What Exactly Was Dan Brown Recording In Zagreb?
February 26, 2020 - What exactly was Dan Brown, of the Da Vinci Code fame, recording during spring last year in Zagreb?
While he was in Zagreb in March of 2019, he was quite secretive about the whole project, but now it has been made public. Dan Brown has written his first children's book, titled Wild Symphony, illustrated by Susan Batori (a world-renowned illustrator), filled with stories about Maestro Mouse and his musical animal friends. To accompany the stories, Dan Brown has also written short musical numbers. The fact that he's a talented musician, who had a musical career before the literary career is not widely known, but he's turning back to it now.
And then, when it came to the actual recording of the score which will be included in the application accompanying the book, Bob Lord, the director of the Parma Recordings company suggested the Zagreb Festival Orchestra as the solution. They have worked with the Croatian musicians before, and have received international awards for those recordings, so it's obvious why they'd want to come back.
The Zagreb team who worked on Brown's score were: Miran Vaupotić as a conductor, Krešimir Seletković as the producer and Tin Matijević as the orchestra manager. The Wild Symphony is to be published in Croatia in September, by VBZ, and a free application will be available along with the "book like you've never heard before". The app will recognize the chapter you're reading and start the music which goes with that chapter.
The world premiere of the project was supposed to happen during the fall in Shanghai, but that might not happen because of the coronavirus. In that case, the spectacle might take place in Zagreb, where the plan was for the European premiere to take place, with the Zagreb Filharmony participating.
Bolt Electric Scooters in Split: What's the Deal?
February 26, 2020 - Over the last few days, we’ve seen a steady increase of Bolt electric scooters popping up in various locations around Split. So, what’s the deal?
Dalmatinski Portal writes that a new service from Europe's leading on-demand transportation platform - Bolt Electric Scooters - was unveiled today in Split. Ivan Begovic, a specialist in operations at Bolt, spoke about the new service.
“One of our initiatives is the 'Green Plan', which aims to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and part of the project is the introduction of electric scooters in cities. So far, we have marketed these scooters in Madrid, Malaga, Faro, Tallinn and others, and we are trying to expand the number of cities. We are glad that Split is the first in Southeast Europe to receive this type of service. This would not have been possible without the cooperation with the City of Split, who allowed us to present this new service to you,” said Begovic, who then explained what kind of permit they had received from the City.
“We have a license from the City to test the vehicles, which is still valid today, and we will arrange further steps with the City to provide our service to the citizens of Split. The scooters will not be rented unless the City agrees. We have the right to have them today because they are legally considered pedestrians,” he added.
The option of renting and driving the e-scooters is already available to the citizens within the existing Bolt app. Unlocking the scooter costs 4 kuna, and each minute of use is 1 kuna and 30 lipa. Users can unlock the service free during the test period. Electric scooters are placed in specially designated locations within the city, and must not be left within protected areas and the old city center.
"The electric scooters drive at 20 kilometers per hour, and in certain locations such as Diocletian's Palace, the speeds are limited. The Palace itself is an area where we have banned the use of electric scooters, and if used, there is a fine of HRK 300. The application will automatically fine you if you violate the movement in the restricted areas. We cannot prohibit users from bringing scooters to zones, but they can only be pushed in the area. Namely, in these zones you can drive it exclusively as a normal car. We encourage drivers to behave responsibly on the road, obey traffic rules and pay attention to the safety of the environment in which they are moving,” Ivan said, revealing locations where the cars are currently available.
“For now, the scooters are located at Matejuška, at the beginning of the Riva (bottom of the Pazar) and near Stari Plac. These are the locations for now. The electric scooters will be assembled, taken out for service and refueled in the evening to be ready for use the next day,” he concluded.
To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
Conservative or Liberal? Croatia, Full of Adriatic Coastal Diversity
February 26, 2020 - Images of a burning effigy of a gay couple during the Imotski Carnival went all around the world, shocking many. But this is only one part of the story. A look at conservative and liberal Adriatic coastal diversity.
What is Croatian cuisine? How do you define it?
