December 20, 2019 - Fresh from its innovative branding of Trogir, Marked by Masters, the small Dalmatian town and UNESCO World Heritage Site is looking for a new tourist board director. Who is looking for their dream job? 

The Tourist Board of a town of Trogir has put out a tender in which they're trying to find a new director of the Board.

Now that the new brand strategy for the town has been created and is being implemented, and the preparations for the new tourist season are underway, they're looking for the person to manage the tourist potential of one of the most beautiful towns on the coast, with over a hundred years of tradition of tourism.

The ad for the job is published in the Narodne novine (Official Gazette), according to the clear criteria applicable for all tourist boards, and the applications can be sent before December 28th, 2019. 

Trogir is a jewel with enormous tourist possibilities and potential, not in terms of the numbers but in terms of the high quality of the offer and prolonging the tourist season. We have everything that's needed for that, remarkable UNESCO protected Old Town, which is still alive and not just a movie set, our three islands, decent restaurants, smaller family farms... But all of that should and can be even better. Whoever becomes the director of our tourist board will have their work cut out for them, but the criteria for where we want to go in the future are clearly set. Tourism is one of our major branches of the economy and we hope we'll be able to attract and bring a person of highest qualities who will know how to capitalize on the potential we have - Ante Bilić, Trogir's mayor, said.

By the beginning of December, Trogir saw 148 thousand arrivals and 611 thousand of overnight stays during 2019. Both of those numbers represent the 4 per cent growth, compared to last year, but the people from Trogir repeat that the increase in numbers shouldn't be the only indicator of tourist success.

"It took us a year and a half to build the new branding strategy of the town, and it creates great opportunities for us to position ourselves on the domestic, but also the Mediterranean market. We feel we should know how to answer to what the modern tourist needs, and give them a reason to visit at least 10 months in a year, and that's what our project of branding the destination is aimed to do. I'm proud that we're the first destination in Croatia to go all into that project, while on the national level it's still something that's only talked about. That's why we want the best, and the most competent professionals to apply for the position and to manage our tourist board.", the mayor added.

In addition to implementing the recently presented brand strategy, based on the old and modern artisans of Trogir, the new director will also work on the opening of the brand store, planned to open in 2020. It will also be the first such store in Croatia, and the director will need to create new content and offers for it, as well as promote it and communicate in modern channels.

"We hope that our candidates for the position will show the understanding of the concepts of the ambitious projects we started, a good level of marketing and digital knowledge and that their enthusiasm will follow our plans and desires. Yes, we want hard-working, creative and energetic people, because they are also needed in the public sector! I invite everybody who sees themselves in our projects to apply if they meet the requirements of the job. We're offering a dream job here in Trogir!"

December 20, 2019 - Croatia's most successful franchise announces its most successful franchisee of 2019 - congratulations to Harman Naser Kalad, just 10 years after fleeing Irag to Germany. 

A lovely story of determination and success as 2019 draws to a close. 

Meet Harman Naser Kalad, a young Iraqi who fled the trauma of his homeland ten years ago in search of a better and safer life. Arriving in Germany, he was shy and retiring, with little knowledge of the language or the culture. Despite this, he knew that if he was to survive and prosper, he would have to learn German and the German way of life, becoming more outgoing, and find a job. 

He found a job with Surf'N'Fries, the Croatian fast food franchise which is the most successful in Croatian history. With 60 outlets in 20 countries over 4 continents - from Iran to Vietnam, Chile to Australia, Harman had found a fast-growing company which offered opportunity. Starting out as a lowly fryer, he applied himself to the task at hand, and he was soon promoted to store manager. After a year, he approached the master franchisor to explore the possibility of him running his own store. Impressed at his ambition and work ethic, he was given first a mobile trailer to run, and then his own fixed store. 

That was two years ago, and now Harman has the best sales results of any franchisee worldwide. Last year, he set the Surf'N'Fries record by selling an astonishing 4,000 portions of fries at a festival in Germany. This year, just a few days ago, he sold 2,900 portions from a single trailer unit. 

