August 14, 2019 - A favorite of Zagreb locals, ‘Little Picnic’ returns to the capital’s Upper Town in the second half of August. 

One of the most beautiful locations decorated with the view of the city, a relaxed and intimate atmosphere, a palette of local flavors, and happy and barefoot people.

All of this is brought to the Upper Town this August for the popular ;Little Picnic', one of the most charming Zagreb events.

Already after the first issue, Little Picnic positioned itself on the list of the best gastronomic events in Zagreb, thanks primarily to the gastronomic offer of local OPGs, with a focus on native and naturally grown local produce. And it’s hard to beat the romantic setting, intimate atmosphere and old town ambiance that create the charming combination which attracts more and more visitors year after year. 

While Little Picnic pioneers know all about the standard social gatherings on Thursdays, Jutarnji List reports that this year, guests can also enjoy the stellar views of the city on Fridays. So, if you’re looking to cool off from the scorching August sun, this is your chance to trade in the summer sweat-drenched clothing for some shady refuge on August 22nd and 23rd, and 29th and 30th, for one of Zagreb’s favorite summer events.

Visitors are encouraged to break away from the city bustle and recharge their summer batteries with the homemade flavors from the summer menu of Mali Plac, a favorite mobile organic local market. This authentic picnic oasis inspires nothing more than bare feet on the grass, relaxing by candlelight, and engaging with strangers. 

Whether you’re up for a romantic date, prefer to share a blanket and snack with your dog, are hoping to gather all of your family and friends for an intimate evening outdoors, or can’t wait for a solo sip of local wines, this community picnic is a delight for all parties involved. 

In cooperation with the Zagreb Tourist Board, Little Picnic will again spread its blankets overlooking the city and tell a different summer picnic story in one of Zagreb's most beautiful locations in the Upper Town (Bela IV Park). Better yet, the entrance is free!

You can find more information here. 

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

August 13, 2019 - Dinamo Zagreb met Ferencvaros in the second leg of the third round of the Champions League qualifiers on Tuesday.

Dinamo Zagreb and Ferencvaros played at the Groupama Arena in Budapest for the return game of the Champions League qualifiers. Recall, the first match played a week ago at Maksimir stadium in Zagreb ended 1:1. Dinamo, however, was much better in the first game with far more chances than Ferencvaros, though the Hungarian club’s perseverance paid off for the draw.

Both teams came out motivated, powerful, and on a mission to do only one thing on Tuesday night - win. From the first minute, Ferencvaros already had an attack which Dinamo goalkeeper Dominik Livaković saved. One minute later, Hajrović threatened the Hungarian goal. 

Both teams continued to attack, though it was Dinamo to score first. A brilliant through ball by Spanish star Dani Olmo found captain Ardijan Ademi for 0:1 Dinamo in the 16th minute. The game ended 0:1 at the half. 

It didn’t take long for Dinamo to increase their lead as an assist from Orišić found Petković for 0:2 in the 47th minute. Less than 10 minutes later, Dinamo made sure they confirmed their place in the Champions League as Dani Olmo scored for 0:3

From the 68th minute, Dinamo played with a man up as Ferencvaros player Ćivić was sent off the pitch for a double yellow. Dinamo's victory was all but confirmed.

With just over 10 minutes to go, Gojak capitalized off the deflection of Majer's rocket of a shot for 0:4. Dinamo was gifted a penalty just a few minutes before the final whistle, though Petković shanked it over the goal to keep the score 0:4 for Dinamo. 

Dinamo will now move onto the Champions League playoffs where Rosenborg, who defeated Maribor 3:1 in Norway, will be their opponent. 

Apart from the result, this game also had significant financial importance. Dinamo will secure almost 8 million euros, as UEFA gives five million euros to all clubs that participate in the Champions League playoffs. Those who are defeated in the playoffs will receive another 2.92 million euros from participating in the Europa League. Dinamo’s eventual placement in the Champions League brings 15.25 million euros. 