The truth is that there is no national cuisine as such, more a group of (outstanding) regional cuisines, which have little in common apart from their excellence. The heavy meat dishes and river fish from Slavonia for example, differ greatly from the freshly grilled fish soaking in olive oil and accompanied by fresh blitva in Dalmatia.
And so too with the people who make up this beautiful land. Hard-working Slavonians and laid-back Dalmatians, more sophisticated types in the capital Zagreb to the more liberal, working-class cities such as Rijeka, while Istria has half an eye on Italy in terms of cuisine and culture. This diversity is one of the things I love most about living here, but it also makes it extremely difficult to tar Croatians with the same brush. For the regions are VERY different, at least in my opinion. Two very public events recently perhaps help to highlight that diversity. The first did not get as much international publicity as it perhaps deserved, while the second was a much smaller affair and went all over the globe.
I thought the opening day and night of Rijeka 2020, European Capital of Culture, was absolutely fantastic. There was an energy in Rijeka I had not come across during my time here, and I partied until 6am and ended up sleeping in the car. My experience (perhaps without finishing in the car) was mirrored by other foreigners I met along the way. You can read my comprehensive account here.
Had I been oblivious to the Croatian media, I might have concluded that everyone enjoyed a fantastic experience, but this is Croatia... The fact that the event was boycotted (there is no other word, in my opinion) by the then Croatian President, herself a Rijeka native, with other notable absentees including the Prime Minister and Speaker of the House, was an early indication of the politics involved.
Red Rijeka certainly did not hold back in celebrating its socialist history, and the showcasing of the Yugoslav flag in a prominent exhibition with no mention of the victims of the Tito regime caused outrage in the right-wing media in Croatia. The event and content was severely attacked on television and online portals and was the subject of lively debate for days. Red Rijeka is obviously comfortable with its direction, and Mayor Obersnel appeared dressed at Tito's wife Jovanka at this week's carnival, which did little to endear him to the right-wing sections of the country.
Meanwhile, in a little town in inland Dalmatia, another carnival story emerged, as the Imotski carnival burned an effigy of a gay couple carrying a child doll in the image of SDP MP Nenad Stazic, including the Yugoslav red star on his forehead. Stazic had supported the first gay foster couple recently. While the traditional carnival has always included the burning of a figure as satire, many thought the Imotski organisers had gone too far. National media condemnation was accompanied by international, with one portal comparing it to a 1935 carnival in Germany where the Jews were the subject of ridicule.
And so began another keyboard warrior battle between the two main sides of Croatian society. The liberals condemning the act, the conservatives broadly standing their ground and talking about the right of free speech. As an advert for a tourism country, it was appalling, and the many comments included several who said that this event meant that would cross Croatian off the bucket list. Which I can understand, but it got me thinking, especially after that totally different experience in Rijeka, which was as liberal as any Western city I have spent time in.
A little like that non-existent central Croatian cuisine, the regions of Croatia are very different. And Imotski is quite possibly the most entrenched in its ways and thinking in the whole country. How best to illustrate that diversity in a simple format?
I decided to take a look at the regional results on the 2013 national referendum, often referred to as the 'gay marriage referendum', when Croatia voted on the simple question - "Do you agree that marriage is matrimony between a man and a woman?"
Around 65% of voters decided that they did, and so the constitution was changed to ban same-sex marriage. But while two thirds may have voted for it on average nationally, the regional votes were VERY diverse, with Imotski one of just two places that voted more than 95% yes. Indeed, the area around Imotski included 5 of the 7 towns which voted more than 90% yes. All the Dalmatian counties from Zadar to Dubrovnik voted 74-77% yes - the traditional conservative heartland of Croatia.
By contrast, further up the coast, the voting was very different. The biggest opponents to the referendum were in Labin in Istria (71%). Rijeka was 59% against, while the Istrian peninsula was 58% against. I think it is fair to say that the likes of Rijeka and Istria are a little more liberal than large parts of Dalmatia. I am not saying that it is a good thing or a bad thing, just a statement of fact.
