ZAGREB, 29 Jan 2022 - Although President Zoran Milanović's statements on Ukraine, EU, NATO, and Russia were intended for his face-off with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković in the home policy, they have done damage to Croatia's credibility in the global affairs, Member of European Parliament, Tonino Picula, says.

The Croatian MEP said in an interview with Hina before his departure for Ukraine at the helm of the European Parliament's delegation, that he could see Milanovć's claims about Ukraine not belonging in NATO and his understanding for Russia's arguments in the Russia-Ukraine crisis "as his statements serving primarily the purpose of his conflicts on the internal policy scene."

The president and the premier are so deep in the conflict that some of the topics that are supposed to reflect a minimum of state unity such as foreign affairs topics have also fallen victim to that conflict, the Croatian MEP told Hina.

Last Tuesday, Milanović said that Croatia would not have a military presence in Ukraine in the event of a Russian invasion, that the events in Ukraine of 2014, known as the Revolution of Dignity, were a military coup, that Europe had not done enough to assist Kyiv, and that the tensions on the Ukraine-Russia border were a consequence of the US home policy. "All that is happening in the antechamber of Russia. One must reach a deal that will take account of the security interests of Russia," said Milanović then.

Picula said that at the moment no one is considering the deployment of NATO's troops in Ukraine.

"I am against the policy that undermines the credibility of Croatia as a member of the European Union and of NATO. Milanović's pro-Russian attitudes undermine that credibility and I also hold that PM Plenković, too, undermines Croatia's credibility primarily through toleration of corruption in his own ranks."

Picula calls on the head of state and the head of government to refrain from spilling their conflicts over to foreign affairs.

"This story should be closed as soon as possible. Croatia needs definitely a higher degree of consent between top leaders for the sake of its credibility abroad," said Picula who was the foreign minister in the coalition government led by Prime Minister Ivica Račan of the SDP party in the early 2000s.

Ukraine crisis exposes weaknesses of EU

While Kyiv and Western countries are bracing themselves for a potential invasion of Russia along its border with Ukraine, where Russian troops are being amassed, Moscow refutes claims that it is preparing attacks on its southwestern neighbour, and insists that the West provides it with guarantees that NATO will not be expanded further eastwards.

On Sunday, the eight-member EP delegation, which includes Picula, is set to fly to Ukraine to meet the Ukrainian leadership.

In the European Parliament, there are different views on the Ukrainian crisis.

Picula said that a majority of the MEPs express solidarity with Ukraine, and support the respect for that country's sovereignty and right to choose which associations it would like to join.

Different approaches of the EU member states to the response to the Russia-Ukraine crisis have an effect on the EU's political strength, he said.

"This crisis also exposes the EU being stuck halfway in its integrations, and this half of unfinished integrations prevents the Union from responding to ad hoc crises, notably when they are external shocks."

The Ukrainian crisis also juxtaposes much wider geopolitical interests, he said adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin would like to avoid EU leaders in efforts to settle the current crisis.

"He wants to talk with the Americans and not with EU leaders, and this is part of his strategy to disintegrate the West."

On the other hand, he does not refrain from holding talks with the economic establishment of the EU and reminding them of the benefits of the Russian-European cooperation, Picula said.

Granting Russia's maximum demands such as that Ukraine should not join the EU or NATO  and that NATO should pull out of eastern countries would mean that the European project is abandoned, said the Croatian MEP.

He says he cannot accept the arguments of Moscow that it could feel threatened in the event of the further eastbound expansion of NATO.

"Although Russia's fears about an invasion from Europe have their roots in the past, also the east of Europe has the historically rooted fears of Russian invasion," Picula told Hina in the interview published on Saturday.

For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB, 27 Jan 2022 - Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman said on Thursday that because of President Zoran Milanović's statements about Ukraine, he had to call nearly every one of his counterparts and apologise.

Milanović said on Tuesday that Ukraine did not belong in NATO, that it was one of the world's most corrupt countries, that president Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown in 2014 in a military coup, and that the crisis on the Ukraine-Russia border was a consequence of the US home policy.

Ukraine issued a strong response and Milanović's statements were reported by world media.

"We are appalled. I, as minister, have indeed a heavy burden and responsibility because of the ambassadors, who have been besieging me, asking what to say and how, how to communicate," Grlić Radman told the press.

