EC to Get Look into State of Croatian Post-Earthquake Reconstruction
March the 24th, 2023 - Croatian post-earthquake reconstruction. Yes, we're still saying it over three years since the earthquake of March 2020. The European Commission (EC) is set to get a detailed look into the state of what's going on, and the government is in a race against time to use the EU cash allocated to it.
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Suzana Varosanec writes, today, the European Commission will be informed of the review of the state of Croatian post-earthquake reconstruction, which is being financed from the EU Solidarity Fund, as well as Croatia's view of costs across all of its ministries.
This meeting was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Construction, Branko Bacic, who, on the occasion of the third anniversary of the Zagreb earthquake (March the 22nd), assessed that the aforementioned segment of Croatian post-earthquake reconstruction is being implemented in full as planned, so this gives some hope that the money will be spent within the prescribed deadline.
What has actually been done? The question on many lips...
"The value of all of the works currently being carried out in the area affected by the Zagreb earthquake, which are being financed from FSEU, the NPOO and the state budget, totals 2.2 billion euros. There are a total of 594 projects in question, and 1.1 billion euros is the amount being financed from the FSEU.
For the Zagreb earthquake, 683.3 million euros were contracted from the FSEU, and to date, 58% of the requests for reimbursement of funds for ongoing projects have been submitted. We're satisfied with the pace of renovation of public buildings, but we aren't feeling the same in regard to replacement houses - we failed the assignment there," said Bacic very honestly.
As for FSEU, 295 projects have been completed, i.e. 200 projects for the renovation of public sector buildings, 45 infrastructure projects, primarily regarding to transport but also communal ones, and another 50 projects in which it co-finances temporary housing. In the sector of public buildings for education, 143 projects have been completed and 32 projects are still in their construction phase(s).
The total value stands at a staggering 415 million euros, of which 224 million euros is being financed from the FSEU. When it comes to the healthcare sector, 26 projects have been completed and 19 remain ongoing, and out of 301 million euros, 146 million euros have come from FSEU financing. Regarding the renovation of public buildings of cultural heritage, 31 projects have been completed and 75 of them are in the implementation phase, with a total value of 717 million euros, of which 236 million euros have been sourced from the FSEU.
"When I took over this Ministry, I announced a plan that I believe is achievable: that is, by the end of June, we'll spend the money from the Solidarity Fund, that by the end of October, we'll have taken care of all our 6,258 fellow citizens who are still living in containers, and that, in addition, we'll start the entire Croatian post-earthquake reconstruction process,'' Bacic stated boldly.
"In cooperation with the Croatian Association of Banks, in about ten days, a new bank product will be announced, which involves the use of reconstruction funds, so that the people themselves can decide what needs to be done, and we simply pay the funds in full into the account that is suitable for use, including for the project, the execution of all of the works and supervision, before the work begins. I can say that there#s great interest in the self-renovation financing model in the area of Sisak-Moslavina County," said Bacic, adding that they are also implementing a project and procurement for 500 wooden prefabricated houses.
Fee amounts
The procurement for the execution of structural renovation works of nine multi-apartment buildings in Zagreb and 21 procurements for the construction of replacement houses under the abbreviated procedure of the new rulebook for public procurement is now underway. In addition to the removed 73 houses and six ongoing removals, 271 removals have been contracted. 184 contracts for the design of replacement houses have also been signed.
The plan for 2023 is to complete the design of replacement family houses, and those funds will be paid out for all received requests for non-structural renovation, as well as all financial compensation for structural renovation and construction of replacement family houses based on the self-renovation model, for which a request is received by October the 31st, 2023.
This refers to 100 replacement family houses under construction, 250 buildings and houses structurally renovated or under construction, and 350 buildings and houses non-structurally renovated or under construction.
Taking into account the time spent on the organisation of the self-renovation process as part of the entire Croatian post-earthquake reconstruction project, the state will provide compensation for the tasks of coordination of self-renovation to the owners in the following amounts: for structural renovation 2654.46 euros, for the construction of a replacement house 3318.07 euros, while monetary compensation for buildings up to 700 m² will be 5308.91 euros, for buildings from 700 m² to 1,500 m² - 7,963.37 euros, and for buildings over 1,500 m² - 10,617.82 euros.
