ZAGREB, February 5, 2020 - A certain number of ambulance drivers in Zagreb went on strike on Wednesday, but patients are being transported regularly, the head of the city's Department of Emergency Medical Services, Žarko Rašić, said.

The department asked a court to ban the strike considering that the Healthcare Act does not provide for the possibility of emergency medical services staff organising a strike, Rašić told Hina.

"At the moment, everything is operating normally. All patients have been transported for dialysis treatment and there are no long waits. We have about 15 ZET city transport drivers on call if need be and about 30 staff from other institutions - drivers and nurses who are prepared to step in," Rašić said and added that 31 ambulance crews were on the ground.

No one from the union of ambulance drivers was available this morning for a comment. The union announced on Monday that ambulance crews in Zagreb would go on strike to demand a pay rise so that their monthly wages are equated with those of drivers of emergency medical service vehicles, which would require an additional two million kuna (270 million euro) annually.

The union is demanding that the government adopt a regulation to define job titles and job complexity indices so that ambulance drivers be reinstated with their original index which was reduced when the ambulance service was divested from the emergency medical service in 2011.

Talks were held at the Health Ministry on Tuesday with the leader of the ambulance drivers' union Mišel Majetić, and Minister Vili Beroš offered a compromise regarding job complexity indices.

Beroš said on Wednesday morning that the Department of Emergency Medical Services had asked a court to say whether the strike was lawful and that until the court delivered its ruling it was his duty to see to it that emergency services were operating normally.

More healthcare news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, February 3, 2020 - The City of Zagreb ran a budget deficit of about 400 million kuna in 2019, while the deficit carried over from the previous period is 628.9 million kuna, the city's Finance Office said in a statement on Monday, noting the negative impact of tax reforms on the city's revenues.

The statement came after Jutarnji List newspaper said on Monday that the head of the Finance Office, Danijela Juroš Pečnik, had warned the city government in a letter last week that the city's budget deficit exceeded 1 billion kuna last year.

The Finance Office said that it was an internal document normally sent to the heads of city administrative bodies to "achieve better budget discipline."

The annual financial report for 2019 has not been finalised yet, and the deficit is estimated at 400 million kuna, while the deficit carried over from the previous period is 628.9 million kuna, the statement said.

"In accordance with rules governing budget accounting, a deficit can be covered successively over a longer period of time. The deficit of 628.9 million kuna carried over from the previous period is envisaged to be covered from the projected budgets for 2021 (253 million kuna) and 2022 (375.9 million kuna)," it said.

The Finance Office said that after determining the final result for 2019 the City would analyse the financial situation and causes of the deficit, define measures to ensure stable and sustainable business, and consider measures to increase revenues, improve collection of claims and streamline the business.

More Zagreb news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, February 3, 2020 - Ambulance crews in the capital city of Zagreb will go on strike on Wednesday demanding a pay rise so that their monthly wages are equated with those of emergency medical services.

The ambulance service in the capital city has 42 crews with 120 drivers and paramedics, and as of Wednesday, only a dozen crews will be on duty and the ambulance service will continue working with that reduce number crews until their demands are met.

The trade union of ambulance staff said that the pay rise would require an additional two million kuna to be set aside annually for their monthly wages.

The unionists said that the pay gap between wages of emergency ambulance crews in the city and their counterparts in emergency medical services is 2,000 kuna (270 euro).

More Zagreb news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

February 3, 2020 - The Croatian First Football League returned on Friday after a long winter break. Dinamo and Hajduk, currently first and second in the standings, both booked victories to open the spring season.

Inter Zapresic v. Istra 1961 (2:0)

Inter and Istra met on Friday, January 31, 2020, to open the spring season in Zagreb in front of 906 fans.

Thanks to two early goals for Inter in the 11th minute (Mitrovic) and an own goal in the 26th (Bosancic), Inter was not only 2:0 up at the half, but held their lead until the final whistle. 

Inter is currently in 8th place with 16 points, while Istra is in 9th with 12.

Lokomotiva v. Rijeka (2:1)

Lokomotiva and Rijeka met on Saturday, February 1, 2020, in Zagreb in front of 863 fans. 

Kastrati scored the first goal of the game to put Lokomotiva in the 1:0 lead at the half. Kastrati scored his second goal of the game in the 71st minute for 2:0. Rijeka’s Loncar came back with a goal in the 86th minute for the final score of 2:1.

