Zagreb, April 5, 2020 - The new Croatian entrepreneurial initiative to represent the voice of the private sector, Glas Poduzetnika (Voice of Entrepreneurs) has been formalised. 

Following the Initiative members' request, today, we formed the GLAS PODUZETNIKA Association. As a formal representative of 100,000 members, the Association will continue to actively fight for the rights of our members and a faster return to economic growth. The membership will be free of charge, and the Association's activities will be financed from donations. Besides the main Association's bank account, GLAS PODUZETNIKA will open another bank account intended for contributions to health workers, and for medical supplies and equipment necessary to fight the COVID-19 outbreak.

GLAS PODUZETNIKA Initiative started as a citizen's self-organized group, most of which are small entrepreneurs, after the announcement of the first set of Government's measures, which the organizers deemed insufficient. In less than 15 days, the Initiative assembled more than 100,000 entrepreneurs, small business owners, self-employed, and the employees in the private sector, drawing the media spotlight with its uncompromising requests and appearances. Considering this, GLAS PODUZETNIKA positioned itself as a relevant factor in public discussions aimed to determine Croatia's new economic direction. Its position was also confirmed by the Government of the Republic of Croatia, having included some of the Initiative's suggestions in the second set of economic measures, thus confirming Initiative's undeniable influence.

Following the appearance of public comments about the Initiative not being a formal organization, not having its legal representatives, and based on the opinion of members, the founders of the Initiative decided to formalize GLAS PODUZETNIKA, giving it the legal form and the possibility of representation of membership. 96% of the members openly stated their intention to join the Association. Taking their and public opinion into consideration, the founders of the Initiative and the wide circle of volunteers, founded the GLAS PODUZETNIKA Association today and will deliver all necessary documentation to the competent authorities for registration.

Bodies of the Association have been appointed for a period of two years at the founding assembly. The Association's President Hrvoje Bujas and Executive Director Dražen Oreščanin have been appointed legal representatives. The Management Board counts seven members: Andrej Šooš Maceljski, Berislav Marszalek, Bojan Bajgorić Šantić, Bruno Samardžić, Ivana Matić, Vedran Jakominić, and Vuk Vuković. The three-member Supervisory Board make Aco Momčilović, Gordana Fabijanić, and Viktorija Knežević. All founders and members of the GLAS PODUZETNIKA Association are micro, small, and medium-size entrepreneurs, and they are prestigious representatives of the Association's future members.

On the occasion of the establishment of the Association, Hrvoje Bujas, Association's president pointed out, "After the great work done with a lot of enthusiasm and continued engagement in two weeks, and after we imposed ourselves as a relevant factor and collaborator in present economic crisis, the formalization of our initiative became a necessity." After which he added, "From the beginning, we made it clear that we are not interested in politics, but are working exclusively for prosperity, not only of the members of GLAS PODUZETNIKA but also the entire Croatian economy and society. This Association is not only the voice of entrepreneurs but also the voice of our employees whom we've been sharing good and bad for years, and in this crisis, we insisted on implementing the measure that would help us keep their posts."

The executive director of the Association, Dražen Oreščanin said that its establishment is only the beginning of the joint action and that all members, led by the Association's leaders, still have a lot to do. "It is necessary to ensure fast, effective, and non-restrictive implementation of measures, but also to respond to all opened questions. It is also necessary to ensure that all units of local governments give appropriate support to the local entrepreneurs by writing off utility charges and leases for office spaces and public surfaces. The Government is still tasked with a great assignment to agree on 12-month payment freeze on loans and leasings with the banks and leasing companies, so the economy could catch a breath once everything gets going again." Oreščanin took this opportunity to compliment the very fast digitalization of many public services and added that in the Association, they hope the public sector will keep this level of digitalized services even after the crisis, which will significantly ease entrepreneurs' businesses.

Association started with work immediately. Membership is opened to all legal entities - companies, small businesses, and other organizations, as well as natural persons - primarily entrepreneurs and employees of small and medium-size enterprises. As of today, all existing Initiative members and sympathizers will be able to request membership in the GLAS PODUZETNIKA Association through the application form, available on:

• Association's website https://glaspoduzetnika.hr/
• in the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/glaspoduzetnika/

As per the decision adopted at the founding assembly, the membership in the GLAS PODUZETNIKA Association will be free of charge, and all Association's activities will be financed from donations. Another adopted decision concerns opening another back account besides the main Association's bank account, intended to collect donations for health workers, and for medical supplies and equipment to help to fight the COVID-19 outbreak.

April 5, 2020 - Do foreigners in Croatia feel more or less safe sitting out COVID-19 here than in their home country, and what are their experiences? A new series on TCN, with Mariann from Hungary in Zagreb as our 25th contributor.

Oxford University recently published some research on government responses to coronavirus which showed that Croatia currently has the strictest measures in the world. While inconvenient, this is a good thing in terms of reducing the spread of the virus, and I am certainly not alone in my admiration of the official Croatian handling of this crisis in recent weeks, both in terms of action and communication. 

But what do other expats here think? And how does it compare with the response in their home country? Would they rather sit this one out here or there? In the first of a new series on TCN, we will be featuring expats from all over the world to see what their views are on life in corona Croatia rather than back home. So far we have heard from expats in Croatia from Romania, USA, Ireland, UK, Mexico, Argentina, Spain, Singapore, Holland, Canada, India, Hong Kong, Venezuela, Latvia, China, Honduras and Germany. Next up, Mariann from Hungary in Zagreb. 

If you would like to contribute to this series, full details are below. Now, over to Mariann.

Firstly, how are you? Are you alone/with someone? Tell us a little about your situation and sanity levels.

Thank God, I'm not alone. I am with my family. The sanity level is adequate. 

What do you think about the economic measures the government is taking, are they helping your business?

I think the government is beginning to take heed of the demands of the group named Glas Poduzetnika, which voices many entrepreneurs’ view on the effect the virus is having on business. The 4000 kuna pay will be helpful to many, although the amount of the sum is debatable.

As I’m a sole proprietor (translator and copywriter) I don't think I will have the right to receive the sum, as this month’s revenue hasn’t gone down 50%. It remains to be seen whether the same will be the case for April - then I will apply for the emergency fund.

When did you realise that corona was going to be a big issue? 

I realised the gravity of it somewhere in mid-March. A bit later. The reason for it is that I had asthma and a high temperature at the beginning of March and was taken to hospital to receive medication. Everyone was worried that I might have Corona.

