“It was an honor to bestow Baby Lasagna with the Ambassador’s Award for his extraordinary performance at Eurovision. He has shown us how music continues to transcend language, borders, uniting us in our shared humanity. Keep shining!”, she wrote along with a joint photo of herself with Istrian Marko Purišić, whose incredible musical success has become viral all over the world.

Rayes was immediately impressed with “Rim Tim Tagi Dim,” and the entire American embassy danced the well-known choreography as a support act for the final.

Otherwise, Marko Purišić, better known as Baby Lasagna, announced a big European-British tour with his project Baby Lasagna for spring 2025. A six-week tour will take him to 16 countries and 21 concerts. It is planned that Baby Lasagne’s spring tour titled “Meow Back” will begin in Hamburg on March 16, 2025, and end in Athens on April 26, 2025.

The post Baby Lasagna Receives Award from US Ambassador for Eurovision Success appeared first on Total Croatia.

Now, you might be wondering just how a rooster ended up sending the fearsome Ottoman forces packing, but the Đurđevac rooster is no ordinary fowl. In fact, he was so extraordinary that even now, Đurđevac locals call themselves roosters with pride.

THE OTTOMAN FORCES PLAN TO CONQUER ĐURĐEVAC…

Let’s hop in the time machine and head back to the sixteenth century. As you can imagine, the sixteenth century didn’t really provide the vast majority with easy living, and the marauding Turks didn’t make things any more simple in Croatia and the more immediate region. Back in those days, the continental Croatian town of Đurđevac was fortified, but the Ottoman army didn’t see the conquering and occupation of this town as anything that would require a great deal of effort. Thinking they might lose only a few men and otherwise sail straight to victory, the Turks were at ease. Their ease didn’t aid them much, as it turned out that the capturing of Đurđevac wasn’t as straightforward as they had initially hoped, and it ended up being drawn out over several days.

In attempt to force the people of Đurđevac to surrender to the Ottoman forces, they tried to starve them out. They cut of the townspeople’s food supply, sat back, and waited. Food supplies gradually went down, even with careful rationing, and in the end, the poor townspeople were left with nothing at all to eat but one single, rather worryingly underweight little chicken.

Ulma-beg, the leader of the Ottoman forces sitting back and waiting for the half-starved townspeople of Đurđevac to come out waving their white flag with their hands up, had no idea what was coming next…

ONE WISE OLD ĐURĐEVAC WOMAN COMES UP WITH AN IDEA…

With nothing left in the town to eat except the skinny rooster who seemed unaware of any sort of impending doom, or of the weight of the responsibility now placed on his shoulders, one local woman came up with a rather odd plan.

She chose not to put the skinny rooster in a pot, cook it and eat it. The bird had next to no meat on it, there was nothing left to consume to go with it, and it would barely feed one individual, let alone the population of the town who had remained alive.

This wise old local woman suggested that the skinny chicken be put inside a cannon and fired at the waiting Ottomans, instead of putting it in a pot. At first, the townspeople, delirious with hunger and fear at the prospects of Ottoman occupation, thought the old woman had lost the plot. The commander of the Croatian forces protecting Đurđevac, however, had a different view. Given the low chances of Croatian success at fending off the Turks at this point, he begrudgingly agreed with the old woman that they may as well do as she suggested.

THE ĐURĐEVAC ROOSTER IS LAUNCHED AT THE TURKS

Now, one can hardly blame Ottoman leader Ulma-beg for being rather surprised at fowl being launched at him with the use of cannons. When the Đurđevac rooster flew out and hit his army, he attempted to understand the message behind the chicken. What on Earth could the people of Đurđevac be trying to express by throwing chickens? His paranoia led him to the conclusion that the townspeople weren’t quite as starving as he had hoped they’d be by now. How could they be if they were firing animals that could easily be used as meat at him?

THE OTTOMANS CALL OFF THEIR ATTACK

Totally confused by this, Ulma-beg calls off his troops and the attack on the town entirely. The Ottomans had wasted their time waiting around for the townspeople to stave and surrender, so they packed up their camp and left the area. The Turks didn’t leave without anger, and Ulma-beg was particularly irritated by having a rooster launched at him. When turning away to leave and go and pillage elsewhere, Ulma-beg called the townspeople of Đurđevac ”picoki” – roosters.

THE PEOPLE OF ĐURĐEVAC REMAIN PROUD ”PICOKI” TO THIS VERY DAY

Thanks to the wise old woman and the Đurđevac rooster having saved the town from Ottoman ruin, Đurđevac locals continue to refer to themselves as picoki. There’s even a festival named after it which continues to take place in the town to this very day – Picokijada.

The post The Đurđevac Rooster: A Bird Who Ended An Ottoman Siege appeared first on Total Croatia.

Last month, I posted on social media that we were looking to overhaul the TCN Instagram page and use it as a platform to showcase the talent of some of Croatia’s young and lesser-known photography talent. We had a great response and finally agreed to work with the 7 photographers below – an introduction of who they are, their first photo posted this week, and a link to their page.

Mario Ivanković – Mondays

https://www.instagram.com/lepimarijou

Mario is a hobby photographer from Vukovar, which he often pairs with his favourite hobby of skateboarding. He is interested in portraits, as well as film photography of dreamy vibes. You can expect dynamic work and representation of eastern Croatia from Mario.