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

ZAGREB, August 13, 2019 - Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić on Tuesday dismissed criticism that he was ignoring the opinions of experts and of a general public in connection with the planned changes of Zagreb's city plan.

Being met with criticism that the proposed changes were put up for public consultation during the summer when there are fewer people in the city, Mayor Bandić said today that he "remains accountable to voters" and that he complied with laws and with procedures.

"I respect that, and it is on the City Assembly to adopt the city plan or not. My proposal is to amend it in accordance with the procedure," he said at a news conference.

As for criticism that he is serving the interests of certain groups considering the amending of the city's urban development plan, Bandić called on those critics to specify exactly whose interest he protected.

The Labour and Solidarity Party led by Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić has recently got one more independent lawmaker, Siniša Varga, who also used to be a Social Democratic Party parliamentarian (SDP).

Varga, a former SDP health minister, left that Opposition party in mid-March this year and on that occasion said that he would work in the legislature as an independent lawmaker. However, since recently the information on the official website of the Sabor says that Varga is a member of the Labour and Solidarity Party.

During a news conference in Zagreb on Tuesday, Bandić said that he did not know when exactly Varga had joined his party.

"We do not refuse any fair, skilful and competent person, and we do not run for anybody," Bandić said when asked when Varga became a member of his party.

More Zagreb news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

August 10, 2019 - When is a taco not a taco, and some lessons to be learned about customer service in Zagreb.  

One of the many things I get criticised for is that I never write negative things about restaurants, and the majority of my writing about gastronomy in Croatia is extremely positive. There are a few reasons for this. 

Firstly, I don't believe in spreading negativity for the sake of negativity, and one of the reasons TripAdvisor exists is so that people can vent their dissatisfaction. Secondly, I like to celebrate Croatian gourmet excellence where I can, especially giving the little guy a little more exposure - the fabulous vegan and gluten-free menu of Lucullus in Hvar Town or the traditional yet innovative Zbondini in Velo Grablje are recent examples of this. And thirdly, as a naturalised local, I have a better grasp of where to eat and where to avoid, and so my exposure to bad food choices is a lot more limited in Croatia than it would be to the visiting tourist.

But the subject of the quality of restaurant food and of restaurant service is something I encounter on a daily basis online and in person, perhaps more so this year than previously. Higher prices, average food and disinterested waiters are things which I am encountering more and more with the many people I engage with and follow. 

All agree on the huge potential of Croatia's goumet tourism, which was perhaps given its biggest ever endorsement by the late, great Anthony Bourdain back in 2011, when he spoke of Croatia's 'world-class food, world-class wine, world-class cheese.' It was certainly a great launching pad to develop the niche of gourmet tourism, which has a much longer and higher-spending season that summer on the beach.  

And while most of us mere mortals cannot afford to eat in the places frequented by Bourdain, Croatia can develop its image as a destination with good quality food, dishes and service simply by delivering menus and restaurant experiences with those ingredients at the core, whatever the actual budget. 

Sadly this is happening less and less listening to many people I meet. And the perception is growing that although Croatia has a GREAT gourmet story, what many of its restaurants are delivering average food at a high price with poor service. 

It really shouldn't be that way, especially in a country which lives off tourism. 

An article on this subject has been formulating in the back of my head for quite some time, but I have never really had a focus to turn it into an article.

Until I went for lunch (or thought I went for lunch) at Submarine in Bogoviceva in central Zagreb a few days ago. Originally known as the Yellow Submarine until a British lawyer representing the interests of those Beatles chaps ensured a change of name in 2015, Submarine is a popular place with a specialty in burgers. At its entrance, it promises organic, homemade, farm to table, natural products. 

I wasn't in the mood for a burger, but the idea of a tuna taco sounded very appetising indeed. Tuna & Taco, Mediterranean tuna with couscous, crunchy tacos and fresh arugula, mixed with cherry tomatoes and red cabbage. It sounded great and I ordered the large Tuna & Taco along with a drink.  

