EU Believes All EU Citizens Should Be Exempt from USA Visa Regime
ZAGREB, January 22, 2020 - The European Union is absolutely unanimous in the stance that citizens of all member states have to be exempted from the visa regime for entry into the United States, Croatia's Interior Minister Davor Božinović said in Brussels on Tuesday.
Božinović presented a report to the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) on a Joint EU-US Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial Meeting that took place on 11 December 2019.
The European Union was represented at the meeting by Minister of Justice Anna-Maja Henriksson of the then EU chair Finland, while Minister of the Interior Božinović and Minister of Justice Dražen Bošnjaković attended the meeting on behalf of the then incoming Croatian presidency of the Council of the EU.
EU-USA ministerial meetings in the fields of justice and home affairs are held twice a year and focus on transatlantic cooperation and common security threats.
After a debate at the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee, Božinović addressed the press and said that the EU was unanimous in its stance that citizens of all member states should be treated equally with regard to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. US citizens are permitted to travel to all EU member states without a visa while Croatian, Bulgarian, Romanian and Cypriot citizens are still required to apply for a visa to enter the USA.
"It was evident at the meeting in Washington and during the committee's debate today that the EU is unanimous with regard to visa free travel for citizens of all member states," Božinović said.
He said that the committee meeting was dominated by the issue of transatlantic cooperation regarding high technology, particularly with regard to cross-border access to electronic evidence and warrant-proof encryption at an international level.
"It is necessary to find a balance between protection of fundamental civil rights and enabling police and judicial authorities to exchange data as quickly as possible because without that, we cannot fight crime effectively," Božinović said.
Asked to comment on criticism expressed by some members of the European Parliament last week concerning the conduct of Croatia's police toward migrants, Božinović reiterated that Croatia would not allow illegal entries into its territory.
"Our position is clear. We will not allow illegal entry into Croatian territory and that has nothing to do with the right to international protection. We are open when it comes to anyone who is in need, however, Europe and the world have to find a response to the question of how to treat migrants who are seeking a better life and refugees," said Božinović.
Božinović added that reports indicate that a growing number of people are using the right to seek asylum so they can physically enter the EU and then seek a place for a better life there. "I can understand that when it comes to individuals, however, the state has to protect its interests, which includes protecting the national border," concluded Božinović.
More news about relations with the USA can be found in the Politics section.
Tourist Trade Between Croatia and Spain to Be Improved
ZAGREB, January 22, 2020 - Croatia is a popular travel destination in Spain, and tourist trade might rise with the opening of the Croatian National Tourism Board (HTZ) office in Madrid this year and with the introduction of new air routes, Croatian Minister of Tourism Gari Cappelli said on Tuesday.
During his official visit to Spain, Cappelli met his Spanish counterpart Maria Reyes Maroto Illera. The meeting at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism in Madrid was also attended by Croatia's Ambassador to Spain, Nives Malenica, the Croatian Ministry of Tourism said in a statement.
On that occasion, Capelli presented Croatia's European Commission Presidency priorities in the tourism sector, including advocating policies for responsible and sustainable development with emphasis on encouraging diversification of tourism supply and development of areas with underdeveloped tourism.
He emphasised the importance of using information and communication technologies, the digitisation of the tourism system, and of establishing a common EU regulation for digital platforms providing tourist services.
In addition, he presented Croatia's initiative for establishing an EU tourism brand for the joint promotion of member states on distant markets, inviting Spain to join the initiative and support a more favourable positioning of tourism within EU policies and institutions. Cappelli emphasised the importance of cooperation in absorbing EU funds for developing small and medium-sized tourism enterprises.
It was also pointed out that Croatia is a popular tourist destination in Spain, as confirmed by figures: in 2019, compared with 2018, there was an 8.4% increase in the number of tourists from Spain and a 10.4% increase in overnight stays made by Spanish tourists.
"I believe that the tourist exchange will grow further with this year's reopening of the Croatian National Tourism Board office in Madrid. The office will be located within the Croatian Embassy, in order to cut costs. A very important factor in establishing an even stronger connection between the two countries is the direct flight connection, which is improving from year to year, and at this moment, during the winter timetable, there are three airlines flying three air routes between Croatia and Spain," said Cappelli, who expects a regular daily flight service between Zagreb and Madrid to be established in the future.