Martina Vujović – Tuesdays

https://www.instagram.com/MapleSearup

Martina (aka Mars) was born in Croatia, raised in Canada, and recently moved back to her homeland. She is an endlessly curious Adriatic thalassophile with a passion for sipping coffee at seaside cafes. Mars co-runs a content creation company, where she develops multimedia portfolios for businesses and brands. These are pieces of Croatia through her lens.

Armando Suša – Wednesdays

Armando Suša is a 33-year-old from Rijeka, native of Pašman, currently living in Zagreb. He is a lover of adrenaline sports, nature, photography and video. In his words, a great passion for his hobbies allowed him to combine it all into one. Through the world of diving he discovered a great love for underwater photography, and enjoying nature developed a love for landscape photography. Shooting videos spiced up his photos and brought his world closer to everyone around him.

Vladimir Nemet – Thursdays

https://www.instagram.com/vladimir.nemet/

Vladimir is interested in nature photography and its details, in the so-called close-up photography. He works as a psychotherapist, specializing in a form of psychotherapy known as phenomenological existential psychotherapy. Phenomenology is a philosophical approach based on experience and the perception of the world. Such is Vladimir’s photography, a return to the original, authentic experience. A photograph is “successful” when it achieves the so-called “Epoche,” a term from phenomenology, which means “suspension of judgment,” indicating that perception takes precedence over reflection. He is also interested in “street photography,” where he can capture people’s facial expressions in moments of spontaneity, that is, their authenticity.

Dino Stuparić – Fridays

https://www.instagram.com/dino.stuparic/

Dino finds that his love, passion, whatever you call it, is the most important when it comes to photography. He has always been a visual type of person. Observing things, people, animals, whatever at a given moment makes him stop and wander into a world of his creativity and imagination. That creation, as far as he remembers, came with the first camera he got from his uncle. And here he is, talking about his personal best way of taking photos. Analog on 35mm film roll. And all that excitement while you wait for the film to develop and look at what you have photographed. Really, the best moments. But as time moves forward as well as technology, there was a camera, a mobile phone, whatever was in his hands that could stop that particular moment and turn it into a picture. During one period, he also worked at a photo studio, where his colleagues at the time opened up another world for him. Both the practical and the theoretical part. Despite all that, he is where he is now. Love still smolders in him whenever he grabs the device and starts collecting some of his “moments”. Because, as they say, a picture speaks a thousand words, and it really does. And over time he has collected a lot. Which means twice as many stories. And it will always be there for him to go back in time and remember something that was happening around him.

Klaudia Woźniak – Saturdays   

https://cloudphoto.my.canva.site/

Let’s welcome Klaudia, a young student from Poland, calling Croatia her home since September. She has fallen head over heels for this country’s beauty—capturing its charm through her lens is her absolute passion. She is so excited to share the magic of Croatia with you all!

In this land of stunning light and crystal-clear waters, photos practically take themselves. Klaudia can’t wait to weave the tales of Croatia’s beauty together!

Willy – Sundays

https://www.instagram.com/lostinpula/

Willy is French and has a deep passion for photography. He uses it primarily as a means to capture and remember the places he has been and the sights he has seen.

The ability to freeze a moment in time is something he finds truly fascinating.

Each shot is a unique coincidence, and it’s through these coincidences that he found himself in Pula.

Or you can follow them all on TCN’s Instagram.

The post TCN Weekly Instagrammers: Meet the Team appeared first on Total Croatia.

The luxurious Hotel Miramare in Crikvenica hosted the prestigious two-day Crikvenica International Health Tourism Conference (CIHT). The latest trends and innovations in health tourism were the main topic of the 11th edition of the conference.

“Connecting different institutions and institutions proved to be a successful model that additionally presents Kvarner, but also the whole of Croatia. This conference has a strong national component. I am proud to announce that the Health Tourism Cluster of Kvarner has signed an agreement with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports on cooperation in the field of further development of health tourism in Croatia. – said Vladimir Mozetič, president of the Health Tourism Cluster of Kvarner. It is the cluster that brings together members from the medical, tourism and university sectors and supporting services – all with the aim of creating competitive health tourism in the destination. They, along with the Tourist Board of the City of Crikvenica, are the organizers of CIHT. “We are very happy that today we entered the new decade of the CIHT conference. The satisfaction is greater that this year both ministries, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Ministry of Health, joined the conference much more strongly – organizationally and content-wise. We heard interesting information about their activities on the topic of health tourism, because we all know that the legislative framework is very important, as well as the support of the institutions for the entire sector. We are looking forward to tomorrow’s new lectures and meeting top experts in the field of health tourism,” said Marijana Biondić, director of the Tourist Board of the City of Crikvenica.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has been supporting the Crikvenica International Health Tourism Conference (CIHT) for years. The further development of health tourism in Croatia is one of the main focuses for them, as well as for the organizers of the conference. “We have recognized the potential for the development of health tourism through significant secured financial resources, almost 100 million euros are available for the development of health tourism, which, I believe, will contribute to what we all want, which is a more even development of tourism in Croatia and year-round tourism,” he said. is Josip Pavić, State Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

At the beginning of the conference, in the opening speeches, Danica Kramarić, director of the Directorate for Primary Health Care, Health Tourism, Medicines and Medical Products, Public Health and Public Health Protection of the Ministry of Health, addressed the participants: “Health tourism is a product with high potential. We are already a recognized destination in the field of dental medicine, aesthetic medicine, ophthalmology, orthopedics and even oncology. Along with all the natural beauty, in the coming period we must continue to focus on the quality of service, professional staff and long tradition.”