What was I expecting? A tuna taco, or perhaps mini tacos - something like this, perhaps. 

Or this maybe.

And what did I get?

Once the waiter placed the dish in front of me, I stared at it for some time. What in the world was that?!?  

What looked like a can of tuna, a few sliced cherry tomatoes, some couscous and a few tortilla chips on a bed of red cabbage.  

Maybe I was missing something, but where was the taco?

Despite the fact that I write a lot about food in Croatia, I am not really a foodie, and I often rely on others to help me with the understanding of dishes and terminology. Maybe my understanding of what a taco was was incorrect. So I asked my Facebook buddies. 

I called over the waiter to confirm that this was the Tuna & Taco, which he confirmed. When I pointed out that this was not a taco, I was told that this is what they call it and this is how they prepare it. It is not the waiter's decision on how things are prepared or advertised, and no, there was no supervisor or management person I could speak to.

Ordinarily I might just have paid for the drink (I did not touch the meal), but that article in my head now had a focus. I decided to pursue the issue to see how customer service works in Croatia today when dealing with an unhappy customer. When I asked the waiter if he really had no number to call if the restaurant caught fire, a number of a supervisor was found and he called. After speaking to the supervisor, he repeated what he told me - that this is what they call it and that is how they make it. I would not be charged for the meal, just the drink, and so everything was fine. 

Everything was not fine, and I asked to speak to the supervisor by phone if she was not available in person. I was told that the supervisor would not speak to me, but that her shift would begin at 21:00 (it was now lunchtime). I felt sorry for the waiters, who are in the front line of customer dissatisfaction and have nobody in authority to call upon to deal with unhappy customers. The waiter agreed that this was not a taco in the classic sense, but repeated that this is how it was presented and served, not a decision he could influence. When I asked if I was really the only person who had complained at the tacolessness of the taco dish, he confirmed that I wasn't. 

I decided to follow up in the evening by returning to Submarine after 21:00. In the meantime, I sent a message to the Submarine Bogoviceva Facebook page, as well as an SMS to the COO of Submarine, whose number I had obtained through my media contacts. The Facebook message remains unread today (more on that later), but the COO (I have decided to omit the names of the people involved) texted back with an apology and a promise to call the next day as he was on vacation. 

When I returned to Submarine about 21:50, the supervisor was not there. A phone call from the waiter confirmed she would be at 22:20, so I returned then and after 10 minutes, she arrived. I explained that I was a very unhappy customer from this morning, even more so when I was told by the waiter that she, the supervisor, refused to speak to an unhappy customer. She told me that she really didn't have time to talk as she was in a rush, but that there had been no need to talk to me as the waiter had explained everything to me, I did not pay for the meal, and they call it Tuna & Taco and serve it that way because that is the way management wants it done. She was aware it was not a classic taco and went on to describe what a real taco is like. With great accuracy.  

Yes, the tuna comes from a can, but it is from the Mediterranean, not the inferior quality from Vietnam. 

"Can you explain why the English menu describes the tuna as Mediterranean but the Croatian version describes it as 'delikatesna' - alluding to higher quality."

"Because it is higher quality tuna."

"From a can."

"Yes."

And that, more or less, was that. She did not respond to the Facebook message because she doesn't manage the Facebook page, but I could have emailed her (she neglected to mention how I was supposed to have obtained her email). She also said I was the first person to have complained about the tuna and taco, contrary to the waiter's response to my question (and my anecdotal feedback since posting the dish on Facebook). As supervisor, she would be aware if there were any other instances. 

And so to bed.  

The next morning, I received a phone call. It was not from the COO but from Submarine's communications director, who must have got my number from the COO as nobody else asked for it. It was a polished performance, as he asked me to explain what the problem was, and he was a good listener. 

He told me that the fact that I was a journalist made no difference - they wanted to speak to all unhappy customers. Which sounded nice, apart from the fact that the only reason he was able to communicate with this dissatisfied customer was because I had sent it to the COO. Not only did the supervisor refuse to speak to me on the phone, but nobody asked for my number so that the communications director could speak to the unhappy customer. 