“Harman is the proof you can achieve anything if you let your energy flow in the right direction, you can literally be the Number 1 in the world,” Andrija Colak, Surf'N'Fries CEO told TCN, after announcing that Harman Naser Kalad had been named Franchisee of the Year, for the second year in a row. Quite an achievement for a shy young man who fled the horror of conflict in his homeland just 8 years ago. 

"I had to flee my country because of the way," Harman told us. "I left in 2009 with my father, but without the rest of the family, as there was not enough money. I wanted to take every opportunity outside of school to support my father and reconnect with my family. During my part-time job at a gas station, I met two people who really motivated me. They saw potential in me and taught me to dream big.

"In 2017, after completing my training as a salesman, Jovi Venovic introduced me to the concept of Surf'N'Fries. I was attracted by the motto 'Fries with Fun' as I am a happy person who likes to spread a good mood. After first getting a trailer to run, I got my own fixed store in Stuttgart in Tübingerstrasse 27. I am glad I had the chance to realise my dreams, and my passion remains to work with people and make them happy."

And something else happened as part of his journey. That shy retiring young man of 2011 has fostered a fabulous party atmosphere within his store, almost as good as the legendary Surf'N'Fries potatoes themselves. Check it out in the video above. 

ZAGREB, December 20, 2019 - Croatian Defence Minister Damir Krstičević met with his Afghan counterpart Haji Asadullah Khalid in Kabul on Thursday, discussing the security and political situation in Afghanistan, Croatia's contribution to peace efforts and opportunities for the Croatian defence industry, the Defence Ministry said in a press release.

Khalid thanked Croatia for its assistance, notably "brave Croatian soldiers for everything they are doing for us, for advising and mentoring our forces. The Afghan people will never forget the courage of Croatian soldiers."

He extended his condolences to the family of Croatian soldier Josip Briški, who had been killed in a Taliban attack in July, and wished a speedy recovery to two other Croatian soldiers who had been wounded in the same incident.

Krstičević said that Croatia had been present in Afghanistan for 16 years, with more than 6,000 Croatian personnel having served in that country. "Together with the other allies and partners, we are contributing to peace and security in Afghanistan. We are mentoring Afghan security forces and are full of understanding for the people of Afghanistan, respecting their culture and customs. We have helped Afghan security forces to be better."

Khalid said that the security situation in the country was slowly improving and that he expected further negotiations.

"I hope time will soon come for (Afghan forces) to take responsibility for security and peace in Afghanistan," Krstičević added.

Khalid showed an interest in the Croatian defence industry and the possibility of Afghan forces being equipped with Croatian products. Further talks on future cooperation were agreed.

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

ZAGREB, December 20, 2019 - A ceremony was held in Zagreb on Thursday to mark the start of construction work on a combined co-generation unit at the Zagreb KKE EL-TO combined power and heating plant, an investment worth 900 million kuna (approx. 121 million kuna).

The new, high-efficiency block, with a capacity of 150 megawatts of electricity and 114 megawatts of heating energy is the single biggest investment of the state-owned HEP power company in new production facilities in the last 10 years, it was said at the ceremony, which was attended, among others, by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and HEP Management Board chair Frane Barbarić.

The expected average annual output of the new block is 675 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity, 450 GWh of heating energy for Zagreb's central heating system, and 160 GWh of industrial steam. The electricity produced by this unit will meet the consumption demand of close to 200,000 households.

Thanks to its most modern Siemens technology of combined co-generation, the new block will save up to 25% of primary energy from natural gas. Also, once its old and inefficient units are the Zagreb KKE EL-TO combined power and heating plant will emit considerably less carbon dioxide and other pollutants.

The project is to be financed with loans granted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB), with guarantees having been provided by the European Fund for Strategic Investments, the main platform of the European Commission's Investment Plan for Europe.

The contract on construction work and a contract on long-term maintenance were signed in July 2018 with the Italian company FAT S.p.A.

PM Plenković said that this was yet one more major investment in the national energy system, expressing satisfaction that, in line with the national energy strategy, HEP's activities were directed at renewable energy sources.