Then the earthquake in Zagreb struck the following week and it became pretty unbearable. I have been following the news every day since then.

What is your impression of the way Croatia is dealing with the crisis? How safe do you feel?

I don’t know whether the Oxford university study is right, but if it is, then Croatia is really a big hero in this situation. Swift handling, clear guidelines - If everyone follows them, then it should be ok. The question is, how much longer will we have to bear this isolation?

Now compare that to your home country and how they are handling it. What is Croatia doing better/worse?

As I have been living in Zagreb now for more than 30 years, it’s understandable that my focus is more or less on Croatia.

I only heard the devastating news of democracy being overthrown by Orban power. This has been going on in milder degrees in recent years, with some media challenging his authority being wiped out, but now it really escalated.IThe measures Orban took, though, are very good, in my opinion. These measures preceded the measures of the Croatian government and they have been more or less “copied” (here many would prove me wrong, but I have this opinion). Orban instantly acted by relieving businesses of paying taxes and social contributions until July, whereas here it was not clear whether a delay or write off would ensue. Some pressure was needed to make that happen.

What about official communications from the authorities, compared to your home country?

Unfortunately, I can’t provide a comparative answer. I only know how the Croatian authorities communicated, which to me seems just right.

What's the one thing you wish you had taken with you into self-isolation?

I have everything I need here with me. My family is with me.

One thing you have learned about yourself, and one thing you have learned about others during this crisis. 

I have learned to be even more humane, to offer help. I have also learned to obey since it’s important to listen to what the true experts say, and not some wannabe experts. And to be content with what I have.

If you need translation services, you can contact Mariann on www.tralangia.com 

Thanks, Mariann, stay safe and see you on the other side.

TCN is starting a new feature series on foreign experiences of sitting out COVID-19 here in Croatia compared to their home country. If you would like to contribute, the questions are below. Please also include a para about yourself and where you are from, and a link to your website if you would like. Please also send 3-4 photos minimum to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Corona Foreigner

If you would be interested to record a video version for our partners www.rplus.video please let us know in the email. Thanks and stay safe. 

Foreigners Self-Isolating in Croatia: Do You Feel Safer Than in Your Home Country?

Firstly, how are you? Are you alone/with someone? Tell us a little about your situation and sanity levels.

What do you think about the economic measures the government is taking, are they helping your business? (PLEASE IGNORE IF THIS DOES NOT AFFECT YOU)

When did you realise that corona was going to be a big issue? 

What is your impression of the way Croatia is dealing with the crisis? How safe do you feel?

Now compare that to your home country and how they are handling it. What is Croatia doing better/worse?

What about official communications from the authorities, compared to your home country?

What's the one thing you wish you had taken with you into self-isolation.

One thing you have learned about yourself, and one thing you have learned about others during this crisis. 

TCN has recently become a partner in Robert Tomic Zuber's new R+ video channel, initially telling stories about corona experiences. You can see the first TCN contribution from this morning, my video from Jelsa talking about the realities of running a news portal in the corona era below. If you would like to also submit a video interview, please find Robert's guidelines below 

VIDEO RECORDING GUIDE

The video footage should be recorded so that the cell phone is turned horizontally (landscape mode).

There are several rules for television and video news:- length is not a virtue- a picture speaks more than a thousand words

In short, this would mean that your story should not last more than 90 seconds and that everything you say in the report should be shown by video (for example, if you talk about empty streets, we should see those empty streets, etc.).

How to do it with your cell phone? First, use a selfie camera to record yourself telling your story for about a minute and a half. Ideally, it would be taken in the exterior, except in situations where you are reporting on things in the interior (quarantine, hospital, self-isolation, etc.). Also, when shooting, move freely, make sure everything is not static.

After you have recorded your report, you should capture footage that will tell your story with a picture, such as an earlier example with empty streets.

One of the basic rules of TV journalism is that the story is told in the same way as a journalist with his text. Therefore, we ask you for additional effort. Because we work in a very specific situation, sometimes you may not be able to capture footage for each sentence of the report. In this case, record the details on the streets: people walking, the main features of the city where you live, inscriptions on the windows related to the virus, etc.

The same rules apply if you are shooting a story from your apartment, self-isolation, quarantine. We also need you to capture footage that describes your story.

When shooting frames to cover your reports, it is important that you change the angle of the shot (in other words, shoot that empty street from several angles). Also, when shooting a detail, count at least five seconds before removing the camera to another detail.

The material should be about 5 minutes long (90 seconds of your report + frames to cover your story).

After recording everything, send us to Zagreb, preferably via WeTransfer to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 April 5, 2020 - In the latest in his series on planning for post-corona tourism, Zoran Pejovic of Paradox Hospitality on the need to think longterm and resist using hope as a business strategy. 

It seems that most people are still locked in some sort of disbelief or shock over the ongoing Coronavirus crisis, even though most of the Western world has been in the lockdown for a couple of weeks now. I don’t know how else to explain such a glaring lack of strategic thinking on behalf of some, otherwise very sane and thoughtful people.

Before moving on, I have a question for people not wanting to address the longterm economic aspects of the lockdowns and quarantine. What is the purpose of this? Do you sincerely believe that you are proving your moral superiority by not even wanting to engage in talks about the economic aspects of the crisis? No, that doesn’t make you morally superior, if anything it makes you blind. On top of that, this is a false dichotomy. You can fully support all the aspects of the lock-down and quarantine, and still discuss how many people are going to lose their jobs over it, how many lives will be lost due to the economic downturn, how many businesses will bankrupt and how the way we do things is going to change.

Now, that I have gotten that off my chest, I must start by saying that hope is not a good business strategy. I have already written on the need for scenario planning, which is an amazing tool, especially when it comes to answering the questions on future trends and recognizing changes that come with those trends. In this crisis, scenario planning is a great tool that might be used to answer some of your budgetary questions as well. Recognizing the right scenario might save you some money in your wallet. The biggest question that all the businesses are facing right now is how long will this last, and scenario planning is a perfect tool to use in this case.

Nevertheless, if you have answered some of your more practical questions, on how to keep you and your teams safe and introduced remote work, and signed up for all Zoom and Slack apps, and when you have answered some of the budgetary questions, by planning different cashflows based on different scenarios, the longterm strategic questions still remain to be answered.

If you survive this crisis, do you want your business to grow or to scale? If you don’t know the difference, it is time to read up.