Like the supervisor, he assured me that I was the only person ever to complain. If someone else had complained, he would have known about it, and Submarine has very checks and balances to monitor these things.

Clearly, those checks and balances are not working. 

Would the Tuna & Taco dish stay on the menu? Yes it would, although perhaps they would look at the wording. And yes, the tuna was from a can, but it was the very best Mediterranean tuna, Ribeira from Spain (he sent me the photo above).

The communications director invited me to bring my family and friends for a complimentary meal to enjoy the Submarine experience, which was gracious but I declined.

The Facebook post remains unread, as the Bogoviceva page apparently only exists to tell people where the location is. 

Tourism is an increasingly competitive industry, and international travellers expect international standards. 

That includes providing dishes from other cuisines which look and taste like the original dishes, as international tourists would expect to find them. 

That includes have a proper complaints procedure, where someone in management is available to deal with situations, either in person or by phone. Or if they are not immediately available, that a contact number is taken so management can get back to the customer as soon as possible. To not have that in place is also very unfair on the waiters, who are generally not the best paid anyway, even without having to deal with customer complaints without backup. Submarine is certainly not the worst experience I have had in a Croatian restaurant - far from it - it just happened to be the one which focused those thoughts swirling in the back of my head all summer. Much of the above is applicable to many restaurants in the country. 

Croatia has a phenomenal gourmet story to tell, from the world-class food, wine and cheese that had Bourdain raving right down to the good, honest and delicious food served in the family konoba. Great, well-priced food, served with a smile and with an engaged management to deal with issues makes SUCH a difference to the holiday experience. 

While there are many exceptions, it is not something that Croatian tourism is strong on. 

August 9, 2019 - On Friday afternoon, the popular Kockica, a ten-story building on Prisavlje, caught fire in Zagreb, the Zagreb fire officials confirmed to Jutarnji List. 

Photos published on social networks show a thick black cloud of smoke over the building. Firefighters arrived at the site very quickly and went to work extinguishing the fire.

The building, which is protected as a cultural property of the Republic of Croatia, was built in 1968, where it was the seat of the central committees of the Union of Communists of Croatia and the Union of Youth of Croatia and the Main Board of the Socialist Union of the Working People of Croatia.

Today, the building houses the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure and the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Croatia.

However, the State Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism confirmed their part of the building saw no damage. 

“Do not worry. There is no fear or damage to the Ministry of Tourism! It is on the facade of the building where the safety netting was ignited. Although it looked ugly, the damage was minimal and the fire did not even enter the building thanks to our firefighters, who naturally extinguished the fire in just a few minutes,” said Tonči Glavina on Facebook. 

More soon. 

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

ZAGREB, August 9, 2019 - The Financial Agency (FINA) has reported that at the end of this June, 256,322 citizens' accounts were blocked due to unpaid obligations, with the debt principal amounting to 16.6 billion kuna, and broken down by region the largest number of debtors with overdue liabilities was in Zagreb, 53,045 with the debt of 4.8 billion kuna.

Thus, at the end of June 2019, every one in ten Zagreb residents of working age (9.87%) had their accounts blocked.

Split, the second biggest Croatian city, had 9,414 citizens' accounts blocked due to overdue liabilities.

In Split-Dalmatia County, 23,149 citizens' accounts were blocked over unpaid obligations and their accurate debt totalled 1.4 billion kuna. Thus, 7.63% of residents of working age in that southern county had their accounts blocked.

FINA recalled that one of the measures in resolving the problem of citizens with blocked accounts was the adoption of a package of laws regarding write-offs, distraint procedures and personal bankruptcy, which entered into force in July and August 2018.

Thus in late September 2018, FINA reported that as of 31 August that year, 274,529 citizens' accounts were blocked due to unpaid obligations, with the debt principal amounting to 19.2 billion kuna as were 20,826 commercial accounts, with their debt principal amounting to 7.9 billion kuna. That August, the number of citizens with blocked accounts was down 43,992 or 13.8% on the month, while the value of the debt principal was HRK 24 billion less.