For more, check out our news section.
Salon Mondial du Tourisme - Interest Among French Tourists in Croatia
March the 24th, 2023 - There has been a significant amount of interest shown by French tourists in visiting Croatia, and this was only further cemented by the recently held Salon Mondial du Tourisme, which took place in Paris.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, this year, the French tourist market has been showing great interest in the Republic of Croatia. This country's varied tourist offer has been included in the programmes of the largest and most important French tour operators and agencies, and there is growing interest in the introduction of new regular air routes, the Croatian Tourist Board (CNTB/HTZ) reported on Tuesday.
Good news for Croatian tourism comes from the recently held largest international tourist fair in France, "Salon Mondial du tourisme" in Paris, and from the accompanying business workshop organised by the HTZ representative office in Paris, which brought together more than 60 French travel organisers and travel agencies. Representatives of Croatia Airlines, Maistra, Falkenstainer, Hilton and other agencies discussed business opportunities and cooperation with them at the workshop.
"The Croatian offer for French tourists is well represented by the most important French travel organisers, and the further growth of specialised offers with an emphasis placed on wine and gastronomy, business, cultural and nautical tourism can certainly be an additional motive for the arrival of French tourists," said the director of the HTZ representative office in Paris, Danijela Mihalic Djurica.
This year, French tourists in Croatia have already spent 54 percent more registered overnight stays than they did back during the same period in the pre-pandemic, record year of 2019.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated news and travel sections.
Moving Vegetables: Croatia's Finest Food Tradition
March 23, 2023 - Growing one's own food is a big thing in Croatia, but how to get the fresh produce to other family members all over the country? Meet the fabulous culture of moving vegetables. Premiering tonight at 19:53.
Food in Croatia is fantastic.
And so, so fresh.
With so many families growing their own food, it is not a long journey from the family field to the table. Or is it?
Over the years, I have learned that it is not possible to go on a long journey in this region between two cities without a boot full of vegetables for a friend or family member in the destination city. And then to have your car filled with a boot full of other vegetables for the return journey.
And if you haven't driven from Dalmatia to Zagreb with 30 cabbages in the car, only to do the same journey in reverse with 30 cabbages of a different sort 6 months later, are you even living in Croatia?
Meet the fabulous, fabulous culture in Croatia (and the wider region) - moving vegetables!
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What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning - Business and Dalmatia.
Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn.
Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners is now available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.
Croatian Company Gepek Launches App, Aims for More Users
March the 23rd, 2023 - The Croatian company Gepek, which came to life back during the pandemic-dominated year of 2020, has launched a brand new application (app), with which it aims to attract more users throughout this year.
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Darko Bicak writes, the Croatian company Gepek, an innovative startup that currently boasts 5,000 users, has announced the launch of its new application aimed at revolutionising the package delivery industry.
With the rise of e-commerce, the demand for fast, environmentally friendly and efficient delivery solutions has never been higher. the Croatian company Gepek, as stated by its founders, aims to respond to the current challenges faced by current delivery companies and provide users with a superior delivery experience.
At the end of last year, the Croatian company Gepek received half a million euros of initial pre-seed investment. The leading investor is John Lilic, one of the investors who, among other things, worked as an advisor to the board of Polygon, the tenth largest blockchain in the entire world. Before that, the Swedish-Hong Kong company Auki Labs, a leader in AR technology, invested in Gepek, which will allow them to expand their activities far beyond national borders using AR technology.
According to Carla Ferreri, the co-founder and CEO of the Croatian company Gepek, their newly launched app offers an end-to-end delivery solution that enables real-time tracking, eco-friendly packaging options and cost-effective pricing. Gepek's innovative approach eliminates intermediaries and fragmentation in the delivery process, making it the ideal solution for all package delivery needs.