Having lived in Dalmatia for 13 years, I love the place, and I am also very fond of Imotski on the many times I have visited. But it is VERY conservative, traditional, right-wing and nationalistic. Quite how far to the right a friend found out several years ago on a visit there to a cafe which has since closed and is under new ownership - Caffe-Bar A D O L F.
"We were in a large group, 4-5 families on a road trip to Međugorje via Pisak, Runovići and Imotski... We sat down for coffee and juice and I was intrigued by the name of the bar. My wife said "Oh, no, I'm sure it's just a coincidence, that would be too crazy."
"So a few minutes later I go inside to the toilet and, sure enough, "Poglavnikovo pivo" (a reference to Ante Pavelic) and "Hitlerovo vino" proudly displayed on a shelf behind the bar.
"So I did my business in the toilet and we immediately left ..."
But you wouldn't find that in Rijeka or most of the rest of the country.
The Croatian Government put out a statement on the Imotski incident on its official website:
"The tradition of burning the carnival effigy usually consisted of a sort of humorous and mocking criticism of various events in Croatian society. That sort of carnival spirit can remain within the boundaries of satire when it 'judges' someone in power like the president, the prime minister, a mayor or some other politician, but by no means those who represent various minorities in Croatian society. That is not traditional, nor entertaining nor in the spirit of Croatian and European values. As such, we condemn that act," the government said.
"Our approach is that we oppose any form of hate speech and aggression - political, ideological, verbal and physical - just like any other act that offends the feelings of the Croatian people and contributes to divisions in society."
Croatia is as diverse and complicated as it is beautiful. Perhaps not all parts are for everyone, but there is certainly something for everyone with its Adriatic coastal diversity.
New Consul: Italy Gives Biggest Support to Croatia's Schengen Membership Bid
ZAGREB, February 26, 2020 - The new Italian Consul-General in Rijeka, Davide Bradanini, said on Tuesday that the two countries have had extremely good relations for years and that Italy provides Croatia with the greatest support for its efforts to join the passport-free Schengen Area.
During his visit to the Istrian city of Pula, the consul said that the two countries had developed good relations and cooperation in the economic, political, cultural and tourism sectors.
"So far, a lot has been done in those sectors, and I would like to deepen our shared interests and cooperation in all fields," said Bradanini.
He praised Pula and Istria for the rights and entitlements enjoyed by the local Italian community.
"I am aware of the fact that the Italian minority here is a great asset," Bradanini said.
The acting Istria County prefect Fabrizio Radin said that although Croatia is part of the European Union, the current border system is still a barrier, underlining the importance of Croatia's admission to the Schengen Area.
Pula Mayor Boris Miletić said he is proud of the city's statute which guarantees rights to all ethnic minorities in Istria's largest city.
More news about relations between Croatia and Italy can be found in the Politics section.
Croatian Presidency Insists on Informal Talks with EP on Hungary and Poland
ZAGREB, February 26, 2020 - The Croatian presidency of the Council of the EU on Tuesday rejected a request by leaders of several political groups in the European Parliament to take part in the Council's discussion on violations of European values in Hungary and Poland, recommending informal consultations on the issue, as has been the case so far.
The leaders of the S&D (Socialists and Democrats), EPP Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats), Renew Europe, the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance expressed dissatisfaction with the slowness of the Article 7 procedure for Hungary and Poland.
Andrea Metelko Zgombić, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs who chaired a General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on Tuesday, said that the Presidency took note of the letter in which they expressed dissatisfaction.
The letter expressed dissatisfaction on the part of some of the members of the European Parliament with the previous Finnish presidency and presidencies before it because Parliament wants a greater and stronger role in the Article 7 procedure. However, it was agreed that MEPs cannot participate in meetings of the Council of the EU as that might cause a disbalance between the European institutions, according to Metelko- Zgombić.
The conclusions on non-attendance of MEPs at Council meetings were adopted by all member states during the Finnish presidency in the second half of 2019.
After discussions on the issue of Hungary, the Finnish presidency organised an informal meeting with representatives of the European Parliament, and the Croatian presidency plans to do the same after a discussion on Article 7 in March.