More economic news can be found in the Business section.

ZAGREB, August 8, 2019 - The Zagreb city authorities are willing to financially support the renovation of facades and roofs of religious communities' places of worship, with Mayor Milan Bandić having invited religious communities to apply for project-specific grants in the next three months.

Grants are to be allocated for the renovation of six capital buildings - the Zagreb Cathedral, St. Mark's Church, the Serb Orthodox Church of the Holy Transfiguration, the Islamic Centre, the Evangelical Church of Christ the King and the Co-Cathedral of Saints Cyril and Methodius.

The city will provide grants in the amount of 50% of the total value of renovation work, with the maximum annual grant amounting to one million kuna including VAT (approx. 135,000 euro) per building. The remaining funds are expected to be secured by religious communities applying for the grants.

The city will also provide financial assistance for the renovation of roofs and facades of other religious buildings in the amount of 50% of the total value of renovation work, but with annual grants amounting to a maximum 250,000 kuna including VAT (approx. 33,800 euro) per building.

More Zagreb news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

Dinamo Zagreb went without a win in the first leg of the third round of the Champions League qualifiers. 

Dinamo and Hungarian club Ferencvaros played 1:1 at Maksimir in the first leg of the third round of the Champions League qualifiers. In front of 15,000 spectators, the goalscorer for Dinamo was Spanish star Dani Olmo while David Siger equalized for Ferencvaros, reports Gol.hr on August 6, 2019.

Already in the 3rd minute, Dani Olmo threatened Ferencvaros with a shot from 16 meters out, but goalkeeper Dibusz was on his toes to make the save. However, in the 7th minute, Oršić and Olmo’s extraordinary attack resulted in Dinamo's lead. Oršić played Dani Olmo, who then nutmegged Siger and nailed the corner of the Ferencvaros goal. In the 45th minute, Hajrović’s attempt for a goal was defended, and Ademi's header flew by the goal post.

The Hungarian club was much more determined in the second half and equalized in the 59th minute thanks to their first dangerous attack towards Dinamo's goal. Nguen shot on goal, which was defended by Livaković from about ten meters, though Siger capitalized on the deflection and nailed the Dinamo goal. Some of Dinamo's defenders managed to get the ball out, but the referee estimated that the ball had crossed the goal line.

In the 65th minute, Dinamo had an incredible opportunity when Hajrović hit the post from nine meters out. In the 81st minute, Olmo shot from just outside the penalty area, which was denied by the goalkeeper,  and Gavranović failed to capitalize on the deflection. 

The return match between these two clubs is scheduled for Tuesday, August 13, at the Groupama Arena in Budapest.

Since Dinamo did not manage to win against Ferencvaros in front of their fans, the decision on who will move forward will fall in Budapest. 

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

August 4, 2019 - The 3rd round of the Croatian First League was held from August 2 to 4, 2019. Each 3rd round victory achieved by Osijek, Hajduk, Dinamo, Rijeka, and Istria featured three goals.

Dinamo v. Gorica (3:1)

Dinamo and Gorica opened the 3rd round of the Croatian First League on Friday, August 2, 2019, in front of 2,676 spectators at Maksimir stadium in Zagreb. 

Spanish superstar Dani Olmo scored for Dinamo first in the 22nd minute for 1:0 at the half. Moro increased Dinamo’s lead in the 57th minute for 2:0, while Gojak made it 3:0 in the 83rd minute. Lovrić managed to score Gorica’s only goal in the 86th minute. 

Dinamo is currently in first place with 9 points while Gorica is in 6th place with 4 points. 

Istria 1961 v. Varaždin (3:1)

Istria and Varaždin met for the second game of the 3rd round on Friday, August 2, 2019, in front of 1,922 spectators at Aldo Drosina stadium in Pula. 

