Croatia Left with 50 Days to Use 140 Million from EU Funds
May 10, 2023 - Vice president of the Government and Minister of Spatial Planning, Construction, and State Property Branko Bacic stated on Wednesday, in the context of the dynamics of reconstruction after the earthquake and the use of EU funds, that another 140 million euros should be used in the next 50 days.
"The deadline for using the funds for the Zagreb and Petrinja earthquake reconstruction is practically the same, so by June 30, we have to use the funds in the total amount of one billion and three million euros. As of today, we have reached 863 million euros, so there are still 140 million euros left to use in the next 50 days," Bačić said on Croatian Radio's show A, sada Vlada.
Problems caused by inadequate laws
He assumes, as he said, that at this pace the EU funds could be used even before the deadline. "In the less than four months that I have been at the head of the Ministry, we have achieved a dynamic in which we realize projects on a daily level of around 4.5 million euros. Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, we will use the full amount from the Reconstruction Fund for the Petrinja earthquake," he predicts.
Bačić also listed the problems his ministry is facing due to inadequate laws.
"What I have witnessed in the past four months is that in Zagreb, in the Ministry or the Government, we spend time deciding on managing small parcels worth around 1,000-2,000 euros, which are necessary to realize a project. There are many situations in which it is unnecessary that the center of Zagreb decides on parcels in the area of, for example, Dubrovnik-Neretva County," he points out.
"We inherited 50,000 pending cases"
In this sense, he says, he announced the draft of the new law on real estate management. "As a ministry, we are not sufficiently educated to manage the financial assets of the Republic of Croatia. We are primarily architects, engineers, and surveyors. Therefore, we have shared financial management with the Ministry of Finance," he continued.
He added that many unresolved cases are hindering the economic growth of the Republic of Croatia. "In the Ministry, we inherited 50,000 unresolved cases. That number is a terrible brake on the economic development of the Republic of Croatia. It is important that it works and permeates," he asserted.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated News section.
Azerbaijan to Become an Important Source of Gas for Croatia?
May 10, 2023 - Azerbaijan, a country on the border of Europe and Asia, could become a gas exporter to Croatia in the coming years, as Croatia is considering connecting to the gas pipeline there.
The morning fog hangs over the Caspian Lake, which some consider a sea because of its size and brackish water. At a distance of 70 kilometers lies the Shah Deniz gas field, with an area as large as the two largest Croatian islands, Cres and Krk, combined, as Poslovni writes.
Six oil companies extract gas from a depth of 600 meters, then press it into pipes that stretch to neighboring Georgia. From there, they go through Turkey and Greece to Albania. One branch then enters Italy, while the construction of the other, which would go through Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina to Croatia, is being considered.
"Croatia supports this project. We believe it is important to have another additional supply route where the gas from Azerbaijan would reach Split, where our gas pipeline network goes," Croatian Economy Minister Davor Filipović recently said for Hina.
He and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković discussed this project in January with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at a forum in Davos, Switzerland.
"At that time, we talked with the representatives of Montenegro; we continued to talk with our friends in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There is a lot of interest in that direction, so I believe we will eventually do that project," adds Filipović.
The project, known as the Adriatic-Ionian pipeline, has been under consideration since 2012 when the Croatian natural gas transport company Plinacro and the Ministry of Economy began participating in meetings of interested countries. However, implementation was not started at that time because gas from Russia was cheaper, and the amount of gas from Azerbaijan was limited.
Everything changed five months after Russia invaded Ukraine.
The EU, which until then imported 40 percent of its gas from Russia, turned to liquefied gas from the USA, Norway, Algeria, and Azerbaijan.
Five hundred kilometers of gas pipeline to Split
The President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, signed a strategic partnership agreement with President Aliyev in July.
"More than 10 European countries are asking us to increase deliveries," Aliyev said at the political Global Baku Forum. The country of the former Soviet Union exported a total of 19 billion cubic meters of gas in 2019 and plans to deliver 24 billion this year.