The biggest question you have to ask yourself though, is whether your product will have a demand after the crisis is over, whether the processes you have in place will be affected and whether your business model will still be viable. These are the three key aspects of your business that you need to think about deep and think about hard. These are also the three aspects of your business that require you to put your innovator’s hat on as well. When people usually think about innovation, they usually consider product innovation, but a larger space for improvement lies in the process innovation and the business model itself.

Let’s apply this to the hotel that largely focuses on the conference segment, as an example.

If your hotel is a conference hotel and that is your main product, you might be at a large disadvantage after this crisis is over. Many businesses have already moved to Zoom conferencing and might stay there indefinitely, and even those that will want physical conferences, conventions and seminars will be more cautious for a while due to reputation damage that might follow should something undesirable occur, such as a new outbreak for example. So, you need to be thinking about changing your product. Perhaps moving into a more wellbeing retreat center could work for your hotel. You need to be thinking who is buying your products, businesses or individuals. Individuals might be less risk-averse in the immediate post-crisis times then businesses, which might inform some of your longer-term, strategic decisions.

When it comes to process innovation, there is much to be done here. Processes and process innovations are often not visible to the guests, so it is often disregarded as less important, even though this is where you usually save your money. However, I am thinking that it might be the time to bring some of those invisible processes to the front and show it to the guests. If your hotel has maintained the reputation of having an amazingly silent and invisible housekeeping service, you might need to be thinking about bringing these services forward now, making them visible. People are motivated largely by prevention emotions, so playing to their sense of safety by making the cleaning process more visible and more prominent, might be one of the ways to go.

Finally, the innovation of the business model of the hotel industry has been a long time coming. Currently, hotels operate under one of the four models, under hotel management agreements, branded or unbranded, under franchise agreements, as owner/family operation or as under lease agreements. This is the one where I can’t bring forward many solutions, but you need to be thinking about all your stakeholders, and sharing the fruits of the success when it is all good, but also responsibility for surviving downturns more across the board.

You can read more on this subject of post-coronavirus travel from Zoran here:

Travel Industry: Keep Communicating and Visibility

Build Scenarios! Be Present! Take Time to Think!

Post-Coronavirus Travel and Tourism: Some Predictions

Croatian Tourism 2020 and Coronavirus: Let’s Postpone the Season

You can connect with Zoran Pejovic via LinkedIn.

After you have looked at all of this, think about your purpose, why do you do what you do, and will that fit into the new, emerging world. Think deep and think hard. You might come out of this crisis stronger than you thought possible.

4^th April 2020, thanks to the Coronavirus we are all on lockdown; I decided to use this time to pick up Croatian lessons again and am studying with a teacher via Skype. While this may not work for everyone because I understand that everyone is facing different challenges and stresses right now; I still wanted to share my experience of studying Croatian via Skype and why it works for me.

Just over a year ago, I’d finally had enough of my own excuses; I had been living in Croatia for five years, it was time to learn Croatian. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I spoke zero Croatian, my comprehension was ok and I could get by with basic, superficial conversations but that was it. I wanted to be able to have more meaningful conversations with locals but to do that, I was going to need to study with a teacher because the Croatian language and grammar is a minefield, I needed someone to help me navigate it better.

Before I found my teacher, I actually wrote this piece on TCN “The 5 Stages Before You Learn”, which is about the emotional stages we go through BEFORE we even get to the learning part. I likened this process to the stages of grief: frustration, depression, anger, bargaining and finally we reach acceptance. I had finally reached the stage where I had overcome the self-defeating emotions and was ready to take responsibility for doing something about improving my Croatian.

I was on the hunt for a Croatian teacher.

As life and fate would have it, I met someone for a coffee who recommended a Croatian teacher to me, “She is fantastic”. This person went on to describe her lessons and I had never seen someone talk so enthusiastically about learning a language; I was interested. The only downfall? She did her lessons via Skype. This teacher lives in Split but chooses to do her lessons via Skype because she considers it more efficient than having a classroom and people travelling to make a lesson. I wasn’t convinced.

Being the empathetic social butterfly that I am, I was hesitant because I felt that the ‘in-person’ human interaction in the exchange was a necessary element so I wasn’t convinced that doing Croatian lessons via Skype would be for me. However, I had been thinking about starting Croatian lessons and by chance met someone who was raving about a Croatian teacher – no such thing as coincidences, right?

I reached out to Zrinka and we chatted; I let her know my hesitation in doing Croatian lessons via Skype because I mean, could it really be as effective? Zrinka was very sincere and said “I understand your doubts and many people feel the same way. I honestly think it is the same as sitting together and having a coffee but everyone is different; so, I always say – ‘let’s try one lesson together and then you can see for yourself?”

This seemed fair.

Before our first lesson, Zrinka sent through some materials and the two Croatian language books I would need for the lessons. I got everything together and we had our first Croatian lesson via skype, that was all it took to convince me. It turns out, Zrinka was right; doing Croatian lessons via Skype was just like sitting opposite her, having a cup of coffee. It was even more convenient because I could roll out of bed, make my cup of coffee and not worry about getting dressed up and getting into Split. I tried Croatian lessons with a tutor a few years ago but it was only for a month, the lessons themselves were ok but I wasn’t inspired (possibly my own headspace) and I lost half a day travelling to and from Split. Needless to say, I gave up easily.

I not only survived my Croatian lessons via Skype with Zrinka but I also enjoyed and even began to look forward to them. I saw immense progress in my comprehension and confidence to speak. Unfortunately, summer came so I stopped with lessons and didn’t pick them up again – until now. Turns out this whole isolation thing is positive in some respects; isolation has forced me to drop many excuses around some of my goals - time being the usual culprit. Improving Croatian has still been on my mind (it’s always there), so I started lessons again last week. Right now, we are revising everything I learned last year because I forgot a lot and slipped back into old habits and mistakes but it is slowly coming back and I can see improvement already.

Before I go any further, I want to say a little disclaimer: this definitely isn’t the moment where I say that everyone should be learning Croatian because I know that everyone’s isolation looks different. I am in a space physically and mentally where I have the capacity to learn: I don’t have kids, we own our apartment and for now – our income isn’t affected. So, I have none of the stress and pressures that many people are facing; hence, I have the mental capacity and energy to use this time productively. We each need to do what is right for us – now more than ever. So, if you want to learn or improve your Croatian but you just don’t feel you have the mental energy to do so, that’s fine. Now is not the time for putting undue pressure on ourselves.

