Velika Gorica lies just outside of the Croatian capital of Zagreb, and while you might think very little of this town when passing through, which is the only thing most people actually do, things aren't always as they seem, economically speaking, anyway.

While it's true that most people from Velika Gorica earning their money in nearby Zagreb, it would appears that net salaries are, on average, higher than they are in the heart of the capital city.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 8th of November, 2018, over recent months, Velika Gorica has been mentioned in the media mostly because of the brilliant results of their football team, but after some likely surprising data published by the Financial Agency (FINA) there are more reasons for satisfaction in that otherwise all but entirely overlooked town.

Namely, Velika Gorica comes first in the whole of the Republic of Croatia when it comes to the average salaries of workers and their respective productivity. Net salaries are on average higher than the average salaries in both Zagreb and Rijeka, two large cities, reports RTL.

As previously stated, most people living in Velika Gorica earn their wages in Zagreb, but the close proximity of the country's capital city, the close proximity of Zagreb's Franjo Tudjman International Airport, and the apparently quick administration are some huge advantages for this town, which boasts more than sixty thousand permanent inhabitants. The Lidl chain, which is recording enviable traffic in billions of kuna, also has its headquarters here, and the arrival of the well-respected and very powerful Atlantic Group has also been recently announced.

In addition, as RTL reports, Croatian Post (Hrvatska Pošta) will also have its headquarters and logistics center in Velika Gorica. Croatian Post justified this move with the fact that this location is a strategically important place for the continued development and the improving of shipment processes, as Velika Gorica is very close to the Franjo Tudjman Airport, not far from the Zagreb - Sisak motorway, and the Zagreb - Velika Gorica fast road.

Make sure to keep up to date with our business page for more information like this.

Exactly one year after handing himself over to the British authorities at Charing Cross Station in London, the extradition of Ivica Todorić to Croatia to face trial for his alleged crimes in Agrokor, has finally happened.

To briefly recall, Ivica Todorić handed himself over to the British authorities following the issuing of a European Arrest Warrant by Croatia. The metropolitan police then detained Todorić as the warrant prescribed, before releasing him on bail after he paid the £100,000 fee. He continued to live at relative liberty in London for the next year, fighting his looming extradition.

Earlier this year, the British rejected Todorić's appeals and approved his extradition, and exactly one year to the day of his first contact with the London police, the British extradited him, on a regular Croatia Airlines flight, back to the Croatian capital, where the Croatian police awaited his arrival.

Well known N1 journalist Hrvoje Krešić tweeted yesterday afternoon that Todorić was in the process of transition and that he was expected in Croatia soon.

As Index writes on the 7th of November, 2018, at 16:45, HRT announced that Ivica Todorić had been seen at London Heathrow Airport.

The regular Croatia Airlines flight from London Heathrow was delayed as boarding took a while, and Todorić was the first to enter the aircraft with his police escorts. He was separated from other passengers, and his wife Vesna Todorić was not allowed to sit next to him.

His wife, Vesna, who had to leave her husband upon landing in Zagreb, was asked how she felt. She responded, visibly shaken: ''How would you feel if you were extradited? He's an innocent man. My husband is innocent, he hasn't stolen anything. I'm going home, and he's going to jail.''

Todorić himself remained calm, and was allegedly reading British newspapers and drinking Jana water on board. Although filming and taking photographs on the flight was strictly forbidden, upon being asked how he felt by journalists on the flight, he said that he ''felt good''.

The extradition of Ivica Todorić was nowhere near as eventful as many had hoped, and his flight ended up landing at Zagreb's Franjo Tudjman Airport at 20:58 last night, where a police transfer van was already waiting for him.

Todorić didn't leave the airport through the regular passenger terminal, and was arrested and escorted to the police van upon his arrival at Zagreb Airport, the police then took him straight to Remetinec prison.