During the Finnish presidency, the member states adopted specific rules on how the institutions can participate in that matter.
The Croatian presidency will be in contact with the EP and will exchange necessary information at informal meetings "because that is in our mutual interest," Metelko Zgombić said.
Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union is a procedure provided for by the treaties of the European Union to suspend certain rights of a member state. It is a sort of infringement procedure used against member states that have violated fundamental rights.
In 2017, the European Commission initiated the procedure against Poland criticising it for its judicial reform.
In 2018, the European Parliament initiated the same procedure against Hungary over its disrespect for media freedoms, attacks on civil society associations and violations of human rights of minorities and migrants.
At its meeting today, the General Affairs Council exchanged views on future relations with the UK and adopted a negotiating mandate for the upcoming talks.
More news about Croatia and the EU can be found in the Politics section.
Croatian FM Talks War Missing at UN Human Rights Council
ZAGREB, February 26, 2020 - Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman spoke at a UN meeting in Geneva on Tuesday about Croatian citizens missing from the 1990s war, saying it was their families' human right to find out the truth which, he added, could also help reconciliation between peoples once at war.
Croatia is still tracing 1,871 persons gone missing in the 1991-95 war between Croatian forces and rebel local Serbs and the former Yugoslav People's Army.
Speaking at the 43rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Grlić Radman said shedding light on the fate of the missing was very important for Croatia. "That is of regional and global significance and also provides greater chances for lasting reconciliation between peoples."
"That is the everyday life of hundreds of families in Croatia and that's why we must show special interest and compassion. That's our concern," the minister said.
A photo exhibition by Sandra Simunovic called "Portraits of Sadness", depicting disturbing stories about the Homeland War missing, was opened on the fringes of the meeting.
Grlić Radman also met with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, extending his support to her work on the protection of human rights in the world.
"In today's world, where international human rights and multilateralism are increasingly being violated, it's important to support the high commissioner's work," he said.
The minister also took part in a disarmament conference at which he underlined the importance of effectively complying with all international and regional agreements on disarmament.
At the UN Human Rights Council meeting, he also pushed for strengthening the economic status of women, preventing poverty, including children's, as well as social exclusion, and protecting children from violence.
More news about Croatia and the UN can be found in the Politics section.
First Lithuanian Coach in HNL History: Valdas Dambrauskas Takes Over Gorica
February 26, 2020 - Gorica introduced the successor of Sergej Jakirović, who was sacked as coach after Hajduk won 6:0 at Poljud. Valdas Dambrauskas is the new coach of Gorica.
Gol.hr reports that Croatian First League club Gorica on Tuesday unveiled a new coach, 43-year-old Lithuanian Valdas Dambrauskas, who succeeded Sergej Jakirović.
Valdas Dambrauskas novi je trener Gorice! Litavski stručnjak potpisao je ugovor do lipnja 2021. godine, a već u utorak poslijepodne poveo je momčad u prvi trening.
— HNK Gorica (@hnkgorica) February 25, 2020
Valdas, welcome to Gorica! ?⚫️ pic.twitter.com/Ca7i8N8Y1G
He began his solo coaching career at the Kingsbury London Tigers in the English Premier League and then led the Lithuanian cadet (U-17) and junior (U-19) national teams. This was followed by engagements at Lithuanian clubs: he led Ekranas Panevežys for one year and had three seasons at FK Žalgiris, with whom he won the Lithuanian championship twice. For the last three years, he has led the Latvian RFS from Riga.
"I know the ambitions of the club, and I worked with the current sports director of Gorica (Mindaugas Nikoličius) for three years in Žalgiris. I have watched Gorica several times and know that they have beat top Croatian teams such as Rijeka and Hajduk. The team has that potential and I want to get back on that path,” Dambrauskas said.
Gorica is currently sixth in the First HNL with 31 points. Until the end of the championship, there are 13 rounds left, with seven points separating Gorica from positions leading to Europe. Gorica has two draws and two defeats in the spring season, and suffered the worst defeat on Saturday since playing in the Croatian First League, losing 0-6 at Poljud to Hajduk. After that, coach Jakirović was fired.