Barbarić said that the investment would bring multiple benefits, notably for 80,000 residents of the western part of Zagreb, who in the long run would obtain a safer source of heat.

He said that this was HEP's biggest but not only investment in power plants, citing in that context the Kastelir solar power plant in Istria, which has been put into operation, construction work on a power plant on Vis island that is nearing completion, as well as work on the Korlat wind power plant, which is also nearing completion. Three solar power plants are to be built on the island of Cres and preparations are under way for the construction of a solar power plant near Vrlika, said Barbarić.

All projects, including the one in Zagreb, are part of HEP's scenario of development of renewable energy sources, as part of which power plants with the capacity of 1,500 megawatts will be built until 2030, he said.

Asked by reporters about problems with heat supply in Novi Zagreb, Barbarić said that currently work was underway on absorbing around 64 million euro from EU funds, on which contracts should be signed in a month or two, to replace 62 kilometres of district heating pipes in Zagreb, which would help remove the problem.

HEP will provide an additional HRK 150 million of its own funds to renovate heating pipes in Zagreb, Barbarić said, recalling that HEP had so far invested 10 million euro to install new heating pipes in Osijek.

More Zagreb news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, December 20, 2019 - The incumbent President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović held her main election rally in Zagreb on Thursday evening ahead of the presidential election on Sunday, saying that she was seeking a second term in office in good conscience because over the last five years Croatia had emerged from apathy and gloom and strengthened its international standing.

"We have pulled Croatia out of apathy and gloom. Croatia is no longer on its knees, it's upright! Croatia is again known in the world for its successes. I'm proud to have had a chance to help Croatia come out of the recession, I'm proud that I have strengthened Croatia's standing in the word," Grabar-Kitarović told a packed Cibona sports hall.

She thanked everyone for supporting her during the last five years, saying that her term had marked a start of change for the better and "now it should continue with even greater strides".

She said that the national economy has recovered, wages are rising, general government debt is decreasing, the country's credit rating and GDP are improving, the military and police are getting stronger, war veterans have been ensured the dignity they deserve, decentralisation is being conducted as the basis for balanced regional development, the issues of missing persons from the war and people with blocked bank accounts are being addressed, the absorption of EU funding is improving and the demographic issue must be a social priority.

She also stressed the importance of national unity. "The unity of the Croatian people and all our citizens has no alternative and I will never give it up."

She said she had pulled Croatia out of the Western Balkans and anchored it in Central Europe and the Mediterranean through the Three Seas Initiative. "That's where we belong."

She concluded by offering the voters "optimism instead of lamentations, unity instead of divisions, association instead of separation, and action instead of inaction."

The rally was also addressed by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković and other senior officials of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party.

Plenković called on voters to cast their ballots for Grabar-Kitarović, saying there was no better president than her. He said he was confident that "the Croatian people will show their wisdom and maturity on Sunday" and vote for her.

Jandroković told those gathered that they all needed to support the HDZ candidate together because of the attacks she was being subjected to during the campaign "which was never so dirty before."

He said that there were no divisions within the HDZ. "We all stand as one, we are all together and we will show it on Sunday."

More news about presidential elections can be found in the Politics section.

December 20, 2019 - An EU project in Split foresees a Poljud Museum, Hajduk Interpretation Center, new Poljud stadium roof and better stadium accessibility, as well as sports and cultural routes throughout the city.

Dalmacija Danas writes that a meeting was held with representatives of the City of Split, HNK Hajduk, the Split Tourist Board, Sports Facilities, RaST Development Agency and the Naš Hajduk Association with representatives of Kocka d.o.o. and Osam d.o.o., as part of the EU project "Split - A City Connecting Sport and Culture". 

At the meeting, they presented the elaborated project technical documentation, that is, the museum concept and establishing the future Poljud Museum and Hajduk Interpretation Center, which will cover 2.323 m2 on three floors within the Poljud Stadium, below the eastern stand.

At the beginning of the meeting, Deputy Mayor Nino Vela welcomed all present and thanked everyone for their dedicated work and cooperation.