"I have to call nearly every minister and apologise, say that what Milanović said is not the government's official position."

He said there was allegedly an initiative in Ukraine to declare Milanović persona non grata.

"I think the Croatian state doesn't deserve such behaviour" from the president, the minister said, "the Croatian state created with the blood of Croatian defenders, which was led by the visionary first Croatian president Franjo Tuđman, who would certainly turn in his grave were he to hear such a narrative."

He said this was an attempt "to destabilise the Croatian authorities" and that it had caused Croatia "big reputational damage" in the international community.

Ukraine is not the first state with which Milanović has managed to "make Croatia quarrel" as ambassadors have been summoned because of his statements also in Bulgaria, Austria, Hungary, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, he added.

Grlić Radman expects of the president "a constructive policy, one which will promote peace, stability and cooperation, send positive, affirmative messages, which will result in cooperation with other presidents and which will contribute to the further affirmation of Croatia's foreign policy."

ZAGREB, 27 Jan 2022 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković called out President Zoran Milanović on Thursday for undermining Croatia's reputation and credibility, and said the government distanced itself from his views on the Ukraine situation.

Milanović's statements "are damaging for Croatia's reputation and shameful," he said at a cabinet meeting. "They lead to big disappointment, I'd say indignation, among our partners, from the Unites States to NATO member states, European Union member states, our neighbours."

Plenković said it seemed that every important ambassador would be summoned due to Milanović's statements. "That's bad, it's scandalous, it undermines Croatia's reputation and credibility. It's in total opposition to the Croatian government's principled foreign policy positions, not just on Ukraine but many other countries."

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry yesterday summoned Croatian Ambassador Anica Džamić to protest against Milanović's recent statements, which were applauded in Russia.

Milanović said earlier this week that Croatia would not get involved in the crisis in any way in the event of its escalation and that it would not deploy its troops there. He also said Ukraine did not belong in NATO and that the EU instigated the 2014 "coup d'etat" in Ukraine at which pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown.

Plenković reiterated today that the Croatian government's stand was "to respect Ukraine's territorial integrity, to respect international law principles, to advocate peace, conflict de-escalation, defusing tensions, and to contribute to international community efforts, whether through the various existing formats or through our activities in NATO, the EU or other organisations."

He denied that sending troops to Ukraine was being considered, saying that it was not on the agenda of any international organisation.

ZAGREB, 23 Aug 2021 - Croatia offers Ukraine its experience in the peaceful reintegration of occupied areas and also assistance in the removal of land mines, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Monday after meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal in Kiev.

Croatia entirely supports Ukraine's territorial integrity and it possesses specific skills that can help this eastern European country to peacefully reintegrate its occupied areas, the Croatian PM said.

Recalling the developments in the 1990s, Plenković emphasized the fact that Croatia's peaceful reintegration of its Danube region "has been one of the most successful UN-run operations ever, particularly on European soil."

He added that Croatia is already helping Ukraine with its experience in addressing the issues and needs of war veterans, and pledged the support of Zagreb to Ukrainian efforts to remove landmines. We have companies specialized in de-mining and we are willing to make our assistance available to Ukrainian authorities, he said.

Plenković arrived in Kiev on Sunday to take part in the inaugural summit of the Crimean Platform, which is taking place on the eve of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence.

Seven years have passed since the Russian annexation of Crimea. The fighting that ensued between the Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists after the annexation has claimed 13,000 lives.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who announced the launch of the Crimean Platform last year, has recently said that the platform intended to address the issue of the militarization of that peninsula, the liberation of more than 1000 Ukrainians who are political prisoners and to consider the status of Crimean Tatars.

The USA and the European Union stand firmly by Ukraine and continue imposing sanctions against Russia. Germany and France are mediators within the so-called Normandy Format talks.

Ukraine's Shmyhal thanked Plenković for all his support to Ukraine on its journey to Europe.

Croatia is an advocate of Ukraine's European journey, and helps Kiev in the implementation of the Europe-bound reforms and in the processes envisaged by the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, he added.

Plenković underscored that it was important that targets set out in the EU climate policy and energy policy be a part of the implementation of the association agreement.

Shmyhal also invited Plenković to pay a bilateral visit to Ukraine this autumn.