More news about relations between Croatia and Spain can be found in the Politics section.
"EU Funds Are Changing Croatia" Exhibition Opens in European Parliament
ZAGREB, January 22, 2020 - "EU funds are changing Croatia" is the title of an exhibition that opened in the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday evening, featuring 40 projects funded from the EU budget.
The exhibition was organised by the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds and HDZ MEPs Tomislav Sokol and Karlo Ressler, and opened by the Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds, Marko Pavić.
Pavić and a dozen government ministers and state secretaries are presenting the priorities of the Croatian EU presidency before relevant European Parliament committees this week.
"European funds are indeed changing Croatia for the better. We can see that from these 40 photographs, including Peljeac Bridge, which will be a lasting memento of EU membership, the 'Make a Wish' women employment scheme, airports, railways, aid schemes for young farmers and entrepreneurs," Pavić said.
The minister said that contracts for 83.4 percent of funds available to Croatia had been signed so far and that over 100 percent would be signed by the end of this year. He added that over 30 percent of funds had been reimbursed, or 3.3 billion euro.
"I think we can be satisfied, given that only nine percent of funds was contracted at the time this government took office," Pavić said.
This is the first in a series of events that the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds plans to organise during the Croatian EU presidency in the first half of this year.
More news about EU funds can be found in the Business section.
IFFHS Ranks Most Successful Football Clubs in 2019, Dinamo Number 11
January 22, 2020 - The International Institute for Football History and Statistics has released a table of the most successful clubs in 2019, with the Croatian champion Dinamo coming in 11th place.
According to the calculations of the International Institute of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), the current European champion Liverpool is the best club in 2019, ahead of Spanish club Barcelona, Manchester City and Brazil's Flamenco, the only South American representative among the top ten.
Croatian clubs are led by national champion Dinamo, which is just behind the top ten, in a high 11th place with 234 points, ahead of Brazilian greats Palmeiras and Atletico Mineira. Dinamo has thus moved up an impressive ten places from the also successful 2018 ranking.
Recall, in 2019, Dinamo became the Croatian champion in April, securing the 30th championship title in the club's history and the 20th title for the club in independent Croatia.
Furthermore, Dinamo also advanced to the Champions League group stage. Though they finished last in the group, they had an impressive 4:0 win against Atalanta and drew to Shakhtar Donetsk twice. Dinamo was not as lucky against Manchester City, one of the best clubs in the world, losing 2:0 away and 1:4 at Maksimir.
The Croatian Cup champion Rijeka holds 108th place with 126 points, between teams Petro de Luanda and Al Nassar, followed by Osijek (200th), Hajduk (217th), Gorica (290th) and Lokomotiva (340th).
IFFHS, Club Ranking for 2019:
1. Liverpool 316
2. Barcelona 293
3. Manchester City 284
4. Flamengo 275
5. Celtic 269
6. Valencia 268
7. Ajax 249,5
8. Chelsea 249
9. PSG 243
10. Wolverhampton 236
11. Dinamo Zagreb 234
...
108. Rijeka 126
...
200. Osijek 94
...
217. Hajduk 90
...
290. Gorica 74
...
340. Lokomotiva 67
Source: HNS
To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
Marjan Forest in Split to be Restored with Native Species, Pine and Cypress
January 22, 2020 - For the first time, the Split City Councilors presented the Biological Restoration Study of Marjan Forest Park, which foresees the restoration of several areas that were destroyed during its rehabilitation from bark beetles.
Splitski Dnevnik reports that the Croatian Forestry Institute created the study. According to it, some parts of the forest will continue to be afforested with pine because it cannot be converted to more stable species. However, experts at the institute say that they ultimately want to see blackberry and black ash on Marjan, which is good for the long-term, and because the Aleppo pine is nearing its end.
The afforestation begins in the autumn of this year, said Martina Đodan, a research associate at the Croatian Forestry Institute, and the study will be supplemented with other Marjan sites after the two locations.