“Sergej Jakirović is no longer the coach of Gorica as of today.
Our current coach has left the bench of our first team after 616 days at the helm. During this period, he led Gorizia in 61 official games. We want to thank Sergei for all that he has done for Gorica,” the club wrote on their Facebook page on Monday.
Sergej Jakirović od danas više nije trener Gorice.
— HNK Gorica (@hnkgorica) February 24, 2020
Naš dosadašnji trener otišao je s klupe naše prve momčadi nakon 616 dana u ulozi šefa stručnog stožera. U tom razdoblju vodio je Goricu u 61 službenoj utakmici. Ovim putem zahvaljujemo Sergeju na svemu što je učinio za Goricu ❤️ pic.twitter.com/mZ7IdEPUzm
Jakirović took over Gorica that summer after Ivan Prelec left for Poland.
Gorica then had standout players like Miya, Atiemwen, Zwolinski, who are no longer in the club. Some new players have arrived, though they have not been able to achieve the same chemistry.
To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
Croatian Tourist Offer at Center of 25th International GAST Fair in Split
February 26, 2020 - Before the start of another tourist season, the Croatian tourist offer will have the chance shine at the 25th International GAST Fair - the central gathering place for the target audience, such as restaurant owners, hotels and family hotels, small renters and catering establishments from all over Dalmatia. GAST 2020 takes place from February 26 to 29, 2020, at the Spaladium Arena in Split.
If you want to try your hand at competing, launch new products, show off the best you have, win new market space, find new partners and strengthen your relationships with existing ones, GAST 2020 offers quality exhibitors and a rich professional program of conferences and workshops, enabling you to be part of the most important, leading gastronomic and tourist event in Croatia, to realize your business potential and participate in a professionally managed media campaign.
GAST 2020 includes several specialized fairs:
25th International Nutrition Fair
25th International Beverage Fair
25th International Hotel and Catering Equipment Fair
25th Dionysian International Wine Fair
17th International Furniture Fair - Furnitura
15th International Coffee Fair
15. Tourism Fair - Saturn
5th International Ice Cream and Dessert Fair
GAST 2020, as in previous years, follows many interesting events:
Dionysian - 25th International Wine and Spirits Appraisal and Winemaking Ceremony - Leading Croatia!
9. Tourist network
Split gastro scene - gastro novelties for the tourist season
Everyday Show Cooking
Pastry workshops
Creating wine lists
Guided wine workshops
The Bartender Show
Chef's Charity Show: "Famous in the Kitchen
Dalmacija Danas reports that "Potentials, Perspectives and the Future" is the name of a panel conference to be held as part of the 9th Tourist Network at the GAST Fair, on February 26, from 12 to 2:30 pm at the Spaladium Arena Conference Hall. The co-organizer of the conference is the Croatian Chamber of Economy, County Chamber of Split.
The conference program includes three panels. The first panel is dedicated to the potential of cultural tourism and the presentation of the Mirabilia network. It will be attended by representatives of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce - County Chamber of Split, Tourist Board of Solin and Split, Virovitica-Podravina, Osijek-Baranja and Split-Dalmatia Counties.
Perspectives on adventure tourism are the topic of the second panel, which will be discussed by consultants and representatives of the Croatian Chamber of Economy - County Chamber of Split, Baranja Tourist Board and SDŽ, Nature Park Biokovo.
The future of plastic-free tourism, which is one of the main messages of this year's GAST 2020 fair and the topic of the third panel, will be discussed by representatives of the Tourism and Maritime Administration of the County Chamber of Commerce, CCE - Split County Chambers, Public Institutions of RERASDZ, EkoCortec, Institute for Organic Technology Chemical of the Faculty of Technology (Biocompack project) and the company Purity and Radisson Blu.
Tourism is one of the most propulsive industries both in the world and in Croatia. There are numerous examples of developmental and different challenges, and the need for new content that is year-round and sustainable has already launched many new activities and projects.
By organizing a panel conference, “Potentials, Perspectives and the Future,” awareness will be raised of the need to develop sustainable tourism throughout the year as an indispensable content of all forms of contemporary tourism.
