May the 23rd, 2023 - The City of Zagreb has evolved from the place where one lands in order to travel further to a coastal destination somewhere in Istria or Dalmatia to a tourist destination in its own right. The British Post Office Travel Money's list has put it in seventh place on its list of value for money city breaks.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, according to research by the very well read British portal Post Office Travel Money page, which conducts a price barometer every single year, comparing costs in cities across Europe for tourists from the United Kingdom, Zagreb took an impressive seventh place on the list of the most affordable European cities.

Namely, the total cost of a so-called city break is calculated based on twelve typical items one might need for such a trip. This included, among other things, the cost of drinks, dinner for two with a bottle of locally made wine, two weekend nights spent in three-star accommodation, city sightseeing and city transport.

On this occasion, Martina Bienenfeld, the director of the Tourist Board of the City of Zagreb, said the following: "First of all, we are happy that we were included in the aforementioned research, because only those cities that the British listed as their top choices for visiting were included in the selection.

Likewise, it's really interesting to see that Zagreb came in fifth overall in terms of the cost of eating a three-course meal with a bottle of wine, and second in terms of the most favourable prices for visiting the city's cultural and historical sights. We were happy when we saw this research and we believe that it will further popularise Zagreb on the British tourism market. In this regard, I'd like to point out that, since the beginning of the year, sixteen percent more guests from Great Britain have stayed in the city, who have achieved twelve percent more overnight stays, that is, we have recorded almost 10,000 arrivals and 26,500 overnight stays in total.''

It's worth noting that while many facilities such as banks and larger shops offer travel money in the United Kingdom, the Post Office is and always has remained a firm favourite among the majority of the British public, who use their service for the exchange of pound sterling into euros. As such, Zagreb's promotion by the Travel Money page will provide more of a spring in the step of the capital's tourism than one might initially expect.

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

May the 6th, 2023 - British couple Mark and Gilly decided to swap Northern Europe for Strigova in Medjimurje, where life is less expensive and the peace and quiet also offered in the British countryside can be enjoyed for much less. They have also started their Medjimurje glamping business, and it's going very well.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, we're more than often flooded by depressing headlines and stories about Croats abandoning their homeland and heading off abroad in search of a better life and more economic stability, but the opposite story is also being more and more frequently told. A British couple have decided to move to Strigova and start their Medjimurje glamping (luxury camping) business. They're far from regreful about their move.

Due to the nature of their work, Mark and Gilly have already travelled the world, but they said they knew they would one day settle somewhere in Europe, but not necessarily the UK. The final decision ended up being the Republic of Croatia.

"I noticed the vineyards, somewhere around Novi Marof, I think. I thought, this would be an interesting place to live," said Mark.

"It seemed like a very nice place, people take care of their properties nicely, it's very peaceful. We thought this was the perfect place to live," added his wife Gilly Whitefield.

Mark and Gilly have lived in Strigova for three years now, and last year they started their Medjimurje glamping business, which has been going very well for them indeed.

"We have two tents, and this year we will have four. Business is going very well," explained Gilly proudly.

"From our perspective, we wanted to live in a place with a more pleasant climate. We knew it was unlikely that we would return to the United Kingdom, it has become very expensive to live there. In addition, we like the peace and quiet, Croatian culture and the fact that Croats are more connected to nature, working on the land, growing their own food. I mean, that's a nice part of living here," says Mark.

Starting a business in Croatia isn't easy, but this couple had all possible support on offer to them during the often daunting task of getting started, let alone running the business.

"We had excellent cooperation with the local mayor. He was exceptionally supportive, as were all of the other local authorities, the county and the city of Cakovec, urban planning, and tourism. In addition to all of that, we've only had good experiences with the local craftsmen," pointed out Mark.

They visit local manifestations and events, socialise with local people and both agree that the move has been very good for them. Their neighbours, just by a sheer stroke of good luck, are also a couple who chose to relocate to gorgeous Medjimurje from Britain.

