December 5, 2020 - A German online platform for train, bus, and plane travel, has named Zagreb Airport the worst of 30 capital city airports in Europe. 

Index.hr reports that OMNIO, a German online platform for train, bus, and plane travel, has named Zagreb International Airport - Franjo Tudjman the worst of 30 in Europe.

Out of a possible 100 points, the capital city airport received exactly zero.

OMNIO thus rated airports in 30 European capitals. They compared airports by several factors: availability, equipment, leisure facilities, and stress levels.

Among other things, they looked at the number of delayed flights, the daily number of passengers at the airport, and how they are equipped: whether they have showers, "quiet" rooms, restrooms, and places with electricity for chargers. Another criterion according to which the final grade was given was the number of quality leisure facilities offered, including shops, restaurants, and play areas for children.

The winner is Madrid International Airport in Spain thanks to "a wide range of shops and restaurants, as well as good connections between the airport and the city center". Rome's Leonardo Da Vinci - Fiumicino Airport is second in line, while Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport is in third place.

In fourth place is Copenhagen, in fifth is Moscow, followed by Helsinki, while the top 10 is closed out by Heathrow in London, Portela in Lisbon, Vaclav Havel in Prague, and finally, Berlin-Brandenburg Airport in the German capital.

Zagreb-Franjo Tudjman International Airport is the worst of all with exactly zero points out of a possible 100. The second worst is the airport in the Montenegrin capital Podgorica, and the third-worst in the Armenian capital Yerevan.

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ZAGREB, December 4, 2020 - In Croatia there are big differences between the richest and poorest municipalities, with Medulin's revenue in the past two years amounting to the total revenue of the 25 poorest municipalities, while Zagreb's revenue exceeds the combined income of 120 cities, according to the Institute of Public Finance.

A newsletter on the budgets of municipalities, cities and counties in 2018 and 2019 shows that the average revenue in 2019 was HRK 225 million for counties, HRK 150 million for cities including Zagreb and HRK 93 million for those excluding Zagreb, and HRK 13 million for municipalities.

In 2019, 45% of local units ran a budget surplus (11 counties, 61 cities, 185 municipalities), down from 60% in 2018 (12 counties, 81 cities, 249 municipalities).

In 2019, the biggest surpluses were recorded by Varazdin County (HRK 24.4m), the City of Rijeka (HRK 69.6m) and Baska Voda Municipality (HRK 9.3m), while the biggest deficits were recorded by Virovitica-Podravina County (HRK 43.5m), the City of Zagreb (HRK 453.6 million) and Medulin Municipality (HRK 51.9m).

However, the number of municipalities and cities with higher per capita revenue increased, the bulk generating between HRK 3,000 and 6,000 in 2018 and 2019. The authors of the newsletter attribute this to the new fiscal equalisation system in force as of 2018.

In 2019, less than 11% of municipalities, only three cities (Duga Resa, Oroslavje, Donja Stubica) and every county generated less than HRK 3,000 in per capita revenue. In 2019, 54 cities or municipalities had a higher per capita revenue than the City of Zagreb (HRK 9.427).

(€1 = HRK 7.5)

December 5, 2020 - Instead of the 5th birthday celebrations they had planned, a wonderful thank you gesture for Croatia's healthcare heroes from Curry Bowl Zagreb.

The pandemic has caused havoc with the hospitality industry around the world, and the restaurant sector is no exception. With lockdowns, rigorous measures, restricted opening hours and the reluctance of customers to risk infection, it is not surprising that some restaurants have not opened at all this year. But in among all the doom and gloom, there is often a great story or two.

During the national lockdown earlier this year, we reported on Nikola Bozic from Djurina Hiza, the only restaurant in Croatia which actually hired more staff, as he moved his business model from serving in-house to a nationwide delivery service.  

And how about this great story, a wonderful gesture and thanks to the healthcare heroes at the frontline of fighting COVID-19 from a corner of Sri Lanka in the heart of Zagreb. 

It wasn't quite planned like this. Ever since Sri Lankan brothers Brian and Clement Seranatne did a tour of Europe together several years ago ahead of Clement's upcoming wedding, Zagreb has been their life. They decided to open the first-ever Sri Lankan restaurant in the capital, and Curry Bowl Zagreb became a reality on December 4, 2015. The restaurant offered authentic Sri Lankan flavours, with dishes adapted to te European palate. My colleague Marc Rowlands did an excellent in-depth piece on Curry Bowl Zagreb recently - check it out here. 

