February 15, 2020 - Vesna Ferenac, director of the Novigrad Tourist Board, emphasizes that their ultimate goal is more efficient promotion, that is, visibility of the destination and raising the quality of the offer in the city. 

"Last year we achieved record results: three percent increase in arrivals and a two percent increase in overnights, exceeding 1.3 million overnights. This is a great result considering that the beginning of the preseason did not start well due to terrible and cold weather. The period before and after the season is very important for us, so this year we are focused on activities during this period to increase the number of guests,” said Vesna Ferenac, director of the Novigrad Tourist Board, speaking about the preparations for the new tourist season.

Glas Istre writes that behind the scenes, they are preparing for the reception and provision of even better service and hospitality of the guests. And as Novigrad, colloquially called the "little pearl of the Adriatic", is becoming an excellent place for an increasing number of tourists.

“We continue with activities related to defining the tourist offer of Novigrad that started in 2018, one of the priority goals of which is branding the destination of Novigrad, according to the guidelines of a document we presented in May last year. So last year, we realized some of the activities that have emerged from this document, such as the summer entertainment program, with which we are continuing with some new content that will fill the week-long program in the city at several checkpoints," Ferenac says.

Based on these guidelines and a printed document, they collected offers to brand the destination and selected designer Marko Baus & associates from a Zagreb agency. For the realization of this vital branding project, they continued to hold workshops with stakeholders of tourism and other offers in the town, i.e., caterers, owners of accommodation facilities, travel agencies, institutions, associations and institutions that organize and conduct various events, but this time, the topic defined the strategic position of the brand for profiling future tourism products and creating experiences for guests staying in Novigrad.

“We also used the latest tools for analyzing guest posts on social networks, analyzing data collected from platforms for reviewing accommodation and analyzing posts on news portals, that is, a digital media image survey of Novigrad was carried out, with about 120,000 posts. By analyzing these announcements through platforms and social networks, we will have a clearer landmark for branding the destination. A pervasive analysis has been made because we believe that guest feedback is essential, as they see and perceive us as a destination, in order to address some of the shortcomings and targeted development. To us, from the perspective of a local, some of the appearances and things in the town may seem different than it would for guests, because we are here every day, and therefore their wishes should be heard and self-critical changes and improvements can be made,” explains Ferenac.

As she points out further, in this project, it was very important to take into account the local observations that were analyzed at the workshops. The result of the work in last year's workshops will compare with the opinions of the guests and define the attributes of Novigrad that need to be more actively promoted and branded to become even more visible in the highly competitive tourism market. Ferenac explains that this complex research and strategic document for destination branding implies a change of the city's visuals, its implementation (unification), that is, connecting all carriers in all fields of the city's tourism offer.

“The ultimate goal is more efficient promotion, i.e., visibility of the destination and raising the quality of the offer in the city. Also, with unique content networking, guests should be additionally stimulated to visit and stay, and spend more throughout the year,” Ferenac points out.

In addition, a number of events have been expanded as the Tourist Board moves ahead with new tourism products.

“We have judged that there is a lack of content related to marine activities. So, in cooperation with an Austrian swim club, we are organizing an international swimming marathon on May 16 and according to the announcements so far, we expect between 200 and 300 swimmers. We will organize a new sailing regatta, but we are still in negotiations,” announced Ferenac and added that they are thinking about new gourmet products. 

Namely, for the development of gourmet products, two editions of the new Park Food Fest gourmet event are planned this year, in the pre and postseason, while the traditional gourmet events united under the name Gnam-gnam fest will be realized this year at the Novigrad Captains Evening at the beginning June, and Sardelafest in early September.

“In mid-July, at the increasingly popular event "Che gusto", numerous local and foreign producers of wine, craft beer and food products will present their offer. Also, we continue with events that started last year, like: "Movie nights" with screenings of films in the park under the stars, "Jazz Corner" at Bosko Petrovic Passage, tribute band concerts at the Piazza Grande in Novigrad, "Kids' day” with a program of street entertainers, then music programs on every corner, and debut music nights in the romantic setting of the restored Belvedere Lodge.

There will also be traditional events such as the Painting Ex tempore Contest, Magical Novigrad, Slovenian nights and all sorts of surprises, Ferenac says, adding that every guest is equally good and that there is something for everyone.

