February 18, 2023 - Young Croatians choose the traditional pattern of dating just as often as they do engaging in modern, more flexible kinds of relationships, while trying to avoid long-term relationships until they stabilise their careers, according to the results of a recent study.

As Index writes, the study "Modern forms of dating among young people aged 18 to 25", conducted by Lucija Šutić from the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation, Margareta Jelić from the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Zagreb and Ana Krnić from the College of Algebra used the method of qualitative research characterised by a small but targeted sample and direct interviews with members of the focus group.

The scientists spoke to 28 people with an average age of 23, among whom there were 13 women and 15 men.

15 of them were students, six were employed, and seven were unemployed. Thirteen participants were single, and none of the unemployed participants were in a relationship. Two male participants described themselves as gay.

Invitation to sex and one-night stands

The traditional way of starting a romantic relationship between two young people began to change. They used to go on classic "dates", through which they first developed emotional and then physical closeness.

Under the influence of various social changes, including the emergence of social networks, young people are opting for modern, casual forms of "dating" that include open relationships, friendships with benefits, no-strings-attached sex, and one-night stands.

Those who follow traditional patterns usually meet their partners in everyday situations or through a mutual friend and start going on casual dates. Another way is to develop a romantic relationship from a friendship.

Modern relationship partners usually meet in clubs, on social media, or on dating apps and immediately start chatting or hooking up.

This can lead to occasional romantic relationships, i.e. an open relationship of friendship with privileges, sex without obligations, invitations to sex and one-night stands, the authors point out in the article published in the new issue of the journal Revija za sociologiju.

The conclusions suggest that there may be no cultural differences between the dating scenarios of Croatian and American adults, although some research shows that Croatian society is still more collectivist, the authors say, adding that "millennials" probably grew up under the influence of individualistic values.

Another important finding of the study is that young people believe that long-term relationships lead to marriage and/or cohabitation, so if they want to finish their education and build a career, they will try to avoid long-term love relationships and postpone marriage.

Because they still have sexual needs or a need for intimacy, they try to develop casual relationships that will satisfy their specific needs, the authors say.

Fun and relaxation

Casual relationships with sexual relationships are characterised by moderate to high levels of passion, and low to moderate levels of intimacy and low levels of commitment.

The findings, as well as previous studies abroad, identify sexual pleasure as the main reason why young people engage in casual sex, and when this is the only motive for entering into a relationship, a person will settle for something more casual.

What's more, these relationships can be fun and relaxing, as well as help partners practice their skills and learn what they want from their future long-term relationships, the article explains.

The authors note that modern relationships can be confusing because different people define them in different ways and accordingly have different expectations from their partners. When they do not follow a traditional dating scenario, respondents are not sure what the specific norms of behavior are.

A third of women who entered into a relationship experienced ambiguity regarding the status of their relationship, and two thirds of women experienced ambiguity regarding their friendship with the person with whom they "hooked up." This ambiguity can result in anxiety, jealousy, frustration, anger, as well as the breakup of friendships.

Study contributions and limitations

The study was carried out using the method of qualitative research, which, unlike quantitative research, implies a sample with a smaller number of participants, with whom the researchers conduct direct interviews, so the authors also stated several limitations of this study.

The Croatian study included 28 people, while for comparison, a similar American study included 77 participants. The Croatian data are in line with the American research, but its results should be tested in a larger quantitative study, the authors point out.

The participants were included primarily through personal networks and were people living in a large urban area, so although some of them stated that they grew up in rural areas, the results might have been different if the sample had been more heterogeneous, they point out.

Nevertheless, the study expands the understanding of romantic relationships among young people, and as one of the first Croatian studies on this the topic, it is assessed, makes an important contribution in the field of partner relations research.

It can serve not only as a reference for future research, but also as a basis for the development of preventive programs that will strengthen romantic competences and develop communication skills in young people in the emerging adulthood period, they conclude.

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

February 18, 2023 - Mario Romulic from OPG Čudesna šuma is one of the most creative gardeners we know. On his self-sustaining eco farm, Mario practices ecological food production according to biodynamics and natural farming principles. 

Mario Romulic is a Croatian photographer who became recognised for his "wildlife" photos, and because of the incredible shots he took in Kopački rit, he was called its "good spirit". During the pandemic, Mario replaced his old job with the Čudesna Šuma (Magical Forest) eco estate, located not far from Bilje, in the vicinity of Osijek. Because of this, his life is less stressful today and filled with health, peace, tranquillity and happiness, writes Green.