"Half of that will be exported to Europe," said Alijev, who visited Sarajevo last month.
Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Šabazov Ogtaj says their goal is not only to increase the volume of existing partners "but to add new partners, including those in the Western Balkans."
The Adriatic-Ionian gas pipeline from the Albanian town of Fieri to Split would be 511 kilometers long.
With it, Croatia would get half of the total five billion cubic meters of gas per year, what would be its capacity, Plinacro reported on its website. He announced the completion of the project in 2025.
"It is difficult to talk about the time dynamics now because talks are still being held, but there is interest in all countries," says Filipović.
Croatia would export the imported gas and part of that from the LNG terminal on Krk to EU countries because these quantities would exceed the domestic needs of Croatian households and industry.
Filipović notes that Croatia wants to position itself "as the energy hub of this part of Europe" and help other countries with supply.
Land of fire, oil, and gas
The Shah Deniz field in the Caspian Lake was discovered in 1999, and production began in 2006.
Toghrul Velijev, an analyst at the Baku Research Institute, believes that Azerbaijan can meet five to six percent of the EU's gas needs from there. The European Commission reported last summer that Azerbaijan will deliver 20 billion cubic meters to the EU by 2027.
"That statement is too optimistic for both parties," says Velijev, who believes that his country can export between 12 and 13 billion cubic meters to the EU.
At the same time, traffic jams are forming on roundabouts in Baku. The streets are full of cars because a liter of the cheapest gasoline costs 0.53 euros.
"Almost everything here was built with oil and gas money," says taxi driver Orkhan as he passes between the opposites, blocks of concrete apartment buildings built during socialism and modern glass shopping malls.
On the postcards of Baku, there are three glass hotels with 30 floors, built in the shape of a flame.
"Azerbaijan, the land of fire" is a tourist advertisement from the jerseys of the football club Atletico Madrid in 2014, which played twice in the final of the Champions League.
Baku was one of the stadiums where the 2021 European Football Championship was played, and since 2017, Formula 1 races have been held on its streets.
Companies should increase their investments to continue the oil expansion, but some are restrained.
"For companies to be interested in investing in infrastructure and increasing exports, they need contracts for 20 to 25 years, not five years," explains analyst Velijev.
He notes that the EU initiative on reducing the use of fossil fuels
of fuels, including natural gas, makes companies reluctant to invest in infrastructure.
Hydrogen - solution or promise?
Currently, the world is discussing the use of hydrogen, which would be produced from renewable energy sources and transported through adapted gas pipelines.
"Hydrogen can be a solution, but it is more of a promise," says Dimitar Lilkov, an analyst at the Belgium-based Wilfred Martens Center for European Studies.
Hydrogen usage is currently below one percent worldwide.
"In the short term, it is not a solution, so in the coming years, the EU will still have to think about how to import natural gas and connect to various gas pipelines," believes Lilkov, who spoke about it ten days ago at the economic forum in Delphi.
Hydrogen could also go to Croatia through the future pipes of the Adriatic-Ionian gas pipeline.
"Plinacro will ensure these pipes are ready for hydrogen when expanding our gas pipeline network. We also have to think about the future," notes Filipović. "Everything we do now, we think about how to use it in the best possible way," he adds.
Work on the depths of the vast Caspian Lake continues while passers-by stroll carelessly along its shores. The glass shopping center, in the shape of a blossoming flower, attracts the residents of Baku to shops like those found in Western Europe.
"There are more and more modern buildings like this," says driver Orkhan. "And it will grow sky high and become more and more luxurious if oil and gas continue to be exported."
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated News section.
Sanja Music Milanovic to Host EU Leaders' Spouses Conference
May 10, 2023 - Croatia's first Lady, Sanja Music Milanovic, is hosting a European leaders' spouses conference tomorrow. The topic is childhood obesity prevention, which should lay the foundations for coordinated action to stop the increase in childhood obesity, the Office of the President announced.