Five years later, there is plenty to celebrate after what has been an incredibly successful adventure. Curry Bowl Zagreb is now rated in the top 5 restaurants in the Croatian capital, and the business has expanded to include the opening of Curry Bowl on Obonjan in 2016, the Whole Wide World Hostel on Britanski Trg in Zagreb, and the official distributorship of Lion Beer in 2018. 2020 included plans to expand the Curry Bowl brand outside Croatia for the first time. 

So much to celebrate on December 4, 2020 after 5 phenomenal years. But... 2020. 

So the enterprising brothers came up with something VERY different than the 5-year birthday they had planned. With the restaurant closed for sit-down customers until at least December 21, they decided instead to mark the first five years with a wonderful gesture - a week of free, delicious Sri Lankan food for any frontline hospital worker showing their ID, as a small thanks for all their efforts. 

The generous offer will last a week, starting yesterday until December 10. In order to collect their meal, the hospital worker just needs to pick it up from the restaurant and show hospital ID. You can take a look at the menu here and contact them for more information. 

You can check out the brothers interviewed on national television in the video below, or check out more in Marc's article. 

December 3, 2020 - Adapting to the new normal, Esplanade Hotel launches a glamorous pick-up and delivery meal service for the holiday season. 

“Forget about cooking and chaos this Advent. Indulge in true Christmas values and spend magical moments with your loved ones,” - is the message of the Esplanade hotel, which is promoting pick-up and delivery holiday meals in an offer called Glamor Esplanade.

HRTurizam reports that after the well-known Esplanade Christmas turkey and cakes, which have had excellent sales results in recent years, Esplanade's team of top chefs significantly expanded the range of orders for meals during the Advent season.

"We have created an offer where everyone can find something, an offer that is available to guests every day," said Miroslav Juric, sous chef of Esplanade and added that they made sure that in these new conditions, where people cannot go to restaurants and it is recommended to avoid going shopping, they offer a very simple service and just about everything for a sumptuous holiday table at home.

"We see that there is an increased need for orders, and our offer certainly stands out with packaging, quantity, and a good ratio of price and quality of food that we choose carefully. The duck, for example, is free-range and comes from the family farm Orehovec from Međimurje on the Drava. Our turkeys are of proven quality, also from free-range farming, and come from a nearby family farm, while we procure domestic veal in Zagorje, and sea bass from the Adriatic Sea. We are very careful to prepare meals only from top-quality ingredients, and our guests recognize that. For example, we have been preparing consommé for decades according to a traditional recipe: we add cognac and meat to the soup and cook for hours to get the finest concentration of flavor. Baked Esplanade štruklji have been prepared in our confectionery since the 1950s according to the same tried and tested recipe, and in this offer, we also have a variant of štruklji with gluten-free flour. I believe that we have put together a really tempting collection," added Jurić.

The process of ordering an Esplanade Gourmet collection is very simple. Guests contact the hotel directly by phone, WhatsApp, Viber, or email, place an order and pay by bank transfer or Keks Pay application. When the guest arrives in their vehicle at the back entrance of the hotel, the hotel staff delivers them the freshly prepared food, packed in stylized boxes, in a short time. And for those that want to go the extra mile, Esplanade also offers special home delivery by limousine.

The Glamor Esplanade offer consists of Esplanade's signature homemade cod pate, octopus salad, salad with rice noodles and prawns, cream of chicory soup, quiche lorraine with smoked salmon and horseradish, cod pie, homemade cod in white or red sauce, homemade perfectly roasted duck with mlinci and red cabbage, or whole turkey with mlinci and fine dauphinoise potatoes with herb sauce, rolled veal shoulder, Esplanade štrukli baked in fine cream, traditional Esplanade Christmas kuglof with spices, dried fruit, and chocolate, poppy seeds, walnuts or a selection of holiday cookies.

"There is a great demand for our offer, and when it is packaged like this and easy to consume, I believe that it will delight many who are otherwise regular guests of our restaurants. The holiday collection is just the beginning and we will certainly not stop there. We adapt to the situation every day and try to be available to guests in these new times," said Ivica Max Krizmanić, General Manager of the Esplanade Hotel.

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December 2, 2020 - As the Transition Period is coming to an end, official advice from the British Embassy in Zagreb for UK nationals resident in Croatia. 

The Transition Period ends on 31 December. If you are a UK National resident in Croatia by 31 December, you will be covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and your rights will be protected for as long as you remain resident in Croatia. 

