April 26, 2023 - The Croatia men's handball team defeated Greece 31-26 (10-10) in Halkida and qualified for the 2024 European Handball Championship in Germany!

Croatia visited Greece on Wednesday and was welcomed in a half-empty hall in Halkida, however a bigger turnout was announced. Until the eighth minute of the game, Croatia had a minimal lead (4-3), followed by a nine-minute period without a goal. Greece then took the 6-4 lead with three consecutive goals, with many missed opportunities to increase their advantage.

At no time did Greece manage to go ahead by more than a two-goal difference, and at the end of the first half, Luka Cindrić and Domagoj Duvnjak brought Croatia to a tie (10-10).

New Croatia representative Mario Šoštarić opened the second half with a goal for 11-10, the first Croatian lead after the eighth minute of the game. Greece held the lead until 14-14, and with goals from Marin Šipić and Cindrić in the 41st minute, Croatia gained a three-goal advantage for the first time (18-15).

By the 16th minute of the second half, the much more playful Croatia attack had already scored 11 goals, one more than in the entire first half. Although Greece was also more efficient than in the first half, they could not keep up with Croatia's pace driven by Luka Cindrić, who finished the match as the top scorer with nine goals and managed to create opportunities for his teammates as well.

In the 49th minute, Croatia took a four-goal advantage for the first time (23-19). In the end, Croatia maintained that advantage and reached the victory that brought them to first place in the group and a guaranteed spot at the European Championship.

Luka Cindrić led Croatia to victory with nine goals, while Mario Šoštarić and Josip Šarac scored five each. Mateo Maraš and Marin Šipić scored three goals each, and goalkeeper Marin Šego recorded seven saves. Savvas was the best for Greece with six goals, while Liapis scored five. Goalkeeper Boukovinas made eight saves.

Croatia has seven points from five games, one more point than Greece. In third place is the Netherlands with five points, but also with one less game, which they will play tonight against Belgium, at the bottom of the table with no points.

The first two spots guarantee placement in the final tournament in Germany and a better place in the draw, and the four best third-placed national teams from the eight qualifying groups will also advance.

In the last round, scheduled for Sunday, April 30, Croatia will host Belgium in Rijeka, while the Netherlands will host Greece.

Source: HRT

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 28, 2023 - In the last decade, young people mostly traveled in one direction from Slavonian railway stations and airport terminals. After a wave of emigration to Ireland and Germany and a period spent working abroad, more and more people are returning to the east of Croatia. How do Slavonia returnees feel?

The HRT team, writes Poslovni, spoke to them about what the Croatian labor market can learn from Western Europe, what Croatia's advantages are, and how to navigate in a new country and culture.

"The number of returnees is relatively small. These are mainly people who are overqualified for the jobs they do abroad. Nevertheless, there are success stories, where people learn something, earn some money and bring it all back here," said associate professor, Ph.D., Željko Pavić, Department of Sociology, University of Osijek.

One of such is Branko's story. He went to Ireland 20 years ago and returned ten years ago - around the time of the first big wave of emigration. Now a businessman, he worked in restaurants and became a chef. He is opening his own restaurant soon.

"I learned languages, I learned a lot of other recipes, and I think now is the time to apply a little bit of that in our area here," said Branko Grozdanić from Osijek.

All returnees agree on one thing: when it comes to work culture, Croatia cannot compete with the West.

"Attitude towards the worker, progressing at work, which I think is the most important aspect. You can start as a kitchen porter today and become a manager in 2 years. It's just that they appreciate the work", emphasizes Igor Vukadinović from Osijek.

Zen went to Ireland primarily because of love. But after half a year, he realized neither the girl nor the country was the one. He had difficulty coming to terms with cultural differences and bad weather.

"The start there is quite difficult, primarily because of real estate; rents are expensive. Your first job probably won't bring you a fabulous salary," said Zen Špehar from Osijek.

Research shows that most Croatian emigrants do not plan to return to their homeland, though. Those who do not rule it out will only do it if a number of conditions are met.

"Everyone has to weigh out what is more important in life," says Igor.

"We live in the perfect position. In terms of weather, food, quality of life, everything", emphasizes Igor.