As Index writes, obesity in children is currently one of the most difficult public health challenges. According to data from the World Health Organization, every third child in Europe lives with excessive body weight or obesity, and most adults live with the condition.
Childhood obesity carries over into adulthood and puts people at risk of developing non-communicable diseases, one of the leading causes of premature death and disability. Since not enough has been done to solve the problem of childhood obesity, this problem requires urgent attention, according to the press release.
The conference is organized by President Milanovic and hosted by his wife
With this aim, a conference of European leaders' spouses on obesity prevention in children will be held in Zagreb. The conference is organized by the Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia and the European Office of the World Health Organization, and the hosts of the conference are the wife of the Croatian President, Sanja Music Milanovic, and the Executive Director of the European Office of the World Health Organization, Robb Butler.
The conference should, among other things, mark the prevention of obesity in children as a priority and stimulate the discussion of key stakeholders on the actions that need to be taken to prevent obesity in children, with a particular emphasis on promoting and creating a healthy environment in which children have access to quality nutrition and physical activity.
The conference is also expected to adopt the Zagreb Declaration, which calls for establishing a new World Health Organization European Center for Childhood Obesity Prevention.
In the opening part of the conference, the wife of the Croatian president Sanja Music Milanovic, executive director of the European Office of the World Health Organization, Robb Butler, Queen Letizia of Spain, Minister of Health Vili Beros, and Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomasevic will address the participants.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated News section.
How to Croatia - All You Need to Know About Croatian Tourist Visas
May the 10th, 2023 - What with Schengen, the EU and beyond, questions have once again arisen about the different Croatian tourist visas the country issues. ETIAS, which isn't a visa but a travel authorisation, is also due to come in next year. Let's delve a bit deeper.
ETIAS
First and foremost, as I mentioned above, an ETIAS isn't a Croatian tourist visa, it's merely a travel authorisation and the plan is for it to become operational in 2024. ETIAS approval is not the same as having a residence permit in an EU country, it is intended for short stays of 90 days or less in any 180 days only.
Nationals of the following non-EU countries (over 60 nations) who do not require visas to enter the EU will be required to obtain an ETIAS for short-term stays in the EU. This doesn't include legal residents of Croatia (who can evidence their rights with a residence permit). They will not require an ETIAS. An ETIAS will cost seven euros and be valid for multiple entries into the EU for a period of three years, or until the travel document registered to it expires, if that's sooner. In some cases, it will be free.
30 European countries will require visa-exempt nationals to have an ETIAS to enter. You can find out much more detailed information on ETIAS plans here.
Who doesn't need a visa?
Citizens of European Union or European Economic Area countries do not require a visa to enter or stay in Croatia for a period of ninety days in any 180 days.
Legal residents of Croatia, regardless of their nationality, do not require a visa to enter or stay in Croatia. Those who hold temporary residence permits are free to stay in the country for as long as their residence permit remains valid. Those who hold permanent Croatian residence can enter and remain in Croatia indefinitely and without any conditions.
It's worth noting that there are some third-country nationals (people who do not hold the citizenship of an EU/EEA country) who can enter Croatia without a visa.
Who does need a visa?
The list of countries whose citizens do require Croatian tourist visas is extensive, so instead of listing them all individually here, I'll provide a link to a government source (from the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs). You can also do a quick check for yourself and your own citizenship/Croatian entry requirements using Wikipedia.
What types of Croatian tourist visas are issued?
Croatia issues multiple Croatian tourist visas, these are the A visa and the C visa (both of which are short-term stay Schengen visas), and the D visa, which is a Croatian national visa, issued for people on a long-term stay in the country. I'll break down the ins and outs below:
A visa
The A visa (Croatian: Viza A/zrakoplovno tranzitna viza) is an air transit visa which facilitates either single or multiple passages through international transit areas of a Croatian airport. It remains valid from its date of issue for a period of no longer than six months (+ fifteen days).
