February 7, 2020 - Lauba in Zagreb hosted the third edition of the Digital (R)evolution conference (Digitalna (R)evolucija), with over 600 strategists and creators of digital economy attending.

Croatian Employers Association (HUP) and their ICT section organized the conference. Darko Horvat, Croatian Minister of Economy, supported the conference by attending. Gordana Deranja, HUP President, said at the opening that it's important to remember that the digital transformation is just partially connected to the new technology. In the full sense, the term means changing the way of work, a different approach, and a different mindset. That requires a lot of work and is more demanding, as we change the way we behave, on all levels. Additionally, digitalization is not a one-off - it's a continuity of change, something that we're very reluctant to do in this region. However, the times we live in demand that we be ready for change every day. 

The topic of the conference arose from the latest IMD survey on digital competitiveness, in which Croatia fell on the list by as much as seven spots, exclusively because of the "low level of preparedness for the future." To be digitally competitive, it's imperative to fully perform the digital transformation, with smooth cooperation between the public and the private sectors, and with the support from the government. Darko Horvat, a minister in the government, announced that the national plan for a digital economy will be presented soon and that it will include clear measures for the fast implementation and development of digital solutions in Croatia. 

Dejan Ljuština, a partner in PwC Croatia, an expert in the field, pointed out the large gap between the companies who are aware and actively participate in the digital revolution in 2020, and those who don't even consider that. He added that the artificial intelligence would result in a technological shift in almost all industries, destroying and creating jobs, making the workforce go through changes, but at the same time increasing the incomes of the companies that use it. 

The working motto of the conference was "Talents, Agility, Technology", which spells out quite clearly the importance of those components for the implementation of the digital transformation. However, the next step, crucial for Croatia, is the investment. Boris Drilo, the president of the HUP-ICT Association, said that digitalization requires investment, and the financial means needed to implement the new technologies need to be found. For Croatia, at this moment, the critical thing is to prepare well for the next period of the EU funds, 2021-2027. That is the opportunity that can't be missed - because if that happens, the Croatian economy might be ruined for the next 10 or 15 years. 

Nine excellent companies showed how digital transformation is possible in Croatia. Bagatin Clinic showed how to use the AI for x-rays, but also their internal processes, which companies from various industries can use. Njuškalo showed how they use the recognition software for the photos. Tokić Autodijelovi and Neostar presented their business models to show how it can affect the auto industry. Polidor Camp and Bluesun Hotels showed that digital transformation is happening in tourism as well. Klimaoprema presented the examples from their everyday work, showing how digital transformation influenced internal and external processes. Iverpan Company used Ascalia to digitize its operations, which saves them a lot of money. 

The intent of the Digital (R)evolution conference was to encourage the entrepreneurs to recognize the opportunities and advantages of the digital transformation, and to implement the new organizational models supported by the technology. Successful entrepreneur stories, examples from their work, and market analysis certainly gave many answers and solved dilemmas, showing how investments are critical for successful digital transformation.

Croatia's Best Employer Brand Awards 2019 was a complete success for Atlantic Group, who managed to win five awards, including the Grand Prix award and the employer branding award. 

Atlantic Group's senior employer branding and culture specialist, Tina Miličić, gave an interview, in which she tried to explain the organization of work and how the employer branding activities are performed within the Group. Ms. Miličić initially said that they've been working on employer branding within the Group for the past five years, initiated by Ivana Đorđević with most of the initiatives directed towards the current employers. That strategy led to the high involvement of the workers and reduced unwanted fluctuations and non-attendance at work since the company has started. 

When asked what has changed since the early days of employer branding in Atlantic, she says that it's a lot. Once the initial enthusiasm wore down, as it usually does, and just when things were starting to slow down, the company underwent extensive internal reconstruction. One of the projects of that process allowed them to further the employer branding tactics at the highest level within the company. Ms. Miličić was stationed in Belgrade, working in two departments, and it all took a lot of energy. Then, when it was time for her to return from Belgrade she just wanted to continue working on serious employer branding. In her current role, she reports to both the HR and Corporate communications, as she realized that a significant level of synergy is needed for that role to be successful. She highlights the example of having to fill 90 positions in Serbia, quickly and at a tight budget, and receiving 2400 applications and completing the project in less than three weeks. And she adds that the reason for that success was not having done lovely visuals and advertising, instead it is the fact that the company took the comments to previous similar campaigns seriously and worked hard to fulfill the expectations of the current employees. 