Plenković thanked Ukraine for its assistance in the aftermath of the devastating quakes that hit Croatia in 2020 and in the evacuation of Croatian nationals from Afghanistan.

For more on politics, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 22 Aug, 2021 - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković will travel to Ukraine on Sunday to take part in the inaugural summit of the Crimean Platform in Kiev.

During his two-day visit, Plenković will hold talks with former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky is expected to present the Crimean Platform, an initiative of Ukraine aimed at raising the issue of Crimea in international cooperation and strengthening international coordination on the situation in Crimea.

The Platform is to operate at several levels: heads of state and government, foreign ministers, inter-parliamentary cooperation, expert networks.

The participants in the summit are expected to adopt a joint declaration confirming commitment to Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity and defining the framework for the international policy toward Crimea.

The summit takes place on the eve of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence. Approximately 40 foreign delegations are expected to attend.

The Croatian prime minister will be accompanied by Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlić Raman and Defence Minister Mario Banožić.

For more on politics, follow TCN's dedicated page.

For more about Croatia, CLICK HERE.

July 12, 2021 - As the Total Croatia site offers translations on all things Croatian in various languages, former diplomat and a famous Ukrainian writer Jurij Lisenko gave his opinion on the Ukrainian translations of the articles. Check out the video, acquired by Ivor Kruljac and edited by Jose Alfonso Cussianovich.

The tourist season is underway, and the goal is to get tourists from all over the world while providing safety in challenging times of corona – both for locals and visitors. As TCN reported, despite the tourist season in 2021 already being 58% better than that of 2020, it also seems that even with predicted Croatian tourism growth for this year, 2019 levels are very far.

With these predictions, Croatian tourists boards should do as much as possible in informing and promoting Croatia to have the best possible outcome. But given that doesn't always work out for the best, TCN is here to help.

Total Croatia: TCN's Multilingual brother

Well, more precisely, not TCN but rather TC or Total Croatia, if you will, the sister site that explains Croatia in detail. TC offers you in-depth articles to explain Croatia from head to toe: What you need to know about Croatia, how to come and travel around the country, detailed views on Croatian destinations, and info on everything you can see and do during your stay.

In addition, articles are translated to various European and world languages!

Word of support from an established Ukrainian writer

One of these languages is Ukrainian and in an effort to see how we did, we reached out to a Ukrainian writer Jurij Lisenko.

„Regarding the text itself, it is really well written. It contains very significant specific business information on various aspects, such as finding apartments or finding jobs for foreigners. At the same time, it is written lively, objective, bit ironic, but with great love for Croatia“, said Lisenko commenting on the Ukrainian translation for the article „Living In Croatia“.  

Check out the video to see his verdict for yourselves. 

Jurij Lisenko sends a special greeting to Total Croatia News and Total Croatia from Ukraine.

Famous Ukrainian writer helping Croatian writers

In a pool of quality Ukrainian writers, Jurij Lisenko is particularly interesting, not just for his excellent writing, but also as he was a former diplomatic advisor at Ukrainian Embassy in Zagreb.

As Akademija Art wrote, Jurij Lisenko was born on May 9, 1958 in Kyiv. Educated in Slavic languages, he lectured the Ukrainian language as well Serbian-Croatian in the Journalist faculty in Kyiv from 1980 to 1997. He also published over 20 scientific papers on philology and is a known poet publishing under the name of Jurko Pozajak. In 1998 he moved to diplomacy and worked for the Ukrainian Embassy in two terms (1998-2002 and 2013-2017), and also in Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia, from 2004 to 2008. He was also a speechwriter for Ukrainian president Viktor Juščenko and continued to work for Ukrainian's Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2017.  

Lisenko captured the attention of the Croatian public when along with his daughter Daria, he made new Croatian words, and the two co-authored a book of poetry for kids „Ide Svašta!“ (Everything coming).

As Večernji List reported back in 2016, their book was published back in 2002, and an expanded edition was printed in 2014.

Jurij Lisenko reading his poetry at the exhibition opening of Ukrainian folklore "Petrikivski Rospis" in Samobor screenshot / Gradska knjižnica Samobor 

Apart from that, the Lisenko family was very active and beloved on the Croatian poetry scene, and apart from presenting Ukrainian culture in Croatia, Jurij also introduced Croatian writers to Ukrainians.  