Ćuže scored for Istria already in the 9th minute of the game for 1:0, which was the score at halftime. Ćuže came back with another goal in the 48th minute for 2:0, though a penalty was awarded to Varaždin ten minutes later to bring the score to a less comfortable 2:1 for Istria. 

Ćuže, however, saved the day with a hattrick and his third goal in the 73rd minute for the 3:1 Istria win. 

Istria is currently in 5th place with 6 points while Varaždin is in 8th with 0. 

Rijeka v. Slaven Belupo (3:1)

Rijeka and Slaven Belupo met at Rujevica stadium on Saturday, August 3, 2019, in front of 4,289 spectators. 

Čolak opened the game with a goal for Rijeka in the 24th minute, which was followed with one by Lončar in the 30th for 2:0 at the half. Krstanović managed a goal for Belupo in the 47th minute, though Rijeka secured their victory in the 73rd minute after Tomečak scored for 3:1. 

Rijeka is currently in 3rd place with 9 points while Belupo is in 9th place with 0. 

Hajduk v. Lokomotiva (3:0)

Hajduk and Lokomotiva met at Poljud stadium in Split on Sunday,  August 4, 2019, in front of 15,156 spectators. 

Hajduk’s first goal came in the 40th minute after a brilliant assist by Eduok found the boot of Caktaš for 1:0. Just three minutes later, Eduok scored a goal of his own for 2:0 at the half. 

But Hajduk wasn’t done scoring yet, and Nejašmić hit a rocket for 3:0, which was the final score of the game. 

Hajduk is currently in 2nd place with 9 points while Lokomotiva is in the last place with 0. 

Osijek v. Inter Zaprešić (3:1)

Osijek and Inter met on Sunday, August 4, 2019, in front of 1,855 spectators at City Garden Stadium to close out the 3rd round. 

While Inter was the first to score thanks to a goal by Serderov in the 20th minute, Osijek picked up the pace in the second for two goals in two minutes to take the lead (Bočkaj 68’, Kleinheisler 69’). 

Mance secured Osijek’s win in the 75th minute for 3:1. 

Osijek is currently in 4th place with 6 points while Inter is in 7th with 1. 

You can find the full HNL table here. 

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

A look at the two busiest airports in Croatia this summer - Split and Zagreb.

At the end of last month, TCN reported that Zagreb Airport should see a 5% increase in passengers this year. 

"Since the start of the concession, at the end of 2013, until today, Zagreb Airport has recorded a 45% increase in passenger numbers. Growth is continuing this year as well in line with our plans and expectations,” the airport said.

However, July was expected to be a bit slower than last year thanks to the absence of the World Cup. 

Namely, Ex Yu Aviation reports that Zagreb Airport handled 366,242 passengers in July, which is a 3.4% drop compared to 2018, while the number of aircraft movements was down 2.4%. However, from January to July this year, Zagreb Airport welcomed 1,900,347 travelers, which is up 2.7% or an additional 49,411 passengers. 

Zagreb Airport anticipates an even higher increase in passengers in the first six months of 2020 when Croatia takes on the presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Split Airport, on the other hand, is experiencing record numbers this summer. Just after it unveiled its brand new terminal building, Split Airport recorded the busiest month ever - 723,048 passengers in July,  which is up 4%! Split is not far off from Zagreb when it comes to the number of travelers in the first seven months of this year, either. Namely, from January to July, Split handled 1,825,166 travelers, which is up 6.4% or an additional 109,029 passengers compared to last year. 

But Zadar Airport is also experiencing a record year. Avio Radar reports that in July alone, the airport transported 145,362 passengers, which is up 27.1% compared to last year. This is an absolute record for passenger numbers at this airport. 

From January to July 31, 2019, 441,000 passengers were served at Zadar Airport, which is up 34% compared to last year. The trend is expected to continue until the end of the year, when more than 750,000 travelers should come through Zadar Airport, which would be a 25% increase in traffic compared to 604,000 in 2018. 

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