There are, however, some actions you should take now to keep all your rights and access to services in four key areas: residency, healthcare, travel and driving. This guide, presented in partnership with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, tells you what you need to do.

Register your residency at your local police station

If you are a UK National and are legally living in Croatia before 31 December 2020, the message is simple: no need to say ‘zbogom' or farewell. Your right to live in Croatia will be protected. 

It is a legal requirement to register your stay in Croatia if you are staying in the country for longer than 90 days. If you haven’t registered yet please look at the guidance on how to do so from the Croatian government here.

There may be further actions around residency for UK nationals to take in due course, so please continue to check the UK Government’s Living in Croatia guide. 

Check your access to healthcare and register if you are eligible

S1 holders who have registered with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO) by 31 December, and have already obtained a Croatian document from the HZZO proving this, are protected under the Withdrawal Agreement.

If you are registered for healthcare via your employer, as a self-employed person, or via voluntary contributions, and you are registered as resident in Croatia by 31 December, your access to healthcare will remain unchanged for as long as you remain living in Croatia.

Check our Living in Guide on gov.uk for updated information on healthcare including actions you may need to take in the coming weeks. 

If you’re a UK student in Croatia or have a registered S1 you may be eligible for a new UK-issued EHIC. This EHIC will remain valid from 1 January 2021. Apply now for a new UK EHIC.

Exchange your UK driving licence for a local one

We are working to ensure that UK driving licences will continue to be recognised in Croatia for foreign visitors but if you are formally resident you should exchange your UK licence for a Croatian one. We recommend doing this before the end of the year.

You apply at your nearest police station. This service is available regardless of whether your residence in Croatia is temporary or permanent. For more information on driving in Croatia, visit our Living in Guide.

Checking you're ready for trouble-free travel 

Whether a veteran expat or a new arrival as someone who lives abroad you may notice some changes and new rules on travel within Europe from 1 January 2021. It’s therefore worth doing some homework now to save any potential troubles later.

From 1 January 2021, you must have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe (this does not include Ireland). This requirement does not apply if you are entering or transiting to Croatia (returning to Croatia from abroad and are a legal resident) and you are in scope of the Withdrawal Agreement. Be aware that any extra months you had added to your passport's validity when renewing it last time won't count towards this. Check your passport validity now and renew it if you need to. Find out more here.

Staying up-to-date 

There may be more actions to take later this year so stay updated by checking the Living in Croatia page on gov.uk (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-croatia). You can also sign up to email alerts to this guide and follow the British Embassy Zagreb on Facebook and Twitter

December 1, 2020 -  Adria Business Network #13, organized by successful entrepreneurs Željka Barišić, owner of Forca Digital Agency and Kristina Krstinić, owner of MIKRIS Project Management, will be held on December 15, 2020, at 6 pm, this time online.

The first part of the event welcomes experienced and successful entrepreneurs Ognjen Bagatin, co-owner of the Bagatin Polyclinic and owner of the media platform Entrepreneur, and Dario Marenić, owner of Elda, with whom the participants will discuss the most valuable lessons of 2020. With their knowledge, they will try to help everyone who is currently in a hopeless business situation, but also those who need any advice from the business sphere.

Ognjen Bagatin, as a co-owner of the leading polyclinic for dentistry, aesthetic surgery, and dermatology in Croatia, encouraged the development of corporate entrepreneurship and project management in the medical segment. With his extensive knowledge and understanding of the functioning of the private health care system, he encourages the development of a positive corporate culture. For many years, in addition to his professional education, he led sports teams and clubs as a coach, and he always strives to bring team spirit, togetherness and the right values into the corporate culture. According to IMTJ, the Bagatin Polyclinic is at the very top of the list of the best polyclinics in the world.

Dario Marenić has 39 years of entrepreneurial experience and is the owner of the company Elda, which specializes in the production of liquids for electronic cigarettes, which exports its products to over 80 countries around the world. He has won numerous international awards, such as the Vapor Digest Award, a well-known magazine in the United States that listed Elda as a gold standard e-liquid manufacturer. He was also named the best project manager in Croatia in 2015, which Croma awarded to Dario Marenić, and the AAA certificate of creditworthiness excellence, which is behind the business of Elda.

In the second part of the event, everyone present in the online event will have the opportunity to ask questions that the guests will answer.