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

April the 25th, 2023 - The Croatian ReversingLabs company has been going from strength to strength, and it has now entered into a strategic partnership with no less than PwC.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Josipa Ban writes, the Croatian ReversingLabs company, registered a software company which specialises in detecting and preventing attacks in the software supply chain, has now entered into a strategic partnership with PwC, a British consulting firm.

PwC's consulting services in combination with the Croatian ReversingLabs platform will provide organisations with much better protection against increasingly complex attacks on their software supply chains, according to ReversingLabs, a company that generates most of its revenue, 90 percent of it to be more precise, across the pond over on the American market.

“More than ever, vendors are dependent on software vendors, which creates a need for automation so that the risks arising from these relationships can be assessed quickly and at scale. The need is even greater when it is known that software suppliers rely on open source code, and that is increasingly being targeted by malicious actors," emphasised Mario Vuksan, the CEO of the Croatian ReversingLabs software company.

Penny Flint, a partner at UK PwC, added that this newly developed partnership will significantly help companies discover and understand the many risks that come from software. Benefits will also be found in the fact that customers of the combined service will be able to visualise the components in their software supply chain(s) and the risks they represent for their businesses.

They will be able to automate guarantees and will be given the proper tools and knowledge to protect their supply chains from start to finish. This will reduce the likelihood and effects of malware and tampering attacks throughout the entire software development and use cycle.

For more on Croatian products, companies and entrepreneurs, make sure to check out our dedicated business section.

February the 20th, 2023 - Croatian innovator Mate Rimac is constantly showcasing what can be done with grit and determination, even in Croatia, which isn't known for its kindness to budding entrepreneurs. His recent appearance on the beloved British show Top Gear saw him reveal more about his passion - cars.

Rimac and Top Gear are hardly strangers, with Richard Hammond once infamously crashing one of his cars and ending up in a coma, almost losing his life. Still, not everything linking Croatia's ''modern day Tesla'' or ''the Elon Musk of the Balkans'', as the German media once referred to him, and Top Gear is so bleak.

Having impressed all and sundry in the world's automotive sector, this inventor keeps on surprising us with what he comes up with next, and his choice of dream cars might come as quite the surprise to those who are better acquainted with what he does, too.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, talented Croatian innovator Mate Rimac was a recent guest in the Top Gear studio with host Jack Rix. He appeared alongside some of the world's strongest automotive names – Christian von Koenigsegg, Gordon Murray and John Hennessey.

Among other things, the presenter asked them what their dream cars were, and Rimac's answer probably surprised many.

"I'm a petrolhead," Rimac said, adding that 99 percent of his dream cars are actually petrol-powered, which is quite the opposite of what his famous supercars run on. Rimac named the BMW M3 E30 as his top dream car. He also added that he has one in his own personal collection and that in his opinion it is one of the most beautiful cars ever created.

You can watch the video by clicking here.

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

August the 26th, 2022 - The British publications The Times and The Telegraph are rarely shy when it comes to expressing their love and admiration for Croatia, especially the beaches and the coastline. Croatia has made it onto their ''must visit'' destination list once again.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the widely read British publications The Times and The Telegraph have both published reports on Croatian beaches and islands as unmissable global tourist destinations, as was announced the Croatian Tourist Board (HTZ/CNTB), adding that this was the result of the cooperation of the HTZ Representative Office in London with the editors and journalists of the aforementioned publications.

As such, the British The Times, in an article entitled ''The 25 best secret beaches in Europe'', included two Croatian beaches - The absolutely stunning Pasjaca near Konavle in the extreme south of Dalmatia, and Ropa bay on the island of Mljet. The two Croatian beaches were placed next to the attractive beaches of Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey and Italy, as reported by Rijeka portal Novi list.