Lokomotiva is currently in 5th place with 31 points, while Rijeka is in 4th with 34. 

Slaven Belupo v. Dinamo Zagreb (0:2)

Belupo and Dinamo met on Saturday, February 1, 2020, in Koprivnica in front of 2,323 fans. 

Dinamo’s first goal of the game came right before halftime when Ivanusec scored for 0:1. 

Petkovic increased Dinamo’s lead at the start of the second half for 0:2 in the 53rd minute, which was the final score of the game. 

Belupo is currently in 7th place with 18 points, while Dinamo is in 1st place with 50 points.

Varazdin v. Hajduk (0:3)

Varazdin and Hajduk met on Sunday, February 2, 2020, at NK Varteks Stadium in front of 5,043 fans.

After a missed penalty, Hajduk finally took the lead in the first half thanks to Jradi, who made the game 0:1 in the 42nd minute.

A penalty in the 72nd minute (Caktas) and another in the 4th minute of added time (Eduok) made the game 0:3 for Hajduk.

Varazdin is currently in the last place with 10 points, while Hajduk is in 2nd place with 38.

Gorica v. Osijek (0:0)

Gorica and Osijek closed out the 20th round on Sunday, February 2, 2020, in Velika Gorica in front of 689 fans.

Neither team was able to score and the game ended 0:0.

Gorica is currently in 6th place with 30 points, while Osijek is in 3rd with 34. 

You can see the full HNL table here.

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

February 2, 2020 - The Museum Night event, whose 15th edition was held on Friday, January 31, at 250 locations in 110 cities, municipalities and towns across Croatia, attracted just over 218,000 visitors, and over 83,000 in Zagreb alone, according to initial preliminary data.

Splitski Dnevnik reports that this year's Museum Night, organized by the Croatian Museum Society (HMD), was marked by the theme "The Great Anniversaries of Croatian Museums", with the emphasis on the 200th anniversary of the Split Archaeological Museum and the 140th anniversary of the Zagreb Museum of Arts and Crafts.

In addition to museums, other heritage institutions, archives, libraries, cultural centers, religious communities, associations and educational institutions participated in the 15th Museum Night. The programs were implemented in more than 250 locations in 110 cities, municipalities and towns, and the number of visitors, processed based on 70 percent of the participants' reports received, ended on Saturday, February 1, at 11 am and amounted to about 218,000 visitors.

Zagreb recorded the most visitors, where just over 83,000 people came out for Museum Night on Friday. The Mimara Museum registered the most with 8,900 visitors; The Museum of Arts and Crafts was visited by more than 7,200, the Croatian Museum of Natural History more than 6,200, and over 5,500 attended the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Nikola Tesla Technical Museum.

The exceptional interest in museums is evidenced by the over 6,000 visitors of the Zagreb City Pharmacy and a tour of the pharmacy and its owners from 1915-1947, the HMD said in a statement.

The museum institutions of Rijeka - European Capital of Culture 2020, were visited by around 9,500 people, nearly 6,000 came out in Dubrovnik, and over 24,600 in Split, where the celebrated Archeological Museum together with Salona had over 4,200 visitors.

The Split City Museum had a record of over 7,500 visitors this year. For its first Museum Night, 1,200 visitors were recorded at Brodosplit Museum.

The Museum of Betina Wooden Shipbuilding was visited by 340 people, the Museum of the City of Šibenik saw one thousand, and Krka National Park saw 326.

Almost 14,000 people visited Zadar's museums, the Archaeological Museum of Istria in Pula had 4,700 visitors, and the Maritime and Historical Museum of Istria saw more than 2,100. Almost 9,400 people visited Varaždin museums, over 2,300 visited the Cultural Center in Lepoglava, and 1,900 visited the Međimurje Museum in Čakovec.

The cities of Karlovac, Sisak, Vukovar, Đakovo and Osijek also recorded excellent attendance, and the organizers also noted the very good presence at Trakošćan Castle and the museums of the Krapina-Zagorje County.

"Communicating various contents to the public - from museum collections, professional, scientific, educational and entertaining contents, to virtual tours of museum exhibits, historic buildings and protected heritage sites, as well as the use of digital technologies, have opened up unprecedented possibilities for inspiration, interpretation and presentation of museum contents," HMD said.