Those who strive for stability, a slower and more relaxed lifestyle that largely does not involve money, think more about returning. Unfortunately, this will only somewhat mitigate the significant damage done to Croatia by the loss of its youth.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Lifestyle section.

April the 26th, 2023 - Have you ever heard of a concept called garden camping? This idea has been put forth by the Germans, who have already started offering single-night camping opportunities. Croatian garden camping might tackle a few issues at once, should it take off here.

Camping is very popular across Croatia, and the likes of the Istrian peninsula, where the nature is abundant and sleeping under the stars is a real treat, have been dabbling in it for many years now. With more and more campsites popping up all over the country, could a Croatian garden camping concept take off? Some believe so.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the always inventive Germans have kicked off the so-called garden camping trend by starting to offer one-night camping possibilities in the Waldshut district this summer in order to take advantage of the current boom in camping. At the same time, introducing such a way of doing things will do very well in suppressing the growing number of wild campers, as reported by local Istrian portal Glas Istre/The Voice of Istria.

"Farmers, private individuals and communities made their meadows and parking spaces available for a tent or camper for one night and offered additional services such as sanitary facilities, a barbecue area and firewood, breakfast or some kind of snack. Camps for one night quickly created a wide network of simple and natural accommodation facilities for mountaineers, cyclists and campers, which complemented the offer of official camps in the entire region,'' reported Jerko Sladoljev from Top Camping in Porec for Glas Istre.

By the end of this year, according to Sladoljev, the concept will be extended to the entire Black Forest, and according to some sources, to the whole of Germany. With the aim of bringing tourists closer to nature, a digital platform was created that displays more than 1,700 parking spaces with contact information, as well as campsites and places for tents. Italy launched a similar initiative three years ago with the concept of freer camping called "garden camping".

It seems that Croatian garden camping might also be a very good way of not only bringing in more money for tourism in general, but also for furthering the ''sustainable tourism'' trend. On top of that, much like with the German idea, it will likely do very well in curbing the issue of wild camping across the country, which plagues wardens and can lead to illegal fires getting out of hand and causing untold damage to the tinder dry Dalmatian and Istrian forests during the hot summer months.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated news section.

April the 26th, 2023 - When it comes to where Croats travel abroad, it tends to be to other European countries, and in all honesty - Croatian citizens don't really travel outside of the country that much when compared to other Europeans. Let's see where they do like to go.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, last year, foreign income from tourism exceeded that of the record pre-pandemic year of 2019, and expenditures for foreign trips also increased significantly. How much and where did Croats travel last year, and what is the balance of the exchange of tourist services?

The Croatian National Bank (CNB/HNB) has published the statistics on the exchange of tourist services in 2022, as reported by tportal. The data confirms the full recovery of tourist trips after several pandemic-dominated years. Revenues from foreign tourists reached a massive 13.1 billion euros, which is 44 percent more than in 2021 and 24 percent more than the record tourism year of 2019.

A strong recovery was also recorded in tourism consumption by Croats travelling abroad. Last year, Croats spent 1.39 billion euros on tourist trips outside of the Republic of Croatia, which is 47.9 percent more than was spent back in 2021. However, the spending of Croatian tourists abroad still didn't reach the record from 2019, when 1.57 billion euros were spent.

Compared to other European nations, Croats don't really tend to travel to foreign destinations. According to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) from back in 2021, out of 6.3 million private multi-day trips, as many as 85.4 percent or 5.4 million were realised within Croatia itself, and only 981 thousand (15.5 percent) were realised abroad.

At the same time, it should be emphasised that during foreign trips, visits to relatives and friends prevail, and only a small part refers to the classic type of tourist trips, which include rest, leisure, tours and visits to various types of foreign events.

The main foreign destinations testify to the tourist habits of the inhabitants of this country and where Croats travel abroad. Croats visit countries in the surrounding area the most, with trips to neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina leading the way, where almost a third of tourist spending abroad was realised for various purposes. Among the top five destinations are neighbouring Slovenia and Serbia, as well as Germany. If we're heading outside of Europe, then we can also include the USA, where a lot of the Croatian diaspora and new Croatian emigrants now live.