Serious health problems prompted Mario to start studying the food we buy in shops, and because of this, he started growing food in his small garden six years ago. "I decided I have to produce my food if I want to eat healthily," says Mario.

At the beginning of cultivating his garden, he learned about permaculture; later, he discovered biodynamic agriculture and fully devoted to it. "Biodynamics is perhaps the most extreme form of ecological food cultivation. The food obtained with such an approach is considered a medicine, it is so healthy and full of vitality. By consuming such food, I transfer its life force to myself."

Seeing how well the food he grows affects his health, Mario decided to go one step further and recently started producing natural cosmetics, i.e. organic creams to treat pain and varicose veins, as well as anti-acne creams.

"The creams are made from our plants, which I grow using biodynamic cultivation. We use herbs such as medical hemp, lavender, aloe vera, fennel and habanero pepper. They are obtained through an ultrasonic process to extract plants," said last year's winner of the Green Prix award in the Greenlider category.

 To make creams, Mario bought a laboratory. It contains ultrasound and a machine for evaporating tinctures. "We extract the alcohol from the tincture of the dry hemp flower; then we use it to get an extract from the plant and obtain an oil that we later mix into creams. We finish the entire production process with an ultrasonic process, which is, let's say, the most modern and highest quality way of producing the extract. The sound penetrates the cell and reaches the plant's extract, i.e. its best properties," explains Mario.

As he said, he started making creams for himself and his health problems. "I make the recipes in collaboration with different doctors of Chinese medicine; we check which extracts are the best and how to make a product that will satisfy all needs as much as possible. I tested the first products on myself and my family members. My children had acne problems, I had joint pain, and my wife suffered from varicose veins. The creams proved to be excellent for all our problems".

When he announced on his Facebook profile a few days ago that he had started producing creams, he encountered a wave of positive reactions from loyal followers who pre-ordered Mario's organic creams in the comments. "The interest is huge, but we do not make creams in large quantities. They are small batches, but those who have had the chance to try them are delighted. You wouldn't believe the changes they felt after just a few uses".

Unfortunately, we will have to wait for some time for the miraculous creams to reach everyone who needs them, but since Mario succeeds in everything he sets his mind to, we believe that he will succeed in proving the magical and healing power of nature to people all over Croatia very soon.

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

February 17, 2023 - The completion of Osijek's new Pampas Stadium is getting closer!

The new NK Osijek stadium, which will be the most modern in Croatia, will have a capacity of 13,005 seats. The entire complex will also include a club camp with several pitches in the same location, both natural and artificial.

Within the stadium, there will also be a club shop and cafe for Osijek fans to socialize. Pampas will also be the first fully covered stadium in Croatia. This means that there is a roof over all four stands. 

At the moment, a lawn is being laid on the grounds, which suggests that Osijek fans are counting down to the days to the end of the works. Like many of the world's top football stadiums, Pampas will have a hybrid turf made of synthetic and natural fibers. First, two special artificial grass injection machines will sew up the field. It will take them about ten days. After that, laser-guided fibers, about 18.75 million of them for one lawn, are placed on the substrate, and then natural grass grows between them.

In addition to the pitch, work is also being done on the sound system, which will soon blare Osijek fan songs. 

While the stadium construction is finally nearing its completion after more than four and a half years, games won't be played there anytime soon. Recently, a member of the Osijek Management Board, Vladimir Čohar, stated that it is most realistic to expect that Osijek will play at Pampas at the beginning of the next season.

Thus, for a few more months, Osijek will host their home games at City Garden, and then move to the northwest to Pampas Stadium.

Originally, Pampas was supposed to be finished by the end of 2020, but the deadlines were pushed back several times. The final deadline should be this April. After that, the 13,005-seat stadium needs to get all the necessary permits and host test matches before NK Osijek can play in its new home. 

Source: Gol.hr

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

February 17, 2023 – One of the most rewarding parts of writing on TCN is the people we meet and the stories we hear. It’s all that much better when they come from eastern Croatia and are living proof that Slavonia really is full of life, 365. We are excited to finally publish one of our favourite interviews, featuring one man, one bicycle, and two dogs. Hrvoje Juric has cycled the world, written a book, and helped trace cycling and hiking trails in Croatia. He has done many other amazing things, and now he is on a 2,300-kilometre journey to reach Europe’s most northerly point. On an electric bicycle. In the winter.