However, if there is anyone else in a similar position to me, who feels that they have the energy to learn, this may be a good opportunity and I am here to tell you that Skype lessons work just as effectively; I did them before isolation and they obviously make even more sense now with the whole social-distancing thing we have going on.

What are some of the benefits of doing Croatian Lessons via Skype?

Saving time: as I mentioned, I was previously travelling in and out of Split to attend Croatian lessons (from Omiš) which meant I lost half a day for a 1.5-hour lesson. Hardly efficient. Not so with Skype lessons – we set our schedule at the beginning of the week and I am always on time because there is no faffing with transport and traffic. I also save time by being able to rock up to lessons dressed in trackpants and a comfy hoodie rather than needing to ‘dress up’ (which one always feels a need to do in Split).

Flexibility: an obvious benefit to Croatian lessons via Skype is their flexibility. You aren't limited to needing to be in a classroom which means that if your job or lifestyle demands travel, you can still keep up with lessons if you wish. After this isolation period is over, I imagine more people will start to use and appreciate the benefits of video calls in many aspects of life.

Emotional buffer: this is one aspect that many wouldn’t think about but learning another language is difficult and can be confronting as we come up against our own limitations and frustrations. A few times in the lessons I was doing in-person, I felt my cheeks redden and frustrations rise – which, being the emotional creature that I am, made me feel super-embarrassed (will I cry?) The beauty of Skype lessons is that by not being in-person, there is almost an emotional buffer. Frustrations can still arise but it feels less confronting because the teacher isn’t standing directly in front of me; the physical distance allows me a chance to regain my composure (aka not lose my shit and breakdown).

Lessons are the same: I can not see any difference or limitation with Skype vs in-person. We work through physical books together, Zrinka can even send notes and materials in a screen-shot through Skype in that moment. The only thing we don’t use, which we had in the classroom was a whiteboard but there is no real loss there. We practice comprehension on many levels; reading, listening, speaking and I email homework through to Zrinka so she can check that my written Croatian is also correct.

Proper Croatian versus dialect: This note isn’t specific to Skype but I think it is important to add. While we should all learn the correct way to speak Croatian, because I live on the Dalmatian coast, I want to understand and speak the local dialect. To me, it makes no sense to only learn a formal way of speaking if most people don’t speak that way where I live. This is what I love about Zrinka, she always teaches the ‘proper’ way to say something but she will also tell me the most common phrases, words, expressions etc in Dalmatian.

Important attributes of a Croatian teacher, especially via Skype.

They need to know how to teach: This seems obvious but not all teachers are great at teaching; being a great teacher is not a given, it’s a skill.  When we are learning something, especially grammar, if I don’t understand something one way, Zrinka has numerous ways to explain it. She never makes me feel stupid but will adjust and adapt until she finds a method or explanation that works for me no matter how long it takes – eventually, we get there and I learn various tactics for myself in the process.

A big personality: For Croatian lessons via Skype to be successful, I believe the teacher needs to have a big personality to help ‘break down’ the physical distance. We have all had Skype or video calls with people who are a bit awkward or cold, which can make the conversation feel stilted or lack flow – this isn’t what you want when learning a language. I say this because I realised that Zrinka has such a natural, light-hearted way, her personality shines through the screen and it helps put me at ease and set a fun, relaxed tone for our lessons. I don’t imagine I would stick with it otherwise.

Empathy: This could possibly fall under ‘knowing how to teach’ but I think empathy deserves a mention on its own. Empathy is essential in teachers, to be able to read and adjust to their learners and this takes exceptional skill to be able to do it via Skype. There were many instances in our lessons where I started to hit a brick wall and come against frustrations in myself; somehow Zrinka noticed and was able to give me ‘space’, reassure or give me just enough of a push to get me past my block. Again, the emotional buffer helps here but the teacher needs to be adept at reading people and finding ways to bring out their best.

All in all, I am thrilled to be learning Croatian again; if we weren’t in isolation I never would have started because we should be sailing right now. However, life (and the Coronavirus) clearly have other plans, which means I have no excuses because I finally have uninterrupted time. Again, please don’t consider this an article to pressure you into studying or make you feel bad if you aren’t; as I said, we all need to do what is right for us right now. But, if you do have the energy and some expendable income, I truly recommend learning Croatian via Skype - I wouldn't have it any other way now!

If you are interested in learning more or talking to my teacher Zrinka Madunic Spiljak, you can contact her on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. I obviously recommend her but I need to state that this is not a sponsored post; in fact, this is going to come as a bit of a surprise to Zrinka as she has no idea I am writing this. I believe in recommending people who are great at what they do, especially right now with so many jobs affected, we should support our communities, small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Zrinka Madunic Spiljak

For more stories like this, follow our dedicated Lifestyle section on TCN

April 4, 2020 — Runner, entrepreneur and tourism innovator Berislav Sokač saw the early warning signs when governments called off punishing 24-mile races.

“Oh, I knew when things were going to be bad… when the Tokyo Marathon was canceled,” he said.

The founder and head of Run Croatia, a platform focused on sports tourism, is used to the pain-gain logic which binds suffering and improvement. He is, after all, one of the country’s most-accomplished runners.

But his Zagreb-based business hasn’t encountered a challenge like COVID-19. The ban on public gatherings and large groups put the kibosh on all scheduled events and runs. More than a cough and fever, the virus cut the legs off the nation’s largest running platform.

It puts Sokač and many other members of the Glas Poduzetnika (Voice of Entrepreneurs) in the unenviable position of trying to keep their companies afloat with zero revenue. The organization of small business owners, artisans and self-employed emerged in March to advocate economic measures meant to ease the pandemic's effect on entrepreneurs.

Business owners in a series of interviews with Total Croatia News expressed a mix of uncertainty, grit and hope in the face of fluctuating conditions. Despite a daily drumbeat of new infections and deaths.

For some, vital agreements fell through, reverting them to a one-man-show operation. Others shut down operations, kept workers on the payroll and are negotiating with landlords and creditors.

They, like Sokač and many others, expect pain with no promise of gain.
They welcome early interventions by the government and hope for further action. Quick thinking and a bit of luck have them predicting survival and even long-term renewal — whenever this grim period ends.

Inadvertently prepping for government help

Orlando Lopac ordered equipment for his fitness company, but it ran late at the end of February.