The European country that most attracts Croats with its tourist attractions is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Portugal has also recorded the greatest growth in arrivals and spending by Croatian tourists over more recent years. It's interesting to note that the tourist meccas of Italy and France are not among the leading tourist destinations for travellers from Croatia. Croats spent only 13.9 million euros on tourist trips to Italy, and even less, 13.4 million euros, on visits to France.

On the other hand, Croatia is a real superpower in terms of attracting foreign tourists, and that isn't really a shock to anyone who hasn't been living under a rock for decades now. German tourists alone spent 3.52 billion euros in Croatia last year, which is almost three times more than Croats spent in total on all of their foreign trips.

In addition to the Germans, more than one billion euros were spent in Croatia last year by tourists from Slovenia, Austria and Italy, countries for which Croatia is traditionally a favourite tourist destination.

Foreign revenues from all leading Croatian broadcasting markets also exceeded revenues from the pre-pandemic year of 2019. At the same time, the markets of Great Britain (154.1 percent) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (50.7 percent) recorded the greatest relative growth compared to last year.

When looking at the relationship of tourist exchange with individual countries, only with Bosnia and Herzegovina does Croatia have a somewhat balanced exchange, while with all other tourism partners, huge surpluses have been recorded.

For more, check out our news section.

April the 26th, 2023 - Approximately 700,000 Croatian pensioners are set to be paid out more cash as part of a government decision to help them with the rising costs of energy.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the government has not decided on a means test or limit for these payments set to be paid out to a large number of Croatian pensioners, meaning that it will be possible for them receive this state payment while having numerous other incomes in addition to their monthly pension, according to Pension/Mirovina.hr.

The energy supplement will be paid out to around 700,000 Croatian pensioners in amounts ranging from 60 to 160 euros. To be more precise in regard to who can expect the payment, it will received by everyone who has a pension of up to 610 euros per month. That means that the cash will also be paid out to those wealthier retirees who have their own houses, apartments or other forms of income besides their monthly pensions. The estimated funds for this so-called energy payment amount to around 64.3 million euros.

It should be noted that the payment will be made on two different occasions. The first will be paid out this Friday for Croatian pensioners who receive only their pension as their monthly income, while the second date will fall in July 2023, where the government energy payment will be paid out into the accounts of those who have a foreign pension, and those beneficiaries who are currently in the process of exercising their right to access their pension.

The amounts of this assistance are also known, and they vary depending on the amount of the pension in question. As such, those Croatian pensioners with pensions of up to 260 euros per month will receive an energy payment supplement in the amount of 160 euros, while those whose pensions amount from 470.01 to 610 euros will receive 60 euros in government aid.

For more, check out our dedicated news section.

April the 26th, 2023 - Croatia joined the borderless, passport-free Schengen zone on the 1st of January this year, but that doesn't mean things are simpler for absolutely everyone. With people entering the country from EEA countries, Schengen countries and third countries, let's look into just how Croatian border checks actually work.

Schengen accession took place on the very same day as Eurozone accession (January the 1st, 2023), making the Republic of Croatia the first country to have ever entered both of these zones and deepened its EU membership even further on the same date. While the Eurozone meant the scrapping of the kuna and the alignment of Croatia with the rest of the EU countries using the single currency (the euro), Schengen entry meant the dropping of Croatian border checks within the Schengen zone.

What is Schengen and how does it function with regard to Croatian border checks?

The Schengen countries have free movement, meaning travel between them is treated as if it was domestic travel within a single country, and there are no border checks for anyone travelling between them. This means that on the 1st of January 2023, the Croatian border crossing with Slovenia was sent to the history books, and hopefully the painfully long (and now rather infamous) queues of cars during the hot summer months have gone with it. 

Along with the Slovenian border, Croatian border checks with neighbouring Italy and Hungary have also now been abolished. This is because all of those countries are also part of the wider Schengen zone. People entering Croatia from Slovenia, Hungary or Italy also do not face any checks when entering Croatia.

While Croatian border checks on the land were abolished on January the 1st, 2023, border checks at airports were only scrapped on March the 26th for flights operating within the Schengen area.

Do I need to be an EU national in order to be able to travel freely within the Schengen zone and avoid Croatian border checks?