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Hrvoje Juric, I am 36 years old, and I come from Vrbica, a small village between Đakovo, Vinkovci, and Osijek. I am a wasn’t-meant-to-be economist, and I have been travelling since 2011. Then, completely inexperienced and with very few funds, I set out on my first trip, from Vrbica to Pula and back. I traveled by bicycle, and it all happened quite spontaneously. The bike was the only means of transportation I had, and it was also the cheapest way to travel. I liked this way of travelling, and I felt like I was living life to the fullest, so I kept doing it. The following year, I went on a trip around Europe, about which I wrote the travel novel "Marijanov put" (Marijan’s Journey). After that came the first journey to Nordkapp, a journey of 5,000 kilometres to the northernmost point of Europe. It was followed by a trip through the Alps, then one from London to Istanbul, and then one around Croatia. Later I realised that all these trips and experiences led to one thing - a trip around the world.

Tell us about the area where you come from.

Vrbica is a small village in the Đakovo area, in the municipality of Semeljci, and it is a plain. I often jokingly say that the overpass over the highway is the highest mountain we have. I grew up there, my friends and family are there, and I lived there until recently. As a lot has happened in the last couple of years, and now only on paper am I still in Vrbica.

Tell us about your lifestyle, what you do, and what inspired it.

This year I changed my life drastically when I sold the house where I grew up and lived for 36 years. I didn't do it out of necessity, in the sense that I needed the money. I did it because everything simply led to that. Since I started travelling, with my first trip, I realised that this way of life would not be easy, but compared to everything else, it is ideal for me. There is a lot that I had to adapt to, and yet somehow, I remained myself. Of course, this shaped me, but I think I kept the direction I wanted my life to go.

What did it require to take the plunge and pursue your passion?

I think the main reason was dissatisfaction with the direction my life was going. When you know that you are not made for what you do and work takes up a large part of your time in this world, it is necessary to change things. By chance, it was my job; it could have been something else. I would dare to say that if you want to change yourself, if you want to follow your passion, or even just figure out what the hell you want in life, you will encounter a very unpredictable time full of trials and difficult moments. Emotional, financial, it doesn't matter in what sense. For me, that included spending more time travelling hungry than on a full stomach, but I knew that I must not give up on my dreams. Along the way, I lost some people, some literally, in the sense that they passed away (parents, which was a big and heavy burden for me), and some simply distanced themselves from me. It doesn't even matter if it's my fault, theirs, or both. Such situations build a person and often what we become is not a beautiful picture, but I think that everyone deserves a second chance if they are honest and if they learn from their (mis)deeds.

What keeps you going?

Desire for research, learning, progress. Every time I come to a new place or return to a place I haven't been in years, I absorb everything like a little child. It’s all new to me: new smells, new sights, new people and their characteristics. This desire to explore others to get to know myself, I think is one of the main motives.

What were your favorite projects?

The trip around the world was unique, and the preparations for that lasted about three years. I can hardly compare that trip to anything else, but I had a great experience and a lesson out of it. The Slavonia hiking trail, where Ena, Max, and I hiked all 300 kilometres and visited all 35 checkpoints, was another one of my favourite projects. It is also the first project we did together. The Slavonia hiking trail offers a lot, especially to hikers who are beginners on long routes.

What is your current project?

I am currently on the "Giant World Tour: Norway" project, which is a continuation of the "Giant World Tour", a trip around the world by electric bicycle that I did in 2019 and thus became the first person to travel around the world on an electric bicycle. The idea with this series is to test Giant electric bikes in different, dare I say, extreme conditions. To prepare for the project, I found an apartment in Gorski Kotar and spent two months preparing for the conditions in the north. Hiking, cycling, and spending time in the fresh air and in the rain were all part of the preparations. We travelled to Oslo in a Dacia Duster, which had my bicycle and all the equipment needed for the trip, including a trailer for Ena and Max. I departed from Oslo in early February. I don't have a specific time in which I plan to finish the 2,300 kilometres to Nordkapp, but roughly 35 days should be enough. After the trip, Tin Borovšćak and I will work on a documentary film (filming has already started). Along with the film, a photo book will be released that I will promote around Europe, with an emphasis on Croatia and Norway.

Favourite moments and hardest moments of your travels.