After the welcome speeches, the official part of the conference continued in the same vein, as the first topic was the further development of health tourism in Croatia. In addition to the already highlighted opportunities, lecturer Slavko Štefičar (Ministry of Tourism and Sports) emphasized the importance of promotion: “Without promotion, there is nothing. No matter how good a product we have, if we don’t have good marketing, we can’t achieve the results we want.”

The conference continued with attractive topics. One of the topics that particularly aroused the interest of the participants was forest therapy. The idea was born in 1982 in Japan, and it is a therapeutic walk in the forest, the goal of which is to connect with nature and thus relieve stress. “It has many positive effects on the body. It is a preventive method that improves sleep, relieves stress and has a positive psychological effect on the individual,” explained Aleksandar Racz from the University of Health in Zagreb. One of the prominent goals is to expand the offer of forest therapy as part of the health tourism offer.

Anandaraman Sharma, head of the Panchakarma Department of the prestigious Indian institute – All India Institute of Ayurveda, presented the method of using Ayurveda in the treatment of skin diseases. He presented the case of a man who had major problems with psoriasis, and after Ayurvedic treatment, the symptoms of this disease disappeared. This was followed by an interesting lecture by Indranoshea Das, director of the national Ayush Directorate from India, on the positive impact of yoga on health.

The lectures were enriched by a panel discussion moderated by Ivan Rendulić, director of RexRe from Zagreb.

The second day of the 11th Crikvenica International Health Tourism Conference (CIHT) at Hotel Miramare in Crikvenica began with lectures and a panel discussion on the topic of cluster associations. President of the Association of Slovenian Natural Spas (SSA), Iztok Altbauer, cited a positive example of the association from Slovenia, and it is about the Slovenian green wellness route: “It is a cycling route that connects Slovenian spas and thermal spas. It offers a sustainable way of traveling, and after every day it’s time to relax and unwind in famous spas and health resorts.”

Cluster associations are particularly important when it comes to marketing and sales because they imply a combined budget, knowledge and resources. “We often forget about the possibility of association, most of the time we are focused only on our own company, institution or project. Associations are particularly useful in health tourism and open up numerous greater development opportunities. ” – explained Ivana Kolar, director of Julius Rose, a company for business consulting and project management, and added that the quality of health tourism in Croatia is being raised to a higher level from year to year. Linking cultural tourism with health tourism also offers new development potential, which was the topic of the lecture by Simone Zagrodnik, president of the Association of European Historic Thermal Towns (EHTTA). How government can help ensure a successful and safe health tourism facility, explained Paula Wilson, senior director of leadership, management and business risk consultancy at Vmarsh.

The use of new technologies and artificial intelligence in health tourism was the main topic of the fourth block of lectures and the final panel. Sandeep Sharma, CEO and founder of the Vmarsh Healthcare company, pointed out that new technologies can significantly improve health tourism services, but we must not ignore the importance of the human factor: “New technologies often help, speed up the various services we want to provide to patients, but all this should be in synergy with health professionals, their expertise and empathy.” Damir Medved, director of EDIh Adria, presented the ways in which artificial intelligence and new technologies can help the business of small and medium-sized entrepreneurs in the field of health tourism. “I can help in faster communication with patients, rehabilitation, in the use of tools that will facilitate the administration of healthcare professionals. There are various possibilities, but small and medium-sized entrepreneurs in Croatia are mostly not ready, and one of the main problems is the lack of information and education.” – said Medved. Lejla Pock, director of the Human Technology Cluster – Styria from Graz, presented her cluster. It gathers around 150 companies in the region that operate in the field of health, and their main task is to provide contacts, knowledge and information for this community, lately very often in the field of new technologies. The whole was rounded off by a lecture by Joško Brkić, manager of Aqua Maris, JGL, entitled Microplastics – the rising tide of health problems.

At this year’s CIHT conference, organized by TZG Crikvenica and the Kvarner Health Tourism Cluster and co-organized by Thalassotherapy Crikvenica and Terme Selce, 13 lecturers from 7 different countries shared their experiences and knowledge, and the lectures and panels were followed live and online by more than 100 participants from all over of the world.

The post International Medical Tourism Experts Gather in Crikvenica for CIHT 2023 appeared first on Total Croatia.

The big concert marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel and 26 years of diplomatic relations between Croatia and Israel, and it was conceived as a unique musical event that celebrates the spirit of togetherness, hope, optimism and love.

Tajči and Moti will hold an all-night concert accompanied by the HRT Symphony Orchestra, conducted by maestro Alan Bjelinski, and the musicians of the Symphony Orchestra will be joined by the Israeli pianist Joe Kaplowitz. The arrangements are signed by the great Ante Gelo and Jim Gray.

Moti Giladi, an Israeli singer and actor, released his first album in 1969 and then moved to the United States. In the eighties of the last century, he returned to Israel and in 1986, in a duet with Sarai Tzuriel, he represented Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest. From the early nineties, Giladi continued his career as an actor, and his most famous roles were in the films Lupo, Me’ever Layam and Lemon Popsicle 9: The Party Goes On.

Croatia has many energetic friends around the world, and there can be few more enthusiastic supporters in Israel than Moti Giladi. Ahead of the concert (links to the concert and tickets at the end of this article), we caught up with Moti to learn more of the concert, his love for Croatia, relations between the two countries, and the activities of the Croatian-Israeli Business Club.

How did you develop your love for Croatia?

In 2004, at a certain political occasion at Benjamin Netanyahu’s’ office (at that time Minister of Finance), I became acquainted with Prof. Dragan Primorac when he visited Israel as Minister of Science, Education and
Sports.