No. The Schengen zone permits the free movement of over 400 million people. You just need to be legally present in the European Union in order for this to apply to you. This may mean you need a visa, so check that based on your citizenship.

What if I have permanent residence in Croatia but I am a non-EU national?

If you hold permanent residence in Croatia and can prove that (by holding a residence permit), then you are free to live and work in Croatia indefinitely without being subject to any requirements. You are also free to come and go as you please (there are some restrictions depending on your status and nationality).

Whenever you go through Croatian border checks, such as if you are travelling from Croatia to a non-Schengen country, or vice-versa, you need to make sure you proactively show your residence permit along with your valid passport. Do not assume the border officer somehow knows you're a permanent resident otherwise. They don't.

As a permanent resident of Croatia, your time in Croatia is considered time at home and is not part of the number of days you can spend in another Schengen country. You can spend a maximum of 90 days in any 180 days in any other Schengen country outside of Croatia. Make sure you have your passport Croatian residence permit with you at all times because random checks can and do sometimes still occur.

Visas

Not everyone requires a Schengen visa, so make sure to check if you do. The answer will be based on your citizenship whether or not you already live in the EU could have some bearing on it. If you do need a visa and you have entered an EU country with a valid Schengen visa, you can travel throughout the Schengen zone for as long as your visa remains valid, and for a maximum of 90 days during any 180 day period. You will not need a separate visa for each Schengen area country and you will not need to show your passport when crossing each internal border.

The EU and Schengen are different things

The borderless Schengen area currently includes 27 EU member states. If you wish to travel to an EU country which is not part of Schengen for a short stay (meaning less than 90 days), you must obtain a separate national visa from the authorities of that particular country. If you wish to travel from an EU member state that isn't part of the Schengen area to the Schengen area, you will need to apply for a Schengen visa to enter.

The EU, the EEA and Europe are different things, as well

This sounds insultingly obvious, but it's amazing how many people mix up the continent and the bloc called the European Union. EU law applies to 27 European countries. It does not apply in certain European countries which are not EU member states, such as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, while they do apply in the Republic of Ireland, which remains a member state.

Certain EU laws also apply in non-EU member states which are part of the EEA (European Economic Area), such as Norway, Iceland and the Principality of Liechtenstein. In the case of Switzerland, which is not an EU member state but is instead aligned by numerous bilateral treaties, it has adopted numerous provisions tied to EU law in order to have access to and to participate in the EU's large single market.

External borders

The external border refers to the external border of the Schengen zone. This means that when exiting Croatia and entering neighbouring countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, which are all non-EEA countries and also not part of the Schengen zone, or entering Croatia from them, you will be subject to Croatian border checks. This is also the case if you're flying out of Croatia (or into it) from a non-Schengen country, such as the United Kingdom.

If a person does not require a Schengen visa or holds a valid one entitling them to free movement within the Schengen area for no more than 90 days in any 180 period, then Croatian border checks are carried out in order to determine the following:

- The identity and the citizenship of the individual attempting to cross the Croatian border

- The validity of their passport or other government-issued travel document

- The validity of their Croatian residence permit if they present one

- Various checks against different relevant databases

- Time already spent in the Schengen zone as of January the 1st, 2023

- Whether the Schengen visa (if applicable) is valid

- That they aren't an individual for whom an alert has been issued for the refusal of entry into the country

More can be read here and a detailed guide to visas for those third country nationals who require them in order to enter Croatia can be read here.

Third country nationals who do not hold valid residence in Croatia and as such cannot present a Croatian residence permit with their passport

Third country nationals (individuals entering who do not old the citizenship of any of the current EEA/EU member states and who do not present a valid Croatian residence permit) are subject to thorough checks upon entry and exit. In addition to the aforementioned checks, additional checks are also carried out, including the calculation of the time that individual has previously spent in the entire Schengen zone as of January the 1st, 2023 (the day of Croatia's official accession). They will have their passports stamped by a border officer.

Third country nationals who do hold valid residence in Croatia and present a Croatian residence permit with their passport

Third country nationals who hold Croatian residence permits are not treated in the same way as those who do not possess such a status and as such cannot present such a permit when arriving at the Croatian border (be that entering or exiting). 