I would put it this way - my favourite part of travelling is when I meet people, specifically people with whom I can share my thoughts. Regardless of whether they agree with me, or if we have the same or different views on life. When we "click". Be they in Russia, Norway, or Australia. It is because of people that a certain country is the way it is; they directed their country towards exactly where it is right now by living and working there. Through other stories, I learned a lot, mostly about myself. How to remove prejudices and embrace differences.

The most difficult moments, and there were some, were mostly related to lack of money and the inability to afford a decent meal or a meal at all. As I have already stated, the first couple of years were really difficult, had a couple of friends not helped me, I might have given up. Then, just as things were starting to get better, family tragedies happened. First my father died, and then a couple of years later, my mother. They had just turned 53 years old. It left a big mark on me, and at some moments, I didn't know what would happen to me. All those difficult life moments shook me up but also forced me to sort out my life and move on.

Tell us about your furry sidekicks.

Ena and Max, or as Twitter nicknamed them, Niprije (long story...) are a very important part of this slightly different family. I often like to say we are a pack because, frankly, we're not far from it. I adopted Ena a little over five years ago when she was 10 months old. She was quite scared, especially of new people. My friend Adela took her off the street, an association that takes care of abandoned border collies cleaned her of parasites and sterilised her, and then I showed up. At first, of course, she didn’t trust me, but very quickly, she stretched out on her back and seemed to want to say - ok, let's go! I didn't have much experience with dogs, and thanks to friends who have dogs, as well as daily walks, Ena and I learned about each other. So much so, that after travelling around the world, I decided that I no longer wanted to do projects without her.

So, we set off on "Via Adriatica Bike", where I traced the cycling version of the "Via Adriatica Trail", a long hiking trail that connects the two most distant land points in Croatia - Prevlaka and Cape Kamenjak. It was on that wonderful trip, which was the first project after the round-the-world trip and my, i.e., our new beginning, that we met Max. On the penultimate day of the trip, we went down to Plomin harbor and literally recorded their first meeting with my camera. That moment, the way they jumped around each other, you can still see happening daily. It's as if they just met. It's fascinating to me how everything came together, how the two of them bonded. Max was the cherry on top and the last piece of the puzzle of the whole picture that you can see today.

We know that you are a promoter of Slavonia. What is life like there, what is the situation in tourism, and why should everyone visit at least once?

Slavonia is still an unspoiled pearl of continental Croatia, and in the last few years, I must say that tourism is starting to happen to us. Especially during and just after the pandemic, people turned to nature a lot more. Of course, not all of them kept that lifestyle, but still, many of them realised that life offers more than shopping malls and that it is smarter and healthier for them and their children to stay in the mountains, hills, in nature in general on the weekends and every other free moment. That's how the Jankovac trail became super popular, but Slavonia has a lot more to offer. I think that the Slavonia Hiking Trail, the first mountain ring trail in Croatia (from 1957), is not sufficiently "used" and that it should be the flagship of tourism and the development of outdoor activities in Slavonia.

I am also thankful to the Slavonia cluster, the association of county tourist boards, with whom I laid out a cycling route that connects all five counties, and largely follows the Slavonia Hiking Trail. This means that outdoor enthusiasts can use the "bike and hike" activity – cycle a part of the trail, then store their bicycle in a lodging, hike, for example, the Ivačka Glava peak (one of the most beautiful viewpoints on Papuk), then reward themselves with an excellent lunch in the mountain lodge before finishing the trail. This is just the foundation, but an important and healthy foundation on which other activities can be built on.

Many thanks to Hrvoje for sharing his inspiring story, and we wish him the best of luck in all his endeavors! Check out TCN's Instagram for updates, and stay tuned for part 2 coming somewhere in the middle of Hrvoje’s northern journey.

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

February the 17th, 2023 - As many as 87 Zagreb streets are set to lose electricity for a few hours today, here's a full list. If you live here in Zagreb, it might be worth checking if yours is on it.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, here's a full list of Zagreb streets and households/numbers where the electricity supply interruption has been announced for today (the 17th of February 2023) due to ongoing HEP works.

HEP teams are monitoring the current electricity works on a daily basis, and they're busy repairing and maintaining the electric power network throughout the Republic of Croatia, including right here in the City of Zagreb. As a result, there are unfortunately frequent outages being experienced. Numerous temporary electricity shutdowns have been announced for today in the area covered by Elektra Zagreb. During the morning, households, companies and other buildings in as many as 87 Zagreb streets will be without electricity, writes Vecernji list.