“We're thrilled to be able to launch our new app and bring our innovative package delivery solution to the market. Our goal is to provide a superior delivery experience to our users, with savings for those who are sending those packages, and we believe that the new Gepek app is the first step in realising that vision," said brother and sister Carla and Dario Ferreri, the CEOs and co-founders of Gepek.
Kristijan Skarica, another co-founder of Gepek, emphasised that they're now starting a new chapter within Gepek's business and providing a platform that helps connect people with the things they love, whether it's sending gifts to family and friends, supporting local OPGs (Croatian family farms) by transporting their goods to their tables, or simply making life a little easier for working families.
"Our app is available 24/7 unlike traditional delivery companies and is now available for download on the App Store and in the Google Play Store," concluded Skarica.
For more, check out our dedicated business section.
Croatian Communications Market Enjoys 1.6 Billion Euro Revenue in 2022
March the 23rd, 2023 - The Croatian communications market enjoyed revenues of 1.6 billion euros last year, representing an increase when compared to the year before.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the total revenues earned by the Croatian communications market back in 2022 amounted to a very impressive 1.6 billion euros, which is 3.6 percent more compared to what was recorded back in 2021. On top of that, the continued trend of investment growth in mobile and fixed communications networks continued, as was announced last week by the Croatian Regulatory Agency for Network Activities (HAKOM).
HAKOM stated that in the aforementioned period, revenues from broadband Internet access services increased by nine percent, from network and cable rental by five percent, and from paid television by four percent, while at the same time, revenues on the market for telephone services in the fixed network decreased by more than nine percent.
On the electronic Croatian communications market, last year's investments in very high capacity networks (VHCN) increased by six percent when compared to 2021, and the trend of investments in base stations (BTS) in mobile communications networks also continued.
In the fourth quarter of 2022, as HAKOM pointed out, the migration of users to fiber-optic technology continued, which affected the growth of such connections by 27.5 percent in a year. In the same period, total data traffic via fixed and mobile networks grew by 15.7 percent on average. The share of users of broadband connections with a speed higher than 100 Mbit/ also grew and amounts to 35.7 percent.
In the last quarter of 2022, foreign citizens spent more than 95 million roaming minutes of calls, which is an increase of 8.9 percent compared to the same period in 2021.
The number of SMS and MMS messages sent however was significantly lower compared to last year (a drop of 21.6 percent and 27.7 percent, respectively). In the last quarter of 2022, 62.3 percent of households used some form of paid television, and the trend of revenue growth from this service continued.
For more, check out our dedicated business section.
Croatian Cyclotourism Huge, Seriously Underutilized Opportunity
March 23, 2023 - Entry into the Schengen area is a massive opportunity for Croatian cyclotourism - not even administratively do borders now exist. Croatian destinations can begin to see Europe as a single, large market that needs to be studied, its needs and wishes understood, and the huge Croatian cyclotourism potential fully valorized.
Croatia will hardly use this potential without significant investments in infrastructure, hospitality establishments, and stronger support from local and national tourist agencies, warns Karlo Kucan, organizer of the three-day Days of Cyclotourism conference from May 10 to 12 in Sinj, Poslovni writes.
Preserved nature is another trump card
It is the first and so far the only Croatian specialized professional conference intended for this segment of the tourist offer, and it gathers various representatives of Croatian cyclotourism stakeholders, from ministries, the Croatian Tourist Board, agencies, local self-government representatives to clubs and equipment manufacturers.
The conference is held in a different place every year, and the Adriatic and continental destinations alternate. The fifth edition of the Days of Cyclotourism is going to Sinj, given that Dalmatian Zagora has great predispositions for developing such tourist products.
"In addition, the proximity of the largest coastal tourist centers, good traffic connections to the main markets, preserved nature, a dynamic and diverse landscape, and a wealth of heritage attractions, as well as food and wine offers, make up the region's valuable resources.
We chose the theme 'No borders, no limits' because, after several challenging years in which particular forms of tourism, especially cyclotourism, have shown resilience, it is time to fully develop its potential by using the incredible opportunities provided by freedom without borders.
Suffice it to say that the cyclotourism market in Europe is worth 44 billion euros, which is more than the cruising industry, which receives significantly more attention than Croatian cyclotourism.