He expressed to me his admiration and love for Israel and encouraged me to visit his beautiful country, Croatia, which, two months after, I did! And yes, I was impressed by the warmth of the people and by the beauty of Hrvatska! I fell in love with the landscapes, with the Adriatic shores and its captive islands, and since then, I have become a goodwill ambassador, encouraging people to go and visit and describing to them the Adriatic as a unique, outstanding “Big Painting,” all the way to Dubrovnik!

The Croatian-Israeli Business Club (CIBC) was established in 2010 by
Professor Dragan Primorac with the support of his friend and mentor, the Nobel Prize laureate and former Israeli President Shimon Peres.
There are many prominent Israelis involved in the work of CIBC. How
do you see the main role of CIBC?

The main role is to collaborate more and more in many fields as our two countries have so much to offer each other! From medical research and innovations, such as collaboration between St. Catherine Hospital and
the Israeli Bonus biogroup , in Science, Energy, Tourism, Agriculture, iTech and more! As an artist, I deeply believe that through Sports and Culture, people get closer and that is the main reason for producing
this upcoming concert which emphasises in Hebrew, Croatian and English the need for togetherness, friendship, hope, and unity!

Please tell us a few words about your unique and great friendship with Professor Primorac.

We are like brothers! From the first moment we met there was a spark!

A spark of promising great friendship to be developed. We share the same values, We are open to new ideas out of mutual respect and admiration! We both are truthful and loyal, and we both love our countries, and for twenty years, we have been acting in various directions for the benefit of Croatia and Israel. Among others, we have
created the collaboration between the University of Split and the Israeli-Sapir Academy!

As mentioned above, I made Prof. Primorac acquainted with our PM Netanyahu, who is my friend, also served as a member of his strategic committee and am involved in stylizing his speeches including the ones in the UN.

You are a world-recognized artist and actor with an extremely busy schedule. But you are also the Chairman of the Croatian-Israeli
Business Club (CIBC) Advisory Board in Israel and Chief Communication Officer. How do you manage to handle the important issues related to CIBC?

You always find the time when you face a sacred issue! People around me are aware that I don’t have a limited summit! I am sure that Prof. Primorac will prove that whenever I am drafted to an important mission, I am at service and fulfillment 100%!

In 2018. you touched many hearts singing in excellent Croatian,
“Croatio is duše te ljubim”. In a short time, almost 35,000 saw that
video. How did you feel after the incredibly positive reactions from all around the world?

Yes, It was a great satisfactory feeling and some kind of “achieving victory” hearing that people thought I was Croatian. Well, since I am an impressionist, I am able to adapt the right dialect and pronunciation, and so I do in 22 languages! Also, I must know precisely the meaning of every word so I can be accurate and reliable!

Before the 2018 FIFA World Cup, you stated, “Good luck, Croatia, my
heart and heart of all Israelis I know will be with you.” The message
went viral. Have you ever met any of the Croatian players?

Yes,’ I became a good friend of the legendary Davor Šuker! I am still waiting to meet the one, and only Luka Modric, who watched the latest video of “Croatio is duše te ljubim” which I’ve specially edited after the World Cup, indicating the great achievements of the Croatian national team and was screened in the CIBC event last December in Zagreb. Modric told Prof. Primorac that it was a “Phenomenal Video”! Hoping to meet the great football Croatian stars in the event on Oct.11th. Since, among others, I was also a goalkeeper – a candidate for the Israeli young national team. I’ll bring a ball with me to the concert, and if Luka Modric is in the audience, I’ll be happy if he KICKS!! LOL!!

What is the main message of the concert in Vatroslav Lisinski when
you perform together with Tajči?

The main message is that the world can be wonderful if we only try! (like my impression of the legendary Louis Armstrong with the song “What a Wonderful World” or “window in the wall” that Tajci composed and delivers emotionally! All the songs and the wordings that Tajci and I had selected and put together are tided, carrying and reflecting sacred values as love, friendship, hope and unity!

Titles like: “You’ve Got a Friend” “Day Will Come” (my Eurovision song) and “Holding out my Hand”- The new song that was especially written for the upcoming event and been recorded will be one of the highlights of
this great and unique show presenting a big joyful hug to humanity!

How did the idea of ​​performing with the extraordinary Croatian singer Tatiana “Tajči” Cameron arise?

Prof. Dragan Primorac is to be “blamed” for it! He is the matchmaker! For many years I’ve been asking the Israeli ambassadors to initiate more cultural collaboration in order to bring the two peoples closer. I also Encouraged Prof. Primorac to implement my ideas and thank God it’s happening! DRAGAN took the mission on himself not before that he told me how much he and all of Croatia love and adore the wonderful TAJCI and said:

“Moti my brother, Tajči is a perfect match for you!” And he was right! From first sight we both felt and knew we can do great things together and we both thank Dragan for connecting us! We both “are growing beautiful fruits” in the garden of musical notes!!

The CIBC President, Prof. Saša Missoni, underlines your continued
support of CIBC. What is the next on your agenda related to CIBC?

In honor of the 75th Anniversary of Israel and the 26 years of great relationship between our two countries, it would be fantastic if the next yearly CIBC event would take place in Israel! Also, Prof. Primorac and I are considering bringing the Croatian National Football Team to play against The Israeli National Team as it happened in 2004. Hopefully it will happen!!

You are the friend of many prominent Israeli politicians, including Prime

Minister Netanyahu, the speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana, etc.. The
political relationship between Israel and Croatia was never better. In your opinion, what else should be done to strengthen the relationship even more?