Opening hours of the GAST fair are from 09.30 to 19.00. You can read more about the fair here.
To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
Vir Municipality Plans to Transform from "Chaos" to Top Destination
As Novac/Jozo Vrdoljak/Privredni.hr writes on the 25th of February, 2020, Kristijan Kapovic believes that the Vir Municipality will be able to rank next to the likes of Biograd, Vodice, Novalja and Pag in about fifteen years, in terms of infrastructure and utilities. According to him, the team he has been leading since 2003 has already managed to change the general Croatian perception of the Vir Municipality as a place of chaos.
He claims that the Vir Municipality has made the most progress in all of the Republic of Croatia. In the following interview, he explains why they have had a large population increase, who is settling there and the reasons for this island's progress. Vir is otherwise the destination with the highest tourist growth in the whole of Croatia and is ranked eighth.
What has happened in Vir in the last fifteen years?
''We're the place that has made the most progress, but we're not yet at the level of the destinations we want to reach. We'll be pleased if in the next fifteen years we manage to reach the level of the communal services of Novalja, Pag, Biograd and Vodice. During this period, we have to solve all of our communal problems, tidy up the public areas and get a nice visual ''stamp'' on it from the outside. In the last twenty years, the Vir Municipality has invested around 300 million kuna in its own large infrastructure: roads, the water supply and the sewerage.
Vir was seen as a symbol of chaos. Why is that?
''Vir was seen as a symbol of chaos, but it was never a place where chaos reigned. Most of the influential people who claimed and/or wrote that there was chaos on Vir had never even been to Vir. There was even talk from a person in a position of power that Vir was best off being destroyed. For decades, the islands of Vir, Pag, Ciovo and Rogoznica were perceived as symbols of illegal construction. It was difficult to prove that this was not really the case. The perception was the way it was because the concept of illegal construction in Croatia was perceived as chaos.
It's true that the facilities were illegally constructed and that no communal infrastructure was provided, but on the other hand, it was also true that these houses were built by people who had surplus money. All of these houses had projection plans and weren't just constructed without a plan. All of the illegally constructed structures were able to get all the connections needed, meaning that the state had in some way encouraged illegal construction.''
What have you done to make it different now?
''We've solved the problem of illegal construction, which is perceived as devastation in public. To change that perception, we first had to build the infrastructure. We had 10,000 illegal facilities, no sewage and water supply and no paved streets. With major investments in municipal infrastructure back in 2014, we made a connection to the water and sewage system. From 2015 to 2020, we have a situation in which half of people outside of Vir no longer speak ill of Vir. About fifteen years ago, there were less than 200 renters on Vir.
Vir had 30,000 arrivals and less than 300,000 nights, 90 percent of which were Croatian guests. Today, we have about 160,000 arrivals, of which 120,000 are foreign visitors from 77 countries who make up 2.65 million overnight stays. It is the eighth in [terms of tourism] in Croatia and by far the best in Zadar County. About 98 percent of this comes from private accommodation. We have grown from 2500 to 15,000 beds.''
Is there a possibility of building a larger hotel on Vir?
''Neither the municipal administration nor the Vir tourism company, which was founded back in 2007, will bring large tourist resorts to the Vir Municipality, but we'll try to improve our offer. The aim is to have a five star hotel in the next three years, for which we've secured a location in the very centre of Vir. In addition to the hotel, we're developing a project to build marinas and campsites which will also be of a high category.''
Besides tourism, what are the other economic activities on Vir?
''Tourism is the biggest magnet, not as an industry but as a phenomenon. Because of tourism, people bought land and built facilities. Vir has been developing construction, real estate and crafts. All major Croatian trading houses are on Vir. From the devastated communal system, we created a brand new one that employs 250 people on a permanent basis. We have four other public companies that employ a further 250 people.''
What's the reason for your population increase?