Let's get to the point - from 09:00 to 13:00, there will be no electricity at many of the following addresses located on Zagreb streets:

• Ulica Dubrava 120-144 par., 148, 154-156 par.,
• Bakaračka 4, 1-5 nep.,
• Barbatska,
• Beketinečka,
• Belišćanska,
• Belišćanski odvojak I. i II.,
• Beljska,
• Bogdanovačka,
• Cerička,
• Čagljinska,
• Čikatska,
• Diljska 2-38 par., 1-29 nep., 29/A,
• Dragozetička,
• Đurđevečka,
• Garćinska,
• Glavotočka,
• Gračačka 2-6 par., 6/A, 1-3 nep.,
• Gračački odvojak,
• Gradinska,
• Gradiška,
• Hlebinska,
• Hlebinski odvojak 2-4 par., 8-10 par., 18-do kraja par., 1-do kraja nep.,
• Ivankovačka,
• Ivanjska 2-26 par., 26/A, 1-27 nep.,
• Jadarska,
• Jarminska,
• Javorinska,
• Jurandvorska,
• Kajkavska 2,
• Kanarinska 62/A, 64-do kraja par., 59-do kraja nep.,
• Kapuncinska 34-42 par., 46-48 par., 52-do kraja par., 47-do kraja nep.,
• Kijevska 7,
• Kloštarska,
• Kobaška,
• Košljunska,
• Kurilovečka,
• Kutjevačka,
• Ulica Sjtepana Lacka 2-20 par., 1-19 nep.,
• Legradska,
• Limska 2-do kraja par., 1-17 nep., 17/A, 21-do kraja nep.,
• Lipovljanska,
• Medvejska,
• Mejska,
• Mikanovečka,
• Mrzlopoljska,
• Nemetinska,
• Okućanska,
• Opatovečka,
• Osječka 2-8 par., 12-28 par., 34-36 par., 50-114 par., 1-47 nep., 51-89 nep.,
• Osorska,
• Otočačka,
• Pitomačka,
• Pivska,
• Pleternička,
• Podgoračka,
• Podvežićka,
• Povljanska,
• Prugovečka,
• Rajička 2-26 par., 1-23 nep.,
• Rudopoljska 2-16 par., 1-do kraja nep.,
• Sevnička,
• Sibinjska,
• Slavonska 2-36 par., 40-72 par., 1-47 nep., 61,
• Slavonska-odvojak,
• Sokolovečka,
• Sopnička 2-24 par., 24/A, 1-13 nep., 13/A, 19-21 nep.,
• Sotinska,
• Suhajska,
• Šatorska 2-16 par, 1-19 nep,
• Šljivoševečka,
• Štefanovečka 54-80 par, 81-97 nep,
• Tarska,
• Tovarnička,
• Valpovačka,
• Vardarska 2-20 par, 24-54 par, 1-31  nep, 37/A, 37/B,
• Vinodolska 8-68 par, 68/A, 7-15 nep, 15/A, 17-23 nep, 37-71 nep,
• Virovitička,
• Voćinska 6-18 par, 18/A-18/C par, 20-50 par, 1-11 nep, 23-49 nep,
• Vratnička,
• Vrhovinska,
• Vrpoljska,
• Vukovarska 2-10 par, 14-28 par, 32-26 par, 36/A, 9-21 nep, 27-29 nep, 29/A, 31-35 nep,
• Zametska,
• Zlobinski odvojak

From 10:00 to 12:00, there will be no electricity available at the following addresses/in the following areas:

• Omedini
• Jačkovečki Klanec
• Brežanska

''On the topic of electricity, it's worth noting that however irritating this is to deal with, no drastic disruptions are expected in terms of prices. The Republic of Croatia and the rest of Europe are more experienced than last winter and will welcome the next one much more prepared,'' said energy expert Daniel Srb. He analysed the trends in the electricity and gas price market a little more than a month before the expiration of the government's measures for the protection of households and the domestic economy, which, among other things, set a fixed price for electricity and gas, which will remain valid until March the 31st of this year. In the spring, when the measures do expire, the figures expressed on our energy bills aren't going to come as a shock to us,'' concluded Srb.

