ZAGREB, December 19, 2019 - The Metal Workers' Union (SMH) and the Alliance of Autonomous Trade Unions (SSSH) warned on Thursday that the situation at the Đuro Đaković mechanical engineering group was alarming, demanding an urgent meeting with the government to set a date for the appointment of a new management board and to restart production.

"We demand that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković receive representatives of the workers of the Đuro Đaković Group and trade unions not to discuss promises but specific dates and solutions," SSSH leader Mladen Novosel told a press conference.

Novosel expressed fear that the situation in the company, based in the eastern town of Slavonski Brod, resembled that at the failed Uljanik shipyard. "An identical scenario, promises, the same characters and actors," he added.

"Is this the government plan for Slavonia? This is not an emigration, but an exodus. We are calling on the government and the prime minister to receive us as a matter of urgency to agree dates and see when we will get a new management board and investment, when we will restart production," the head of the strike committee, Ivan Barić, said.

Barić said that the situation in the company is dire, production has been suspended because of the strike, and 95 percent of their products are exported to Europe.

"Over 100 million kuna (13.5 million euro) is blocked, 96 percent of products cannot be delivered to their clients. The company's account is blocked and we cannot buy goods," Barić said.

More about Đuro Đaković can be found in the Business section.

ZAGREB, December 19, 2019 - Croatia's economic growth is expected to slow down to 2.5% in 2020, from the medium forecast of GDP growth 2.9% in 2019, a survey conducted by the Croatian Banking Association (HUB) showed on Thursday.

The expected slowdown is due to external factors and internal weaknesses, such as the lack of reforms, investment barriers, an inefficient state sector and unfavourable demographics, members of the HUB Club of Chief Economists said in the survey.

Kuna exchange rates are expected to remain the same as in late 2019, while public debt should continue decreasing approximately at the same rate as this year. Interest rates are expected to remain low.

Projections by the chief economists of four leading Croatian banks are in line with those of the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission. The IMF expects the Croatian economy to rise by 3% in 2019 and by 2.7% in 2020, while the EC has forecast Croatia's growth at 2.9% in 2019 and 2.6% in 2020.

Those interviewed projected the public debt to GDP ratio at 72% this year, down from 74% in 2018, but slightly higher than the government's forecast of 71%, HUB said.

More economy news can be found in the Business section.

ZAGREB, December 19, 2019 - Although young people in Croatia find their first job relatively early, 41% of those aged 25-29 do not leave the security of their parents' home, while as many as 7% of those older than 45 still live with their parents, a survey conducted by the MojPosao job-seeking website shows.

The survey, conducted on a sample of 3,500 people, reveals that nearly half of young people (up to 30 years old) find their first job while in secondary school, a third do so during their university years, while the rest are yet to find work.

It also shows that 83% of the respondents get their first full-time job before turning 26, and as many as 56% are still in school at the time.

Six percent said their first monthly salary was between HRK 6,000 (€810) and 8,000 (€1,080), while 2% said they earned more than HRK 8,000. More than a half said that during their first full-time job they got between HRK 2,000 (€270) and 4,000 (€540), while a third earned between HRK 4,000 and 6,000 (€810).

Sixty-six percent said that in the course of their career they had worked in between two and five jobs, while a quarter of those interviewed said their current job was their first. Eight percent have changed between 6 and 10 different jobs, and 2% have changed more than 10.

One in three adults live with their parents in their parents' home, 8% live without their parents, a fifth live in rented accommodation and a third in their own property.

Nearly 70% of those interviewed aged 24 and younger live with their parents, as do 41% of people aged 25-29. A fifth of respondents aged 30-34, 15% of those aged 35-39, 12% of those aged 40-44 and 7% of respondents aged 45 and over live with their parents.

Respondents said they had taken their first mortgage loan when aged 28 on average and were to repay it over a period of 18 years. They got their first car loan when 29 and for a repayment period of nine years.

More lifestyle news can be found in the dedicated section.

When you think of public transport in Zagreb, your mind likely doesn't wander far from the blue trams snaking through the city. But what if something new were to appear to connect East and West Zagreb in a much better way than they're currently connected transport-wise? An interesting idea has surfaced...