Advancing more and more collaborations ! Establishing daily direct flights to Croatia! Israelis are in love with Hrvatska, so why not increase the joy and the Tourism.. even in winter times? More and more conventions in various fields from medicine to other scientific subjects, iTech, agriculture, culture and sports activities and learning more and more about the needs of each other!

The Israeli Embassy is extremely active in promoting cultural activities here – can you tell us a little about that. 

I am in touch with ambassador Gary Koren and together with Prof. Primorac we are exchanging ideas for further future activities!! Certain festivals and appearances of artists, bands, and more!
 
It is well-known that you love Croatia. If you had to sum up Croatia in a sentence to encourage people to visit, what would that sentence be?

Come and see the most beautiful Painting on the Map of the Globe!!!

Your favorite place in Croatia, and why?

DUBROVNIK! As much as you describe, there is always More to Tell!

Tickets for the concert are on sale in the Eventim system, as well as in Lisinski.

The post Moti Giladi Interview as Moti & Tajci Team Up at Lisinski for Israel at 75 appeared first on Total Croatia.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Jadranka Dozan writes, the streak of eight months of consecutive slowdown in annual inflation came to a halt in August this year. According to the first estimates made by the country’s statisticians, after slowing down to 7.3 percent back in July, inflation rose to 7.8 percent last month. At the same time, the prices of goods and services for personal consumption increased by 0.6 percent on average on a monthly basis.

Measured by the HICP, the annual rate in Croatia accelerated from July’s 8 percent to 8.5 percent in August, while the monthly HICP inflation according to the rapid assessment of the past month amounted to 0.5 percent, against July’s 1.1 percent.

Comparisons with other Eurozone countries

Compared to other Eurozone nations, Croatian energy price hikes remained at the top in terms of the annual inflation rate. In this society of currently twenty countries, only Slovakia had higher inflation than Croatia, where price growth returned to single-digit 9.6 percent in August (10.3 percent a month ago). At the level of the Eurozone, “flash” estimates say that inflation remained at an average of 5.3 percent across the bloc, which increased the inflation gap between Croatia and the rest of the Eurozone to more than three percentage points.

Belgium and Spain, with their overall inflation slowing to 2.4 percent, are currently quite close to the medium-term target rate of the European Central Bank, and in slightly less than half of the Eurozone’s member states, inflation has been reduced below five percent.

Here in the Republic of Croatia, the figures for the month of August were primarily influenced by Croatian energy price inflation. In the previous nine months of 2023, this was most responsible for the slowdown in the annual growth rate of consumer prices, and now it has contributed to their acceleration because the recent rise in energy prices (primarily in crude oil) reduced its decline in annual comparisons.

As they pointed out from the CBS (Central Bureau of Statistics), the increase in the monthly rate for the energy component was estimated for August at 2.7 percent (the month before it went up by 1.7%), the prices of services during August also went up by 0.7 percent on average (in July 1.7), and the categories food, drink and tobacco shot up by 0.2 percent, which is also slightly less than how things stood back in July.

According to the very first calculations, last month, a price drop of 0.5 percent was recorded only for industrial non-food products (without energy), which, on the other hand, fell in price by an average of 2.4 percent the month before.

At the same time, in annual comparisons of the consumer price index (according to Croatian methodology), the growth in prices of food, beverages and tobacco slowed down to 10.1 percent (from July’s 11.6%), and the same applies to the prices of industrial non-food products. In the case of service prices, a slight acceleration of annual inflation was recorded, from 7.7 to 7.8%, while Croatian energy prices hikes had calmed down, being lower in July when looking at annual comparisons (with a decrease of 1.8 percent).

Core inflation

Considering the estimates of the price movements of industrial products and services, core inflation across Croatia has now slightly decreased, but is still slightly higher than the overall rate. The Croatian National Bank (CNB) also commented on the latest inflation estimates. Among other things, they pointed out that in Croatia, the annual inflation rate (HICP) is currently 4.5 percentage points lower than the peak reached back in November 2022.

They also noted that this gradually slowing trend was mostly the result of a strong reduction in Croatian energy price inflation. It exceeded 20 percent back in November, and due to the drop in crude oil prices on the global market, as well as temporarily frozen gas and electricity prices for households (since April), Croatian energy price inflation had actually entered negative territory.

CNB analysts also emphasised the fact that the decline in overall inflation over the last nine months was contributed to (to a slightly lesser extent) by the slowdown in core inflation (thanks to industrial products) and food price inflation.

However, things have changed since mid-July this year, when the prices of Brent crude oil on the global market began to increase under the influence of the reduction in supply from OPEC+ countries. During August alone they increased by about 8 percent. This stimulated the growth of retail prices of petroleum products on the domestic market, so the annual rate of change in the Croatian energy price in August was higher than it was back in July (1.6 vs. ̶ 5.8%), leading to an acceleration of overall inflation in August compared to the month before.

Although overall, Croatia does unfortunately still have elevated annual price growth, the central bank states that in all other main components of inflation, it has very clearly slowed down when compared to July.

“In an environment of lower energy prices and other raw materials on the global market, the normalisation of supply chains and the appreciation of the nominal effective exchange rate of the euro, food price inflation (according to the HICP) slowed down from 11.8 to 10.3 percent. Consumer prices for industrial products also went down from 7.7 to 7 percent”, they pointed out. The slowdown in inflation in food and industrial products largely reflects the favourable effect of the base period, because last year, these goods were constantly recording very strong price increases.