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

February 15, 2020 - The new Korcula port project will modernize the transport infrastructure and quality of connectivity for Korcula island with the surrounding islands and the mainland, but also create better conditions for increasing the quality of life of the islanders

Dalmacija Danas reports that after signing the Contract with COIN d.o.o. for the preparation of the main project of the new port of Polačišta in March 2019, a procedure for all necessary documentation for issuing a building permit followed. 

The value of the new Korcula port is approximately 150 million kuna and is funded by the Cohesion Fund of the European Union. The ŽLU Korcula is taking further steps in preparing the application for the grant contract, followed by public tenders for the contractor.

This project is of infrastructural importance for Korcula in terms of improving connectivity and infrastructure development. The aim of the project is to modernize the transport infrastructure and the quality of connectivity for Korcula island with the surrounding islands and the mainland, but also create better conditions for increasing the quality of life of the islanders. The implementation of this project and achieving the objective will ensure long-term sustainability and improve the quality of public maritime transport and increase passenger safety, jobs and stop young people from leaving the island.

“The new port of Korcula, as the largest project of the County Port Administration of Korcula, is a maritime construction facility in the function of receiving vessels of public maritime transport, then supply vessels, tourist and other vessels, both in local and international traffic. The eastern part of the port is planned for domestic passenger traffic or receiving ferries on the local line Korcula - Peljesac, as well as other vessels (catamarans, liners, tourists, etc.). 

In the western part of the port, there is a building of the port terminal that will receive passenger ferries in international traffic. On the far northwestern part of the coast, there is a pier, with the possibility of receiving vessels, both from the outside and from the inside. Overall, the port of Polačišta has about 550 m of operational coast, covering an area of ​​about 20 000 m2 and represents the largest investment in the port infrastructure for the island itself,” explained the director Ante Tvrdeić.

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

February 15, 2020 - The Croatian Football Federation has confirmed that Croatia will participate in the Qatar Airways International Tournament in Doha next month.

HNS reports that the Croatia national football team will participate in the Doha tournament in late March, where they will play friendly matches against Switzerland and Portugal as part of preparations for Euro 2020.

The tournament schedule has been set in advance, so Croatia will compete with Switzerland on March 26 (7:30 pm local time), while on March 30, they will play against Portugal (8:30 pm local time).

For the first time, Croatia will play in Qatar, the country that will host the World Cup at the end of 2022, and both matches will be played at the spectacular Education City Stadium.

"I am proud that we were able to reach an agreement on Croatia's participation in such a prestigious tournament. On the sports side, we assured the top opponents for coach Dalic and the national team, which is what the professional staff wanted, and on the other hand, we negotiated significant financial resources that could be invested in the further development of Croatian football,” said HNS President Davor Suker.

"It is a well-known wish of Croatia to play strong friendly matches before the big competition, to see where we are and what we need to work on, so I am very pleased that Croatia's performance in such a strong tournament has been confirmed. We will also be playing against great teams that we respect very much. The trip to Doha will also be a great opportunity to empower the community, to have a good time after an almost five-month break from the representative gatherings, which we certainly all very much look forward to,” said Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic.

This news comes after the Croatian Football Federation confirmed a friendly against Turkey in Osijek on June 1, which will be played just before the Euros. Croatia and France should also play a friendly in Nice just after, though we are still waiting for both federations to confirm the news.

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

ZAGREB, February 15, 2020 - Croatia's Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlić Radman said on Friday that Iran should adhere to the nuclear agreement with world powers, which other signatories are trying to keep alive after the United States pulled out of it.

Iran has not been adhering to the provisions of the agreement, designed to prevent it from developing a nuclear bomb, after the USA withdrew from the agreement in 2018 and again imposed economic sanctions on Iran.

"The nuclear agreement offers the best framework for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and we need to adhere to it," Grlić Radman told reporters after meeting with his Iranian counterpart in Munich.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif did not address the press after the meeting, held on the margins of the Munich Security Conference 2020.

"There is no alternative to peace, security is important and politicians have the responsibility... to relieve the suffering of civilians," Croatia's foreign minister said referring to the harsh sanctions imposed on Iran.

As a minister of the country currently chairing the EU, Grlić Radman told Zarif that "dialogue and building bridges is the most important," adding that during the talks he advocated European values - the rule of law, human rights and the fight against corruption and for media freedoms. "Those values can be a paradigm for the world," Grlić Radman said.