“The study is based on an agreement signed by the Croatian Forestry Institute with the City of Split on scientific research and professional cooperation, and it provides biological restoration guidelines for a part of the Marjan area and not for the entire area. The entire project was completed in December last year, using imagery of crewless aerial vehicles, which defined priority areas of about 15 hectares,” said Đodan, who added that the areas are primarily located in the north and that it was mainly to determine stable vegetation.
The selected areas that have been prioritized for restoration have been thoroughly crossed and found to be Mediterranean vegetation.
"It has been determined at these two locations that some parts are ready to plant progressive, native vegetation such as holm oak and its associated olive-like species. However, in some parts, we have rocky micro-locations where the existing vegetation will remain; in some parts, we will have to go again with the pioneer species of pine and cypress."
The amount of seedlings has been determined. One of the locations will mostly plant conifer oaks (about 40 percent), while in others, the pioneer pine species will be planted the most.
“On 95.5 percent of the Marjan area, vegetation conditions were satisfactory during the recording, which was in late August and early September, and there was a smaller percentage of trees that were infected. The biology of the bark attack itself is a speedy process and it is possible to detect successively new foci or a new state,” Đodan pointed out, adding that pheromone traps are still being set up and the monitoring is ongoing.
"However, we must also say that the culture of the pioneer species in Marjan has reached its physiological maturity and is in a state of dying away. Therefore, the Mediterranean crust is not the only threat to the forest, but it should be looked at as a gradual replacement with mixed younger stands.”
Conditions in Marjan are difficult and increasingly challenging due to climate change, where the Mediterranean is the hardest hit. A smaller proportion of trees was also observed after remediation.
"We would recommend remodeling and cutting down trees in the first place, but preparatory work needs to be done. Due to preparatory actions, we recommend planting in autumn, when seedlings have the greatest survival rate, but it is necessary to provide quality forest material. It is important to nurture the seedlings after they are planted.”
The bark beetle has already hit Marjan and will be there again, and what is needed now is resiliant trees, experts warn. Threats are also linked to climate change and the introduction of invasive species as well as societal pressure on forests. In this regard, some other European countries are also working on adapting forests and forest cover by replacing species, which is the main activity of such a strategy.
To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
Croatian National Tourist Board to Pay 8 Million Kuna for New Portal
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes on the 21st of January, 2020, the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) expects the new portal to be positioned as a central place for the inspiration of its users in the decision-making process when it comes to choosing a holiday in Croatia.
The Croatian National Tourist Board has announced a tender for the creation of a new tourist information portal, Croatia.hr, as well as for the collection and management of databases necessary for the establishment of public e-services of the portal. The tender is being announced as part of the Croatian Digital Tourism (Hrvatski digitalni turizam) project, which is an EU project, managed by the Ministry of Tourism, and the total value of this procurement is 8 million kuna.
As the Croatian National Tourist Board explained, the project is funded by two European Union funds, namely the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund, and they play the role of project partner.
The e-tourism project envisages the development and improvement of five public e-services, which will be completed by the end of this year, which will integrate the procedures of several public administration bodies into an integrated state information system. These are the Central tourist register, the e-Visitor guest check-in and check-out system, the Croatia.hr platform, and e-services for both administrative and non-administrative procedures.
''There are two components to the Croatian National Tourist Board, the upgrading of the eVisitor system and the creation of a new Croatia.hr web portal, which will integrate the complete Croatian tourist offer in the future. Accordingly, the procurement process was initiated, the subject of which is the procurement of website services for the tourist information system and the establishment of an IT system, the management of databases necessary for the establishment of public e-services, and the tourist information portal,'' the Croatian National Tourist Board explained.
The goal of the new portal is to connect all tourist boards into one system, so that each destination and tourist board will have its own promotion space on the national website, or on its subdomains. It is also expected to increase page traffic, have better SEO and page ranking and strengthen brand identity.
When it comes to technical features, the new portal needs to be supported through a user-friendly and efficient CMS with different administrative rights and responsibilities.