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 19th of December, 2019, the three hundred thousand kuna document will have to be produced by whichever company wins the tender.

The tram on Malešnica, pleasantly ridden all the way to Adžijina, then descending to -1 on an underground floor through Donji Grad (Lower Town) and after Zvonimirova, once again back up to the surface and slightly all the way to Dubec, states a report from Večernji list on the idea for this new type of public transport in Zagreb.

Yes, this sounds a bit like something out of a sci-fi movie, something one can barely imagine when packed onto a crowded tram like cattle and driven along at what often seems like a snail's pace all through Zagreb's hellish rush hour traffic jams.

This idea will be decided on by the Assembly in February, and it seems the timing is perfect. The City of Zagreb could have simply neglected the idea of this "semi subway" had no tender been announced for the development of the conceptual design of the extended Kranjčević street, which should make up exactly one part of the section of that potential future tram route.

As previously touched on, the three hundred thousand kuna document will have to be produced by the company that wins the tender and that will be the basis for obtaining a location permit for a future route.

The City of Zagreb now wants to obtain a location permit based on a project that will be worked on along a 700-metre-long stretch from Selska cesta to Fallerovo šetalište.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for much more. If it's just Zagreb you're interested in, give Total Zagreb a follow or check out Zagreb in a Page.

December 19, 2019 - As part of the European project “Fortress ReInvented - An Innovative Approach and Digital Content of Historic Fortresses,” the St. Michael’s Fortress in Sibenik will be enhanced thanks to content that interprets historical heritage through digital technology.

Namely, HRTurizam writes that two underground cisterns, dating from the 15th century, have long been hidden in the interior of St. Michael’s Fortress. However, soon the legend of the city's origin and the turbulent history of the fortress will be brought back to life. 

Namely, the final work is underway to set up a system for projecting 3D video mapping in the cisterns inside the fortress. From January 2020, visitors will be able to experience the history of the town of Sibenik and the fortress through two four-minute spectacles. A total of 34 projectors will be installed in the cisterns to complete the virtual space for mapping purposes, and 16 speakers will create the sound.

The first cistern will share the biblical story about the fight between good and evil, that is, the victory of St. Michael over the dragon, while the second cistern will show the history of the city with a particular emphasis on the role of the St. Michael’s Fortress as the nucleus from which the city originated.

As the latter is housed in cisterns with spatially intersected arches, they have become a watershed element in the development of a scenario-based on time travel: the cistern arches become the ‘wheels’ that start the system and define the year, that is, the period during which passengers (visitors inside the tank) stop and witness it themselves.

The complexity of implementing this project was discussed by Jelena Filipaj, a representative of Production Team, the company responsible for the development of the audio-visual content:

“Reviving cultural heritage with mapping technology is not revolutionary in itself, but so far, at least as far as we are aware, it has never been realized in such small, intimate spaces that bear the stamp of time through the colors of the walls, and from such proximity. The challenge is the curvature of the surface, which completely defines the approach to content creation. To monitor the workflow, that is, to make sure everything fits, complete simulation through virtual reality was required."

The Fortress ReInvented project covers four partner fortresses in three countries: apart from St. Michael’s Fortress, digital content will also be implemented at the Klis Fortress in Klis, Kanli Kula in Herceg Novi and Vranduk Tower in Zenica.

All the fortresses will receive multimedia guides and touch screens with a common application through which visitors to one of the fortresses will be able to watch what is currently happening at the remaining three. In addition, touch screens will be set up in the old city centers - info-kiosks through which partner fortresses will be presented, cities and small and medium-sized enterprises will be promoted.

The Fortress ReInvented project began on July 1, 2017, and ends December 31, 2019. The project is developed by the Museum of the City of Sibenik in partnership with the Municipality of Klis, the Municipality of Herceg Novi and the Public Institution Museum of the City of Zenica. Its total value is EUR 1,310,232.30, of which 85% is co-financed by the Interreg IPA CBC Croatia - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Montenegro 2014 - 2020 program.