Within the meaning of the Schengen acquis, a third country national is any person who is not an EU citizen, who is not a family member of an EU citizen exercising their right to free movement, or who is not a third country national or their family member, whatever their nationality, who enjoys rights of free movement equivalent to those of EU citizens. In short, if you hold a valid Croatian residence permit, your free access to enter and exit Croatia is facilitated as detailed previously in this article. Their passports will not be stamped.

Caveats

Schengen border checks and as such Croatian border checks can be introduced temporarily at any time in certain situations.

Carry your passport and Croatian residence permit with you (if you have one) at all times, just in case.

For more on moving to, living in and travelling to and from Croatia, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section. Keep an eye out for our How to Croatia articles which tackle a different aspect of doing things here and which are published every Wednesday.

Wine

April 27, 2023 - The City of Osijek, in cooperation with the British Embassy, will celebrate the coronation of King Charles III on Saturday, May 6, in the Osijek Archaeological Museum.

The mayor of Osijek, Ivan Radić, and the ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Republic of Croatia, H.E. Simon Thomas, held a press conference at the city administration in Osijek. As Lokalni writes, Mayor Radić reminded that King Charles III, when he was still the Prince of Wales, was delighted by Osijek during his visit in 2016, which is why the city administration decided to celebrate his coronation.

Vlado Kos / Pixsell

Main Ceremony

"King Charles III visited the Archaeological Museum, socialized with citizens, and tasted the products of local OPGs on the old town's Holy Trinity Square. He also rode the Osijek tram from old town Tvrđa to the co-cathedral and got to know the city from the tram. In commemoration of that visit, the main ceremony will be held in the Archaeological Museum", said the mayor.

He announced that a large screen would be installed on the appropriately decorated Holy Trinity Square in the old town, where citizens could watch the live broadcast of the king's coronation. As it is the first Saturday of the month when the traditional Antiques Fair takes place near the square, all visitors are invited to round off their morning at the event.

"The Tourist Board of the city of Osijek will prepare biscuits and tea for the citizens, and the "royal tram," the same one in which King Charles III and his wife Queen Camilla rode, will be circling through the city. The passengers on the tram will have a chance to hear the story of the royal family and the king's great-grandfather, Franz von Teck, who was born in Osijek. They will also see photos of the annual tickets the city transport office made and gifted to the king and queen with a lifetime right to ride Osijek's trams. I hope that the king and queen will have the opportunity to use it once they come to Osijek again", said Mayor Radić and added that on the coronation day, the Osijek pedestrian bridge will light up with the colors of the British flag.

British Ambassador Simon Thomas said that on May 6, dignitaries from all over the world will gather in London to attend the new king's coronation and that celebrations of that moment will be organized worldwide.

Another eastern Croatian city will also celebrate the king's coronation - Ilok will traditionally send their Traminac wine for the festivities.

Photo of Osijek

"When we were thinking about where we would celebrate the coronation in Croatia, we immediately thought of the Christmas card of the then Prince of Wales, and now the King, with a photo of His Majesty and Queen Camilla in Osijek, taken during their visit in 2016. Out of all the photos from different parts of the world that year, the king chose that particular photo, which means that the visit to Osijek left a deep impression on him. Not only because Osijek is a city with a rich history and promising future but also because here he met people who share some of his passions and priorities in life: sustainability and nature conservation, work for the community, respect for heritage, development of new technologies and investment into young people. But also because the great-grandfather of King Charles III was born in 1837 right here, in Osijek. Therefore, here we are not only among friends but also among family. We are looking forward to celebrating the coronation in Osijek, and we hope that King Charles III will visit the beautiful city on the Drava once again", said Ambassador Thomas.

1972. Bozidar Kelemenic / Pixsell

 King Charles III's visit to Osijek wasn't the first royal visit - Queen Elizabeth II visited back in 1972 and had a delightful time herself.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Travel section.

April 26, 2023 - Antonio Franko is Croatia's most successful para triathlete. He won many medals, but his favourite is the bronze from the European Championship in Valencia. Although he achieved most of his goals, he revealed his unfulfilled sports dream.