As explained in the tender documentation, the Croatia.hr pages must be made in accordance with all the latest technological solutions and requirements, responsive to display on all devices, multilingual, capable of commenting and sharing content on all platforms, and should be able to connect with different systems such as the Central tourist register and eVisitor.
Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for more.
Chinese Have Completed More Than Third of Works on Peljesac Bridge
As Morski writes on the 21st of January, 2020, the Chinese were introduced into the construction of the long awaited Peljesac bridge back at the end of July 2018, and the total value of the works carried out so far, according to Croatian Roads (Hrvatske ceste), stands at 619.9 million kuna.
This means that more than a third of the planned works have already been done on the future bridge in Dalmatia, since the total contracted price of its construction is 2.08 billion kuna, according to a report from Vecernji list.
China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), the Chinese company contracted to build Peljesac bridge, has committed to construct the bridge within three years of the launch of the works, which means by the end of July 2021. The first contingent of segments of the steel span structure of Peljesac bridge will apparently start moving from two plants in China over to Croatia at the end of this week.
Croatian Roads says they have received confirmation from CRBC that the first 29 segments of the span structure will head to the construction site of the bridge on January the 25th, on Chinese New Year. It is foreseen that ships with construction material will travel to Croatia for a maximum of 35 days, but it is expected that they will arrive at the construction site as soon as possible. Thus, it is anticipated that the first segments of the span structure will be delivered during the second half of February.
There are currently 629 workers at the Peljesac bridge construction site, of which 132 are technical and support staff, and the rest are machinists and sailors on board ships, as well as machinery. Currently, 21 vessels are being used for the construction of the bridge, namely cranes, barges for the carriage of structural members, ferries, tugboats and of course personnel ships carrying staff members.
As for the construction of access roads, more specifically the Duboka - Sparagovici/Zaradeze section, the contractor of which is Austria's Strabag, things finally got moving on the 13th of November 2019. According to Croatian Roads, the project documentation, location and building permit have all been formally submitted to the contractor, and they have submitted the timetable for the work under review for approval. By the end of December 2019, Strabag had begun organising construction sites, clearing the routes and will begin with more serious construction work this month.
Greece's Avax, however, got the green light for the construction of the Ston bypass, the Sparagovici/Zaradeze - Prapratno and Prapratno - Doli subdivisions, and it was put into operation on the 5th of December last year. Avax has also officially submitted project documentation, location and building permits, and the company has submitted a timetable for the works, which is currently under review by representatives of engineers and Croatian Roads. Avax started organising the construction site by the end of December 2019, and this month they'll also begin with preparatory work.
Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for more on Peljesac bridge.
Croatia Bus Split to Zagreb Gets Lost: Takes Four Hour Detour
We’ll never get there! Due to a detour, an early morning Croatia Bus from Split to Zagreb went astray yesterday, and passengers were on the edge of their nerves. “We've gotten lost ten times, and I'm afraid we will end up in the sea!” one outraged passenger reported from the lost vehicle.
“It is 9:40, and we should have arrived at our destination by now, but we are 300 kilometers from Zagreb. Your drivers demonstrate an inadequate, irresponsible and disinterested approach to their jobs. Worst of all, they don't even help each other solve problems. We’ve gotten lost at least ten times so far!”
Tell us where and who you want to travel with! | Croatia Bus
Angry Croatia Bus Passenger Gave Location Updates
The angry passenger, one of many who was extremely late to his destination, wrote to the management of Croatia Bus. He left yesterday morning at 4:30am on the bus from Split to Zagreb, and as things stood at 9:40am, they would not arrive until 1pm, according to Slobodna Dalmacija on January 20, 2020.
The Croatia Bus drivers were forced to take a detour due to the bura (or bora, which is an extremely high Adriatic coastal wind), which closed the section of the A1 motorway between Posedarje and Sveti Rok for all vehicles except passenger cars. All others, including buses, were diverted to state roads via Gračac, Obrovac and Karin.
Maslenica Bridge Closed 10 Cumulative Months Since 2008
TCN has written about the frequent closures of this section of the A1 motorway due to high winds, which frequently make crossing the Maslenica Bridge unsafe for most, if not all vehicles. This section of motorway, which includes the Maslenica Bridge, has been closed for 10 cumulative months since 2008 due to unsafe winds.