C visa
The C visa (Croatian: Viza C/kratkotrajna viza) is a short-term stay Schengen visa issued to third-country nationals (individuals who do not hold the citizenship of an EEA member state and who require a visa) and facilitates their entry and stay in Croatia or in any other Schengen member state for a period not exceeding ninety days in any 180 day period.
What makes the C visa a little bit more interesting is the fact that it can be issued for either a single entry or for multiple entries into Croatia and for various purposes. Another interesting bit of information about the C visa is that despite the fact that it is classed as a short-term stay visa, it can remain valid for up to five years depending on your purpose of travel. These purposes are as follows:
Business
Personal stay
Transit
Tourist stay
Other types of stay
D visa
The D visa (Croatian: Viza D/dugotrajna viza), is a long-term national visa (nacionalna viza) which allows a third-country national to stay in Croatia for up to thirty days if they have already been granted temporary stay for the purposes referred to in the Croatian Law on Foreigners (zakon o strancima), or if they've already been issued with a stay and work permit, and if they are required to hold a short-stay visa in order to legally enter Croatia. Much more detailed information on the D visa can be found here.
How do I apply for a Croatian tourist visa?
Those who require visas to enter and stay in Croatia, or indeed to transit through it, must make their visa applications before entering the country.
In person
You can apply at a Croatian consulate or embassy in your country. A list of all Croatian embassies/consular posts abroad can be found here.
The rule of thumb is not to make your visa application any sooner than six months before your planned date of travel to Croatia, and no later than fifteen days before it. The general timeframe required for the authorities to give your visa application the green light (assuming all is as it should be) is fifteen days.
Online
You can apply for a Croatian tourist visa here, and find out all of the ins and outs pertaining to your particular nationality and reason for entering Croatia here. Both of these links are to official sources (the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Interior Ministry), they will also detail the documents you need to apply for a Croatian tourist visa, as well as any associated fees.
An extensive list of travel documents issued by the governments of third countries and which are accepted by Croatian border officers can be found here, and the Croatian tourist visa application forms themselves are offered in the following languages:
Croatian
Ukrainian
Turkish
Arabic
English
Russian
Spanish
Portuguese
French
Chinese
German
Albanian
At the Croatian border in exceptional and justified circumstances
I want to preface this by saying please don't ever do this unless it is for absolutely justified reasons that you can easily prove. It just isn't worth the hassle and the border officer can simply refuse you entry if you don't have a decent reason (such as serious unforeseen, urgent circumstances) and all of the required documentation.
If you obtain a Croatian tourist visa this way, you are severely restricted in what it serves for. It will facilitate only transit or one single entry of up to fifteen days at most.
You can find a list of all of the required documentation here, as well as which Croatian borders offer this possibility as an entry option (it's very important to note that not all of them do).
How do I calculate my time spent in the Schengen zone?
If you require a Schengen visa in order to enter and spend ninety days in any 180 days in Croatia or the rest of the Schengen zone, you'll need to make sure you're accurately calculating your days. A handy calculator can be accessed by clicking here.
For more on moving to, living in and travelling to and from Croatia, make sure to keep up with our dedicated lifestyle section. An article tackling anything from a specific administrative issue to tips on renting a car or bringing your pet into the country is published every Wednesday as part of our How to Croatia series.
KBC Split Acquires First Therapy Dog in Croatia - Meet Dora
May 11, 2023 - KBC Split is the first hospital in Croatia that has its own therapy dog. Her name is Dora, she is the cutest, and she has been working for almost two weeks now.
As Dalmatinski Portal writes, the royal poodle, one year and six months old, became part of the Department of Psychology and Educational Rehabilitation of the Clinic for Children's Diseases of KBC Split. In addition to classic approaches, children will also have the option of innovative therapy methods that include a specially trained dog in therapeutic procedures or activities with children. It is a method that is available in many countries in Europe and the world, and KBC Split is the first in Croatia to provide this type of intervention.
Many employees of the Split hospital came to greet their new coworker. They also attended a lecture "Say yes to a therapy dog" to learn about the advantages of introducing a therapy dog as part of the intervention of an occupational therapist at the Clinic for Children's Diseases.