The purpose of this slightly different event is that this time, instead of the classic lecture and networking, everyone will receive answers to the challenges of the current situation.

The number of places is limited, and you can secure your place on time by registering via the link https://www.entrio.hr/event/retrospektiva-2020-iskusni-poduzetnici-odgovaraju-na-vasa-pitanja-8644

Adria Business Network is organized by successful entrepreneurs Željka Barišić, owner of Forca Digital Agency (www.forcadigitalagency.com) and Kristina Krstinić, owner of MIKRIS Project Management (www.mikris.eu).

The diamond partner of the event is A1. Silver sponsors are FINA and ManpowerGroup.

The event is sponsored by the Bagatin Polyclinic and the FORUM Zagreb Congress Center.

Partners are Vladimir Abicic Photography, Aero Print, Kupinovo Wine - Kupilek, Valenta Wines and Planet Art Theater.

The media partners of the event are the magazine and portal Poduzetnik, the magazine and portal Zaposlena, Netokracija, She.hr, Zagrebonline.hr, Rep.hr, Glas Istre, Flash.hr, Moja Domovina, Total Croatia News, Fama, ZgExpress, Akademija Art and Radio 92 FM.

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December 1, 2020 – Former captain of the Croatia national football team Darijo Srna and the company Enna Fruit organized the delivery of mandarins to six Croatian hospitals.

As 24sata reports, former Croatia football player Darijo Srna (38) donated 15 tons of mandarins to hospitals in Zagreb, Split, and Osijek. In cooperation with the company ENNA Fruit, which organized the delivery of fruit, Srna delighted patients and staff, which was confirmed from the hospital in Split.

In addition to Srna's donation, the company ENNA Fruit also donated two integral disinfection systems that will be used in the hospital in the Zagreb Arena.

"In challenging times, when we are all facing the COVID crisis, it is important, within our capabilities, to be supportive of those who need it most," said Darijo Srna on the occasion of this humanitarian donation, which, as he says, went to the right hands – in KBC Sestre milosrdnice, KBC Dubrava, KBC Rebro, Clinic for Children's Diseases in Zagreb and KBC Split and KBC Osijek.

"Integral disinfection system is an advanced device for measuring body temperature, disinfection of hands, and footwear with the help of a disinfection mat. This device will provide healthcare workers, doctors, and nurses with a safer stay in the hospital and facilitate the daily fight against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the causative agent of COVID-19 disease," they said from the ENNA Fruit company as reported by Rogotin.hr.

Darijo Srna has long been known for humanitarian actions, such as the one in 2014 when he bought 20 tons of mandarins, paid for transportation, and donated them to children in Donetsk who were affected by the horrors of war.

"I'm not doing this to have someone say to me: 'Well done, Dario.' This is from the heart and soul of all citizens of Donetsk," said Darijo Srna then.

 To read more news from Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

December 1, 2020 - The latest news for flights to Croatia as FlyDubai cancels Zagreb this winter. However, the airline could possibly make a comeback to Croatia in the spring. 

Croatian Aviation reports that although Emirates' partner company, FlyDubai, had announced regular flights to Zagreb from December this winter, which will no longer happen.

As we announced earlier, FlyDubai will not return to Zagreb Airport so soon. The company previously announced flights in early October, which it then canceled by mid-December. Although we announced then that the company will probably not operate on the line between Dubai and Zagreb this year, this has now been confirmed. FlyDubai withdrew all flights on the said route until the beginning of February 2021, and in fact, it is only a question of when those flights will also be canceled.

After Emirates completely gave up on the Dubai - Zagreb line for 2021, it would be logical for FlyDubai to take over this line in the 2021 summer flight schedule. According to the announcements, this should happen, but only from April, with four flights a week throughout the summer flight schedule. Of course, this will depend on passenger demand and the epidemiological situation, so predicting the return of this airline (especially the number of weekly operations) at this time is not wise.

FlyDubai is a state-owned company and works closely with Emirates, operating to less attractive destinations.

FlyDubai will not be able to offer one very important element in relation to its partner Emirates, which with the B777-300ER aircraft offered space for almost 18 tons of cargo or approximately 125 cubic meters of cargo space, depending on the configuration and capacity of the passenger cabin.

Given the announcements that the B737MAX aircraft will soon be re-licensed to operate regular commercial flights, it is to be expected that once FlyDubai returns to Zagreb on a route from Dubai, it will use this type of aircraft, which in terms of comfort and passenger cabin design has significantly better characteristics compared to B737-800.