The best instance of that is the Ukrainian translation of Croatian slam poet and writer Žarko Jovanovski and his short story collection „Tales of Lenin and Stalin“.

In addition, the good cooperation of the Ukrainian and Croatian writers is evident in an international literary magazine, Alternator, published by Sisak's Association For Alternative Culture, where Lisenko is a member of the editorial staff.

And the relevance of Lisenko as a partner for promoting Croatian writers in Ukraine was perhaps best described by the head of Edicije Božičević publishing house, Josip Ivanović.

„For a number of years, I knew a poet, diplomat, and genius Jurij Lisenko who I deeply respect. He is known in Ukraine more or less as an Avant Gard poet. And he published his book a long time ago. We walked around Lviv, and when there is a Lviv Book Fair, there are quite a lot of people and the atmosphere is as on a festival. Students approached him asking him to sign a book that he, as a poet, published 20 or 30 years ago. I never saw anything like that in Zagreb“, recalled Ivanović for Podcast Sekstant.

This shows not only that Ukrainians in general respect literature more than Croatians, but it is evident Lisenko is quite the rock star on the scene.

„I was very happy to see on Total Croatia a text on possibilities of foreigners in Croatia and that it was translated to 16 or 15 languages, including Ukrainian. I was very pleased with that. This means that connections between Ukraine and Croatia are significantly stronger. Indeed, in the last 10-15 years, Croatia became a favorite holiday spot for Ukrainians“, commented Lisenko.

Ukraine and Croatia – similar and friendly

With some differences between the Soviet Union and Yugoslavian communist practices, both Croatia and Ukraine share the same history of denied independence under a multi-national regime.

Đuro vidmarović, Croatian writer and former diplomat, told Laudato TV how the first Croatian president Franjo Tuđman appointed him as a Croatian Ambassador to Ukraine and how he was afraid as he wasn't sure what will await him there. But in the end, Ukraine for Vidmarović became a great topic and a happy period of his life. 

Former Croatian ambassador in Ukraine and writer Đuro Vidmarović, screenshot / LaudatoTV

„After I very quickly learned Ukrainian, a big area of Ukrainian culture and heritage opened up to me“, said Vidmarović adding that he met a lot of good colleagues there, particularly writers. As it was his mission to present Croatia, he also learned a lot and remained fascinated with the country of his mission.

„Ukraine is big, huge, contradictory, magical, unique, with a culture that makes it impossible for someone to stay indifferent. You come to Kyiv, and you see the Saint Sophia Cathedral from the 12th century with beautiful frescoes and architecture. My god, someone had to build it, had a sense for it. It was a civilization stronger from the majority of European countries at the time“, said Vidmarović for Laudato TV mesmerized with Ukraine he researches even to this day.  

Breath-taking view of Kyiv © Pixabay

As Lisenko acknowledged, Croatia is also very famous in Ukraine too.

„Ukrainians discovered Croatia for themselves. Croatia is a beautiful country. You know that for yourselves. But, for Ukrainians, it is particularly pleasant in Croatia that they don't feel like strangers. But, for Ukrainians is a particular joy that languages are similar and Ukrainians, after several days, start to orient themselves in the language, to understand a bit, and can communicate with Croatians in cafes, restaurants, shops, streets, anywhere“, explained Lisenko for TCN.

He added that a lot of Ukrainians also come to Croatia searching for a job. While this may not be the best thing from the perspective of the Ukrainian economy (same as Croatians leaving Croatia isn't great for Croatian economic interests), Lisenko recognizes that the trend „also brings our two nations close“.

 Discover Croatia in your native language

Apart from the article Lisenko commented on, Життя в Хорватії 2021: Витрати, дозволи, стиль життя та зустрічі з людьми, Ukrainians can also follow latest reports on COVID-19 in Croatia as well as 10 речей, які роблять Хорватію найкращою країною (or for English audience, 10 Things Croatia Does Better than Anywhere Else).

View of Total Croatia site and languages

So far, only these three articles are available in Ukrainian, but no doubt the future will bring more to make Croatia more accessible to beloved Ukrainian visitors.