As 24Sata writes, everyone has had a role model, at least in childhood. That is why it should not be surprising that children often look for their role models and inspiration in top athletes, who later influence the choice of sport that the child wants to play. And one of those who can inspire us all with his sports and life successes is Antonio Franko. Antonio was born with a disability, but despite this, he is the most successful Croatian para triathlete. He is involved in one of the most challenging sports disciplines, and in the conversation with 24Sata, he revealed how he decided to take up this sport in the first place, what the most difficult challenges were, and his unfulfilled career goal.

'Stubbornness, self-criticism and patience'

Antonio grew up in Kraljevica, a small town near Rijeka, where he took his first sports steps. He has the best memories of his childhood and the region he grew up in, with his friends and family supporting him. His parents, he points out, were his financial and moral support from day one, and his childhood friends are still with him today and proudly follow and celebrate his every success.

"I started sports for rehabilitation. Due to my disability, until I was 18, I constantly had surgeries, so recovery meant working in the pool to train my leg for as normal and functional a life as possible. That's why swimming was my first contact with sports when I was five. As for para sports, it started when I was 19 years old, when, at the persuasion of our Paralympian Milka Milinković, I started swimming more intensively. Then the president of the club where I trained got me interested in triathlons, which he did recreationally. I took a chance and tried it. Even today, I can say that I found myself in that sport", Antonio told 24Sata.

Every day continues Antonio Franko; progress was visible, and better results arrived. But you can't become a top athlete overnight, says Antonio, so his results didn't come all at once. There was a lot of training, sacrifice, determination, and time, and thanks to that, today, he holds the title of one of the world's best paratriathletes.

"Every athlete should have qualities such as stubbornness, self-criticism, and patience. I don't think it works any other way. You need to give yourself time in training and be patient. Success will come. These three mentioned qualities also guided me through sports life and led me to the title of the most successful Croatian para triathlete".

Training seven days a week

As Antonio points out, his most challenging discipline is running, which comes at the end, after swimming and cycling. But of all three triathlon disciplines, he admits, cycling is his favorite.

"I train seven days a week, approximately 4 to 6 hours daily. Sunday is the easiest day because I do regeneration training. But on a weekly basis, I swim an average of 20 kilometers, cycle a total of 250 kilometers, and run 40 kilometers. My season lasts approximately from May to October, and everything else is subordinated to the preparation for competitions", Antonio described his regime.

In addition to being fully dedicated to training and preparation, Antonio is a fitness coach for soccer and basketball players.

"The biggest problem is the lack of time, but if you do what you love, like me, it's a real pleasure. When I train other athletes, it comes as a break from my sport, and I can say that I get to relax. This job is a challenge because one day when I finish my career, I plan to become a coach. This is an opportunity for me to build myself into something I want to do in the future", said Franko.

"Professional staff shortage"

Regarding the future, this 28-year-old from Rijeka has clear goals. He says that he has achieved most of them so far, but there is one more that he hopes to fulfill soon.

"When I started in the more professional field, my goal was to compete with the best in the world. Year after year, I progressed, so my goals also increased. My goal is to always push the limits, and I want to find out what my maximum is. This is perhaps one of my main drivers. I had failures, but that is also how you learn. Right now, my biggest goal is to win a medal at the Paralympic Games in Paris," says Antonio Franko, adding that preparations for Paris have already begun.

Although he has won many titles and medals, Antonio is most proud of the medal from the 2019 European Championship in Valencia, where he won third place. For him, that success was a turning point in his career because, as he says, only after that did others start taking him more seriously as an athlete.

"That is why it is crucial to send a message to young people to give themselves time and be patient. But as far as para-sport in Croatia is concerned, the biggest problem is the infrastructure. There is a lack of swimming pools and gyms, which is a constant problem. Someone who can only swim is doomed to a swimming pool, and we know that not every city has a swimming pool. At the same time, every city, for example, has a football field. Also, there is a shortage of professional staff willing to work with people with disabilities. I hope that one day these problems will also be solved", concludes  Antonio.

Antonio Franko is one of the faces of P&G's 'Winners every day' initiative. It is a campaign by the Croatian Paralympic Committee and Procter & Gamble Croatia. Thank you to Paralympians for getting involved in campaigns that aim to support the further development of parasports in Croatia.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Sport section.