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

February the 17th, 2023 - The European Commission (EC) has submitted two lawsuits against Croatia to the EU courts for failing to implement waste directives. Hungary and Portugal also have cases against them.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, on Wednesday, the European Commission submitted two lawsuits against Croatia to the EU courts, one for not transposing the directive on energy from renewable sources, and the other for not complying with an earlier court ruling regarding an illegal landfill in Donje Biljane (close to Benkovac).

On that same day (Wednesday) as part of the package of violations of European Union law for this month, the European Commission referred to the lawsuits against Croatia, as well as to those cases against neighbouring Hungary and also Portugal with a request to impose financial sanctions for not transposing the EU Directive on energy from renewable sources into the national legislations of those member states.

The EU member states in question, including the Republic of Croatia, were all obliged to transpose the directive by June the 30th, 2021, but Croatia, Hungary and Portugal have not yet duly reported on the specific transposition of all of the necessary provisions of the aforementioned EU-wide directive into their national legislation.

The European Commission thus decided to re-refer the lawsuit against Croatia because it has failed to fully comply with the Court's judgment from back on May the 2nd, 2019. It found that Croatia failed to fulfill its obligations from the Framework Directive regarding waste in connection with the illegal landfill close to Benkovac referred to above.

Around 140,000 tonnes of residue from ferromanganese and silicomanganese processing since way back in 2010 have been dumped directly in this illegal waste dump, less than 50 metres from the houses themselves. The court confirmed that the stone aggregate dumped there should be considered waste, and not a mere by-product.

The court further established that the waste must be managed in a way that does not endanger people's health or cause damage to the surrounding environment. In addition to the two lawsuits against Croatia, the country also received a few more official warnings, which is the first step in procedures initiated against European Union member states.

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

February the 17th, 2023 - Croatian food prices have been causing issues for some time now, partly due to inflation and partly due to the introduction of the euro as the country's official currency on the first day of 2023. There have been a lot of ups and downs, and wholesale prices have increased quite significantly indeed.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, when compared to back in January 2022, the prices of bananas, tomatoes, onions, carrots and potatoes rose the most across the country, and over the last two years, the highest price growth was for potatoes and onions. Wholesale prices grew considerably in comparison to January 2021, with potato prices shooting up by 120 percent and onion prices by 77 percent, said Agriculture Minister Marija Vuckovic.

When it comes to grains and oilseeds, compared to the end of 2022, there's either been price stagnation or a slight decline in the most important grains in wholesale - wheat by nine percent, and corn by 15.5 percent. Compared to the year before (January 2022/January 2023), the prices of wheat are higher by 11.11 percent and corn by 12 percent, while the prices of soybeans are now lower by 4.76 percent.

The wholesale prices of flour in the fifth week of 2023 have been higher compared to what they were back at end of 2022, and for smooth (finely ground) flour by 1.89 percent, and for hard flour by 14.75 percent.

''During January and the beginning of February 2023, the purchase prices of pork and beef did not differ significantly from what they were back at the end of 2022,'' Vuckovic said, adding that ''in the fifth week of this year, the wholesale price of beef was higher by 15.09 percent when compared to one year before, and approximately the same compared to the end of 2022, while the purchase price of pork has been 50.36 percent higher on an annual basis.''

If the wholesale prices in the fifth week of this year are compared with the EU average, it can be said that the wholesale price of beef is lower by 4.31 percent, while that of pork is almost identical. The prices of lamb are slightly higher, while the prices of chicken are decreasing and according to the EU average, they're now lower by 1.15 percent in the fifth week of this year.

The highest growth when it comes to Croatian food prices, as Vuckovic said, has been recorded in the wholesale price of eggs and those prices have been altering continuously since back in March/April 2022 and are currently at record high levels.

In the fifth week of this year, the wholesale price of A-class eggs is lower by 1.05 percent compared to the last week of 2022, and significantly higher compared to the year before, she said, noting that Croatian wholesale egg prices are otherwise higher than the EU average.

For more on Croatian food prices and inflation, make sure to check out our dedicated news section.

February the 17th, 2023 - This week in Croatian politics, we've had everything from building permit issues for politicians and yet another change to the Law on Reconstruction (years after the earthquakes of 2020) to calls for Health Minister Vili Beros to step down in light of yet another alleged HDZ-fuelled healthcare scandal.