Looking back to the beginning of 2021…

Somewhat milder import inflationary pressures have been reflected in the movement of producer prices of the Croatian industry for some time now. In this particular regard, central bank analysts have noted the strong slowdown in the annual price growth of intermediate products and industrial products for mass consumption.

In addition, they explained, the reduction of inflationary pressures also resulted in a drop in short-term (three months ahead) inflationary expectations of companies in the industry, which in recent months have returned to the levels recorded at the beginning of 2021.

More broadly, it remains to be seen whether the slight slowdown in core inflation at the Eurozone level (from 5.5 down to 5.3 percent), as well as increasingly obvious indications of a slowdown in Eurozone economies, will prompt the ECB to reconsider the need for another step in the increase of reference interest rates.

The post Croatian Energy Price Hikes Place Country at Top of Eurozone appeared first on Total Croatia.

September 1, 2023 – No visit to Istria is complete without a visit to the truffle capital that offers so much more – magical Motovun.

I distinctly remember the first time I saw it, way back in 2005. It just sat there, majestically atop the hill, its traditional stone houses snaking down the hillside. All around, wonderful greenery under an azure blue sky. Since that magical moment that I first eyes upon Motovun, it has a special place in my heart, and that initial view has remained one of the iconic picture postcards of this spectacular country.

Back then, I was staying with a friend in Motovun for the internationally acclaimed Motovun Film Festival, just one more string in the village’s impressive cultural offering. There was a relaxed vibe and pace of life that was much less stressful than the busyness of the coast. I loved it.

Almost 20 years later, I was back, checking out the fabulous success story of inland Istria from a standing start 30 years ago, and it did not take long to fall in love again. Motovun is small, and there are not many streets, but it oozes charm in every corner, and finding a poor view is mission impossible. Its imperious position offers superb panoramic views of green Istria wherever you stand.

The only way is up, but the effort is more than rewarded by the charm of the old streets, where tourism is very present, but not at the cost of cheap souvenir shops one can find elsewhere.

It is a place of legends, from Jason and the Argonauts sailing the River Mirna below Motovun, to a mural of Veli Joze, the gentle giant who keeps watch over Motovun, having played his part in building it and other hilltop villages (the reason Hum – the smallest town in the world – is so small is because the giants had run out of stones when they got to Hum).

And all the walking is rewarded with a refreshing drink at the several cafes, all of which offer their own special views. A walk along the Motovun walls is highly recommended for the very best views.

Look a little closer, and you will find some surprising things, such as the birthplace of racing legend Mario Andretti, who was born here (see the plaque in the centre of the photo).

There have been plenty of famous visitors too, some of whose endorsements are still prized over a decade later, such as the late, great Anthony Bourdain, who visited during his famous No Reservations filming.

And it would be rude not to pop in for a glass of something before departing the village. A visit to the Aura family distillery will blow your mind in terms of choice – there is so much choice, and it seems that every herb and plant in this part of Europe has been transformed into flavoured liquor, including some rather unusual concoctions – white truffle in gin, anyone?

As stunning as this picturesque village is, there is a growing amount of magic happening in the fields and forests below.

Top of the list is the incredible Roxanich Design Hotel and Winery, a superb fusion of a renovated traditional historic building, and a VERY modern architectural design, with a progressive wine-making philosophy to match.

A tour of the fabulous winery, innovatively designed and built on four floors into the hillside highlights both art, and some very colourful wines. The Roxanich orange wines are highly prized and easy to spot.

And you certainly won’t forget your hotel room in a hurry. From the official Roxanich website:

Discover our new eclectic, contemporary design hotel in the heart of Istria. It rests perched on a hillside, beneath the gentle shadow of Motovun, overlooking the spectacular scenery of River Mirna valley. Enjoy chic, exquisitely designed lodging in one of our 32 rooms and suites. Taste our sublime zero-kilometer cuisine, and casually indulge in some very serious wine tasting, as your base for exploring unique Istrian experiences such as truffle hunting or seaside lounging, all within mere 30 minutes from us.

From a wine perspective, the most interesting wine for me was one which I think is unique in the world.

Where the King of Istrian red meets the King of Dalmatian red.

I think I am correct in saying that this is the only cuvee of Teran and Plavac Mali. A lovely drop if you come across it.

But ask a gourmand what Motovun is famous for, and you will hear only one word…

Truffles.

The forests around Motovun are home to Istria’s best truffles, some of which can be very large indeed. Back in 1999, Giancarlo Zigante and his hunting dog Diana, found their way into the Guinness Book of Records when they unearthed the world’s largest truffle, a staggering 1.3 kg. Istria became established as the global truffle destination that it is today.

While we were hoping for a repeat of that incredible find with Miro Tartufi, the joy of actually finding truffles and watching the process was more than enough. Miro and his incredibly enthusiastic dogs took our small group into the forest, where Miro explained the basics and let the dogs do their work.

What a delightful little excursion – especially for dog lovers – and a chance to experience Motovun’s wonderful nature close up.

And it wasn’t long before we had our reward, the first of 6 truffles we found on our very pleasant (and shady) hunt in around an hour.

I was curious to see what the daughter of this Indian tourist would make of it all, but she seemed to be having a LOT of fun. Great family fun all round.

But the hunting was only half the truffle story, for now we got to meet Mrs. Miro…

A great husband and wife team, Mrs. Miro expertly took the hunt of the day and delivered delicious truffle-infested delights, starting with scrambled eggs.

A wonderful truffle salad.