The nuclear agreement has been brought into question after US President Donald Trump unilaterally decided in 2018 that the USA would withdraw from the agreement, reimposing sanctions on Iran.

That decision has virtually isolated Tehran from the international financial system and Iran has lost its major oil buyers and sunk into deep recession and has stopped adhering to certain provisions of the nuclear agreement, accusing Europe of giving in to US pressure.

The Iran nuclear deal was signed in 2015 by the USA, Russia, China, Great Britain, France and the EU.

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

ZAGREB, February 15, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Friday that a decision to withdraw Croatian troops from Afghanistan can only be a result of agreement, within Croatia and on the international level.

"That operation is continuing. We've exchanged quite a large number of contingents there and shown responsibility. We are a member of NATO and the (European) Union. We participate in key security activities on a global level and there must be agreement on any such decision, not just within Croatia," said Plenković, adding that other partners' positions would be taken into account.

The Jutarnji List daily said on Friday that Croatia could begin withdrawing its troops from the mission in Afghanistan. Quoting a source at the Defence Ministry, the paper said that there was talk of the future of that operation at a meeting of NATO defence ministers held on Wednesday and Thursday, which was also attended by Croatia's Defence Minister Damir Krstičević.

Discussed was the future of the operation in the context of US-sponsored peace negotiations which Afghan authorities are conducting with the Taliban in an effort to end the conflict.

According to Jutarnji List, the meeting "concluded that members of the mission, including Croatia, are inevitably heading toward reducing the number of their troops."

"I spoke today with Deputy Prime Minister Krstičević who attended the NATO ministerial meeting and I asked him if that topic was discussed. There was no talk of that at all, so all in due time," said Plenković when asked if Croatia was withdrawing from the mission.

More news about Croatia and NATO can be found in the Politics section.

An agreement on a very large and rather surprising investment in Croatia signed today in the continental Croatian town of Petrinja between the town and an Indian entrepreneur called Arvind Kapur.

As Novac writes on the 14th of February, 2020, the Indian entrepreneur, who is the owner of a pizzeria chain and the director of Capitel Group, an investment and technology company, has expressed his interest in investing around 50 million euros in growing hazelnut, walnut and chestnut plantations in Petrinja. He contacted the Croatian Chamber of Agriculture (HPK), and President Mladen Jakopovic connected him to Petrinja's Mayor.

The Indian entrepreneur has announced that it is possible that hazelnuts and other things grown in Petrinja will be bought by major European confectioners, for example, Ferrero Rocher, the manufacturer of Nutella, with whom he would make a deal. It is difficult to find reliable information about the Indian entrepreneur on the internet, except for his LinkedIn profile, but HPK President Jakopovic assures that he is a serious investor and that his business has been verified through the Indian Embassy.

In signing the agreement, the Kapur said that he hoped this investment in Croatia ''would come to fruition."

''We believe that we can offer good technologies and processes in agricultural production. We have a policy to involve local farms and farmers in our business so that they can work together to improve their agricultural production. The agricultural production we're planning to launch will be based on organic production, which will reduce the impact on climate change,'' Kapur said.

The agreement, more specifically the non-binding Memorandum of Understanding, was signed with the Indian by the Mayor of on the premises of the town's local government. 

With regard to the location, Kapur visited several possible locations in the Petrinja area, more specifically the areas of ​​Donja Bačuga, Gornja Bačuga, Jošavica and Šušnjar.

For more on investment in Croatia, give our business page a follow.

Croatian Parliament MPs Božo Petrov and Ines Strenja emphasized that, despite the dismissal of Health Minister Milan Kujundžic, problems with Croatian health system have not gone away. They also pointed out that Croatians are twice as likely to die of treatable diseases as citizens in more developed European countries.

MediCarrera | Screenshot

Medical Staff Leaving Croatia: Remainers Working Unpaid Overtime

"After three and a half years of inaction, it is time to start treating chronic illnesses in the Croatian healthcare system. The system is in debt, irrationally organized, filled with red tape and waiting lists while doctors and other medical staff are leaving Croatia (for opportunities abroad). Those who remain, like nurses, are at a disadvantage and are being forced to work unpaid overtime hours,” Petrov pointed out.

Scandinavia Offers Croatians Free Relocation, Language Training, Child Care

Indeed, more financially prosperous EU countries have set up one-stop recruiting sites to lure medical professionals to their countries to the further detriment of Croatian citizens and residents. MediCarrera, a website serving the medical career recruitment needs of Denmark, Sweden and Norway; offers job placement, language training for hires and their families, accommodations and relocation costs; all of which are financed by employers in their respective countries.