''Back in 1991, Vir had 860 inhabitants. Back then, there were more people from Vir living in Rijeka than there were on Vir. Previously, it lost about 30 percent of its population over a 30-year period. During the war, many people from the area of central Bosnia, Posavina, Slavonia, Sisak and Karlovac moved to Vir. In 2001, Vir had about 1600 inhabitants. Migration continued in two more waves. In the second wave, we had immigrants of young people with families from Zadar, Rijeka, Zagreb, Sisak and the Karlovac area whose origins are from Vir, and young people who have homes on Vir and who believe that they have a better quality of life there.
The third wave of immigration is retirees who have homes on Vir. In addition to Croatia, there are more and more returnees from Austria, Switzerland, Germany and foreigners from all countries of Central and Northern Europe. According to the 2011 census report, Vir had 3032 permanent residents. In 2019, the Zadar Police Department recorded 4780 inhabitants. It's estimated that an official census of 2021 could see more than 5,000 residents.''
In the summer, the population increases significantly. How do you service them?
''When my colleagues and I took over the management of the Vir Municipality, we decided to put people first. In summer, more than 50,000 people live on Vir. For the last fifteen years, homeowners have been coming almost every weekend. To service them, you must have city-level communal services.''
It's often claimed that we have too many municipalities and cities. Do you agree with this statement?
''In Croatia, the administrative structure is excellent. It's often claimed that we have too many municipalities, but there are many more per capita in Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia. What these countries have, but no Croatia, is the powers of the mayor and mayor. By all indicators, all municipalities in Croatia have justified their existence, including the poorest municipalities in the Knin area. Everything our municipalities have done, they have done in the most centralised country in Europe.''
Make sure to follow our dedicated travel and business pages for much more.
Croatian Scientist Ivan Đikić on Coronavirus: Don't Spread Panic
As Index/Zoran Vitas writes on the 25th of February, 2020, well known Croatian scientist prof. dr. sc. Ivan Đikić from the University of Goethe in Frankfurt gave a series of tips on what to do when coronavirus, which is now in Croatia, occurs.
1. Follow the advice of the healthcare system, which includes epidemiological monitoring, the reporting of symptoms, rapid identification and confirmation of persons infected with the virus and their proper isolation. This also includes detailed and proper processing of the persons they have been in contact with. In this way, the unforeseen spread of COVID-19 will be locally curtailed.
2. Maintain proper hygiene, wash your hands, avoid places where large numbers of people are gathered where it is easy for viruses to spread, maintain the health status of chronic patients suffering from diabetes, tumours, immune diseases, and reduce smoking, etc.
3. COVID-19 is not that much more deadly than the flu virus we've become used to and more than 60,000 people die of that type of flu each and every year. However, this coronavirus is spreading quite quickly and needs an adequate response from the health system. The most vulnerable are the over-60s and chronic patients who will need special attention.
4. Proper and factual information to the public without bombastic headlines is essential - it's highly important for the public to be properly informed about the spread of the virus and the dangers it carries and to receive accurate instructions on the measures which need to be taken.
5. A culture of assistance and compassion in society is needed, not the stigmatisation of those who have become sick. The media hysteria of stigmatising individuals can lead to the covering up of cases of coronavirus, the faster spread of the sickness, attacks and unnecessary dangers to both the individual and to society.
6. Don't spread panic and hysteria in public. Excessive zeal and messages from politicians sometimes do much more harm than good. It's important to listen to the advice of physicians, scientists, epidemiologists and public health professionals.
7. Announcements of EU-wide border closures are unnecessary. Viruses know no boundaries or borders and have already spread to almost all EU countries. It's only a matter of time before this will be confirmed, but there is still no reason to panic as most infected people have benign symptoms that often go unnoticed. A unique attitude of the EU services and joint information and action sharing is needed.
8. It is especially important to understand that it is necessary to understand the science when it comes to the appearance of coronavirus and those like it. The response of the entire scientific community worldwide is very positive. Collaboration and data sharing has been made possible even with limited resources. The Chinese scientists who have played a major role in sequencing and sharing important information and the WHO, the organisation that coordinated all the information, should also be commended.
For more on coronavirus in Croatia and for rolling information as and when we receive it, follow this page.