Additionally, after the news that Korean Air withdrew from Zagreb Airport, FlyDubai will have the opportunity to take on some passengers from the South Korean market, which will certainly be important in the next summer season. It is certain that both Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways will try to create dominance in our traditional, and most important markets with their pricing policy.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

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November 29, 2020 - The latest news for flights to Croatia as Korean Air cancels Seoul-Zagreb in 2021.

Ex Yu Aviation reports that there will be nothing of Korean Air’s Seoul-Zagreb service next year, as the sale of tickets on the seasonal line have been discontinued. The Korean national airline had announced prior that they would resume flights on this line on March 30, 2021, which would run three times a week, on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. This service was scheduled to be in operation until October 30, 2021, and was to use Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.

The service was to offer 50.034 seats and 93 (one-way) flights next year.

The Seoul-Zagreb service did not work this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has particularly affected Korean Air since the virus ripped through Asia in January. 

Due to its hardships, at the beginning of November, Korean Air revealed it is planning to merge with competitor Asiana Airlines in a deal worth $1.6 billion. 

“The new integrated Korean flag carrier will rise to one of the top ten most competitive players in the global aviation industry, laying the groundwork to cope with the coronavirus crisis with efficiency and to leap forward in the post-pandemic era”, the airline said of the merger which should take two years. 

Korean Air initially launched the year-round service between the two capitals back in September 2018, worked as a  triangle routing from Seoul - Zagreb - Zurich - Seoul in the 2018/19 winter season, and became seasonal in 2019. Because Korean Air handled 43, 123 passengers between the two cities in 2019, the airline had plans to increase its summer capacity this year from the Airbus A330 to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

But not all hope is lost. Korean Air is offering alternatives from Seoul to Zagreb from other European cities, like Frankfurt, Paris, and Zurich. 

Low-cost carrier T’Way Air also announced plans to operate flights to Croatia when conditions are met. They have so far received the necessary permits from the Korean Ministry for Land, Infrastructure, and Transport to operate up to four flights a week to Croatia. 

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

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November 28, 2020 – With her second solo album, ONA, Croatian American musician Thana Alexa Pavelic explores her Croatian heritage. It's just been nominated for a Grammy! Here's an introduction to a singular talent and the sound of her Croatian roots

The songs of Croatian American jazz musician and singer Thana Alexa Pavelic have never sounded more like her life experience. On her second album, 'ONA', we finally hear her Croatian roots colliding with the cool, considered and contemporary world of the New York jazz scene. Legendary for its jazz for over 70 years, the city of New York is full of ambitious musicians chasing the vibe and reputation of its heritage. It can be tough to stand out, to sound original. With 'ONA', Thana Alexa Pavelic has done just that, and earned a Grammy nomination for her efforts.

Published in 2015, Thana Alexa Pavelic's debut album 'Ode To Heroes' was similarly well accomplished. But, it seemed to more reflect her American experience rather than embracing the whole. Born in New York to a father from Zagreb and a mother of Dubrovnik heritage, Thana Alexa Pavelic spent every summer in Croatia and so was hardly uprooted when the family moved back to Croatia when Thana was 13. She returned to America to complete her university studies – music and psychology.

In comparison to 'Ode To Heroes', new album 'ONA' sees Thana Alexa Pavelic replacing her femininity with feminism – the album is inspired by the experiences of Croatian women, most of all her mother and her grandmother. Not just evident in the language of the album title, for the first time in her solo output, on 'ONA' you can hear Croatian language, traditional Croatian music and the Croatian female experience in the songs of Thana Alexa Pavelic.

It is doubtless these Croatian influences that separate Thana Alexa Pavelic from the rest of 2020's jazz hopefuls. They are partially responsible - alongside the superb execution and production of the songs - for the Grammy nomination. It is the first-ever Grammy nomination received by a Croatian musician.

And, rather than simply take from the Croatian experience, 'ONA' also gives back. Thana Alexa Pavelic has dedicated a donation from each sale of the album to Zagreb-based human rights organisation Solidarna and their #spasime campaign (which supports victims of violence). Whether Thana Alexa Pavelic wins the Grammy for Best Vocal Jazz album or not, with 'ONA', she has placed a Croatian voice on the world's music stage in more ways than one. If she is successful, then the award will surely make its way to Croatia at some point, held in the hands of a Transatlantic artist now exploring in music her Croatian heritage. Good luck at the Grammys Thana Alexa!