Describing these Croatian beaches, the British stated that these two hidden oases, both located within Dubrovnik-Neretva County, stand out for their authentic landscapes and clean waters, positioning themselves away from big tourist crowds. Pasjaca beach is described as an undiscovered oasis right next to the turquoise sea, while Ropa on the island of Mljet is highlighted as a heavily wooded habitat for the Mediterranean monk seal. The publication is the result of collaboration with Annabelle Thorpe, a journalist who has contributed to the perception of Croatia as a top tourist destination in the most prestigious British media The Times, The Guardian, Daily Mail and others.

The editorial staff of The Telegraph, on the other hand, ranked the islands of Brac and Vis among the 20 islands in the Mediterranean that must be visited at least once in a lifetime. In the aforementioned publication, the island of Brac was included among the best island destinations for family holidays, with a special reference to the beauty of the very well known Zlatni Rat (Golden horn) beach in Bol. The island of Vis has been declared the best Mediterranean island for relaxation, which, thanks to its authenticity, turquoise bays and original eno-gastro delicacies, has been declared a tourist asset for all nature lovers.

Pula and Brijuni

In addition to The Times and The Telegraph, the British Financial Times (FT) and the Scottish The Sun also wrote about Croatia reently, shining the spotlight on the Dubrovnik coastline and Brijuni and its hidden beauty, cultural attractions and food and wine offer.

The Sun's award-winning and recognised travel journalist Heather Lowrie visited Dubrovnik, Ston and the Peljesac peninsula, while the article in the Financial Times (FT), which is followed by an audience with higher spending power, focused on the Istrian city of Pula and the colourful past and untouched beauty of the Brijuni National Park.

Darija Reic, the director of the HTZ Representative Office in London, pointed out that such announcements in the prestigious British media are extremely valuable for Croatia, as well as that Brits love Croatia.

"This is confirmed by the data of the eVisitor system, according to which the British have achieved 120,000 arrivals and almost 700,000 overnight stays so far in August, which represents a growth of 77 percent in arrivals and 100 percent in overnight stays compared to the same period last year. The British seem to prefer the Dubrovnik-Neretva and Split-Dalmatia counties, and there are some great announcements for the upcoming post-season," said Reic.

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

May the 21st, 2022 - The highly respected British publication The Times has published a list compiled by writer Lucie Grace on eleven ''must see'' Croatian locations.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the British The Times has published an article by journalist Lucie Grace in which the author reveals eleven beautiful locations across the Republic of Croatia that guarantee an unforgettable and authentic holiday without the crowds, according to Darija Reic, the director of the Croatian National Tourist Board Office in London.

These are locations and experiences which are quite popular among the local population. The potential and specifics of Samograd bay on the Central Dalmatian island of Korcula, the source of the Ombla river near Dubrovnik, the Stari Fijaker restaurant in Zagreb and the Kozlovic winery in Istria are highlighted, as is the beauty of the Krka National Park's stunning waterfalls and the islands of Sipan and Mljet. The ferry ride from Orebic to Korcula, a tour of the Zagreb Cathedral, the Dragon's Furrow in Motovun and the Cingrija villa in Dubrovnik are also all recommended, writes local Dubrovnik portal, Dubrovacki.

“The recent publication in the Sunday Times, which included Croatia in the list of the best and most favourable destinations that provide quality conditions and low living costs, also contributed to Croatia's visibility on the British market. This is a publication created as a result of the cooperation of the CNTB Office in London with journalist Liz Rowlinson and Michael Freer, the director of Digital Nomads Associations (DNA) for Croatia, who lives and works in Kastela and who compared costs and lifestyle in Croatia and the United Kingdom.

By being included in this list, Croatia is being ranked next to Spain, Portugal, France and Turkey, and the greatest advantage of Croatia, with its low living costs, is the beauty and preservation of nature within which you can lead a pleasant, active and dynamic life, they stated from the CNTB.

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

May the 9th, 2022 - Brexit resulted in more questions than it did answers, and whatever side of the fence you happen to be on, be it Bremain or Brexit, we can all likely agree on that. British nationals living across the EU ended up in strange and often unclear positions overnight, with very real legal and financial worries on their plates. With that being said, can Brits purchase Croatian property now Brexit is done, dusted and in the past? Yes.