The founder and owner of Zagreb’s ubiquitous Orlando Fitness Group knew delayed shipments from US-based companies often betray a bigger problem in the production chain. A few phone calls to suppliers in Taiwan and talks with colleagues in Italy confirmed the worst.

“That’s when I understood the seriousness of the whole situation,” the 48-year-old said.

The equipment at Orlando Fitness now sits untouched.

The ensuing weeks included whirlwind preparations, all-hands meetings and planning: provisions made in case of forced closures; financial plans drawn if clients couldn’t go to one of OrlandoFit’s three Zagreb locations.

Communications strategies — bulletins, social media posts, emails — drafted in late-night writing sessions, laying out in plain language how memberships would be prorated to a later date.

“We always tried to be three days ahead of the virus,” Lopac said. “People have put a lot of trust in us.”

Then, on March 19, the government ground public life to a halt, closing all businesses that didn’t sell food or medication.

Lopac’s fitness centers would be dormant indefinitely.

The prepared social media posts and emails were met with understanding by customers.

Lopac and his crisis team laid out a financial strategy to keep the company’s employees on the books. It called for painful cuts in wages. Then, an all-hands meeting to break the news.

“We told them what’s coming is very hard,” Lopac said. “We told them our cash flow would dry up.”

Byzantine bureaucratic labor rules meant just one worker’s dissent would topple the plan, setting off a daisy chain of ugliness which would kill the company.

His 30 full-time employees would need to annex their contracts and become minimum wage workers. Then, stay at home and hope the pandemic wouldn’t last longer than the two months-worth of salaries the company could cover.

Lopac spent more than an hour presenting the plan to his workers, explaining the maths and answering their questions.

“Because we made the presentation face-to-face, and spoke directly and took the time to answer questions, they all accepted,” Lopac said. “If I sent it all in a long email, I wouldn’t have a company right now.”

Then, a stroke of luck.

The Croatian government on April 2 unveiled a second set of economic measures designed to prevent massive private sector layoffs.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said all minimum wage employees’ salaries would be covered, while raising the minimum to 4,000 HRK. The plan also added three months of tax breaks for qualifying businesses.

Lopac’s two-month lifeline and pay cut became a great idea.

Business owners greeted the government’s measures with open arms. Labor Minister Josip Aladrović said within days 69 employers signed up, keeping over 410,000 employees on their books for March.

Most applicants were from the catering and service industries, Aladrović added, reflecting the 53 percent drop in overnight stays last month. The nationwide shutdown of hospitality businesses also forced a 90 percent drop in turnover in the industry at the end of March. Croatia was emptying.

The measures offered some leeway for the marathon runner Sokač and fitness guru Lopac. Both will use them to their full advantage.

“It wasn’t easy giving someone pay while they sit at home and do nothing,” Lopac said.

By reducing employees’s compensation to minimum wage, they avoided layoffs. With the Croatian government covering wages, they can shift that loss off their books.

“Now, we aren’t saddled with any large expenses and production costs,” Sokač said.

Equally important for both, they feel the small business community became the fulcrum of public policy at the national level for the first time.

“The government was ready to listen,” Sokač said. “The entrepreneurial establishment was heard. That’s a lot of small gears holding up the economy.”

Lopac expressed a more befuddled view.

“What angers me the most… were we really supposed to come to a pandemic to get to a normal level of communication between the government and entrepreneurs?” he asked. “Did it have to come to this?”

Guessing government’s next pool of measures has become a favorite parlor game for economic watchers and business owners.

Some belt-tightening already began this week.

Plenković put a moratorium on new public sector hires within his government. He also froze the second search to buy fighter jets.

Even the seemingly recession-proof local Croatian public sector experienced cutbacks. City administration employees in the City of Pag, for example, will see 20 percent pay cuts. Ditto workers at city-owned companies.

What’s left to cut? Many eye the mandatory fees charged to business owners every month — forests, water, radio and television frequencies, among others. Early rumors suggested the government would scuttle the levies. They remain for now.

How bad can it get?

Dražen Tomić greeted 2020 with a slate of 17 conventions ahead of him. The media guru, journalist and editor owns and operates a collage of sites, including ICTBusiness, GamePerspectives, a production company and two YouTube channels. 

Events around Europe and rest of the world develop the contacts and stories his bundle of media companies churns out at a substantial clip. The gatherings are all on hold or canceled outright — as Tomić expected.

“Those who understood anything about virology knew that the virus would leave China,” he said.

Worse than the conventions, the photography and video gigs garnering additional revenue have all fallen through, leaving an immeasurable hole in his company’s finances.

“If someone asks me what’s my revenue now, I have no idea,” he said. “Some jobs were already agreed upon. Some were in the works. Some are renewed every year. Some were a head nod and promise to get something done. They’re all on hold now.”

For Sokač, Run Croatia’s numbers are grim. He forecasts a 70 percent drop in revenues this quarter, and a 40 percent drop if the crisis lasts into autumn.

A blow to the tourism industry would be devastating. He pointed to a race organized in Novalja, where 70 percent of registered runners would come from outside the country. Closed borders would leave him reliant on the 30 percent of Croatian participants — if they show up.

A continued moratorium on public gatherings would cancel the race — a 100 percent loss.

“Worst case scenario, we’re looking at an 80-90 percent drop,” Sokač said.

Holding onto employees

Tomić’s company relies heavily on him, one full-time employee and eight others working in a freelance capacity.

That circle is tightening.

“I have a small firm,” he said. Halting isn’t an option. “In this company, a lot of things rely on me. I either work or I don’t work.”

He doesn’t expect layoffs.

Sokač first reached out to the social media influencers and people he outsources to, telling them the races earning them money may be canceled. Then came the “crisis meeting” with employees, a common response with nearly all the business owners interviewed.

He told his workers they’d weather the pandemic using whatever measures were available, keeping Run Croatia alive in some iteration.

“I’m not prone to panic,” Sokač said, adding his employees share his demeanor. “I’m lucky that the people who work for us also live for what we do.”

He knew the run-friendly business would likely fall off significantly. Luckily, he created an alternative stream of revenue.

Smart Planning and a Dash of Luck

On Jan. 15, Sokač added another wing to the Run Croatia ecosystem he’s built since founding the company in 2015.

“It’s important to create a platform. The stronger the platform, the higher your immunity to crisis,” he said.

That addition was a web shop — exactly the sort of operation exempt from the restrictions put in place to fight the pandemic. Traffic to the site jumped in March, as soon as people were told to stay at home.