“As Sveti Rok tunnel was closed, we exited the motorway and the drivers veered onto the Adriatic highway towards Karlobag. We almost reached Sveta Marija Magdalena! There, the drivers turned back after they were informed that the road was closed. We've turned around, and what do you think happened next?” wrote the dumbfounded passenger.
Posedarje - Crvka Sveta Marija Magdelena - Skradin - Karin - Gračac | Four Hour Detour Route
After Heading Toward Karlobag, Croatia Bus Goes to Skradin
“To Skradin, yes, you heard right - Skradin just above Šibenik, and 90 kilometers from Split, our departure station. Now we're finally driving to Zagreb, and we're around Karin. There is a lot more I could write, but I'm afraid we’ll get lost again, I don't know which direction we'll head next time, maybe we’ll end up overseas,” seethed the furious passenger.
His story was confirmed to at the traffic office of Croatia Bus later that morning. At that time, they verified that the bus was somewhere around Gračac, which was 250 kilometers away from Zagreb. The Croatia Bus official acknowledged to that the drivers couldn’t find their bearings after being sent off on a detour before Sveti Rok tunnel, so they went the wrong direction (several times).
Croatia Bus was asked if passengers, many of whom certainly had to be in Zagreb yesterday morning due to urgent obligations, would be compensated. Because who else would take a bus at 4:30 in the morning? An employee of Croatia Bus recommended contacting their legal team.
Follow our Travel page to keep track of lost buses and wind-related road closures.
Digital Laboratory Opened at National and University Library
January 21, 2020 - The National and University Library in Zagreb is often found in the news these days: in addition to it being the headquarters of the Croatian EU Presidency, today a new Digital Laboratory was opened there.
The idea is for it to be the centre of the digital revolution in the Croatian libraries, and during the opening ceremony, a new mobile application called Smart Library was presented, which serves as a smart guide through the library area.
The Digital Laboratory is located in a part of the library dedicated exclusively to it, and it was originally founded in 2019 to help citizens find the creative use of the digital technologies and digital content of the library. Tatijana Petrić, the Director-General of the Library said that they've been working on the projects of digitalisation for a while and that the establishment of the Digital Laboratory is just another of the steps towards further opening of the Library to the needs of the modern user.
The libraries remain the important cell of the development of the modern society of the 21st century if they manage to bridge the digital void. This project is based on the numerous examples of the library laboratories from Europe and the world, including the Library of Congress in Washington, British National Library, Harvard University Library and many others. Petrić highlighted the experiences of the first Digital Laboratory in Croatia, founded by the Rijeka Library, tportal writes.
Dragana Koljenik, the manager of the Digital Laboratory said that its opening is the culmination of the enthusiasm of mostly young people who work at the Library, who invested their skill, energy and time into the idea for a year. Koljenik added that they wanted to develop in various directions while showing that their capital is different than what can be bought and sold on the market, but equally important in a balanced society. The Laboratory operates on three basic levels: as a service, educational and developmental. That means that it offers services such as 3D printing to its users, education, workshops and lectures, using the computer equipment to study or create something.
The Smart Library project is the mobile application for the library's users, which serves as a prototype of the application of the IoT technologies within a library. The idea of the project is to create the basis for the development of a smart library. The application contextualises the 36.5 thousand square meters of space within the Library and makes sense connecting the 22 locations with 22 services offered to their users.
Croatia Winter Finished According to Latest Weather Forecasts
According to the most recent forecasts, Winter in Croatia is finished. In the current part of the climatological winter, which began on December 1, we have not yet had a single winter cyclone, and no significant snowfall, even in most of the higher elevations.
According to a report by DHMZ, measurable snow cover has been only recorded at 5 locations in Croatia as of this morning, the most of which was 5 centimeters in Zavižan, which will quickly melt, Istramet reports.
The lowlands of the interior of Croatia have recorded only a brief snowfall this winter, and central Istria has not even had any snow.
Croatia Temperatures Noticeably Above Average
In terms of temperature, we are well above average, especially in the highlands and the Adriatic. The plains of the interior of Croatia have been spared from temperature extremes by a prolonged inversion, but due to the more intense sun and wind, they will be even less frequent in the coming weeks.