The main objective of the project is to contribute to increasing the sustainability and improving the tourist offer by implementing digital content at four partner fortresses - St. Michael’s Fortress in Sibenik, Klis Fortress in Klis, Kanli Tower in Herceg Novi and Vranduk Fortress in Zenica.

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

December 19, 2019 - The City of Split is richer this week thanks to four new stations within the Nextbike public bicycle system.

Namely, Splitski Dnevnik writes that 32 new bikes (12 electric and 20 classic) will be available to citizens in addition to the existing ones. New stations have been set up at Zvončac (Ivan Meštrović Promenade), at the Marko Marulić Library (Ulica Slobode), at Vukovarska Street (Hygienic Institute) and Pazar (Poljana kneza Trpimira by the Bishop's Palace).

The total value of this investment is 700,000 kuna, excluding VAT, financed by Split Parking. It is a continuation of the investment in the public bicycle system after eight stations were set up this summer with 50 bicycles - 20 electric and 30 classic.

The ever-increasing numbers also confirm the need to set up new stations. Since the system was implemented in mid-July until the end of November, the citizens of Split have rented bicycles 7943 times. October and November thus saw an increase compared to September with over 2000 rentals in each month, of which October was a record high with 2,766 rentals, an increase of almost 50 percent over September.

Despite a bleak November, which saw over 20 rainy days, 2291 rentals were made. November also saw the highest daily number of public bicycle rentals - namely, 156 of them.

It is important to note here that this is mostly about local users. Data on the number of rentals realized shows that as much as 75 percent are made by local users, which means that locals have achieved almost three times as many rentals as foreign users. In the total number of registered users, 65 percent are local and 35 percent are foreign. These ratios confirm the great interest shown by the citizens for this mode of transport, which has received an excellent response as a novelty in Split.

In addition to the number of registered users and rentals achieved, the success is confirmed by the numerous inquiries, suggestions and feedback sent by users and other interested parties. Split Parking responds to some challenges related to the Public Bicycle System in collaboration with the Nextbike operator, and their director, Ante Gustin, said that Split is one of the most successful cities in the region when it comes to the results of the public bicycle system.

"The autumn data is incredible; we are talking about new Croatian records here, especially considering that rentals begin to decline during this period due to colder weather and longer nights. I must definitely point out that it is working in a young public bicycle system, which opened in July this year and, in the shortest possible time, achieved top results.

Factors such as the topography of Split, the lack of a cycling tradition that is just being developed, the small number of bike lanes and the currently limited number of bicycles and stations, should be taken into account. I believe that the City will continue to develop bicycle paths and all infrastructure to make this service even safer and better.

Split Parking is also already working on getting new stations up and running as soon as possible. Electric bikes have made driving in Split easier and faster than ever before and citizens have recognized it very well,” said Gustin.

Split Parking said they are currently in the process of designing a study and documentation that will provide accurate analysis and an optimal number of stations to cover the entire city and provide a complete system of public bicycles. They want to make this alternative mode of transport, which is also cheaper, faster and more environmentally friendly, as accessible to citizens as possible.

"We expect the study we are doing to be completed by the end of December. Once the City of Split approval is obtained for the locations, it will proceed to launch a public tender to upgrade the system. We want to make sure that each county has at least one station and we are planning to have over 40 stations and over 200 new bikes in the next year.”

If you are still haven’t tried this system, you can find out more here. The registration is free of charge, and activating an account costs 5 kuna and is valid for the entire Nextbike system anywhere in the world, while the stated amount remains available in the user's account for all additional rides.

The cost of using the bike is 5 kuna every half hour for a classic bike or 10 kuna for an electric bike. The subscription price is 200 kuna, valid for one year, and includes an unlimited number of 30-minute rides, while the same applies for extra rides in the 'pay as you go’ format. 

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

ZAGREB, December 19, 2019 - Constitutional Court President Miroslav Šeparović said on Wednesday that a decision on whether the establishment of the High Criminal Court, which should start operating on 1 January 2020, was in line with the Constitution, would be delivered within a reasonable period of time, in a few months.

Commenting on the decision to launch the procedure to determine if legal provisions envisaging the establishment of the High Criminal Court are in line with the Constitution, Šeparović told Hina the decision was made in order to prevent serious or irreparable consequences.