President Mira Katalenić spoke about the history of development and activities of the Croatian Guide Dog Training and Mobility Association, with whose cooperation and support this project was realized. She explained the importance of animal-assisted therapy, thanks to which the physical, social, emotional and/or cognitive functioning of the users improves. Assistance dog instructor Lana Glavan explained what their training process looks like, stressing that dogs become motivators and collaborators in the creation of occupational therapy interventions.
Occupational therapist and therapy dog manager for KBC Split, Matea Videk, revealed that Dora will be of help to the children patients of KBC Split. She pointed out that some of the planned activities with the therapy dog include individual occupational therapy procedures focused on therapeutic feeding, sensory integration, the floortime approach focused on the development of social skills and play, group cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy with school-age children with a wide range of difficulties within the Children's Day Clinic, as well as preparation through play for medical procedures and occasional dog visits to long-term hospitalized patients.
Director of KBC Split prof. Ph.D. Julije Meštrović expressed his joy that this project, which had been in the works for more than a year, has been successfully realized. "Medical care for children increasingly requires a multidisciplinary approach, especially in the context of the emergence of new children's diseases and disorders, to which KBC Split responded by employing children's psychologists, educational rehabilitators, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and even a therapy dog," he said and thanked everyone who have helped to make this big and beautiful step forward for tiny patients.
He also reminded that preparatory activities for the construction of the Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders of Children and Youth building are underway. Assoc. prim. Ph.D. Branka Polić, head of the Clinic for Children's Diseases of KBC Split, also expressed gratitude and confirmed that Dora has been enthusiastically accepted by the work team and the children who will spend every day with her.
Head of the Department of Psychology and Educational Rehabilitation, Ph.D. Irena Mišetić emphasized that the research results show that inclusion of therapy dogs in the therapeutic process brings numerous benefits for children, such as a reduction in stress and anxiety, a reduced feeling of loneliness, a feeling of increased physical and psychological well-being, improved quality of life and physiological functioning, a reduction of trauma symptoms, reduced withdrawal from therapy and increased level of participation in group therapies, while not interfering with processes relevant to effective psychotherapy. Also, there are indications that dogs can detect and respond to the emotional state of humans, making them useful in detecting emotional distress.
All the benefits were confirmed by 23-year-old Valentina Banić, who has been a patient of KBC Split for 22 years, and has had her own therapy dog for 11 years. It helped her improve the overall quality of life, her self-confidence increased, she was able to establish social interaction more easily and create a new circle of friends. Among the activities she enjoys with her dog, she especially emphasized hiking.
Hopefully the little patients of KBC Split will develop amazing friendships with Dora, improve their quality of life and build many beautiful memories.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Lifestyle section.
Meet the 33-Year-Old Croatian (Possibly) Guinness World Record Cock
May 13, 2023 - Mario Bašić (52) from Sinj is the owner of the 33-Year-Old (possibly) Guinness World Record Cock, the oldest in Croatia and probably the world. His rooster Bašo is an "Italian," the heir of a noble lineage. He thinks they might stand a chance to win.
Bašo did not especially like that the crew of 24Sata disturbed him and disrupted his everyday life. After all, he is a 33-year-old, long-time feathered pet of Mario Bašić (52) from Suhač near Sinj. The Croatian word is kokot or, as they would say in the southern regions, pivac. When experts confirm his age, he could end up in the Guinness Book of Records. Currently, the oldest on the pages of the famous book is a 26-year-old rooster. For Mario, Bašo is not just an ordinary pet; he means much more to him.
"He belonged to my brother Boris, who died three years ago. I keep it now, not only because it has been part of the family for years but also in memory of my brother. He bred Bašo himself at the beginning of the Homeland War; I can't say precisely if it was in 1990 or 1991, says Mario, who, apart from the, possibly, world record cock, keeps another kokot in the big coop, who could be more than 20 years old. He also keeps laying hens.