Within the company, the situation is such that promoting the topic of employer branding towards the higher management is unnecessary, as the market has made sure everybody understands the importance of the principle. These days, the employee can define what they want from the company, and the company needs to adjust to those desires, and that's not easy. So, while continually improving the salaries, benefits, and other conditions for the employees, the company needs to stay profitable - which makes it more efficient. 

Ms. Miličić doesn't see working on numerous markets as a particular challenge when it comes to employer branding, as the Atlantic Group is used to working on many markets in all aspects. And so it's not out of the ordinary that in Slovenia the topics that are discussed are LGBT certification and beehives in the yard of the company building. At the same time, in Macedonia, they need to communicate the most elementary things, such as a regular and guaranteed paycheck. The importance of employer branding for a company such as Atlantic Group can't be denied, and almost all big companies understand the importance of this concept for their success. That leads the company to start thinking in more specific terms, and Ms. Miličić states that the critical thing they understand now is that Atlantic Group is not right for everyone, nor is everyone right for the Atlantic Group. The relationship between the company and the employer is just as intimate as any close relationship you have in your life, and you need to feel like you fit in somewhere. The company wants employers to feel comfortable in the company, as that is the only way for them to realize their full potential. That's why, during the selection process, they put a lot of stock into the so-called Cultural Fit, determining how much someone would fit in with the culture and the values of the company. It's not about hiring the greatest expert, but the expert who'd enjoy working in the Atlantic Group.  

Read more about business in Croatia. 

ZAGREB, February 7, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Thursday congratulated Rijeka on a recent ceremony inaugurating the city as the European Capital of Culture, saying that over the past few years the government had strongly supported the project and there was therefore no room for speculation that the government had any reservations about that.

"There have been many bizarre comments in the media. Over the past few years the government has not only provided strong financial support for the European Capital of Culture project but has been quite involved in the project and supported its activities," Plenković said at a government session.

The PM said that the inauguration ceremony was attended by Culture Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek, Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli, Transport Minister Oleg Butković and by his advisor, academician Zvonko Kusić.

"We look forward to Rijeka and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County hosting numerous cultural events in the coming months, and I will definitely attend some of them. There is no room then for speculation that the government had any reservations about that important project," he said, adding that the project was very important also in the context of Croatia's EU presidency.

The ceremony inaugurating Rijeka as the European Capital of Culture 2020, featuring Opera Industriale as the central event, was attended by some 20,000 local residents and visitors, with 130 artists performing on the central stage.

The event was attended by President-elect Zoran Milanović but it was not attended by Plenković, outgoing President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović and Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković, which elicited criticism.

More Rijeka news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, February 7, 2020 - There is no case of coronavirus detected in Croatia and the Health Ministry and the government acted quickly and adequately when the epidemic emerged in the world and there is no need for panic, Health Minister Vili Beroš said during the cabinet meeting on Thursday.

The coronavirus disease is new and Croatia has to be prepared for all possible scenarios. Caution is needed in treating potential patients coming to the country and the ministry is coordinating and implementing all the measures that are required through its emergency headquarters, Beroš said.

He noted that current information indicates that there are 28,280 people infected with the disease worldwide, 257 being in China. So far there have been 565 fatalities, and all but two have been recorded in China. The disease has been identified in 24 countries.

There have been 28 people in the EU registered with the disease in France, Germany, Finland, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, and Russia.

Beroš underscored that the characteristics of the disease are not that alarming yet for it to be considered to be an exceptional threat however certain caution is required with potential patients who are coming to Croatia.