In addition, the pandemic has done a lot for the promotion of this segment of tourism because people have turned much more to outdoor activities, to destinations that are not overcrowded", states Kucan, founder of the company Spot and the brand Trail - Full Cycling Experience, who signed the organization of the conference.
The company is engaged in the development and promotion of innovative tourist products. The brand Trail - Full Cycling Experience covers all elements of developing a cycling destination, from tracing trails, designing routes, educating service providers, creating promotional content, starting and organizing events, and providing business consulting to offer a destination that is competitive and sustainable.
Many ungraded roads
"Croatia declares itself as a country that wants to invest in cyclotourism, but the Slovenians have invested more only in the Drava cycle route than Croatia has in the entire country's infrastructure. When constructing new roads, Croatia is oriented toward motor vehicle traffic, and the plans do not include paths that would serve tourists and local residents. There are many ungraded roads that could get such infrastructure if it were considered at the local level.
Another important factor is the offer. Bike tourists arrive outside the summer season, and in many destinations in Croatia, they have nowhere to sleep, no hotels, restaurants, or shops are open. It is a question of the cooperation of all involved at the level of local units, not a question of one ministry", Kucan claims.
In addition, agencies specializing in Croatian cyclotourism can still be counted on the fingers of one hand, so it happens that partners from abroad cannot find a local agency that will help them organize the trip.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated News section.
An Insight into Croatian Cocaine Snorting Habits - They Like it on Fridays
March 23, 2023 - Cocaine use has increased across Europe, a study of wastewater across the European Union has found. The study analyzed samples collected during a one-week period between March and April last year for traces of cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA/ecstasy, ketamine and cannabis. What about Croatian cocaine snorting habits, though? It seems they like it most on Fridays.
As 24Sata / Reuters report, the highest levels of drug residues were found in Belgium, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands.
The study, which was largest to date, was conducted by the Lisbon-based European drug monitoring agency EMCDDA. The study analyzed daily wastewater in the catchment areas of treatment plants serving around 54 million people in 104 European cities.
They analyzed samples collected over a one-week period between March and April last year for traces of cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamines, MDMA/ecstasy, ketamine and cannabis and found that drug use was higher than in previous studies.
"Today's findings, from a record 104 cities, paint a picture of a drug problem that is both widespread and complex, with all six substances detected in almost all locations", said EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel.
The results showed a "continued increase in cocaine detections," a trend seen since 2016, and more cities reporting traces of methamphetamine.
More than half of the 66 European cities with data for 2021 and 2022 saw an increase in cocaine residues.
Ketamine was included in the analysis for the first time in 2022 due to "signs of increased availability of ketamine in Europe". The largest amount of residues was found in waste water in the cities of Denmark, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
As for Zagreb, a decrease in cocaine consumption was recorded, and the survey showed that the people of Zagreb most often take cocaine on Fridays.
If you'd like a more detailed insight, you can view the complete study here.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated News section.
Slowest Race Against Time: Croatia Scrambling to Spend EU Funds
March 23, 2023 - Croatia is participating in the slowest race against time. It took three years to get here, but in the next 100 days, 403 million euros must be spent for the reconstruction after Zagreb and Petrinja earthquakes. A large number of projects are being implemented in the areas where the Zagreb and Petrinja earthquakes hit, and, according to Minister Bacic, this gives hope that they will be able to use this money.
Three years after the Zagreb earthquake, Branko Bacic, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Spatial Planning, Construction, and State Property, stated for Otvoreno/24Sata that the funds spent so far amount to 600 million euros.
"In the next 100 days, we must spend 403 million euros. A large number of projects are being implemented in the area of the Zagreb and Petrinja earthquakes, and this gives hope that we will be able to use this money. The works are in full swing, the construction sites are filled with workers, and we keep receiving requests for reimbursement of funds daily", said Bacic in Otvoreno.
He adds that in the last two months since he became minister, they have spent 230 million euros, but he is not satisfied with the construction of replacement houses.