"With its fantastic response, the audience has confirmed that meeting cultural needs is one of the priorities of all segments of the museum audience. The organizers of Museum Night this year are extremely pleased with the visits and thank all the participants for interesting programs, all visitors, partners and media fort the pleasant atmosphere, which attracted tens of thousands of visitors to Croatian museums, heritage institutions, squares and streets of the cities and municipalities where the programs took place on the warm January Museum Night," HMD said.

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

Around 20,000 citizens protested in Trg bana Jelačića against Zagreb Mayor and USKOK indictee Milan Bandić and demanded his permanent removal from politics. The protest was punctuated with crowd chants of “Enough, Milan", "Go, Go" and "Thieves, Thieves".

Largest Crowd of Three Protests Against Zagreb Mayor

The protest, which was called "Enough", began at 16:00 CET yesterday. According to the organizers' observations; this protest has by far gathered the most residents of all three against the mayor. The third protest, which feature live bands and a stage, was organized by Siget Citizens Association, Green Action and Zagreb Te Zove according to Matej Devčić/Jutarnji List on February 1, 2020.

“In the first protest we shouted, ‘step down’, in the second we were jurors and passed down a ruling - you are guilty. We even showed up at the courtroom. But this has all happened with the support of the government. Without Andrej Plenkovic, Bandić would not have been able to do all this,” Gordana Pasanec, president of the Siget Citizens Association, told the gathering.

Bernard Ivčić from Green Action said that citizens came to Zagreb's Trg bana Jelačića to say enough to Bandić's system of clientelism, which is destroying Zagreb.

Mayor’s GUP Plan Benefits Friends: Residents Choking on Trash

“The GUP (General Urban Plan City of Zagreb) is a scandalous document in which Bandić backs Zagreb Manhattan for the benefit of his friends and lets us choke on the trash everywhere. We ask all MPs to oppose this plan,” Ivčić said.

Jelena Miloš from the Zagreb Te Zove said that Zagreb is ashamed of its mayor. Residents take pride in their neighborhoods and are fighting against the criminal GUP plan and waste mismanagement. All of this would not have been possible without the support of the HDZ in the city assembly, she said.

“We are also saying to the HDZ: we will not forget you,” Miloš proclaimed to the crowd.

Marko Košak from Green Action arrived to the stage holding a garbage bag full of trash.

“What I have in my hand is a symbol of Bandić,” said Košak, adding that the mayor is guilty for all the waste problems in Zagreb.

“Remember this date: February 1, 2020; today we are taking down Milan Bandić,” Košak added.

Zagreb Protest Crowd Reached 20,000: Shut Down Tram Service

Police officers wouldn’t provide crowd estimates, but observers claim the crowd, which filled the entire main city square, reached 20,000. There were so many people in Trg bana Jelačića that tram traffic was suspended at one point.

Bandić Dismissed Protesters as Whiners and Actors

Yesterday, Mayor Bandić spoke to reporters about the protest organized against him and suggested that some protesters were "whining, and some were acting."

“It is the democratic right of protesters to protest, and the democratic right of the mayor to work,” said Mayor Bandić, who responded to questions on Cvjetni trg, where P.I.N.K. had organized an event to commemorate World Cancer Day.

Highlights of the Zagreb Protest as It Happened

16:25 - Several thousand people gathered at Trg bana Jelačića to protest Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić. Protesters came to the square with banners chanting "Prison", "Bandits and thieves" and "Enough!"

Comedian Marina Orsag, a presenter at the protest, addressed the crowd. "Thank you, everyone, for pointing out that you are not afraid to come out, that we are not little hooves who will not fight Milan Bandić," Orsag said, according to Dnevnik "What happens when you are dissatisfied with an employee? You fire him!"

16:45 - Film director and candidate in the last presidential election Dario Juričan also came to protest Milan Bandić.

The protesters were also addressed by Bernard Ivčić of Green Action. "A little kid would have done more than (Milan) Bandić. Everywhere around Zagreb, there are affairs, all with the support of Andrej Plenkovic and the HDZ, who hold a majority in the assembly.

Orsag asked the assembled people to remove derogatory signs and claimed that the protesters had "stopped traffic".