The food kept coming, including fantastic desserts. It was a good job that we had no plans for lunch. A wonderful experience all round, and a lovely couple helping to promote an essential part of Istrian tourism.

Wine, rakija, food, culture, heritage and views – but the biggest surprise was saved until last, a truly outstanding corner of Istria, located on Motovun’s main square…

… and not something I had been expecting at all. When I saw a visit to a printing press in the official itinerary from the Istrian Tourist Board, I was a little confused, as well as a little skeptical.

And then I saw it.

Over the years, I have come to the conclusion that the finer parts of Croatian tourism – the things that give that little extra – come from private initiatives and passions. And here was another great example.

THE CITY PRINTING HOUSE ANTICO, named after ANDREA ANTICO DE MONTONA, offers the creation of unique Motovun souvenirs using traditional hand-printing technique on a replica of the medieval Gutenberg printing press, with the possibility to choose motifs and personal messages to keep forever your memories of a day spent in Motovun. The motifs of graphics and illustrations range from idyllic representations of Motovun to fairy tales and legends of the Istrian region. The paper used to print this unique souvenir is hand-made, where each leaf contains part of the Motovun forest thanks to fallen leaves and fruits collected and processed in the Workshop of Master Janez. (from the Motovun Tourist Board website).

Incredible. Everything done by hand, just as it was back in the day. One man with a dream and a passion, preserving traditions while educating future generations about their heritage.

And with an excellent – and very imaginative – range of hand-made souvenirs, complete with waxed stamp. A fantastic and very portable souvenir from this outstanding hilltop gem. My favourite part of the visit.

Twenty years on, the view has not changed, nor my affection for the place. A gentle giant is watching over you, and the fruits of the forest await. Don’t miss Motovun next time you visit Istria.

Want to learn more about Motovun? Check out the Total Croatia Motovun in a Page guide.

The post Magical Motovun: Istria’s Premier Hilltop Treasure? appeared first on Total Croatia.

Although I had not planned on visiting the coast during peak season this year, a family emergency in the UK had me on the return flight to Split and so I decided to take a few days on Hvar to catch up with friends and some clients.

Among them was the team at Suncani Hvar, who kindly offered me a room for a couple of nights at Hotel Pharos Bayhill Hvar. While I was grateful for a place to lay my weary head, I was not quite sure what awaited. Hvar Town in peak season is hardly the quietest place in town, and a hotel aimed at the younger market was not perhaps something for a fat, balding 54-year old.

It had been about 7 years since I last visited the hotel in season. That was for the opening of the newly revamped formerly 2-star Hotel Pharos, which the company told me had been upgraded to a 3 (almost 4)-star Hotel Pharos Bayhill Hvar. It was the first millennial hotel on the island, a term I knew little about back then. You can read about the opening here.

The bathrooms were certainly funky, in case I was under any illusion what kind of hotel I was in as I went to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

The only other time I stayed there was in the depths of winter, as the Bahrain Merida (now McLaren), the world’s best cycling team, came to Hvar for their winter training, based at Hotel Pharos Bayhill, a phenomenal promotion of the island’s off-season cycling potential. You can read more in Road Testing Pharos Bayhill Hvar as a Bike Hotel: The Bahrain Merida Verdict.

But a millennial hotel in peak season in a destination with such vibrant nightlife as Hvar Town at my age?

I was in for a surprise.

It definitely still had the laidback vibe, with younger guests content to lounge around the pool all day and chill in the restaurant and bar area. There were groups of 10-12 guys and similar groups of women, obviously here to enjoy the legendary nightlife. It had the relaxed feel of an upmarket hostel. Very refreshing.

And while the majority of people at the bar at 22:00 were just gearing up for the evening and heading into town, I found myself heading to my room and bed, a little concerned that it would be a sleepless night with returning drunken guests.

Instead, I slept like a baby each night, the only sound to disturb were the chirping of cicadas. As Hotel Pharos Bayhill Hvar is located in pine forest and a residential area, set back from the waterfront but with great sea view, it doesn’t attract the noise of the riva. Indeed, with a short five-minute walk into the centre, it is an ideal location for those wanting to be close to the action, but not in it.

As for those drunken returning guests, if they were noisy, I certainly didn’t hear a thing and had some of the best sleep of the year.

Hvar Town is often portrayed as the glitzy destination, which it most certainly is, but there are plenty of other aspects to this very versatile town. And the verdict of this boomer on Hotel Pharos Bayhill Hvar was a definite thumbs up, even if it felt I was the oldest guest by about 20 years.

You can learn more about Hotel Pharos Bayhill Hvar from the official website.

Paul Bradbury was a guest of the hotel in late July 2023.

The post Hotel Pharos Bayhill: Hvar Town’s Quietest Peak Season Sleep appeared first on Total Croatia.

It is a story I have been following for 8 years, a story really quite unbelievable to be happening in Europe in the 21st century. But it is a story that keeps on giving.

Back in 2015, Czech citizen Vit Jedlicka made global headlines when he rocked up with his girlfriend and best friend on a marshy piece of land on the left bank of the Danube and claimed the territory for himself and his new country, the Free State of Liberland.

The story made the New York Times, and Jedlicka’s offer of citizenship in his proposed libertarian tax-free state was taken up by over half a million applicants within days.

Quite how this 7 km2 piece of land was up for grabs between Serbia and Croatia, who had spilled untold blood in the Homeland War in the 1990s surprised many, but in many ways it was perfectly understandable.