Lovro Kuscevic's former adviser is now the head of the Conflict of Interest Commission

Index reports that Aleksandra Jozic Ilekovic has become the new president of the Conflict of Interest Commission, and the previous chief, Natasa Novakovic is leaving that body. The above was decided via a secret vote of the Croatian Parliament.

Jozic Ilekovic received the votes of 78 deputies, her opponent Natasa Novakovic, the former president of the aforementioned commission, received 50 votes, while Nike Nodilo-Lakos and Ines Pavlacic failed to receive a single vote. Novakovic didn't compete for the position of a member of the Commission, which is why she's totally leaving that body.

Before joining the Commission, Jozic Ilekovic held a number of different positions, for eight years she was a member of the State Election Commission (SEC), adviser to the Minister of Justice, senior administrative inspector of the Ministry of Justice, and deputy head of the Government Office for Legislation. In addition to all of the above, Jozic Ilekovic spent two years as an adviser to no less than Lovro Kuscevic, Andrej Plenkovic's former minister and political secretary of HDZ, who is (rather unsurprisingly) a multiple-time USKOK (Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime) suspect.

She allegedly showed leniency in cases involving members of the government

We mustn't forget that Lovro Kuscevic was indicted at the end of the year before last, having been accused of a series of embezzlements regarding some land on Brac from the time when he was in charge of the Municipality of Nerezisca, and he was also accused of preventing evidence coming to light.

In her four years already spent with the Commission for Conflict of Interest, Jozic Ilekovic showed what has been described as ''exceptional leniency'' in cases involving members of the current government.

This third convocation of the Commission will have weaker powers than the previous two, led by Dalija Oreskovic and Natasa Novakovic, and will also have a worse composition. Namely, Jozic Ilekovic is the only member of the current composition who is remaining within the Commission, while all the others have left that body.

Vinkovci's local administration is trying to avoid saying whether or not it granted Minister Mario Banozic a permit for the construction of a house there

Defence Minister Mario Banozic (HDZ) is currently in the process of building a house in Vinkovci. Index toured the parcel and found in the land registers an allegedly clear statement that there's no construction permit issued for it.

Andrea Topic reports that in order not to make a mistake and immediately conclude that Banozic is building his house there illegally, Index contacted the City of Vinkovci, more precisely the Administrative Department for Spatial Planning, Construction and Environmental Protection, which is the office that deals with issuing building permits. On Friday morning, Index sent an inquiry asking for information on whether construction is being done illegally on that lot.

But instead of providing a concrete answer like "yes, it's being built illegally, we didn't issue permits to the investor", or writing "no, everything is being done according to the law", the head of the office, Davor Mecanovic, decided - just five minutes before the end of his during working hours might we add - to copy and paste an excerpt from the Construction Act, send that, and then ignore any calls.

Here is the answer to the very specific question asked of the local authorities:

"Regarding your request about the issuing of a building permit and data on said building permit, we refer you to Articles 115 and 120 of the Construction Act'' before going into further details specified by those articles, which I won't go into now. They're readily available for those who want to read them, and it seems a strange, around-the-houses (quite literally in this case) response to a very straightforward question.

It should also be added that an inquiry was also sent out to the State Inspectorate. Maybe the City of Vinkovic will reveal the secret of Banozic's construction permit to them instead.

SDP wants Health Minister Vili Beros to step down from his position following recent scandals

SDP recently cited the tragic case of Lina Budak, a lawyer from Zagreb, who is claiming that she wasn't told that she had cancer for seven months. They are calling for the dismissal of Minister Vili Beros, who has been silent for two months now about the Budak case.

"We've been saying for a long time now that the healthcare system is falling apart, all because of the incompetence of Minister Vili Beros. The latest case in which an unfortunate woman was diagnosed with a malignant disease long after the acceptable time limit in which she should have found out further confirms this.

Ministers of health in HDZ Governments systematically ignore serious problems, they shift responsibility to other bodies and ignore all of the warnings, both from healthcare workers themselves and their patients. How many more situations like that of Mr. Matijanic and Mrs. Budak are needed for Minister Beros to realise that his policy of inaction is irreversibly leading to the collapse the once powerful Croatian healthcare system?" asked SDP.

"Cancer treatment outcomes are catastrophically bad, patients end up entering the system too late..."

"Less than two weeks ago, we warned of all the difficulties related to the treatment of oncological diseases across Croatia: treatment outcomes are catastrophically bad, patients are put into the system too late, making their prognosis even worse, and the treatment is much more expensive.