"Just upon the outbreak of the epidemic an expert team in the ministry was activated and the emergency team has networked the entire health system, also through telemedicine and video links, and personnel are on call," Beroš said.

All mechanisms in the emergency headquarters have been set into motion and the emergency team will send a notice to all cities and counties of the need to monitor the health situation in their region.

Detailed instructions have been compiled for all health workers how to deal with suspicious cases as well as instructions for border police and health inspectors at the border.

The Civil Aviation Agency has sent instructions to all airlines that come to Croatia and established cooperation between the relevant state institutions.

The Croatian Public Health Institute introduced special health inspection measures on February 2 for all passengers arriving from China or who had been in China within the incubation period of 14 days.

That proved to be a good measure because the very first day the measure was introduced a female passenger was identified who had been Wuhan just 12 days prior to landing in Zagreb, Beroš recalled. She was then advised to remain in quarantine for the next two days at least.

More news about Croatia and coronavirus can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, February 7, 2020 - The government on Thursday sent to the parliament a bill on foreigners with new regulations on their employment in Croatia, and the government will no longer have the duty to set quotas for the employment of foreign nationals.

Under the bill, employers shall contact the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) when planning to recruit new workers, and the HZZ will provide them with its opinion after testing the labour market.

If it is established that there are no jobless people registered with the HZZ with the qualifications specified in the request submitted by the employer, the HZZ will give a green light for hiring foreigners. After that, the employer concerned can submit a request to the relevant police stations to issue permits for the employment and stay of foreigners, Interior Minister Davor Božinović said at the government's session.

Under the bill, the issuance of a permit can take 45 days at the most, and in the case of professions and occupations in high demand the procedure should not take more than 15 days, while requests for seasonal employment should be granted in 10 days' time.

The HZZ is also supposed to define the cases that do not require testing the labour market before recruitment.

The new legislation will also introduce the institute of long-term residents who are non-EU citizens.

Also, rules for the temporary or long-term stay of foreign nationals of the Croat ethnic background will be relaxed.

More employment news can be found in the Business section.

ZAGREB, February 7, 2020 - The Defence Ministry's financial plan for 2020 envisages the purchase of multipurpose combat aircraft and Black Hawk helicopters, the construction of a coastal patrol vessel and the purchase of Bradley fighting vehicles.

Under the plan, the Military Academy will be transformed into a defence and security university to be named after Croatia's first president, Franjo Tuđman.

Defence Minister Damir Krstičević said at a government session on Thursday that the value of the financial plan was 5.3 billion kuna, an increase of 264 million from 2019.

Slightly less than 1.5 billion kuna of the funds is intended for public procurement procedures and close to 800 million kuna for financial obligations from previous years, namely multiannual financing and purchases abroad.

"These are huge funds and it is very important to ensure that all procurement procedures are transparent, and I will insist on rational and cost-effective spending," said Krstičević, adding that this was the fourth year in a row that his ministry did not have a procurement procedure marked as confidential.

Krstičević said that all procurement procedures were aimed at improving soldiers' living and working conditions, equipping the Army and securing the necessary level of operation of its equipment.

The minister said that 39 contracts, worth around 457 million kuna, would be signed with 30 companies in mid-February.

"The contracts are a significant contribution to Croatia's defence industry which employs more than 5,000 people. By signing the contracts at the beginning of the year we are giving domestic companies security and helping them plan their annual production and providing them with the necessary references to sell their products on foreign markets. The value of the contracts is around HRK 140 million higher than in 2019," he said.

He thanked members of the parliamentary committee on defence, headed by Social Democrat MP Igor Dragovan, for excellent cooperation, recalling that the committee gave its opinion on purchases worth more than five million euros before a procurement procedure was launched.

"Last year the committee gave a unanimously positive opinion on the purchase of Black Hawk helicopters. Four brand new helicopters will arrive in Croatia in 2022 and they will be used for both military and civilian purposes," said the minister.

As for other current procurement projects, Krstičević mentioned a project to buy multipurpose combat aircraft, of which an interdepartmental commission is in charge, saying that he expected concrete offers in May and a final decision on the aircraft to be purchased by the end of the year.

The Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff, General Mirko Šundov, said he was glad about the increase in the military budget and investments in the army's modernisation, as well as about the fact that Croatian soldiers were equipped by Croatian producers.

Dragovan expressed satisfaction that the ministry had published its procurement plan for the seventh consecutive year, stressing that that practice was setting a good example for other bodies of public authority.

"I don't see any reason why other bodies of public authority would not do the same and present their annual plans to the public. It would definitely raise awareness of the need for transparency and responsibility," he said.

The chair of the national council in charge of monitoring the strategy for the prevention of corruption, Željko Jovanović, commended the ministry's transparency, stressing that transparency was one of the main instruments in the fight against corruption.

More news about the Ministry of Defence can be found in the Politics section.

One of my favourite people in Croatia is a friend in Dalmatia who works in the adventure tourism business. 

Apart from being a little jealous of the healthy lifestyle this fat Irishman can only aspire to, she also gave me one of the keys to being happy in Croatia over a beer several years ago. 

"I don't follow politics here at all. It consumes you if you get sucked into it. All that negativity. Instead, I just tune out, do my thing and enjoy my friends and the beautiful nature in Croatia. Maybe after 6 months, I will check what is happening, but you know what? Despite all the noise and negativity, nothing ever changes, so why surround yourself with the negativity every day when you can enjoy life instead?"

It is one of the best pieces of advice I have ever been given in Croatia, and I find that when I follow this advice, my happiness factor in Croatia increases immeasurably. 

Of course, running TCN makes it impossible not to get totally immersed in the country's politics on a regular basis, and I really do believe that there is a direct link between the default negative mindset of the majority of people in Croatia today, and the rather bizarre culture here (at least to this foreigner) of treating politicians as rock stars. 

A few years ago, I wrote an article called Kindergarten Political Football: HDZ United v SDP City, in which I wrote:

Ours is one of the very few non-political households in Croatia, a country where politics seems to be discussed more than any of the 95 countries I have visited. The political theme starts early in life, something I was reminded of this week when my youngest daughter, aged just 7, came home from school and mentioned a friend 'who was HDZ' and another 'who was SDP' (things I also heard at kindergarten). She had no idea what SDP or HDZ actually were, but it seems that many of her peers had adopted their political football team for life, in addition to Hajduk on the pitch. 

My older daughter, 9, saw the ridiculous video from the Josipovic campaign, declaring the former president to be very silly in the video. I asked her to name any politicians she could recognise, knowing that the average adult British worker could probably name and recognise no more than half a dozen, and a 9 year-old hardly any.
Starting with the mayors, we had Milan Bandic (Zagreb), Ivo Baldasar (Split) and Niksa Peronja (Jelsa), former president Josipovic, former prime ministers Sanadar and Kosor, current players Milanovic, Karamarko, Petrov and Kolinda. "Oh and that new guy from Canada, who calls us citizens buildings" - a reference to a linguistic slip by new Prime Minister Tim Oreskovic.

This is a child growing up in a household with no political affiliation, no political discussions at the dinner table, and no interest in politics whatsoever. Imagine what the kids in more partisan households are going through. 

Back in the UK when I lived there, it was common to see the Prime Minister in the media on an almost daily basis, other ministers too on occasion when their department was in focus. But unless a minister was caught texting little boys or a Tory MP found with an orange up his bottom, the media presence was minuscule compared to what happens here in Croatia. 

In Croatia, political stories and scandals are the top stories of the day more often than not, the politicians are elevated to the level of rock stars personalities (even though several seem devoid of a personality at all). Great drama is attached to the most minor of incidents, which are then quickly forgotten in search of the next non-story to grip the nation. 

The office of the Croatian President is a case in point. In terms of PR, the last five years have consumed a huge amount of media space, as the Kolinda PR machine was rolled out, with photo opportunities at every point (with the notable exception of the opening of Rijeka as the European Capital City of Culture in her home town last weekend). So many speeches, so many promises, so much hot air. And at the end, what did Kolinda actually achieve in those five years? As far as I can see, not much more than one thing.