''Can Brits purchase Croatian property?'' is a question that I see often, and the answers provided are somewhat vague. Given that the United Kingdom is no longer an EU member state, British citizens are no longer EU citizens, meaning that certain rights which were once afforded to them merely by being the holders of British passports no longer apply. Brits can no longer take up residence in Croatia with a quite registration and the flash of a UK passport like they once could, and only those Brits who were here before Brexit and who have acquired rights are still treated like EU citizens.

Up until February the 1st, 2020, ironically just before the global coronavirus pandemic reached Europe and caused havoc like we've never seen before, Brits could purchase property in Croatia as they were EU citizens. The same continued to be true between that aforementioned date and the 31st of December, 2020, during a transition period when all EU law continued to apply to the UK as it slowly made its way out of the bloc of which it had been a leading, powerful and wealthy member for over 40 years. 

During the UK's transition period out of the EU, British (and as such EU) nationals were free to purchase Croatian property without having to get any particular permissions and without having to engage in anything out of the ordinary. This applied to all property with the exception of what was classed as ''property and real estate in protected areas'' and agricultural land. Then came January the 1st, 2021, and everything changed for Britain. That was the real D-Day, when the UK ceased to be a member of any kind of the EU, the transition period ended at midnight (Central European Time) on the 31st of December, 2020.

The answer to the question of: Can Brits purchase Croatian property? was expected to change, but it didn't alter all that much. In short, yes they can, but that desired property absolutely needs to be classed as a residential property, and for that it must be in a certain ''zone''. This is all based on reciprocity agreements held between the Republic of Croatia and various other countries, and this functions in the British sense much like it did before Croatia joined the EU back in July 2013.

A tip for looking this sort of agreement up in Croatian would be to Google: Uzajamnost za stjecanje prava vlasnistva na nekretninama u Republici Hrvatskoj.

It sounds a little bit complicated, but in reality it isn't. If a Croatian citizen can buy property in a certain country, then the citizens of whatever country that might be can typically do the same in Croatia, with certain conditions attached in each specific case. You also do not need to registered as a resident of Croatia in order to buy a property here.

So, what needs to be done?

Consent for the acquisition of ownership rights over Croatian property by foreign citizens who aren't nationals of the EU/EEA or an EFTA country requires what everyone in Croatia just adores - an administrative procedure. I can hear you jumping for joy just reading that. A Brit intending to buy a property here must first make a request to the Ministry of Justice.

In the case of a British citizen who isn't protected by the Withdrawal Agreement wanting to purchase a property here, this procedure is conducted at their request to purchase real estate. Again, that real estate needs to be ''zoned'' as residential, and Brits cannot purchase agricultural land, nor can they buy property situated in a so-called protected area. 

An updated list of countries (aside from the UK) which comply with the reciprocity principle is available under Information on reciprocity in the acquisition of ownership rights of real estate between the Republic of Croatia and countries other than EU Member States, the Republic of Iceland, the Principality of Liechtenstein, the Kingdom of Norway or the Swiss Confederation.

The procedure is laid down in the provisions of the Act on Ownership and Other Real Rights and the Act on General Administrative Procedure. A mouthful, I know. Any submitted application must be written and then be submitted to the Registry and Archives Department. This can be done by post to the following address:

Croatian: Ministarstvo pravosudja i uprave Republike Hrvatske, 

Uprava za gradjansko, trgovacko i upravno pravo

Ulica grada Vukovara 49, 10000, Zagreb, Grad Zagreb, Republika Hrvatska

English: The Ministry of Justice and Public Administration of the Republic of Croatia,

The Directorate for Civil, Commercial and Administrative Law

City of Vukovar Street 49, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

The following documents must be enclosed along with your (written) application form:

- An acceptable legal basis for the acquisition of ownership (this can be a property purchase agreement, the deeds proving the property has been gifted to you, etc). These documents can be in their original form, or they can be certified copies.