Suddenly, Run Croatia had a lifeline.

“It was totally by accident,” Sokač admitted.

Lopac said now that wages are off his mind for the short term, he’s trying to renegotiate deals with his financiers and landlords, using the same transparent approach he took with his employees. Early signs show promise.

“The things I am not doing: complaining, crying and waiting with hands outstretched looking for help,” he said.

But just in case, Lopac spent the better part of last week developing a promising alternative revenue model — one he’s keeping to himself.

“At this moment, OrlandoFit will be alive as long as I can keep working at the same tempo,” he said. “This will survive the same way it has over the last 30 years.”

Sometimes, the nature of the business works in one’s favor, according to the journalist Tomić.
“It’ll be hard to survive the next few months,” he said. “Thankfully, this journalism bit has strict controls on expenditures.”

The low overhead and high amount of news means Tomić’s “stay at home” lifestyle remains uptempo. He admitted to sometimes hammering away close to 17 hours a day.

“At this moment, the volume of available content hasn’t been greater,” Tomić said joylessly.

Looking Ahead with Hope

Tomić knows that this pandemic, like most calamities, will pass. The real challenge, he said, will be the recovery. A wrong turn or lackadaisical response could lead to “an economic death spiral.”

“When we come back, it can’t be at 90 percent. Or 100 percent,” he said. “It has to be at 150 percent.”

Lopac’s forecast for his company is somber: between two and three years to be back at full force. He admits fitness centers grow quiet during summer months. Many members disappear until autumn.

The bigger problem is the economic aftermath. A downturn leaves people clutching their wallets. Luxuries like personal trainers and fitness center memberships are among the first expenses discarded.

There’s also the nagging caricature of gyms as dens of bacteria and sweat.

“I know our fitness centers have the highest level of hygiene you can image,” Lopac said, spelling out the protocols and culture of cleanliness at his gyms. “I can tell you it’s cleaner than any grocery store. But the perception and thinking of the public might be different.”

Sokač, the marathon runner, admits to being an optimist. His kids, he said, are a testament to the positives this coronavirus has wrought.

“I see on this digital schooling a lot of attention is being given to physical fitness,” he said, pointing to new online courses and curriculum. “These are all changes we can keep.”

The pandemic? It’s just another challenge.

“You have people who are negative and depressive and they can’t function,” the 45-year-old said. “No matter how hard things get, you have to find something that works."

April 4, 2020 - Is there any such thing as good COVID-19 news? Great news for Croatia's premier island, as the only Hvar corona case has made a full recovery.

There are certain moments on all our memories when the COVID-19 reality got a little more real and closer to home. 

A big one for me came on March 20, 2020 when I reported on something I hoped I would never have to report on - the first Hvar corona case in gorgeous Vrboska, just 3 km from my front door:

According to local media reports, the man had recently returned from Austria, where he has been working as a waiter. During his travels in Croatia, he used the train twice, the bus once, and the Jadrolinija ferry, Zadar. 

Local media report that he followed all the rules on self-exclusion, and when he noticed the first signs of the disease, he contacted the doctors, and when the tests turned out to be positive, he was transferred to a hospital in Split.

And if one case had come, how many more cases and infections would there be. A mild panic set in. 

Dalmatia is never the best place to establish facts, and rumours abound. I am apparently the regional section chief of MI6, for example. And the CIA. And Mossad. And while it might be true that I run one of them, I clearly cannot do all three, as there would be no time left for blogging. 

I digress. 

Thankfully, I have reliable local sources in Vrboska, and so am able to work through the rumours. 

I got information today that the Vrboska man who had the infection is now fully recovered. Great news!

As well as the fact that all his immediate family and close circle were put in isolation, and none has shown any symptoms. 

In some ways, this has been a good thing for Hvar, for the case brought it brutally home that Hvar corona was something that was real and could spread. I have been REALLY impressed at the success of restricted movement on the island, and I obviously feel a lot safer now for my family with this news. 

But I also want to say a big thank you to the man who was infected. TCN's Joe Orovic did a brilliant piece yesterday on the social stigma now being attached to people who are corona positive in the community. 

According to my information, the 40-year-old man was working as a waiter in Austria when the bar he was working in closed due to corona. He had little option but to return home. 

At the Croatian border, he received instructions on travel and self-isolation. He wore a mask and gloves all the way home, staying apart from others as much as possible by shutting himself away from the rest of the family in an attic room. 

When he showed symptoms, he was taken to Split, and all his contact circle put into isolation. 

It is certainly not his fault that he contracted the virus, and I applaud his sense of responsibility which - fingers crossed - seems to have been effective. 

If everyone else does the same, the chances of success will be all the higher. 

I will sleep a little easier tonight. 

For the latest on the corona crisis, follow the dedicated TCN link. 

April 5, 2020 - Part 3 of Ivica Profaca's Diary of a Split Tour Guide in the Age of Corona - and some good news!

This is an easy job to do. I can just start every part of this series with something announced, or predicted in the previous one. Last time I was hoping that my application for financial aid through the Government's program aiming to help industries affected by COVID-19 would be accepted. And it was. It was great to get an e-mail with a PDF document attached saying "your request has been accepted", or something like that. Sure, it's nothing even close to those notes, now almost forgotten, with sentences from another world: "Are you available on that-and-that day for a tour?". From time to time, I read some of those still sitting in my inbox, just as a reminder.

Anyway, me and a whole bunch of fellow guides (and thousands of others) will get State aid, and with the second package that the government prepared, now things look a little better. Or, if you want, as well as can be expected, because I guess nobody is too excited at being on State aid. With the second package, the monthly payment will go up to 4,000 kuna, with paid tax, health and pension insurance, for a wider population affected by these measures. It means that the government finally accepted the demands coming from people in the business world. Problems are probably yet to come, because the national budget masters will have to find that money somewhere. We'll think about it tomorrow, Scarlett O'Hara would say, hopefully someone is making plans.

Speaking of plans, everything really depends on how long the pandemic will last. That's a zillion dollar question, and only a few dare to give any prognosis. I mean those who might really know something. There is a whole army of those others, much louder, making it difficult to differentiate what is worth listening to. Will it be June, or we can't expect any good news before September, with prospects of a second wave next autumn and winter? The phrase "anything is possible" these days has a special meaning. Besides, with the death toll rising minute by minute, what's the point of looking for anything else, but how to stop this horrible chain of events? 