She became the first Croatian to touch the World Cup. 

I, like many people, have followed the dramas of the Kolinda Presidency over the last five years. My healthy adventure tourism friend has done the opposite. And what actually changed?

Absolutely nothing. But while I was sucked into the spiral of negativity, she was hiking on Biokovo. 

It doesn't take a genius to figure out which of us is the smarter one. 

So too with the recent presidential elections. Two candidates that many could not bear to vote for, but there was no other choice. The lesser of two evils was a phrase which was associated with the second round. And even though the post of President is largely ceremonial, with two unattractive choices, it consumed the nation for weeks. 

But not my friend, as she kayaked from Split to Hvar on a perfect winter day. 

The obsession with politics might actually have a point if something were to actually change, but with mindsets so entrenched, have you ever come across a political opinion that was changed by Croatia's vast army of keyboard warriors? 

Croatia treats its politicians like rock stars. They are anything but. 

So why not choose life? Why not choose happiness? Disengage and ignore and focus on friends and nature instead. 

It makes for a much better way of life in Croatia. 

And who knows, if enough people do, then perhaps the media moguls will take note and we can focus on some real news, perhaps even with a hint of positivity on occasion. 

Now, where are my hiking boots?

If you cannot keep away from Croatian politics, get your fill in the TCN politics section.  

February 7, 2020 - The fourth Adria Business Network was held at the FORUM Convention Center, organized by entrepreneurs Zeljka Barisic and Kristina Krstinic. The event is aimed at business networking in Croatia and the region, creating business opportunities and fostering continuing education. Through the event, everyone is offered the chance to find new clients and enter into lucrative deals.

Guest lecturer Dace Ulste, director of BNI Croatia, shared her years of experience about how networking is just like the word 'networking', and that it takes years for you to build a good quality network of contacts. Each ongoing contact begins with a follow-up within 24 hours, with additional contact after seven days through which your relationship will grow, and a renewed contact after 30 days, to know at what stage your relationship is. They should always be guided by the thought of Givers Gain, because those who give, receive.

A look at what the organizers and presenters said about the event called Turning Contacts into Contracts below.

“Although I have been extensively involved in networking for over a decade, tonight's lecture has brought me many valuable lessons that I will apply in the continuation of my business. In addition to our loyal visitors, this time, we had a lot of new ones, so this contributed to quality networking in the final part of the event. Anyone considered a networker who has not visited us yet should do so. Our event is a place where you will meet new quality people and, over time, build a business but friendly relationship with them. This is how we function, so we want to motivate you in that direction, because it has proven to be the right thing to do,” said Željka Barišić, owner of Forca Digital Agency and co-founder of Adria Business Network, after the event.

Kristina Krstinić, owner of MIKRIS Project Management in Zagreb and founder of Adria Business Network, said the following about the event: “After a short break in January, we started decisively and successfully in 2020. Today's Turning Contacts into Contracts lecture brings entrepreneurs with the skills of successful networking and how to make the most of events such as Adria Business Network to expand their business ideas, present services and products, and conclude lucrative deals. We are sure that our participants will enthusiastically apply the techniques presented in their business, namely, from our own experience, we can say that success is guaranteed."

The event's business partners are the FORUM Zagreb Convention Center and Creative Info.

The sponsors of the event are photographer Hrvoje Podobnik Gero, InspireMe, Prtenjača Delicatessen, Aero Print, Kupinovo Vino - Kupilek.

Media sponsors of the event are the magazine Poduzetnik, magazine and portal Zaposlena, Netokracija, She.hr, Zagrebonline.hr, Story.hr, Rep.hr, Glas Istre, Flash.hr, Moja Domovina, Total Croatia News, Fama and ZgExpress.

The next Adria Business Network event will be held on March 4, 2020. at 6 pm at the FORUM Zagreb Convention Center, when the event guest is one of the most famous fitness trainers in Croatia, Marko Loncar.

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