Currently, TC counts 15 languages with the most translated content from English: Croatian, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Polish, Chinese (both traditional „zh-Hant“ and simplified "zh-Hans"), Slovenian, Czech, Romanian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Norwegian (Bokmål), and Russian.

If you want to learn more about diplomatic relations of Croatia, and everything regarding diplomacy and Croatia, check out TCN's series "Friends of Croatia" by Ivor Kruljac.

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

ZAGREB, 20 April, 2021 - The EU member-states' foreign ministers, including Croatia's Gordan Grlić Radman, on Monday expressed concern over the situation in Ethiopia, and also over the Russian activities at the Ukrainian border and in Crimea.

The developments in Ukraine and in Ethiopia were the main topics of the informal video conference of foreign affairs ministers on Monday afternoon, and the Ukrainian Minister for Foreign Affairs  Dmytro Kuleba also joined them.

"Ministers reiterated their strong support to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, including to the non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea and the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. They also welcomed increased diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity," the Council of the European Union said on its web site.

Minister Grlić Radman was quoted in a press release issued by his ministry as saying that he praised Ukraine's efforts to implement the reforms and to deepen its relations with the European bloc.

Ethiopia

EU foreign ministers discussed the situation in the Tigray region, where fighting is ongoing, full humanitarian access is still being prevented, and human rights violations continue. They were briefed by Finland’s Foreign Affairs Minister Haavisto, who travelled to the region a second time, as representative of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, to assess the situation, the Council's press release reads.

"The discussion underlined the urgent need for a monitored ceasefire to improve security conditions in Tigray, and to investigate allegations of human right abuses, war crimes and gender based violence. The High Representative encouraged the deployment of joint investigations between the Ethiopian Human Right Commission and the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights."

Grlić Radman pointed out the importance of the EU's constructive role in de-escalation between Sudan and Ethiopia and in defusing the tensions between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt over the issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

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

ZAGREB, 15 January, 2021 - Reconstruction in areas hit by the devastating earthquake in Sisak-Moslavina County will not be possible without importing workers from Asia or Ukraine, the Večernji List daily said in an article on Friday, noting that contractors in Croatia are warning of a critical labour shortage. 

The construction sector is one of the few sectors in which the number of workers increased last year, by about 7,000 from the same period in 2019.

Currently there are about 124,000 workers in the construction sector, the third largest in the country, after the manufacturing industry and retail. However, all stakeholders in that sector say that manpower will be the main obstacle to reconstruction in the earthquake-hit areas.

Even prior to the latest earthquake companies in the sector had up to 5,000 vacancies that they could not fill even with workers from foreign markets. In 2020 contractors employed about 23,000 foreign workers while Mirjana Čagalj, the vice president of the construction sector in the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK), expects they will all remain and that contractors will have to hire another 10,000 imported workers.

Recently channels were opened to hire workers from India and other Asian countries as well as Ukraine.

The Employment Service has decided to enhance its programme to hire the long-term unemployed for public works in Sisak-Moslavina County, its initial plan being to employ about 500 people. Should there be further interest or need, that number can be increased.

Workers in these jobs are earning a minimum wage which amounts to HRK 3,400 net a month, in addition to travel allowance. Social Democrat MP Davorko Vidović, who is from Sisak and has for years been working with the HGK on issues related to the labour market, is confident that that programme could provide a social component but that it will not resolve the problem of labour shortage in the construction sector, the daily says.

April 4, 2020 - Former captain of the Croatia national football team, and currently Shakhtar's assistant coach, Darijo Srna, revealed in an Instagram interview to fans of the Ukrainian giant that he was tested for the coronavirus, was writing a biography, and why he had refused a spot on the Barcelona squad.

“I was tested for coronavirus this morning and the test was negative. Our dear President Rinat Ahmetov donated 300,000 tests to Ukraine, and I chose to be the first one publicly tested. I am not worried because my discipline is high, and it is the best tactic in fighting the coronavirus,” Srna said on HRT.

He added that this situation is proof that we should live, love, appreciate, and respect each other, adding that the whole world should be stronger once we come out of the coronavirus crisis.

“You don't know what can happen tomorrow. We all have one life and we should live it to the fullest. We have our family: we should love, appreciate, respect each other. We currently spend more time with our loved ones, and are paying attention to things we never noticed. We should look at it positively. I'm sure the whole world will be stronger once we get out of this situation. People should be better than they used to be.”