The Republic of Croatia has all the necessary documents to improve its level of oncology care, but Minister Beros isn't doing anything to improve it. Indeed, on the occasion of World Cancer Day, he said that he's painfully aware of the problems being faced within the oncology care system. Unfortunately, being "painfully aware" is insufficient comfort for all cancer patients, as well as for the healthcare workers trying to treat them.

The Croatian healthcare system is financially completely destabilised, and that's even without mentioning the lack of staff and continuous staff issues within a system in which an HDZ membership card is more important than expertise. Let's remind you that during the first year of Vili Beros' administration, public hospitals had a deficit of around 682 million kuna, and the total liabilities at the end of 2021 amounted to around 11.8 billion kuna. The mismanagement of the healthcare sector's finances just keeps on being repeated every year, and it seems that this is the only concrete health policy they implement," SDP writes.

"The time has come for Vili Beros to step down"

"The time for Minister Beros to step down came along time ago, and his media appearance recently only proves that he's completely incompetent for this position. The damage that HDZ has done to the healthcare system is absolutely enormous and will be felt by an increasing number of people every single day.

Healthcare cannot be managed by the enthusiasm and altruism of hard working medical professionals who continually try to replace the organisational mess by running around and putting out fires. It's perfecrtly clear who is responsible for the mess – Vili Beros and HDZ,'' concluded SDP's Health Council.

Croatian Parliament passes a new Law on Reconstruction, years after the Petrinja earthquake of December 2020

With a majority vote, the Croatian Parliament successfully passed the new Law on Reconstruction, which should simplify and speed up the reconstruction of the areas affected by the earthquakes (yes, those from back in 2020), with objections from part of the opposition to the reconstruction process carried out so far. 99 parliamentarians voted for the new Law, according to which the Reconstruction Fund and the Central State Office are attached to the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Construction and State Property, 15 were against, and 16 abstained from voting entirely.

HDZ's amendment was accepted, which simplifies the procedure for removing destroyed buildings that have lost their mechanical resistance and stability to such an extent that their restoration is not possible, and reduces the number of participants required during the procedure for removing said destroyed buildings.

Before the vote on the Law on Reconstruction, part of the opposition repeated its objections to the previous renewal and to the Law itself. "Until now, there's been no political will for the reconstruction to take place, it simply wasn't Andrej Plenkovic's political priority," said Sandra Bencic. She believes that the new Law finally provides a normal framework for the reconstruction to be carried out if there's political will to do so.

"Now there can be no more excuses, the only thing that can stop the reconstruction is the prime minister himself and you who hold the majority for him. If we see that the reconstruction isn't going forward, you must all resign," Bencic told the ruling party. "Four ministers, four laws, and you treat people as if they were mere potatoes," said Anka Mrak Taritas, who also added that the new Law could be called a law of self-renewal or self-deception, or of mere temporary care.

Predrag Stromar (HNS) said that the Law is extremely necessary and will speed up all processes. "The funds at our disposal of one billion euros need to be spent urgently," he pointed out.

Marija Selak Raspudic (Most/Bridge) told the authorities to stop renewing the law and actually start restoring people's homes in the affected areas. Nikola Grmoja called on the opposition not to lend their hands to such a law again. "It's bad enough that we're treating the people of Banovina this way, but this government and the majority are simply not able to restore Banovina," Grmoja said.

A new approach to reconstruction and a simpler procedure

With the new approach to reconstruction, people will be paid the entire amount needed for the renovation or construction of a replacement house before the works on it begin. The creation of an analysis of the current state of the necessary renovation, the obligation to create a removal project for family houses, the technical and financial control of the project, and the need to meet special conservation conditions for structural renovation of buildings within a cultural-historical unit have now all been abolished.

The model of replacement of ownership rights instead of renovation and construction of replacement houses has been introduced, and the circle of persons with the right to renovation has been expanded to include relatives, spouses, common-law partners and life partners. The Agency for Legal Traffic and Real Estate Brokerage has been given the authority to build multi-apartment buildings and acquire real estate for temporary accommodation

Those affected will be given financial assistance for the removal of all destroyed buildings, including auxiliary and commercial ones, as well as assistance for project development costs. A more efficient and appropriate public procurement process is being introduced, and the highest prices for services and works will be determined by bodies that will be decided by the government. The transparency and visibility of the renovation process will be strengthened by creating a complete interactive online GIS application.

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