Weekly Forecasts Indicate That Winter is Over
According to the ECMWF monthly forecast published on the EFFIS website today, winter in Europe is over.
Specifically, a positive temperature deviation is expected every week until March 1, which is the beginning of the climatological spring. The anticipated temperature deviations have been noticeable and the most evident in Russia, where the real winter breakthroughs are anticipated.
This is not to say that there won’t be any short-lived fronts or maybe cyclones which bring snow, but regarding big winter events, it seems that nothing significant will occur. This is further supported by the fact that less than average rainfall is predicted, which suggests the continued dominance of warm anticyclones, Istramet reports.
Darko Pribeg | Unsplash
What do long term forecasts say?
The Severe Weather Europe Service also announced yesterday what it expects to happen in February. They also predicted what spring might be like.
Given that high air pressure will remain over much of Europe and Asia, temperatures are expected to be above average for the season during February. This means that there is a greater likelihood that there won’t be any real winter weather over continental Europe. As Severe Weather Europe Service notes, there is always the possibility of a transitional cold pattern as a cold front could cross over Europe, but according to current forecast models there is very little likelihood of this. As we move into February, the polar vortex slowly loses its effect and any major change in dynamics, in terms of the arrival of cold fronts, would be too late to create a sustainable pattern of cold weather.
What kind of Spring is ahead of us?
According to ECMWF's Severe Weather Europe model; it has provided insight regarding what this year's spring in Europe might look like.
The ECMWF model suggests a spring pattern, which is like winter. High air pressure systems are evident in the North Pacific, Western Atlantic and Europe.
Taking the high air pressure into account for March, April and May; air temperatures are expected to be higher than average for this time of year in Europe and Asia.
As for precipitation, drier weather is expected in southern Europe, which correlates with higher air pressure. Continental Europe should experience average rainfall, which means that no long droughts are expected. Lower pressure over the Atlantic could lead to higher rainfall in Central and Northern Europe.
Danijela Froki | Unsplash
Zoran Vakula’s Long Term Weather Forecast
In an interview with Zoran Vakula of Slobodna Bosna, he revealed what to expect in the upcoming months.
"The data from DHMZ meteorological stations confirms that this winter so far is among the warmest, in many places on the Adriatic and in the highlands and among the 10 warmest in since the beginning of recorded weather measurements.”
“Even in long-term forecast calculations of most meteorological centers - there are no expected changes for the remainder of winter. For our part of Europe, it is still very likely that anticyclones - high-pressure fields with relatively frequent temperature inversions will be accompanied by the retention of relatively warm air in higher layers of the atmosphere, which will continue to be noticeable.”
“Therefore, it seems almost certain that the mean air temperature in the highlands and Adriatic will continue to be higher than the average, in many places considerably higher, while long-term fog and low retention clouds could ‘save’ lowlands from those above average highs. If this is the case, we will still have very little rainfall in the winter, but pollution in the lowlands could still be high. But I hope that we will still have some wind, which will make that impossible in the lowlands."
“Regarding summer, I do not have any long-term prognostic calculations, but according to what is available up to July – it is unlikely that there will be any long-term cool periods over the upcoming months in our part of Europe. Unless one arrives at the end of one month and lasts until the beginning of the following month, this isn’t evident in the calculations of the mean monthly air temperature, since periods with above average temperatures will likely prevail.”
“In contrast to this positive temperature deviation, precipitation forecasts are showing an increased likelihood of negative deviations, which are somewhat less than the perennial average. In short, it will be relatively warm and arid in the first part of 2020! But of course, this is what is most likely now, and is not certain. The prognosis is not the diagnosis.”
“With forecasts, it's important not to overlook the probabilities. Sometimes there is an occurrence for which the forecast probability had been low, or even minimal, such as May 2019, which was one of the coldest in known history, although at the end of that April it was only considered a low probability. As it turned out, last May was among the ten, or even four, coldest in most of Croatia,” Vakula points out.
Follow our Lifestyle page for updates on weather forecasts for 2020.