"I announced that in the next month, we will start the construction of 21 houses, but we should not forget that 2,134 buildings in Zagreb have been renovated. By the end of the year, we will complete 250 structural renovations of multi-apartment buildings in Zagreb, and half of them will be self-renovation - says Bačić.
Rector of the University of Zagreb, Stjepan Lakusic: their forecasts were different
"It is standard for the first analyzes and examinations to be carried out in three months, and the employees of the faculty and all colleagues from our departmental chambers did this properly. They did everything possible; they created a database, archived the entire procedure, public tenders started for public buildings, and funds managed private houses. The key was to issue public tenders with quality, and we tried to do it as soon as possible. But we did not foresee a very long time for tenders that still go on after you gather all the documentation", Lakusic pointed out.
Luka Korlaet, deputy mayor of Zagreb, said that they are satisfied with the renovation in Zagreb.
"We spent HRK 42 million for household reconstruction; we formed mobile teams that helped citizens at 5,000 addresses from door to door to fulfill the requirements of the Ministry for constructive reconstruction..." stressed Korlaet.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated News section.
Happy Birthday! Josip Manolic Celebrates 103rd Birthday
March the 22nd, 2023 - Josip Manolic, Croatia's former prime minister and one of this country's most famous pensioners who seems to outlive just about everyone and everything else, is celebrating his 103rd birthday today. Happy birthday, Josip!
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the legendary Josip Manolic, former Croatian Prime Minister and one of the most famous retirees in Croatian history, turned 103 years old today.
Manolic was born in was born on the 22nd of March, 1920, in Kalinovac near Djurdjevac. He began to engage in politics in 1937, and the following year, he became a youth and trade union leader. During the Second World War, he became the organisational secretary of the PK SKOJ for Croatia. In 1944, according to the organisation of the UN, he was sent as the commander-in-chief to the operation to liberate Bjelovar and its surroundings.
In 1946, Josip Manolic lived and worked in Zagreb as the head of the department for the execution of criminal sanctions in the then Secretariat for Internal Affairs. In 1948, he became the head of the Secretariat of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Croatia. In 1960, he graduated from the Faculty of Law in Zagreb, and in that same year he became the head of the SUP (Secretariat of Internal Affairs) of the SFRY.
In 1965, he was elected to the Parliament of the SR of Croatia and held the positions of president of the organisational-political committee, president of the legislative-legal commission, and was also a member of the Constitutional Commission. By the time 1969 rolled around, he had been elected to the Parliament of the SR of Croatia for the second time. After the damous Croatian Spring (Hrvatsko proljece), he became a dissident and became acquainted with Dr. Franjo Tudjman.
He is one of the founders of HDZ, and in 1990, he became the vice-president of the Presidency of the Republic of Croatia. In the early 1990s, he was the second man in the newly created Republic of Croatia, next to Dr. Franjo Tudjman, with whom he had become a very close associate. From August the 24th, 1990 to July the 17th, 1991, he held the office of Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, succeeding Stipe Mesic in that position, because the latter was elected as the Croatian member of the Presidency of the SFRY.
Since 1991, he had been the head of the Office for the Protection of the Constitutional Order (a body that coordinated all secret services). From 1993 to 1994, he held the position of President of the County House of the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia.
In 1994, Josip Manolic left HDZ due to disagreements about its policy towards neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1995, he founded his party, the Croatian Independent Democrats (HND), whose president he became the following year.
He is currently enjoying retirement after an extremely full and eventful life.
For more, check out our news section.
Three Years On: A Tale of 4 Earthquakes
March 22, 2023 - It is three years since the Zagreb earthquake - some reflections from a longterm resident of Croatia. A tale of 4 earthquakes.
My phone started pinging at 06:25, just a minute after it happened.
But it did not wake me.
For I was already chained to my laptop since 05:00, working in bed in Jelsa on the idyllic island of Hvar, as I was every day in those early days of the pandemic, trying to keep my business alive as all clients cancelled around me. March 2020 was already the scariest month of my time in Croatia. And it was about to get worse.
Earthquake in Zagreb!