When peace came and borders were being finalised, there were some anomalies in the Danube lands. The cadastre had been drawn up in the 19th century, when the Danube flowed differently. This meant that two larger pieces of land on the Serbian side were actually Croatian in the books, and a smaller pocket (the claimed Liberland) was Serbian. The Serbs wanted the land on their side of the river, the Croats too, as it was bigger than the Liberland pocket. The result? Neither side claimed the Liberland plot, until a wily Czech popped in to claim it under the international law known as Terra Nullius.

The Croats were not amused, and the new president was put in jail overnight on I think two occasions. In the first, he attempted to enter Liberland from Croatia, and was arrested for illegally exiting Croatia. He thanked his captors for agreeing with him on the border and that Liberland was not in Croatia, as well as for keep guard on illegal entrants to LIberland so that he did not have to spend money on security.

Probably the most surreal weekend of my time in Croatia was attending the first annual Liberland Conference in the village of Lug in Baranja. If you are interested in the story, I strongly recommend you read my 2016 account Reflections of a Weekend in Alice in LiberWonderland to get up to speed.

The Croatian police has spent considerable effort and money to prevent people entering Liberland on the water. Probably the best recorded case of this is in the recent attempt by popular YouTuber Niko Omilana during his April 2023 visit. The video, which went live a few days ago and has already racked up more than 7 million views, documents his four attempts to evade the police, including attempts from Serbia, Croatia (he was denied entry) and Hungary.

In the video, he appears to be kicked by a Croatian police officer, despite claiming to enter Liberland legally (the whole border situation has now changed with Croatia entering the Schengen zone). The story was picked up by the Croatian media, and Jutarrnji List contacted the Ministry of the Interior for comment on the footage:

Regarding the published video by a citizen of Great Britain, he was refused entry to the Republic of Croatia on April 15, 2023 at the border crossing, as he did not justify the conditions and purpose of entry.

The details from the video will certainly be checked by the competent services, and if it is determined that it is an authentic recording and the omissions of the alleged police officer, further measures will be taken with the aim of determining responsibility.

Is Croatia’s stance against Liberland softening after 8 years? Here is President Vedlicka meeting Croatian President Zoran Milanovic at the ACAP Conference in Zagreb last month.

I last saw the president in Osijek before Christmas as he bought a copy of our book, Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners. He was back in Croatia for the first time in years, having previously denied entry (see the Alice in LiberWonderland report above).

And now this – part of a press release from the Liberland Press Office earlier this week:

Liberland, 6 August 2023 – Liberland has announced the opening of its first border crossing with Croatia.

This significant step was taken following positive and friendly developments with the Croatian side. 

President Vit Jedlicka said during the opening ceremony, “This is a small step for Liberland but, I think, a big step for humanity. It reflects our commitment to international cooperation, freedom and fairness. We eagerly anticipate fostering stronger ties with our neighbours and the global community.”

As of today, it is possible to visit Liberland. Visits should be planned carefully and in advance as the border crossing is at present open only during the daylight hours. This was decided in mutual understanding with Croatian border police. The border crossing post is established for both land and river traffic, but the actual crossing into Liberland is currently available only for land traffic on foot. 

The entry point to Liberland is located in Zmajevac, from where you can get to the parking lot and the river border checkpoint. The Liberland border checkpoint is located on the houseboat Liberty. We kindly ask visitors for their own safety to use daytime hours for visiting.

The procedure to legally enter and leave Liberland involves a police check performed by Croatian border police. Passport control is then conducted by the Liberland Border Ranger team. Before your visit, please provide us with your full name, number of your passport, your current residence address, and date and time of your arrival to border@liberland.org. Once you provide us with your travel plans, we will share exact visitation info with you.

Liberland’s continued effort to establish regular border relations with its closest neighbour is underpinned by Liberland’s drafting of its new Border Law, which provides a robust framework for immigration and border control.

The Border Law establishes the Immigration and Border Service (IBIS), responsible for Liberland border protection and control. It also details the duties of Border Rangers who enforce regulations, verify identities and ensure secure border crossings.

For more information about Liberland’s Border Law, visit Liberland’s GitHub.

****

If anyone has any recent experience crossing (or trying to cross) the Liberland border, we would love to hear from you at news@total-croatia-news.com

As for the next chapter of the Liberland story, I am sure it will be as entertaining and surreal as an Evelyn Waugh novel.

But if you think that is surreal, imagine what it must be like living in a Croatian village on the other side of the Danube. Who lives there and why? Find out in Kendjija, the Forgotten Croatian Village in the Unresolved Border Dispute with Serbia.

The post President Jedlicka: First Croatia-Liberland Border Now Open appeared first on Total Croatia.

All eyes on the inland Dalmatian town of Sinj today with the Prime Minister of Croatia and Presidents of Croatia and Hungary in attendance for the 308th SInjska Alka, a traditional knights’ tournament that has taken place annually since the Siege of Sinj by the Ottomans way back in 1715.

This year’s event was won once again by Ivo Zorica from the famous Zorica Alkar family. Zorica beat off the challenge of Tino Radanovic in a tight finale.

Ivo Zorica made his Alka debut back in 2000, and he has won the main event once before, as well as 4 Baras and 5 Cojas (the preliminary events before the main day).

As with all Alkars, Ivo Zorica was born in the Sinj area. He is married with two children and works as an economic technician in the local PBZ bank in Split.

The Sinjska Alka is listed as UNESCO Intangible Heritage and you can learn more about it in the UNESCO video below.

The post Ivo Zorica Wins the 308th Sinjska Alka appeared first on Total Croatia.