Srna emphasized that the Shakhtar team is training individually and each player has their own program.

“I am sure that every Shakhtar player is training individually, even without the program we have prepared. If the Ukrainian league were to continue in three days, I'm sure our team would be physically fit.”

View this post on Instagram

Дарио Срна сдал тест на коронавирус. Результат – отрицательный ⠀ Фонд Рината Ахметова @akhmetovfoundation передал Министерству здравоохранения Украины 300 000 экспресс-тестов для диагностирования COVID-19. Это вклад президента «Шахтера» в Стабилизационный фонд, созданный Президентом Украины для борьбы с коронавирусом. ⠀ Первое публичное тестирование на коронавирус согласился пройти легендарный экс-капитан, а ныне ассистент главного тренера «Шахтера» @darijosrna. Результат – коронавирус не обнаружен. ⠀ Дарио призвал всех украинцев строго соблюдать карантин. ⠀ Дарійо Срна здав тест на коронавірус. Результат – негативний ⠀ Фонд Ріната Ахметова @akhmetovfoundation передав Міністерству охорони здоров’я України 300 000 експрес-тестів для діагностування COVID-19. Це внесок президента «Шахтаря» до Стабілізаційного фонду, створеного Президентом України для боротьби з коронавірусом. ⠀ Перше публічне тестування на коронавірус зголосився пройти легендарний екскапітан, а нині асистент головного тренера «Шахтаря» @darijosrna. Результат – коронавірус не виявлено. ⠀ Дарійо закликав усіх українців строго дотримуватись карантину. ⠀ Darijo Srna tested negative for the coronavirus ⠀ The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation @akhmetovfoundation gave 300,000 rapid tests for COVID-19 to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. This is the contribution of the Shakhtar president to the stabilization fund initiated by the President of Ukraine for tackling the coronavirus. ⠀ The legendary Shakhtar captain and current assistant manager @darijosrna is the first individual to have agreed to get tested for the coronavirus publicly. The test gave a negative result. ⠀ Darijo has urged all Ukrainians to strictly observe the quarantine. ⠀ #Україна #Ukraine #Украина #UA #UKR #football #футбол #карантин #Донецьк #Donetsk #Донецк #Киев #Kyiv #Київ #Харків #Kharkiv #Харьков #stayhome #stayathome #stayhealthy #staystrong #УкраїнаВдома #Ukraineathome #УкраинаДома #supporterofeachother #коронавирус

A post shared by FC Shakhtar Donetsk (@fcshakhtar) on Apr 3, 2020 at 5:00am PDT

Srna concluded his playing career in June last year. Does he regret it?

“In this situation, I have to suppress my ego per the current situation. I am now a former footballer and will no longer play football at a professional level. I am happy to help coach Luis Castro, Shakhtar players and fans with my experience and knowledge.”

He is confident that the club will one day return to his Donetsk.

“I’m sure we will return to Donetsk one day. I want to play my last game in a Shakhtar shirt at Donbass Arena. Sometimes I make a list for myself of the players I would like to invite. And believe me, it would be a football festival for Ukraine, Europe and the whole world. It will be a really serious team, not just those who played with me in Shakhtar,” he revealed.

He also admitted that he started writing a biography.

“It will be very interesting, because I have described some things that no one knows. Perhaps with the help of this book, people will get to know Darijo’s other side.”

He stressed that he appreciated honesty.

“That's my most important quality. I don't need anything else. If a person is honest with me, we might think of something; and if not, there will be no long way.”

He also revealed why in January 2017, he rejected the offer of the Spanish giant Barcelona. For months, the Catalans had been looking for a right-back player because they were not happy with Aleix Vidal, and Shakhtar's captain was their first wish.

“I decided with my heart. I couldn't leave Shakhtar. It was a time of war. I didn't want people to think that I was leaving the club because we were no longer in Donetsk. I felt this was an important moment in our life - the life of Shakhtar and Donbass. I know how much I was respected and loved in Donetsk and how much I loved it... I just couldn't afford to offend or disappoint people. I do not regret my decision saying no to Barcelona. I stayed at Shakhtar because my heart decided to, this is it,” concluded the legendary Croatian footballer.