- Proof of ownership from the seller of the property, such as a copy from the land register confirming their ownership.

- A certificate of the administrative body responsible for urban and physical planning, according to the location of the property, on the legal status of the property.

- Proof of the prospective owner's nationality (such as a certified copy of their passport showcasing their citizenship) or proof of legal entity status (evidence with a copy from the court register) if the prospective owner is a foreign legal entity.

- When the applicant is represented by an attorney-in-fact, the original power of attorney or a certified copy thereof must be submitted.

In certain cases, additional documentation will be sought from would-be buyers of Croatian property. It all depends on the individual request. 

So, in short, the answer to Can Brits purchase Croatian property? is a resounding YES, given that all of the requirements for reciprocity have long been met. This was of course helped not only by the UK's recent EU membership, but also by the fact that Croatia is the EU's youngest member state and that many bilateral agreements between the UK and Croatia before Croatian EU accession were long-standing and clear.

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

April the 25th, 2022 - A lot of Croatian kuna is being purchased in Britain, which signals a fantastic season ahead as Croatia's favourite Northern European visitors are set to arrive en masse in the hopes of some sunshine. With the United Kingdom having dropped all of its epidemiological measures some time ago now, Brits are hungry for travel.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes, the Republic of Croatia and the Caribbean are at the top of the most desirable holiday destinations for Britons, according to a new quarterly edition of the analysis of currency sales by the Royal Mail's Travel Department.

The sales of a number of foreign currencies increased in the first three months of 2022 when compared to the first quarter of pandemic-dominated 2020, with strong growth in purchases for the Croatian kuna and the Caribbean currencies, suggesting that they will be popular destinations for tourists from the United Kingdom throughout 2022.

Namely, the purchase of Croatian kuna during the first quarter of this year in the United Kingdom increased by 137 percent when compared to the figures recorded two years earlier. Caribbean currencies also recorded high growth rates, mostly the Barbadian and Jamaican dollars, and the Mexican peso and the East Caribbean dollar also have a strong plus.

"We're used to seeing a spring increase in Croatian kuna sales, but the growth during the month of March was unprecedented, which indicates that the Republic of Croatia is facing another very successful tourist year," said Nick Boden, head of travel.

A review of food and beverage costs by destination showed that due to the weak Turkish lira, prices in Marmaris are by far the lowest - a three-course meal with a local bottle of wine costs around £16! The Republic of Croatia has the fifth highest prices of 11 destinations.

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

December the 16th, 2021 - Croatian gin is extremely popular, and one of the most beloved of all is Old Pilot's, which has now taken to the largest island in all of Europe - the United Kingdom. The expansion of this Croatian gin to the demanding British market marks an important step forward for the brand.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Sergej Novosel Vuckovic writes, the much loved Old Pilot’s Croatian gin, which is produced in Jankomir in Zagreb, has put its feet firmly on the ground of Great Britain, the northern European nation which is very well known for its love of a tipple (or ten).

The founders and owners of the distillery which makes this Croatian gin, Hrvoje Busic and Tomislav Anadolac, both participated in the Boisdale Live Music Restaurants & Bars Cigar Awards, which is the world's most prestigious meeting of cigar lovers outside of the borders of Cuba.

Their gin was served at the dinner, and the duo also presented the Cigar Communicator of the Year award. The distillers are unsurprisingly very happy to have their products placed on this demanding market, and in London they found themselves at the ''Chairman’s Club'' at the wildly famous Reform Club.

"By entering into a business relationship with a new strategic partner, a significant increase in sales is planned through positioning in the premium segment of spirits," said Anadolac. This year the business results for the creators of this Croatian gin are good (revenues, according to earlier data, could be up to six million kuna), and they also launched a new product - vodka, and are working on the third - whiskey.