On behalf of the International and EU Projects Office, Radojka Tomasevic welcomed everyone present and informed the attendees about the project implementation and project documentation, which was prepared during the previous project implementation. She emphasized the complete project documentation for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Poljud Stadium roof, conserving the base of Stadium, as well as the necessary rehabilitation projects throughout the Stadium, which include ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities.

Documentation was also developed to establish sports and cultural routes that would link locations from Bacvice, the Firule Tennis Courts, and the Basketball Hall at Gripe, to the Holy Trinity Church at Poljud, the pools and stadium at Poljud, the Ancient Port at Spinut, the pools of Mornar and Jadran, the POŠK port, the Olympic trail on the West Coast, the Ad basilicas Pictas sites, the old Hajduk stadium at Stari Plac, the Croatian House building at Tonciceva, and the Old Town Hall at Pjaca.

For the park at the site of Ancient port in Spinut, a conservation base, a study of the greenery, the architectural design of the educational park, and the main architectural design of the interpretive center - a pavilion in the Scientific and Educational Ancient port park (museum and execution project) were made.

The Strategic Branding Plan of the Split Integrated Program as a City of Sport and Culture, as well as the Feasibility Study and Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Split Integrated Program as a City of Sport and Culture, will be finalized by the end of the project.

Special thanks were given to project manager Hrvoje Akrap and project coordinator Ana Jerkunica for their dedicated work in the implementation of the project from the very beginning. 

Designer Marko Barisic and project manager Jelena Devcic from the company Kocka d.o.o., and Darko Babic, director of Osam d.o.o., presented in detail the museum solution of the entire space of the Poljud Museum and the Hajduk Interpretation Center.

Thus, the Poljud Museum and the Hajduk Interpretation Center plan to offer visitors a range of new facilities using state-of-the-art technologies and multimedia equipment (9D) to create an experience and interpretation of cultural heritage and sports, presenting to the general public a valuable architectural and constructive solution for the Stadium, which is also individually protected immovable cultural property, entered in the Register of Cultural Property of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia, in the category of profane architectural heritage, but also with the rich history of Hajduk.

All present expressed their satisfaction, from the Deputy Mayor, Nino Vela, the President of the Management Board of HNK Hajduk, Marin Brbic and his associates to representatives of the Tourist Board, the public institution Sports Facilities and the Naš Hajduk Association, emphasizing that the project will surely provide a new, unique tourist offer and product based on Split's underused history of sports and culture.

It is a considerable task for everyone to provide the means to implement all the planned activities as soon as possible, from the reconstruction of the stadium roof for which project documentation has been prepared, as well as necessary remediation projects and ensuring accessibility of the entire stadium to persons with reduced mobility, to establishing sports and cultural routes at various localities in the city, and branding Split as a city of sport and culture.

Recall, the EU project Split - City Connecting Sport and Culture, has been implemented since December 1, 2016, until December 31, 2019. The project developer is the City of Split, and the project partners are the Split Tourist Board and the Split Sports Facilities public institution. The total value of the project is HRK 6,392,000.00, of which the grant amount is HRK 4,999,822.40 financed by the European Regional Development Fund.

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

December 20, 2019 - About 10% of tourists have some disability, though their specific needs are not adequately recognized in the hotel industry. Thus, Fit4Work organized a concierge training for disabled tourists in Split, which was the first of its kind in Croatia.

The Tourism and Hospitality School of Split has implemented another major project this year. Namely, the Fit4Work project has been designed by the school and is aimed at training the long-term unemployed people over 54 years of age, people with disabilities, and young people who were not previously connected with the hospitality and tourism industry.

The implemented programs related to the professions of an assistant chef, guest waiter, guest confectioner, bartender/barista, and one particular specialization - hotel concierge for disabled people. The latter was also the most demanding as it lasted 280 hours. The Fit4Work project involved 45 unemployed people, with the implementation lasting 20 months. In order to ensure its quality, 12 teachers from the Split Tourism and Hospitality School, two mentors from “Bluesun - Hotel Company Tucepi”, two mentors from the Hotel “Cornaro” and a representative of the association for inclusion “Lastavica” participated in the project. 