MediCarrera | Screenshot

Several Swedish media outlets have recently criticized Croatia for its demographic losses and emigration.

Despite these external and internal challenges, Petrov insisted to members of the Croatian government that Most would not let them continue policies of inaction which had defined the former health minister's term according to Index on February 14, 2020.

Croatians Have Highest Mortality Rate for Treatable Diseases

Strenja pointed out that Croatian citizens continue to occupy high, and sometimes the highest, mortality rates among all EU citizens for avoidable and treatable diseases.

The reason, she said, lies in the lack of effective preventive medicine, timely diagnosis and the timely beginning of treatment.

Ines Strenja | Most

Strenja: Investing in Preventative Medicine Yields Fourfold Savings

"Again, unrefined protocol, procedures, measures and responsibilities will continue to miss desired expectations, which is ultimately evident in the overall health data. We emphasize that the investment in preventive medicine is the best bet and yields fourfold savings in treatment," Strenje explained.

She added that ex-Minister Kujundžic's files contain proposals for national strategies that would lower the death rate in Croatia from preventable diseases which is currently 293 per 100 thousand inhabitants compared to 140 per 100 thousand in the EU. The mortality from treatable diseases in our country is 140 per 100 thousand compared to only 90 out of 100 thousand in the EU.

“Therefore, I am calling on the new Health Minister, Vili Beroš, to discharge them and move on to combat chronic non-communicable diseases and conditions in Croatia,” Strenja urged.

Ivan Bekavac | N1

Bekavac: Action Plan Another 'Wish List'

Ivan Bekavac, Advisor for Most’s Health Council, pointed out that two key documents should guide the future of Croatians: The Draft Proposal for the Prevention and Control of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases 2020-2026 and the Draft National Cancer Plan 2020-2030.

"The Action Plan for the Prevention and Control off Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases 2020-2026 does not sufficiently emphasize the responsibility of the Croatian government for the health of the population, because it must place much greater emphasis on the coordination of all departments in promoting and preserving health. It is just a wish list of suggestions, and is almost identical to the previous action plan, and again lacks elements of supervision, monitoring, performance evaluation and research," he explained.

He also considers it a disadvantage that the Draft National Cancer Plan 2020-2030 omitted family medicine doctors who are most familiar with their patients, their habits and family heritage, and emphasized that they should be key stakeholders in encouraging and mobilizing patients for preventive examinations.

Follow our Politics page to keep updated on the health care crisis in Croatia.

ZAGREB, February 14, 2020 - Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) president Boris Miletić said on Friday, on the party's 30th anniversary, that it had shown how a region in Croatia could develop, how to contribute to society's democratisation and be on the side of civil rights, and how to promote European values.

Speaking in Pula, Miletić said "three decades of successful work are behind us. I'm glad that today Istria (County) is indeed an oasis of tolerance, an example and a beacon in our country, for which most of the credit goes to our citizens, but also to the IDS which throughout that time has given a vision of the development of our region."

He also commented on the case of Tar-Vabriga municipal head Nivio Stojić, who verbally attacked a journalist after she asked him about his declaration of assets. Miletić said Stojić did the only possible thing by leaving the IDS. "I'm sorry (the attack) happened. As a party, we have shown in this instance too how to protect the values we promote."

Miletić said IDS members' declarations "are available to anyone" and underlined the importance of transparency, adding that "if someone wants to do a public job, they must respect the law."

Speaking of cooperation with the Social Democratic Party, he said the IDS was open to cooperation with the left liberal bloc.

"We have a big chance to change this incompetent, corrupt government, and if that is the joint goal, it must be the highest goal of all the parties which want to participate," Miletić said, adding that "citizens are losing trust in politics" and that "all parties should work on trust in the public system and politics."

He said the "modality" of running in the next parliamentary election "should be subordinate to one goal - that the group of parties have a majority in parliament and form a new government which will finally steer this country in the right direction."

"That means that we want to make Croatia a normal European state, that we stop dealing with the past so much and start thinking about the living standards of all citizens."

The IDS will celebrate its 30th anniversary in Pazin tomorrow. Among those attending will be President-elect Zoran Milanović.

More IDS news can be found in the Politics section.