Srna played for Shakhtar from 2003 to 2018 and achieved a record 536 caps, with 49 goals and 26 trophies won, including ten championship titles, seven Ukrainian cups, eight super cups and one Uefa Cup. During his playing career, he performed for GOŠK, Hajduk, Shakhtar and Cagliari.

Srna is also the record holder in terms of appearances for Croatia (134), wearing the captain's belt 68 times and scoring 22 goals for the Vatreni.

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

Zagreb like Monte Carlo, and Croatia like Monaco. That doesn't sound so bad, does it? Meet Andrija Matiukha, a 46-year-old Ukrainian businessman who has not only ideas and visions, but the means and a company, and he is in love with Croatia.

As Novac/Petra Plivelic writes on the 3rd of March, the Ukrainian businessman says that he likes Croatia as a country and he likes people.

''First of all, it doesn't differ that much from Ukraine. We share a similar mentality, language, Slavic people who understand each other. It's therefore easier for me to adapt to Croatia than it is in Romania or in countries like Germany or England because they have a different mentality. Croatia is beautiful and it's impossible not to fall in love with it when you visit it,'' said Matiukhi, who lived in Kiev a year ago, but now lives with his family in Zagreb.

When he started a business in Croatia, he came several times a month for a couple of days to control the situation, but soon realised that such an approach didn't really work and if he wanted to develop the business he had planned, he had to move to Croatia. Matiukho is the owner of a group of companies called FavBet, whose primary interest is, as the name suggests, sports betting.

"We have a desire and intent to engage in a lot of projects here,'' says the Ukrainian businessman, otherwise the owner of the Diamond Palace Casino in Zagreb and the Magic Night Club, which also includes the Casino Crystal Palace restaurant in Rijeka.

''We currently have about fifty bookmakers in Croatia, and this year's goal is to open another 50 more. But in this business, betting has moved online, so we're not focusing too much on investments in this area, but as soon as we get a good location, we'll definitely open a betting shop,'' he explained.

When it comes to casinos, both Zagreb locals and tourists are targeted because there is a special clientele, while in other cities they target local people since tourists are coming for family holidays rather than to gamble in casinos. Zagreb, however, is an exception, he says.

Online betting has survived in Croatia, but FavBet, says Matiukha, currently has no license for this type of business and is now in the process of adapting its product to the requirements of the local market.

''Everything has to be certified, so it's a bit more of a demanding process, but we're not going to give up. Next year, we'll certainly have an online betting and online casino license,'' he added. Until then, his plans aren't lacking.

''We're planning to open a hotel near the casino in Zagreb. It will be a boutique hotel with forty rooms. It's a building next to the Diamond Palace Casino. We're now in the process of buying space from the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and in a year and a half, the hotel should be open. We're already all thinking about designs and interiors,'' explained the goal-driven Ukrainian businessman who is currently involved in a business venture in Split.

"We bought a building in the centre of Split and we'll open another large casino of more than 1,000 square metres in June. This will be our third major casino in Croatia, with the one in Zagreb, Rijeka, and Split, and we will soon open a number of modern slot machines in Osijek, Zelina, Zadar and Makarska,'' announced Matiukhi, who has a couple more things up his sleeve. He also intends to invest in tourist projects down in Dalmatia.

''My job is related to gambling and I have a license for casinos, betting shops and slot machines, all of which we're developing in Croatia, as well as our online business. But all this is related to fun, which is part of our wider interest. We're planning to open a fun park like Disneyland, actually... like Gardaland. I can see great prospects for such a job in Croatia. We're not planning on many of those parks, maybe one in Istria, one in Dalmatia and one near Zagreb. And besides, that goes hand in hand with the hotel business because it's closely related to entertainment. It's our goal to develop everything that is related to fun, because gambling is fun. In Asia, that's part of the culture, let's say. Those who don't gamble are considered strange. It's just normal for people to gamble,'' Matiukha claims. Croats, however, are still far from making such habits the norm.

''You are Europeans and that's not really your style. I've even noticed differences in the habits of people from different parts of Croatia. Dalmatian people and people from the south general are more into gambling than people living in the northern parts of Croatia,'' says the Ukrainian businessman.

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Click here for the original article by Petra Plivelic for Novac/Jutarnji