The hotel concierge for disabled people was held in Croatia for the first time: 

“About 10% of travelers and tourists in the world are persons with some kind of disability, but their specific needs are not adequately recognized in the hotel industry,” explained the project manager Slaven Skrabic, a professor at the Split School.

“Five people were educated through this program, which we conducted in collaboration with the Cornaro Hotel in Split. Tourism professionals need to think about the needs of people with disabilities. For example, when a guest at a hotel requests a personalized tour of the Diocletian's Palace, the hotel concierge in that situation contacts an outside agency, a guide greets the guest at an agreed location, and the tour begins -  but what about when a person in a wheelchair arrives? In this case, the concierge can not only leave the guest to the guide, but will first meet with the guide and together determine the route of the tour, ensuring that an adequate vehicle arrives for the guest, that they go to locations that are not too crowded, and there are no architectural barriers in the way,” explained Professor Skrabic.

During the study trip to London, the mentors had the opportunity to see how the system works there. In England, in particular, awareness of the importance of employing people with disabilities is higher, entrepreneurs do not have benefits, but they see the employment of people with disabilities as an investment in society. Thus, it is necessary to invest in raising the awareness of the importance of employing vulnerable groups for it to grow in our society over the years.

“It is necessary for at least one member of the hotel staff to be educated on this topic. Concierge training for people with disabilities provides very concrete knowledge with many practical examples and we continue to implement it in our school,” concluded project manager Slaven Skrabic.

The practical part of the four-way education, i.e., the bartender/barista and the assistant waiter, chef and confectioner, were done by the project participants at the Bluesun Hotel Alga in Tucepi: 

“Our impressions are excellent. We were pleased to participate in including vulnerable groups in the labor market. We presented the students with the hotel part of the service and the necessary professional skills to gain direct experience of working in a real, day-to-day business. Participation in such projects is not only important to companies in the context of CSR, but is a general advantage for the entire Croatian economy,” explained Filip Benjak, Career Development Manager at Bluesun Hotels.

The Fit4Work project ultimately resulted in employment in this sector for more than half of the 45 trainees within a few months. Much emphasis has been placed on digital and distance learning, which is why e-learning platforms have been designed and built to help participants stay in touch with mentors and work on their training after the end of the project.

The value of the Fit4Work project is €1,948,063.00 and is fully funded by the European Union through the European Social Fund.

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

Croatian islands are full of events, traditions and cultural manifestations. Many of them are highly individual to either a particular island or a particular town on the island. Croatia's many islands also boast island associations, and they are as numerous and as diverse as the rich history and culture of the gorgeous islands they represent.

From the very north to the south of the country, the Croatian coastline is dotted with 1000 islands, some of which are inhabited and boast excellent connections to the mainland, and some of which are just as they were hundreds of years ago, wild, uninhabited and completely free of human interference.

These islands are some of Croatia's most priceless possessions, and the island associations which call them home have been on the receiving end of generous cash sums from the state budget.

As Morski writes on the 19th of December, 2019, the Ministry of Regional Development and European Union Funds has awarded a total of 600,000.00 kuna to 33 of the highest quality projects organised by various island associations, and as many as fifteen of them are islands from Croatia's southernmost county - Dubrovnik-Neretva County.

Following the appropriate call for the project, which then grants substantial financial support to Croatian islands using money directly from the state budget of the Republic of Croatia for 2019, the Ministry of Regional Development and European Union Funds has allocated the large, aforementioned sum of cash to various island associations for their respective projects, which have, as such, been deemed to be of high quality.

As stated, almost half of the projects and the total amount, ie, fifteen projects in the total amount of 282,500.00 kuna has gone to islands located in the extreme south of Croatia, more precisely down in Dubrovnik-Neretva County.

Among the island associations that have received grants are two from the Pelješac peninsula, three from the island of Lastovo, and ten from the island of Korčula.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for much more.