To recall, official investigations against Ivica Todorić, his sons Ivan and Ante, and twelve of Agrokor's former managers and auditors were launched last year for the illegal obtaining of one billion and 142 million kuna from Agrokor, which almost dragged the Croatian economy to its knees. Click here for detailed information on exactly what happened within Agrokor, and get better acquainted with Todorić's situation up until now here.

Want to keep up with more info on the extradition of Ivica Todorić and the processes that will now follow? Make sure to keep up with our news page.

ZAGREB, November 7, 2018 - Activists of the Green Action non-governmental organisation staged a protest performance outside the city administration in Zagreb on Wednesday to draw attention to "an alarming situation" with rubbish piling up in the streets of the capital.

The organisation blamed the situation on Mayor Milan Bandić and the Čistoća municipal sanitation utility, and demanded a controlled system of waste separation, reorganisation of refuse collection and a fair charge for municipal services.

The collection of plastic waste has been suspended after the expiry of the agreement between the municipal multi-utility conglomerate Zagrebački Holding and the CIOS company, as a result of which containers have been left overflowing with rubbish. An annex to the agreement was signed on Monday, and Mario Košak of Green Action said it was regrettable that the utility resumed its work only after pressure from the media and the public.

Green Action activists protesting outside the city administration were covered in plastic waste, wore gas masks and carried banners saying "This is the result of your (in)action" and "Zagreb, European capital of rubbish". They urged the city authorities to change the decision on municipal waste collection and the waste management plan.

Košak said that by allowing plastic waste to pile up, the City of Zagreb generated a loss for the benefit of the CIOS company. He warned that the USKOK anti-corruption body has charged Bandić over the favourable treatment of CIOS, "which is persistently engaged in the waste management business in Zagreb."

The problem of rubbish on the streets of the Croatian capital has been in the media focus lately.

To read more stories about Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić, click here.

The 13th round of the Croatian First League was held from November 3 to 5, 2018, which saw an exciting derby for Dinamo against Osijek. 

Does the Zagreb-based Hendal agency's survey reveal anything new?

A lot can be said of the Croatian domestic economic situation, and even more can be said about the level of young people leaving the country in their droves in search of higher standards, more job security and a better wage in other European countries, with those further west like Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom among the most attractive of all.

Potential staff can't find employers, and potential employers can't find staff. It's a bit like Where's Waldo but with serious consequences. As the buses and planes continue to leave and the situation gets more and more pressing, it's difficult to know just how one can manage to get to the raw truth lying behind the sensational journalism, the shocking headlines and the apparently welcome trends of negativity.

The situation is a dire one, and it shows no immediate signs of recovery, or does it?

As Lucija Spiljak/Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 7th of November, 2018, the Hendal market research agency, based in the Croatian capital of Zagreb, explored the habits of young people for the very first time in the Republic of Croatia.

The Zagreb-based Hendal agency has been investigating the habits and attitudes of the country's 25-year-olds. The first such survey conducted by the research agency here in Croatia shows that as many as 56.8 percent of the respondents do work, 25.9 percent are in some sort of education, and just 16 percent of those contacted are unemployed or seeking a job.

58.7 percent of young people are currently working in some sort of profession, and 21.7 percent claim that they aren't working in what would be termed as a profession by their own choice. Those people are budding entrepreneurs, and explain that they're taking that route in particular because as many as 50 percent of them are seriously considering starting their own business, while only 16 percent of them say they're definitely going to leave Croatia.

Croatia's young people, according to Hendal's research, aren't interested in politics, although 48.8 percent of them confirm that they do always go to the polls to vote.

Hendal's research reveals that most of them spend their free time cooking more than going out, encouragingly, most do not smoke, and in a somewhat lighter survey, 47.5 percent of them would choose to take their phones with them should they end up on a desert island, with more than six hours a day spent using a phone spent by 42.6 percent of the respondents.

Today, young people up to 25 years of age, of which there are about 49,000, don't see property and real estate as a priority.

Only 28.4 percent of them are sure they'll marry, and children are eventually planned by 69.8 percent of young people in Croatia.

Interested in keeping up with more news like this? Make sure to follow our lifestyle page to stay up to date.