The Constitutional Court will therefore investigate whether the establishment of the High Criminal Court, as the highest court in the country, violates the constitutional status of the Supreme Court.

"The delay should not last longer than a few months," Šeparović said.

After on Tuesday it decided to temporarily postpone the implementation of legal regulations concerning the establishment and inauguration of the High Criminal Court, the Constitutional Court notified the State Judicial Council and the Supreme Court of its decision.

The decision will most probably be published on Friday, Šeparović said, explaining that the decision was not adopted unanimously and that the three dissenting opinions had to be written first.

Until the final decision by the Constitutional Court on the complaint of unconstitutionality, submitted by Social Democrat MPs Peđa Grbin and Orsat Miljenić, the 11 judges of the High Criminal Court will not be sworn in.

Šeparović underlined that that solution did not prejudge the final decision of the Constitutional Court.

Ivan Turudić, a newly-elected judge of the new court, who was previously entrusted by the justice minister with founding the High Criminal Court, told Hina that the Constitutional Court's decision was such due to its conclusion that the two pre-holiday weeks is too little time to make a competent decision.

Justice Minister Dražen Bošnjaković said before a government session on Wednesday that the Constitutional Court's decision to launch the procedure to determine if the legal regulations on the establishment of the High Criminal Court are in line with the Constitution is a procedural decision and noted that the establishment of the new court was good for standardising court practice.

More news about Croatian judiciary can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, December 19, 2019 - Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković met with prime minister of Italy Giuseppe Conte in Rome on Wednesday, saying that they were working together in the European Council on accelerating the European Union enlargement process.

"We have very strong relations" which are further intensifying, Conte told a press conference in Chigi Palace where he received Plenković on the first day of his two-day official visit to Italy.

The Italian leader said that trade between the two countries had exceeded 5 billion euro last year and that this "very positive trend" was also present this year.

Italy is Croatia's second strongest trading partner, after Germany. In the year to September, Croatia exported 1.5 billion euro worth of goods and services to Italy, an increase of 2.6% compared with the same period in 2018. At the same time Italian exports to Croatia reached 2.7 billion euro, up 14.6%.

Italy is also the fourth largest investor in Croatia and the fourth in terms of the number of tourists visiting the country.

The two prime ministers discussed the Croatian presidency of the European Union in the first half of next year.

"This has been a conversation between two friends, two prime ministers who understand each other very well. We will be working together in the year ahead, which is very important both for Europe and for Croatia," Plenković said.

Plenković expressed hope that during the Croatian presidency an orderly exit of the United Kingdom from the EU would be finalised and a consensus would be reached on a new multiannual EU budget.

The two prime ministers were agreed on the need to speed up EU enlargement, after France, Denmark and the Netherlands were opposed to opening membership talks with Albania and North Macedonia in October.

Plenković and Conte want this to happen during the Croatian presidency.

"We are trying to win over the countries that had their reservations before Croatia hosts the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Zagreb" in May, Plenković said. He added that he wants such dialogue "to become systematic" and to take place every two years "to define a realistic path towards the EU in the next decade."

Conte noted that the Croatian presidency coincided with the Conference on the Future of the EU, saying that Italy's priorities were to bring the European alliance closer to people, strengthen institutions and simplify EU governance.

The conference should start in 2020 and last for two years. Dubravka Šuica, Commission Vice-President in charge of democracy and demography, will be in charge of the conference. "Now is the time to inject new strength and enthusiasm into the Union," Plenković said.

Conte and Plenković said that the Italian minority in Croatia and the Croatian minority in Italy also contributed to the good relations between the two countries. Plenković expressed satisfaction that the Deputy Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Furio Radin, who represents the Italian minority in the Croatian legislature, was also in Rome.

The meeting took place a day before the 30th anniversary of the foundation of the Central European Initiative (CEI), a 17-member organisation whose mission has been to help the countries in the region to join the EU.

Croatia has chaired the organisation over the past year and its chairmanship will now be assumed by Italy and subsequently by Montenegro. The members are: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine.

More news about relations between Croatia and Italy can be found in the Politics section.