The earthquake struck at 06:24, and my article was indexed by Google News at 06:39, the first news in English on the web, and the first of many articles we would write that day and in the coming weeks.
(Photo credit - Vlada.hr)
And then the horrible sight from the maternity ward car park in Zagreb, of evacuated mothers and their newborns huddling in the cold - threatened by both corona and aftershocks. There was not much I could do from my Jelsa bed, apart from write, write, write, as well as check on the Zagreb team. Lauren, my editor, was safe if a little traumatised. She wrote a brilliant piece on the first anniversary - Zagreb Earthquake Memories - Deafening Sounds and Cracking Walls.
(Photo credit - Forrest J. Stilin)
Our other writer at the time had a much more dramatic wakeup call, with a chandelier landing on his bed and narrowly missing him.
One child died. The government made all the usual promises, and the emergency was acute. And while the main focus was on the city itself, little attention was paid to the village just outside Zagreb, where Karla Lemaic (who quite coincidentally happens to be the producer of my talkshow on 24Sata 3 years later), sent us this video report from the epicentre.
Months passed, with little sign of anything happening regarding the renovation. EU funds were made available, and then - on December 28, 2020 - disaster struck again about 50km from Zagreb in the Petrinja and Sisak area, with another powerful earthquake, whose epicentre was the village of Majske Poljane. I visited the next day to document the story, which you can read in Majske Poljane, Glina, Petrinja: A Foreigner View of Croatia's Emergency Response.
I returned to Majske Poljane one year later, coinciding with a trip there by Croatian President Zoran Milanovic, and saw little change - read more in Petrinja Earthquake 1 Year On: Politics, Pain, Problems, But Progress?
And, as TCN reported on the second anniversary in December 2022, Banovina Earthquake Reconstruction Recap 2 Years Later - Houses Built: 6
Tragic.
Especially when you compare it to past earthquake responses, earthquakes which wrought much more destruction, death and homelessness.
Back in Januay 15, 2022, I posted a new status on Facebook:
This is how good we are.
In 1962, the Makarska earthquake destroyed or badly damaged 12,000 homes. Within 17 months, everything had been rebuilt.
In 1963, the Skopje earthquake killed over 1,000, left 150,000+ homeless, and destroyed or badly damaged 75% of the city. Within 17 months, the city had been redesigned and 14,000 apartments had been built. (link in second comment)
In 2020, the Zagreb and then Petrinja earthquakes badly damaged both cities. 17 months later, little to nothing has been done, and now EU funds earmarked for the earthquake will have to be returned, as the deadline for spending them is looming.
There ain't no political leadership like Croatian political leadership. Happy Anniversary, Croatia, on the 30th anniversary of International Day of Recognition of Croatia. A golden age when the population was 4.78 million, compared to 3.88 million today.
You can read more in Makarska Earthquake 1962 Full Reconstruction after 17 Months: And Zagreb, Petrinja 2020?
(And for more of an account of the 1962 earthquake and aftermath through the eyes of a child, read An 8-Year-Old's Memory of the Dalmatian Earthquake of 1962.)
I contacted Karla Lemaic to see how things were going in the epicentre village three years later:
"After 3 years in Markuševec, the epicenter of the earthquake, the most of all people have changed. Many received help and support from the City of Zagreb. Some took advantage of it, and for some it brought even bigger problems. For example, the deadline for submitting invoices in order to justify the use of money from the City for the purpose of renovation is only one year. In one year, you cannot find a construction company that would completely renovate larger projects and issue an invoice. Also, sometimes the renewal of requests and other repairs opens up 'old holes', so this donation from the City is not even enough. Be that as it may, most of them solved the aesthetic repairs, so Markuševec looks nicer, but with every new news about the earthquake somewhere in the world, old wounds appear."
1962, with much worse infrastructure and no EU funds - 12,000 destroyed homes rebuilt in 17 months.
And in Zagreb and Petrinja 2023, more than two years on?
The Croatian people deserve a lot better.
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You can subscribe to the Paul Bradbury Croatia Expert YouTube channel here.
What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning - Business and Dalmatia.
Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn.
Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners is now available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.