17:00 - Jelena Miloš from Zagreb Te Zove addressed the protesters. "(Milan) Bandić has to leave because he has been destroying GUPs for the last 20 years," Miloš said, to which protesters responded with "Leave!" "Zagreb is ashamed of its mayor."

"Today we are proud of Savica, who defended their park. Samoborček and Trešnjevka, because they are defending green spaces. Resnik fought against a harmful incinerator. Novi Zagreb too. "We say - 'we won't forget about you,'" Miloš said.

17:25 - Marko Košak from Green Action brought a black garbage bag to the stage. “This is a symbol of Mayor Bandić. If Milan Bandić is famous for something, then it is an inability to solve trash problems. We have had enough,'' Košak said.

''Now he wants to increase everyone's bills. It won’t work, Milan!'' said Marko Košak to Bandić, as quoted by Dnevnik.

''Remember this date: February 1, 2020, today we are taking down Milan Bandić here!'' Košak concluded to the wild applause of protesters.

17:50 - Marina Orsag ended the protest with a message for Bandić, "I have one slogan to end with - when we get rid of the scum, we get rid of the garbage," Orsag concluded.

Siget Citizens Association president Gordana Pasanec thanked everyone who came to the protest. "When I see how many there are of you are on stage, it makes me tremble. Thank you for showing up in such large numbers," Pasanec said.

Green Action: GUP Not Taking Public Interests into Account

On Friday, Green Action welcomed the Zagreb Constitutional Court's ruling that it would not increase the cost of transporting waste for Zagreb which was slated for on February 1, but they also had announced that they would not withdraw from the protest.

Green Action president Željka Leljak Gracin said there were many other reasons for today's protest because "Bandić's politics and city management are anything but acceptable." At the protest, she said, "we will once again demonstrate that it is time for Bandić to leave this position."

She also said that changes to the GUP will be decided next week, which she claims are "increasingly detrimental to the city in every case and are in no way taking public interests into account. I believe that residents need to show that this city is not Bandić's, but it is being managed as if it is," she claimed.

A considerable archive of Total Croatia News articles about Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić can be found here.

Information on Zagreb Organizations Working to Remove Bandic

Follow Zagreb Te Zove here to keep updated on events and protests the Zagreb mayor. Information on Dario Juričan, documentary film maker and performance artist, can be found on his Facebook page and website. Information on Zagreb je NAŠ, a Zagreb-based political party, can be found on Facebook here and on their website.

Did Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić and his wife Vesna go through a marital rough patch 24 years ago? According to court records, the couple filed for divorce in March 1996. Apparently, their short-lived divorce was amicable, because then ex-husband Milan immediately approved his ex-wife’s request to purchase an apartment for a price seven times below its market value!

UPDATE: All about Milan Bandic protest "Enough", which took place Saturday February 1, 2020 here.

Recently Vesna Bandić, wife of the multiple USKOK (Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime) indictee, bought a 68m2 apartment right in the center of Zagreb.

The recently purchased apartment is located on Trg Petra Petretića and was bought from family friends Željko and Dragica Šelendić for 854,000 HRK (114,775 EUR). It is important to emphasize that most of the money, 720,000 HRK (97,304 EUR), was immediately paid in cash. The apartment was purchased for Bandić's daughter Ana Marija, who was then registered as the apartment’s owner a few days before the New Year, according to Index on February 1, 2020.

Dario Juričan also posted the agreement dated April 7, 1997 for the sale of an apartment on Preradovićeva to Bandić's wife, on his Facebook profile. Bandić has claimed that the sale of this apartment was the source of funds for the recent purchase of the much larger more expensive property.

You can steal my name, but you can't steal my corruption! | Dario Juričan

Dario Juričan Uncovers Vesna Bandic Apartment Purchase Agreement

"FROM DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE TO ŠELA'S APARTMENT IN A FEW COMPLETE STEPS

Milan oh Bandić, you went to court and got divorced from your wife Vesna on March 25, 1996. You only completed this procedure so that your wife Vesna could buy an apartment on Preradovićeva ulica in Zagreb.

Immediately after your divorce was filed, Vesna Bandić submitted a request with the Zagreb Housing Commission for the recognition of right of occupancy for a 38m2 apartment on Preradovićeva 13.

