duties as mother and house-builder. 

I know she doesn't have much spare time, but I thought I would ask if she would be interested in working with us at Total Croatia News, and I was more than delighted when she said yes, and even more delighted when she sent her first contribution - a great article about Opatija - two days later. Thanks for your support, SJ, and I look forward to that relaxing bottle of wine and chat very soon. A little about SJ, by SJ.

"Sarah-Jane Begonja packed up her life as Marketing Manager in Australia and now along with her husband and son calls a small Croatian village home. SJ first fell in love with Croatia in 2000 and now shares her passion for discovering Croatia on her travel blog called Chasing the Donkey where you'll find hints and tips about travelling Croatia, and making Croatian food. Connect with her on Twitter or Facebook."

Why not join us? We are launching soon and eager to welcome people with a positive contribution to make to this idealistic project. Or why not follow Total Croatia News on Facebook? 

Generosity is something sadly in an ever dwindling source of supply in the modern world, which makes gestures of exceptional generosity all the more memorable. 

I will be forever grateful to an American couple in Munich some 25 years ago for taking me into the home for a year when I was living on Platform 3 of the main train station, and it was a pleasure to pay off at least part of the debt last month when they had their best family holiday ever in Jelsa.

And then there was the lady from Derby who saved my ass on honeymoon, when I somehow managed to get all the way to the UNESCO rock-hewn churches of Lalibela in Ethiopia without having enough money to pay the entrance fee. Her generous donation of £50, later repaid, ensured a quick divorce was averted.

But when it comes to jounalism, there is one act of generosity which will probably go unsurpassed. And from a Cork man at that. 

Imagine you are a journalist and you score a personal interview with one of the funniest men on the planet, Johnny Rotten from the Sex Pistols, and then you get a request from a friend (let's call him Chris Frean, as he might be grumpy if not mentioned) to allow a fat blogger from Hvar to join the party. Lee Murphy not only agreed but led the way in one of the most entertaining half hours of the year.

Our paths have crossed a few times since, partly in his capacity as editor of the sadly now defunct South-East Europe: A Fortnight in Review, and most recently at the Queen's Birthday party in Zagreb, where it was hard not to be impressed by his effortless introductions for the Total Croatia News projects, from ambassadors to multinational companies.

A busy man with various literary and journalistic projects in Zagreb, Lee has kindly agreed to join us at Total Croatia News, with some initial economic articles to show support, something I am hoping we can turn into a more permanent fixture if our funding plans come off. Read more about Lee - by Lee - below. Thank you for your support, Sir, and your generosity will never be forgotten. You can contact Lee on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Join us! We are getting closer to launch and welcome all types of cooperation and collaboration for those interested in this idealistic project. Follow Total Croatia News on Facebook.

"Probably echoing many a foreigner in these lands, Lee found his way to Croatia to start a new life - and while here decided to get married, because why not? Having spent over a decade reading history, philosophy, and politics at University, Lee now spends his time agitating politicos up and down the former Yugoslavia. Past writing gigs include his Primary and Secondary Yearbooks (as well as a few years with his University magazine and an Irish daily evening paper), and more recently he served as Executive Editor for SEE: A Fortnight in Review, a regional business and politics journal. Follows Cork City, West Ham, and Rijeka."

An overview of the latest political, business and tender news from Croatia, including analysis on Brkic's decision to withdraw from consideration for the Veterans Minister. This is the last bulletin which will be posted on TCN. If you would like to try a free trial for a week delivered to your inbox by 09:00 each weekday morning, or information about our subscription rates, contact us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

It is easy to find problems in the modern Croatia, but is it possible that we could bring out the very best of the country quite easily and cheaply with a new Ministry of Excellence?

An overview of the main political and business stories in Croatia, including a more in-depth look at yesterday's budget announcement, part of the Total Croatia News premium content subscription service, delivered to client inboxes by 09:00 each weekday morning. Monday will be the last posting such as this on the site. If you would like to start a free one-week trial or learn more about the service, contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

The latest political and business news, with analysis, from Croatia on March 10, 2016, part of the TCN premium content project. We will be publishing tomorrow's bulletin and Monday's only on the site. If you would like to sign up for a free trial for a week and have the newsletter delivered to your inbox by 09:00 each weekday morning, or subscribe, contact us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.