When it's done, other things should come back, including tourism. easyJet, an extremely important airline for tourism in Split and Dalmatia, is already advertising Summer 2021 Holidays. Just a little bit more optimistic is their Winter 2020/2021 advertising. Unfortunately, still no sign of an extension of seasonal flights to Split by any airline. Maybe when that priceless question gets some more firm answers there will be someone who will come up with the idea of turning November into the new April, just like Zoran Pejović suggested in his Total Croatia News article. There are still no ideas how to do it by  the Croatian tourism authorities, but maybe they could take this idea into consideration. In previous parts of this series I have already mentioned that I still have more postponements than cancellations, and that trend is still the same. Maybe it will change sooner than I want, but so far it's like that. Some of those bookings still don't have a new date, but are waiting to see how the situation develops, but they are still active. The last one I got of that kind is a group of hikers from Taiwan who wanted to hike Kozjak mountain mid-June. The date is cancelled, but with a note "they will definitely come when crisis calms down". It's a thin hope, but what else do we have?

Speaking of easyJet, like all other airlines, they have their planes grounded (except for emergency flights). However, you can still book a flight from London to Split from May 1. All those before that date are marked as "sold out", it's probably some IT solution for not to delete flights. I can only try to imagine the level of lack of information with someone who would really book a flight as early as the beginning of May. Or perhaps they know something we don't know. But seriously, who can even remotely believe anyone would travel in just a few weeks from now? Not only by air, but by any means of transportation. It would be fun to make that booking, just for the sake of imagining the faces of those who would receive a notification that someone wants to fly. I would offer a free tour.

Of course, this little anecdote about easyJet is not something that should be taken as a strategy foundation. When I get first queries for availability, or at least some info request, that will be something to build on. Everything else is still in "one day it will pass" domain. For example, recently I saw an article on Travel Pulse, US-based website specialized in travel news. Pledging that "all is not lost", they found five destinations as "beacons of hope". Guess what? Croatia is one of them, and main photo of the article is the one from Split. Or, what about predictions made by Luxury Travel Advisor?

It worked twice so far; I mentioned something in these articles, and it happened before the next part of this series. Maybe the same will happen with those two. Stay posted, and if you know someone who would need a tour this summer, let me know. Until then, #StayHome.

We will be following Ivica Profaca's journey through the rocky weeks ahead.

If you find yourself in Split, or are planning a post-corona visit, check out his range of tours on his website - families, look out for the kids tour of Diocletian Palace. It will not only entertain your kids while allowing you to absorb this unique UNESCO World Heritage Site, but it will bring out the inner child in you too. Learn more about it here. 

You can read other parts of Ivica's Split Tour Guide in the Age of Corona series here.

(To be continued)

April 4, 2020 - Do foreigners in Croatia feel more or less safe sitting out COVID-19 here than in their home country, and what are their experiences? A new series on TCN, with Monique Laffite from Honduras as our 24th contributor.

Oxford University recently published some research on government responses to coronavirus which showed that Croatia currently has the strictest measures in the world. While inconvenient, this is a good thing in terms of reducing the spread of the virus, and I am certainly not alone in my admiration of the official Croatian handling of this crisis in recent weeks, both in terms of action and communication. 

But what do other expats here think? And how does it compare with the response in their home country? Would they rather sit this one out here or there? In the first of a new series on TCN, we will be featuring expats from all over the world to see what their views are on life in corona Croatia rather than back home. So far we have heard from expats in Croatia from Romania, USA, Ireland, UK, Mexico, Argentina, Spain, Singapore, Holland, Canada, India, Hong Kong, Venezuela, Latvia, China and Germany. Next up, Monique Laffite from Honduras in Split. 

If you would like to contribute to this series, full details are below. Now, over to Monique.

I am from Honduras, of course I feel safer here than in my home country. Oh, you mean because of Covid-19? Meh. Honduras follows stricter rules than Croatia but I feel as safe here as I would in Honduras, as long as I am healthy.

We have self-isolated, and become more aware of how we interact with people, and follow the guidelines of the experts. I feel safe here because of the measures I have taken for myself. But would I feel safer in Honduras if I became sick? Maybe. 

I think speaking the language is key, and although pricam malo Hrvatski and get by with it, I think when your life is on the line, its best to know exactly what you are saying. The experience scares me more than the virus.

Firstly, how are you? Are you alone/with someone? Tell us a little about your situation and sanity levels.

I make tacos for a living and tacos, righfully so, are deemed essential. My life has been adjusted to deal with Covid-19, but has not changed dramatically. I have not yet spent a full 24 hours at home, I work every day.

My mom taught me to wash my hands when I was little, so all this hasn’t come as shock to me. I run a restaurant, you always have to be extra careful. Nothing extraordinary happens behind the scenes for us, we keep our hands clean, our surfaces clean, hair pulled back, and we roll away.

I don’t do masks or gloves. I think both can give you a sense of false security. I think you have a better chance of touching your face with dirty gloves, than you would with dirty hands. I do not stand in spitting distance of others, so I don’t use the mask either. That spitting distance thing should apply always though. I see you Summer 2016.

I walk to work every morning, and once my shift is done, I walk directly back. I stay home the rest of my day. I can acknowledge that being able to go to work is a privilege these days, so I do not abuse it.

What do you think about the economic measures the government is taking, are they helping your business?

I have yet to see any economic measures implemented by the government that help my business. We are out here to save ourselves. But to be quite honest, haven’t we always? Before Covid-19, we had to fight the government to be able to operate. And somehow now they’ll come to our rescue? I’ve lived in Croatia long enough to know that was not going to happen.

I make about 10% of the sales I made at this time last year. We do not even break even, we are at a loss. We do this for our staff. I currently have two people working with us, they would not qualify for unemployment (because they did not work 9 months straight) and there is no assistance for them (because they weren’t hired before February). We do this to keep them employed and paid. They are both Croatian. And I could bet you a million kuna that once this is over, I will have work inspection knocking on my door telling me I violated some stupid clause under some tiny print for keeping these two kids employed during this time.

My accountant told me yesterday that the government might be able to cover the minimum wage for my two workers in April, (we cover the rest) so I better keep quiet before I get flagged haha.

I think you will start to see a lot of businesses fold, and I completely understand. I have spoken to other business owners and their mentality is this: Summer 2020 will be awful, and many businesses will not survive. The government will not assist us, so we will bankrupt the businesses and screw them back, save what we have now, and come back at the beginning of 2021 and get ourselves a new place. Rent prices will drop dramatically, and the city will be up for grabs. There won’t be a shortage of workers anymore. Tables will turn.