Bašo was reluctant to pose for the 24Sata camera, the red comb that fell over one of his eyes hindered him from controlling his surroundings, but Mario wasn't too bothered because the rooster maybe weighs 200 grams. This, possibly, world record cock is an "Italian," the heir of a noble lineage.
"All the poultry used to live outside, grazing free, but now we keep them inside. Times are not the same. I'm not letting these two old cocks go out at all. A wolf once "slaughtered" a dozen chickens, and even Bašo was also seriously injured. He managed to recover, though. A few years later, the wolf also died, bit by a viper, and there was no way to save him", recalls Mario, adding that the chickens are stalked by various predators - eagles, hawks, and even wolves that come down to Suhač, but also to Sinj.
Mario would like to nominate Bašo for the Guinness Book of Records, but since he does not know the procedure, he would like someone to help him. He was told that he could accurately determine Bašo's age by analyzing his feathers, but he's got too much work on his farm and no time to deal with that.
Mario, by the way, is a veteran of the Homeland War, and to supplement his household budget, he grows immortelle. He also revealed what Bašo's favourite treats are. - Dandelion. He adores it - says Mario. We do hope that Bašo ends up carrying the Guinness World Record Cock title that he deserves.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Lifestyle section.
Novska Gaming Centre Nominated for Prestigious Emerging Europe Award
May the 9th, 2023 - The Novska Gaming Centre, which has placed an otherwise very much overlooked part of Croatia into the spotlight of a rapidly evolving and wildly popular pastime, has been nominated for the Emerging Europe Award.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Novska Gaming Centre (Novska Gaming Industry Centre) has been nominated for the prestigious "Emerging Europe Awards" in the "Inclusive Entrepreneurship Initiative of the Year" category. These are awards that Europe gives to regional achievements in sustainability, innovation and entrepreneurship, and the Novska Gaming Centre, which is currently still only in its design phase, has already been duly recognised as a project from which a great deal can be expected.
The Pismo Incubator has pointed out that according to the votes cast so far, the Novska Gaming Centre is in the top three projects.
"The Novska Gaming Centre includes a large campus with a gaming industry accelerator, a faculty building, a student dormitory and all other accompanying sports facilities, as well as an e-sports arena and a business incubator, all intended for the development of the gaming industry here as a whole. The location where it will be located is the Novska business zone, and the building will span a massive 8,000 square metres and will be worth 50 million euros, the financing for which comes from the just transition fund. Considering the successes achieved by the fastest growing Croatian entrepreneurial incubator with its seventy start-ups and numerous projects, we believe that we can win this award,'' they stated from the Pismo Incubator.
The Novska Gaming Centre has been described in the nomination as a project in the making that proves how an industry branch can be created from scratch and successfully developed, which is so far very much in evidence if we look at the example of the Pismo Incubator itself.
"We're at an advanced stage of designing the centre. We obtained the location permit back in December last year, and the designers are currently submitting their applications for the first of five building permits, and that's why we are extremely happy to hear that we've been nominated for this prestigious award in the category of projects that represent the future of Europe,'' stated Andreja Seperac.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated business section.
Podravka to Invest 100 Million EUR into Doing Greener Business
May the 9th, 2023 - The large Croatian company Podravka, based in Koprivnica, is set to invest a massive 100 million euros into doing greener business and focusing on sustainability.
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Darko Bicak writes, Podravka will pour as much as 100 million euros into development based on sustainability by 2030, according to an announcement from Martina Dalic at a recently held presentation of the Sustainability Strategy of this corporation.
"As one of the leading food companies in Central and Southeastern Europe, Podravka is aware of its economic importance and responsibility for the environment and the community. Just as we constantly strive for excellence in terms of our basic business, we also want to follow the highest standards in the implementation of the principles of engaging in sustainable and responsible business," said Dalic.