Click here for the original article by Lucija Spiljak for Poslovni Dnevnik

What if you could crush procrastination forever?What if you could crush procrastination forever? If you're a business owner, freelancer or somebody who wants to start his own business, you're probably struggling with lack of focus and procrastination. TCN caught up with Michael Anderson to learn more about his Success Fundamentals workshop, wjhich kicks off in Zagreb on November 8, 2018. 

TCN: Tell us about this unique course that you’re teaching here in Zagreb.TCN: Tell us about this unique course that you’re teaching here in Zagreb.
 
Michael: Certainly. I find that in Croatia there is a lot of talent and drive. There are many people with great ideas, though they can lack two main things to get those accomplished; focus and discipline.
 
That’s the ability to focus on achieving their goals, and the discipline to do what it takes to achieve that goal.
 
I’ve been fortunate enough to have great mentors and teachers myself, had a successful corporate career, founded four businesses, and now I teach executives and leaders in some of the largest companies in the world.
 
I’ve had to both learn these myself, and now I teach others in how to bring them into their lives.
 
Overcoming procrastination, being strong when others are negative, and doing this each and every day is really what’s crucial success.
 
And that’s what we give attendees of the class; focus, systems to support this focus, and discipline.  

 
TCN: That’s interesting. Who’s it aimed at?
 
Michael: There are a few groups that will get the most out of it;
 
-Freelancers often are great at their profession though need these tools to deliver consistently to their clients, while managing multiple projects and continuing to market and sell themselves.
-Business owners who feel overwhelmed, and find themselves always busy, yet not moving the business ahead strategically.
-People who have a dream – start that business, write a book, become a blogger – yet aren’t moving forward with it
-Employees who have talent, and are looking to have a long-term successful career
-Project managers, administrators and support people as well need these to organize all the critical tasks that they take care of.
 
TCN: Have you taught in Croatia before? Will your course be different here rather than in the USA or the UK?
 
Michael: While procrastination and lack of focus isn’t unique to Croatia, some of my Croatian friends joke that locals can be experts at it!
 
I’ve taught all over the world, and that includes Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia. The great thing is people here can be extremely driven and focused; when they have the right goal in mind, and when they have positive support, which can be lacking.
 
I’ve heard stories where people share about a business they want to start, and all of their friends and relatives tell them to just get a job. Starting a business is hard enough without the support of your closest allies.
 
There’s so much potential here, I hope that this class can give some of the people who want to rise up the support and life-long tools to bring success to them and their country. (Which by the way my great-grandfathers and grand-mothers came from…yes I’m at least 50% Croatian…)

 
TCN: You mention support. There are a lot of classes out there. How will your class be different?
 
Michael: Yes, this class is 100% focused on the people who take the class putting the systems, focus, and discipline into their life. That’s why it’s once a week for four weeks. When you’re at the class, it’s very interactive, and between classes, we have fun accountability to make sure everyone is developing positive new habits.
 
What’s more, students will be around other positive-thinking people who also are ready to shift their thinking and their lives. When I run classes like this, the community that is forged from the process is one of the greatest benefits.
 
TCN: When is it? Where are you putting it on, and with whom?
 
Michael: It starts Thursday 8th November at 17h – 20h, and runs the next four Thursdays at the same time. I know it’s dinner time, we’ll feed you during class…
 
I’m doing it with Impact Hub Zagreb, the local branch of the global Impact Hubs, who brings together entrepreneurs and social innovators to do great things.
 
TCN: That’s great. Where do people get more information?
 
Michael: Sure, here’s the Facebook event; https://www.facebook.com/events/185888008991579/

And here’s where people buy tickets; https://www.entrio.hr/event/success-fundamentals-overcome-procrastination-maximize-productivity-and-develop-the-discipline-cru-5613
 
If anyone is ready to take the single best step to them achieving what they want to achieve, this is it.
 
More about Michael: http://rmichaelanderson.com/about

Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik Airports have continued with great results in October.