It’s selfish, that is not the way I plan on doing things, but it’s survival mode. I get it.

When did you realise that corona was going to be a big issue? 

I can’t remember when this got out of hand, felt like from one day to the next. I think Croatia is following what others are doing. I think we all got scared when we saw what happened to Italy, and well, they are our neighbors, so I get why Croatia reacted the way it did.

(On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays you can see bags like these hanging from people’s fences. They are filled with soap, rice, beans, etc. so those that can’t afford it can come and grab. Poverty in Honduras and poverty in Croatia mean two very different things.)

Now compare that to your home country and how they are handling it. What is Croatia doing better/worse?

The measures in Honduras are strict. They are in quarantine. These are their guidelines:

1. Everyone is in quarantine, except for medical staff, journalism, food providers, banks, and gas stations.
2. Monday, Wednesday and Friday are the only days when people can go out of their homes.
3. Those with an OIB ending in 1, 2, and 3 can go out on Monday from 9 am to 3 pm. Those with an OIB in 4, 5, and 6 on Wednesday. And 7,8,9, and 0 on Friday.
4. People 60 and over, pregnant women, and those with medical conditions are allowed to leave their homes from 7:00 to 9:00 on the day that their OIB allows them. That way the banks and supermarkets are not full when they arrive. The rest are allowed at 9 am.
5. “Ley Seca”, means “Dry Law”. No liquor is being sold.
6. If you are caught out on the streets and it is not one of your days, you are taken into a 24-hour holding cell and your car is impounded for the rest of the crisis.

There are 219 people infected in Honduras, we have a population of 9.2 million people. There are only 100 ventilators in the whole country. Honduras is a third world country, with a 66% poverty rate. Croatia doesn’t need these extreme measures.

What about official communications from the authorities, compared to your home country?

I respect Daniela and Lauren from TCN to relay trustworthy information. The ‘ol google translate had me losing my marbles. I have Croatian people around me giving me false information because that’s what they heard from so and so. I get my information from the news, and the gossip at the check-out counter at Konzum doesn’t get to me because I don’t understand what they are saying, so in this case, not knowing Croatian is helpful. Honduras has a gem of a president, similar to America, so people rely mostly on journalists to give them accurate information. 

What's the one thing you wish you had taken with you into self-isolation.

A crystal ball, some tarot cards to tell me when this is all gonna be over! I realized I took everything for granted. This has changed my way of thinking about my future definitely.

What's the one thing you wish you had taken with you into self-isolation.

This does not end on a happy note if you’d like to stop reading. I’ve learned that we have spent most of our lives fighting and accommodating those in need, fighting for rights, and demanding justice. Unless we are all on the same boat. I have a friend in New Orleans that is a judge and most of the people booked this past week are domestic violence offenders. We demand people lock themselves in their homes (granted, there is no law that says this in Croatia) and expect they stay there without knowing a single thing about what awaits them inside. We shame them publicly if they don’t. Wasn’t it just a month or a couple weeks ago we marched the streets against this? We’ve ultimately locked men and women in their homes, not knowing what type of home we have locked them in, and if one of them needs to leave or blow off some steam, well, we yell #OstaniteDoma. I stay home so others can walk the streets for reasons that are none of my business.

I have also learned that in a world where we welcomed people’s opinions and encourage narrative, if you don’t have the same opinion as those in charge, they’ll use it to try to shame you.

Thanks, Monique, stay safe and see you on the other side.

TCN is starting a new feature series on foreign experiences of sitting out COVID-19 here in Croatia compared to their home country. If you would like to contribute, the questions are below. Please also include a para about yourself and where you are from, and a link to your website if you would like. Please also send 3-4 photos minimum to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Corona Foreigner

If you would be interested to record a video version for our partners www.rplus.video please let us know in the email. Thanks and stay safe. 

Foreigners Self-Isolating in Croatia: Do You Feel Safer Than in Your Home Country?

Firstly, how are you? Are you alone/with someone? Tell us a little about your situation and sanity levels.

What do you think about the economic measures the government is taking, are they helping your business? (PLEASE IGNORE IF THIS DOES NOT AFFECT YOU)

When did you realise that corona was going to be a big issue? 

What is your impression of the way Croatia is dealing with the crisis? How safe do you feel?

Now compare that to your home country and how they are handling it. What is Croatia doing better/worse?

What about official communications from the authorities, compared to your home country?

What's the one thing you wish you had taken with you into self-isolation.

One thing you have learned about yourself, and one thing you have learned about others during this crisis. 

TCN has recently become a partner in Robert Tomic Zuber's new R+ video channel, initially telling stories about corona experiences. You can see the first TCN contribution from this morning, my video from Jelsa talking about the realities of running a news portal in the corona era below. If you would like to also submit a video interview, please find Robert's guidelines below 

VIDEO RECORDING GUIDE

The video footage should be recorded so that the cell phone is turned horizontally (landscape mode).

There are several rules for television and video news:- length is not a virtue- a picture speaks more than a thousand words

In short, this would mean that your story should not last more than 90 seconds and that everything you say in the report should be shown by video (for example, if you talk about empty streets, we should see those empty streets, etc.).

How to do it with your cell phone? First, use a selfie camera to record yourself telling your story for about a minute and a half. Ideally, it would be taken in the exterior, except in situations where you are reporting on things in the interior (quarantine, hospital, self-isolation, etc.). Also, when shooting, move freely, make sure everything is not static.

After you have recorded your report, you should capture footage that will tell your story with a picture, such as an earlier example with empty streets.

One of the basic rules of TV journalism is that the story is told in the same way as a journalist with his text. Therefore, we ask you for additional effort. Because we work in a very specific situation, sometimes you may not be able to capture footage for each sentence of the report. In this case, record the details on the streets: people walking, the main features of the city where you live, inscriptions on the windows related to the virus, etc.

The same rules apply if you are shooting a story from your apartment, self-isolation, quarantine. We also need you to capture footage that describes your story.

When shooting frames to cover your reports, it is important that you change the angle of the shot (in other words, shoot that empty street from several angles). Also, when shooting a detail, count at least five seconds before removing the camera to another detail.

The material should be about 5 minutes long (90 seconds of your report + frames to cover your story).

After recording everything, send us to Zagreb, preferably via WeTransfer to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.