“We're recording sales growth of more than 30 percent, and we're proud to be able to open up to another new market in England and enter the most exclusive Boisdale restaurants. Our vodka was launched back in November and so far the sales results are higher than expected and the feedback from the market has truly been excellent. The whiskey is still in the aging phase and will be ready for the market in about two years or so,'' pointed out Anadolac.

However, next year should also be fruitful for them, given that the company received about 1.4 million kuna from EU non-refundable funds (a total of 3.8 million) for the digital and green transition project.

They will also invest in new technology and an environmentally friendly boiler (one without CO2 emissions) and thus be able to realise some very ambitious plans, one of which is to become one of the ten best manufacturers in the entire world in this particular segment. The Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Tomislav Coric, also visited the Croatian gin plant yesterday, admitting that he was fascinated by what he saw at Jankomir.

“This successful entrepreneurial story starts from the moment when young people wanted to make a premium product and create the best giant of its kind in the world. It is really a great success to become number one in the world, especially with a product that has almost no tradition in Croatia. This success should serve as an inspiration to all future entrepreneurs,'' said the Minister.

"We plan to use EU funds to increase our production capacity, from the current 30,000 bottles per year to 500,000 over the next five years. We want to enter new markets and strengthen our position in existing markets. Of course, there are also new products involved in this story, but we'll talk about that when the time comes,'' Anadolac said.

It is known that he and Busic were trained as pilots at the Military Academy in Zadar, and realising that they share a passion for spirits, they founded a company with a distillery with a related name.

For more, check out Made in Croatia.

September the 1st, 2021 - We have been receiving many reports of resident Brits in Croatia having their UK passports stamped at the border when entering and/or exiting Croatia. While this shouldn't be happening, these stamps are just a meaningless little souvenir and will not have any effects on your rights under the Withdrawal Agreement (WA).

Brexit has been done and dusted, and while there are still growing pains, the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic has overshadowed most of the infighting and arguing between the bloc and the Northern European island nation. With the economic part of the new relationship between the bloc, of which the UK was a powerful member for 40 years, and the UK still finding its feet, the situation with citizens' rights which plagued those affected for years has all but been cleared up.

There are, just like with everything else, certain issues still. One issue is resident Brits in Croatia having their British passports stamped upon entry and exit. It is important to state that this isn't happening all the time, but it is still happening where it shouldn't be. Here's how you can try to avoid it, and if it does happen, don't sweat it.

If you are a resident Brit in Croatia covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, you'll already (hopefully anyway) have your new ID/residence card which documents that right under Paragraph 4, Article 18 of the Agreement. This protects you and your acquired rights as you had exercised them under the freedom of movement laws which once applied to you as an EU citizen.

When crossing the Croatian border (either entering or exiting), you should always show your Croatian ID/residence card along with your British passport to the border guard in order to avoid any questioning as to your reason for entry/your reason for having been in the country and to showcase your rights.

We've been receiving reports, as stated previously, from Brits who are covered by the WA, some of which had permanent residence before Brexit even happened, who are now having their passports stamped by Croatian border guards. Naturally, this makes them worry for their rights and wonder why they, as legal tax paying residents, are being lumped in with visiting British tourists.

We have investigated why this is happening and have been assured that although it shouldn't be, it isn't anything to be concerned about and it doesn't affect your rights in any way whatsoever. The stamps can be looked upon as a little souvenir which carry no weight. As long as you can evidence that you are a legal resident of Croatia, any stamps you might have collected on your trips in and out of Croatia are meaningless.

Hopefully, as the consequences of Brexit settle and the UK and the EU's new relationship becomes the norm, such situations will stop happening. In any case, there is no need to worry about Croatian passport stamps in the UK passports of resident Brits in Croatia.

If you're a serial stamp collector despite having shown the border guard your ID/residence card and this article fails in easing your concerns, you can contact the British Embassy in Zagreb and voice your worries by clicking here.

For more, make sure to follow our politics section.