It has begun: the website of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb has collapsed due to a large number of visitors, while the “snake” can again be seen around the national theatre building. Interest is high this holiday season as well for the ballet's Christmas fairy tale "The Nutcracker". Last year, 8,000 tickets were sold in just one day, so it is clear that you can see the ballet only if you are ready to buy tickets early, reports Večernji List on November 6, 2018.

For many, the Christmas holiday season is unthinkable without The Nutcracker, the famous ballet by Russian composer Tchaikovsky. The Christmas fairy tale is a classic ballet masterpiece which many people like to see in this time of the year. The Tchaikovsky’s score for The Nutcracker is one of his most famous works, which the composer himself adapted for concert performances. However, a family tragedy accompanied the Christmas fairy tale: the composer’s sister had recently died so the ballet also contains a lot of melancholic music.

The Christmas story is one of the most performed ballets all over the world, including in Zagreb. The Croatian National Theatre (HNK) ballet presented several versions of The Nutcracker through the years, and many still remember those starring Vesna Butorac Blaće and Irena Pasarić. The version which will be presented this year had its premiere in 2011, choreographed by Derek Deane.

In this cycle, the HNK ballet will perform The Nutcracker as many as fifteen times: 29 and 30 November; 4, 11, 15, 18, 20, 24, 27, 28, 28, 29, 31 December; and 3 and 4 January 2019.

This year, the ballet will also send a humanitarian message. “I participated in the final evening of the humanitarian drive to raise funds for older citizens in need. I was astonished by the people who called and asked how they could help,” said HNK general manager Dubravka Vrgoč, adding that she immediately decided to reserve one of this year’s performances for people who usually cannot afford to come.

“The Nutcracker is a trademark of our theatre. Knowing the economic situation we live in, we have decided that it will be our Christmas gift, confident that it will make Christmas holidays more enjoyable for those who are usually unable to buy a ticket and come to our theatre,” Vrgoč said. The charity performance will be held on December 13, and the HNK will organise it together with the City Office for Social Welfare and Persons with Disabilities.

For more on the Croatian National Theatre, click here.

Translated from Večernji List (reported by Bojana Radović).

The streets of Zagreb are filling with garbage, and the new contract between the city-owned Čistoća utility and the CIOS waste management company has not yet been signed. Zagreb is slowly suffocating in uncollected garbage, reports 24sata.hr on November 5, 2018.

The residents of neighbourhoods of Trešnjevka, Kruge, Maksimir, Trnsko, Špansko, Savica and many others report their buildings being surrounded with containers full of garbage. Čistoća, the city-owned company which is supposed to collect the garbage, says they do collect garbage regularly, but that the growing problem is plastic waste, which is a global problem that has now affected Zagreb as well.

CIOS is the company in charge of the plastic waste. At least it was before the contract expired. CIOS recently said they had fulfilled their obligations and taken the agreed amount of waste. However, the new contract between CIOS and Čistoća has not yet been signed, and the negotiations are still under way. It seems that the garbage collection will have to wait until the new contract is signed.

However, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to garbage problems in Zagreb. This year, the Waste Management Plan was adopted, but just so that the city could nominate project to EU funds for grants for purchasing cans, trucks and other equipment. The construction of the Waste Management Centre in Resnik has been announced. The project will cost 300 million kuna, but it will not be finished any time soon.

It is no wonder then that, according to Eurostat data, Zagreb has become the European garbage capital, since just 1% of waste is recycled. According to the plan, citizens should separate waste at home, but Zagreb and Croatia are on the verge of failing to meet the EU recycling standard according to which they should recycle 50 percent of waste by 2020 and 70 percent by 2030.

While Zagreb is suffocating in garbage, Mayor Milan Bandić is on an official visit to Moscow, where Russian President Vladimir Putin has presented him with a decoration for promoting relations between Croatia and Russia.

If you want to read more about Mayor Bandić, click here.

Translated from 24sata.hr

If Croatia had China's railway innovation, and Chinese investment, travelers could get from Split to Zagreb in just over an hour.