Vesna Bandić claimed that she had been living in the house since birth, even though she was living with you, only a budding label cutter at the time, in a skyscraper on Bužanova 41.

Just a day after submitting her request, the commission accepted her right of occupancy claim and Vesna bought the apartment for 35,760 HRK (4806 EUR), which was then at least seven times less than the market value.

It took you, Milan, just seven days after your divorce to purchase the apartment in Preradovićeva ulica.

Now Milan, you are spinning a tale that your wife Vesna just bought a 68m2 flat from your friend Šela (Dragica Šelendić) for your daughter, from the proceeds of the sale of that apartment on Preradovićeva.

Thank you for reminding us, label cutter, what a complex operation you were prepared to do for 38m2.

Today, Master of the Fog, thanks to your entrepreneurial spirit, your daughter has an apartment almost double the size…

It paid off, Milan, good job!

Dario Juričan, Mayor of the Universe
/ Thank you Hrvoje Appelt! /

Juričan Poses More Questions For Milan Bandic (There Are So Many)

P.S.

I am particularly pleased, Milan, with your announcement yesterday:

"THERE IS NO DISPUTE REGARDING THE MAYOR'S PROPERTY REPORT!

The Mayor obeyed the law and legal procedures (...)

The Mayor properly made the necessary changes to his property report in a timely manner.”

And where did it all go, Milan, all those luxury watches Zenith, Cartier, Piaget, IWC ...?

Where did the old-timers from Grude (Bandić’s hometown in Bosnia) go?

Who swallowed the three apartments that you had at your disposal and used ...?

How did the 200,000 HRK (26,879 EUR) of cash found in the search of your office and apartment evaporate?

And those fine art paintings you tried to hide with Kikaš, which made you want to go on vacation for a long time because you asked Vida Demarin to make a false statement about those paintings?

Come on, come on, label cutter, send the media the appropriate press releases. Do it properly and in a timely manner, as you always obey the both the law and proper procedure. Please, you can do it," Juričan wrote on Facebook.

Milan and Vesna Bandić’s Fake Divorce

This story first appeared back in 2005.

In 1996, Bandić divorced his wife, Vesna Bandić, after which she, unburdened by his property, very conveniently bought an apartment in Preradovićeva ulica in the center of Zagreb. The law on compensation for property, which was confiscated during the Yugoslav communist rule, provided people with unresolved housing issues the right of purchase. At that time the Bandić’s owned an apartment on Bužanova ulica.

As such a buyout was only possible until March 1997, it is interesting to note that Bandić divorced his wife in March 1996. Then, a week later, his ex-wife submitted a request to buy an 38m2 apartment for 35,760 HRK (4806 EUR) on Preradovićeva ulica.

Until her death in 1992, her grandmother, Anka Kolarić, lived in the apartment. Vesna Bandić said in her request to buy the apartment that she had been registered at that address since 1975 and she had been living in that apartment for seventeen years. Their daughter, Ana Marija, has also been reported as living at that same address since 1983.

Vesna Bandić Apartment Purchase Agreement | Dario Juričan

Milan Bandić Approved Ex Wife's Zagreb Apartment Purchase

Vesna Bandić was granted the right to buy the apartment just one day after her request was submitted. Despite their divorce, Bandić, as a government official, personally approved the decision on the recognition of the right of occupancy for his ex-wife. The purchase contract shows that the apartment was purchased for 37,760 HRK (4806 EUR), that the amount of the first installment was 3576 HRK (481 EUR), and the rest was to be paid in 240 installments of 148 HRK (20 EUR) per month.

An extensive archive of Total Croatia News articles on the notorious Zagreb Mayor can be found here. An archive of articles on Dario Juričan can be found here. More information on Juričan can be found on his website. 

Another protest against Mayor Bandić, organized by Zagreb Te Zove, will take place on Trg bana Jelačića today February 1, 2020 at 16:00 CET. More information on the protest can be found on the group's Facebook page. 

UPDATE: All about Milan Bandic protest "Enough", which took place Saturday February 1, 2020 here.

ZAGREB, February 1, 2020 - The European Commission presented about 30 projects at the Cities Forum 2020, held in Porto on Thursday and Friday, including the digitisation of the City of Zagreb's administration and the conversion of a former factory into a cultural centre in Rijeka.