She added that the Koprivnica-based company celebrated 75 years of doing business last year. "In order to be just as successful or even more successful in the coming decades, we must treat the environment, resources, all our stakeholders and the community in which we operate responsibly. The numerous challenges we've been facing in the last few years further indicate that there's absolutely no alternative to doing sustainable and responsible business. This isn't merely an option, but the only way any company can survive and remain successful in the long term. By adopting the Sustainability Strategy of the Podravka Group, we're publicly committing ourselves to the fulfillment of specific goals, which is an additional incentive to successfully and completely realise all our plans. We are investing 100 million euros into the fulfillment of these goals, which are significant financial resources, but we're convinced that in this way we will further improve our competitiveness and strengthen our market position,'' said Dalic.
As explained by Ines Ignjatovic, Director of Strategic Business Development of Podravka, the key investments that support and enable the fulfillment of the wider Podravka Group's sustainability goals include, among other things, the expansion of their solar power plant, the construction of a cogeneration plant, the concentration of bakery production in neighbouring Slovenia at one location, the modernisation of their fleet and the construction of a new logistics and distribution centre at home in Koprivnica.
In the area of healthy eating, Podravka will increase the number of products it sells with a lower content of salt, added sugar and saturated fat per serving, as well as products that contain positive ingredients and/or promote a healthy, balanced and sustainable diet. In the area of a clean environment, Podravka will focus on goals such as reducing its own carbon dioxide emissions, increasing the share of renewable energy sources (OIE) it uses in its total energy consumption, using recyclable packaging, reducing mineral fertilizers and pesticides in agricultural production, and many other things.
When it comes to caring for employees and the wider community, Podravka will continue to work actively on equal gender representation and reducing the difference in wages between men and women, improving the general material rights of employees and their working conditions, as well as developing new skills, gaining new knowledge and furthering the competences of their employees. Looking at more concrete figures, by the year 2030, Podravka plans to have 100% of its electricity come from renewable sources in production in the European Union (EU) and 50% of its heat energy from renewable sources in production.
Sasja Beslik, an international financial expert and advocate of sustainable business and the author of the global bestseller "Where the money tree grows", also gave an interesting lecture at the presentation of Podravka's sustainable business strategy. Beslik spoke about the importance of integrating a more sustainability strategy into the company's business strategy, stressing that it is the only path to profitable growth with a positive impact on society and the environment.
At the very end of the event, one of the leading Croatian experts on sustainability topics, Dunja Mazzocco Drvar, Director of the Directorate for Climate Activities of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, spoke about climate change and the need for urgent action from us all.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated business section.
Lack of Croatian Nautical Tourism Organisation as Trogir Suffers
May the 9th, 2023 - Trogir, which sits close to Split in Central Dalmatia and is one of the many Croatian towns under UNESCO protection, is suffering due to a lack of Croatian nautical tourism organisation. This beautiful town, the layout of which dates way back to the Hellenistic period, is struggling considerably with a mini cruiser problem.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the winter-time accommodation of large tourist ships is becoming an increasing problem all over the Croatian Adriatic, especially in Dalmatia. In Trogir, people generally aren't very happy that every year, more and more such boats are moored at their waterfront in winter, pointing to an issue with Croatian nautical tourism organisation in the area. Locals have even started joking that the Trogir waterfront has become the only shipyard under UNESCO protection in the entire world, as reported by HRT.
All winter long, half of the long Trogir waterfront (riva) is occupied by tourist boats moored in several rows. It has been like this for years now, but the ships are getting bigger and there are more and more of them gradually appearing. ''You can't see Ciovo from the waterfront anymore, and you can't see the city from Ciovo,'' say Trogir's residents.
"In the winter, it has now really exceeded every measure. There's also the problem that in winter the waterfront transforms into a "mini shipyard" out in the open. Everyone is there carrying out some service or painting their vessels. The UNESCO core of the city is certainly not the place for such a thing," said the mayor of Trogir, Ante Bilic.
In order to make sure there is no confusion, the people of Trogir aren't against large tourist boats being there, quite on the contrary, they've become an important part of the tourist offer. However, they would like to see fewer of them in the winter season, and on the other hand, to have as many of them as possible in the summer. It's also worth noting that this lack of organisation from the Croatian nautical tourism sector is even more strange given that Trogir is more or less completely surrounded by a series of marinas and harbors.
"We need to find a common language, because sailing is one of the most important segments of tourist activity in Trogir. At last year's Days of Croatian Tourism, Trogir was declared the most successful destination within the scope of Croatian nautical tourism,'' explained the director of the the Tourist Board of Trogir, Marin Piveta.
The county port authority, which charges people for winter mooring in Trogir, is expected to find an alternative location for the very problematic mini-cruisers, but they have stated that this will not be possible for at least another two to three years until two new ports are built in the Municipality of Dugi Rat. The home port of the largest tourist fleet on the Adriatic in Krilo Jesenice has long been too small and as such these ships are located at winter berths throughout Dalmatia.
"The number of ships that are looking for both winter and annual berths is increasing. With our infrastructure being as it currently is, we can't keep up with the construction of new ships, we're trying to reduce the increasing number of vessels in our ports. We've given the people from Krilo several options, especially now that the works are starting there, and that's a ferry port in Stari Grad that can accommodate a larger number of vessels on an annual basis," explained the director of the County Port Authority, Domagoj Maroevic.
Professor Ivo Babic from Trogir, the former rector of the University of Split, asked a long time ago in his writings just how wide the Adriatic actually is and whether there is a limit to the touristic exploitation of the area, including that on the Trogir waterfront.
"This is just a small negative aspect of tourism. As a young man, I was an apologist for tourism, I saw in it a chance for old cities, for revitalisation, but now I see that mass tourism is really dangerous for the environment and for the lives of the local population. I'd use a modern term - commercialisation of the world. Everything is being commercialised, from national parks onwards," claimed Babic.
He doesn't want to move out of Trogir's historic core, even though he says that in the summer it became unbearable, given that the town has been turned into a large inn.
"I wouldn't like to spread pessimism but I really don't see a bright future in terms of ecology and the environment. I'm afraid that capitalism is the natural state of the world, that maximum expansion suits the people - as much as is possible in a shorter period of time and with the least possible effort," he added.
Mass tourism threatens everyone in various ways, the growth in the number of large tourist ships is only a small part of the whole story. Is sustainable tourism even possible? As for the Trogir waterfront, it seems it will continue to be occupied by mini-cruisers over the coming winters.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated news section.
Croatian Wages to Increase Owing to Measures, But Not for Everyone
May the 9th, 2023 - Croatian wages are set to increase for a significant proportion of the population thanks to recently introduced government measures, but it won't be the case for everyone.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, neither the complete abolition of surtaxes, nor the increase of the non-taxable part of Croatian wages, nor the reduction of income tax rates will raise the salaries of about two-thirds of taxpayers from next year on, because even with the current rules, those individuals don't pay those particular taxes, as Novi list reports.
Only those people with a net salary of at least 800 euros per month or even those who earn more than the average net salary stand to actually benefit financially from this latest government move aimed at increasing Croatian wages. This is the main reason why the government is seriously considering reducing pension contributions in the first place in order to raise the figure those who earn lower salaries take home each month.
That said, after the abolition of surtaxes, Croatian wages would not increase even for those with above-average incomes, because many of them live in cities and municipalities that have not introduced or abolished the surtaxes and so they'll keep on having to pay local levies.
Where surtaxes aren't already being paid, its cancellation from January the 1st will not actually bring anyone a higher salary, and it's highly unlikely that those cities and municipalities will take advantage of the opportunity to further reduce income tax rates, because they already tried to relieve the burden on their residents by deciding to waive the need to pay surtaxes previously.
Just many workers will actually be left without a salary increase from January the 1st due to these circumstances, although the government keeps on claiming that salaries will increase for everyone, is currently unknown. All we do know is that facts will need to be faced at some point or another, as the Croatian Government is expected to come out with this data when it presents its proposal for tax changes.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated news section.