The Cities Forum is a European Commission initiative aimed at presenting positive examples of the absorption of cohesion funds including the future of the Urban Agenda for the EU. This year's forum attracted about 800 representatives of cities, countries and the EU.

The City of Zagreb decided in 2012 to introduce "smart administration procedures," and in 2016 and 2018 it participated in projects to digitise public administration procedures.

The European Commission cited the project "Organisational development - managing the City of Zagreb's business processes" as an example of good urban practice. The project was exhibited along with projects from Rotterdam, Paris, Brussels, Brno, Turin, Lille, Bielefeld and Ghent.

The City of Rijeka launched a project in early 2019, which is expected to be completed by 2021, with the intention of transforming four buildings which once housed sugar, cigarette and engines factories into the city's main cultural centre. The centre will house the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Arts, the City Museum, a children's house and the city library.

The EC said that the project is an example of how to revitalise industrial heritage in an urban environment and how to combine different sources of financing.

The project received €13.2 million from the European Regional Development Fund which is aimed at strengthening economic and social cohesion in the European Union by correcting imbalances between its regions.

More Rijeka news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

February 1, 2020 - The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for new flights to Croatia with updates from Zagreb, Split and Pula. 

Ex Yu Aviation and Avio Radar report that Ukrainian Windrose Airlines has announced that it would launch a new service between the capitals of Ukraine and Croatia.

Namely, Windrose will launch the first nonstop service between Kyiv and Zagreb since the 1980s. Recall, Aeroflot was the last to connect the two cities with a nonstop flight before the break-up of Yugoslavia.

The new route between the two capital cities will run three times per week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, beginning June 2. The new service will be seasonal and run until the end of October, though the airline could reevaluate its frequency given the performance. 

The Embraer E145 jet, which has a capacity of 50 seats, will be used on both routes. Windrose has six aircraft of this type in its fleet and all were taken from the flat of the regional Ukrainian carrier Dniproavia, which officially ceased operations. However, all six aircraft continue to wear Dniproavia’s coloring. Dniproavia flew to Croatia on regular charter flights from Lviv to Pula and Split. 

Ex Yu Aviation adds that Croatia Airlines thought about connecting the two capitals back in 2009, though it never came to fruition. Furthermore, Ukraine International Airlines announced they were looking to connect Kyiv and Zagreb back in 2018, though nothing has come of it yet. 

There are, however, various seasonal connections from Kyiv to the Croatian coast. Namely, like in previous years, Windrose will also fly on seasonal scheduled flights from Kyiv to Pula and Split. Both lines will run twice a week, which is the same as last year. Windrose will fly to Pula on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and to Split on Thursdays and Sundays. The Airbus A321 aircraft will fly to the Adriatic destinations. 

Ex Yu Aviation adds that based on traffic flow, Zagreb Airport has named Kyiv, Basel, Geneva, Riga and Sofia unserved European destinations with the potential to sustain direct flights. 

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

ZAGREB, January 30, 2020 - As of Wednesday, citizens of Zagreb aged 35 to 65 can apply to participate in the "Physical activity for health reasons - Getfit4free" project, which includes Nordic walking or fitness classes for three months free of charge, with professional guidance and a personalised approach.

According to data from the European Health Interview Survey, 45.8% of men and 30.5% of women in Croatia are overweight, and 64.8% of Croatians do not participate in any recreational physical activity. The bleak statistics prompted the City of Zagreb and Faculty of Kinesiology to launch the Getfit4free project, a press conference was told on Wednesday.

The goal of the project is to effectively counteract the negative consequences of the working population's sedentary lifestyle through physical activity as part of Nordic walking and fitness programmes (cardio and circuit programmes).

It is also important to raise awareness about the importance of physical activity and healthy habits for maintaining health and increasing the healthy life expectancy, the project manager Damir Knjaz said, adding that the City granted 950,000 kuna (128,000 euro) for the project.

The targeted beneficiaries are groups of physically inactive middle-aged and senior citizens, from 35 to 65 years of age, who are at considerable risk of various health issues due to an unhealthy lifestyle.

"Many studies have shown that physical inactivity leads to health issues in the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and respiratory systems," said the Dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology, Dean Tomislav Krstičević.

More Zagreb news can be found in the Lifestyle section.