Croatia was at war just thirty years ago. While looking at the Mediterranean tourism star and EU, Eurozone and Schengen member state it has transformed into might lead one to believe this country’s bitter struggle for independence occurred forever ago – you’d be mistaken.

Signs warning hikers and others who might seek adventure of potential danger in the generally less populated parts of this country are dotted all over. Many signs alluding to un-exploded mines can be found in areas such as Lika, Croatia’s so-called green heart, as well as in various other locations.

A brief history of Croatian demining inspections and activities

Since 1998, not long after the bloody Homeland War ended, the failed state of Yugoslavia collapsed and Croatia finally got its extremely hard earned recognition as an independent nation, a massive 450 million euros has been spent on de-mining the land. Private contractors took over the task of clearing after being given the green light by a body called the Croatian Mine Action Centre back in 2013, with just under 11,500 warning signs put up in areas of concern.

Many fatalities and horrific injuries to both civilians, deminers and Croatian Army engineers have occurred during demining activities, with around 100 civilian casualties tragically occurring in different parts of the country in the immediate aftermath of the Homeland War.

Current estimates suggest that a total of 500 million euros will be required to totally complete the Croatian demining process. The nation has suffered a stunning 47 million euro per year economic loss as a result of land loss owing to suspected minefields since the end of the war was declared.

How much land do Croatian minefields cover?

It is believed that Croatian minefields recently covered a staggering area spanning 258,000 kilometres (almost 100 miles). In 2020, 45 towns, cities and municipalities were home to suspected minefields across 8 counties. Over 17,000 land mines are believed to be located in the suspected minefields in these areas and demining activities have continued since.

From the war to the present day

As of the end of 2022, confirmed minefields covered almost 58 miles (almost 150 kilometres) of the country. Narrowed down significantly from the previously suspected 100 miles of so-called mine suspected areas, minefields now span 6 counties and 28 cities, towns and municipalities. Over 6000 signs remain in place warning anyone who visits these areas that land mines are present. Most of these areas are forested regions (such as in Lika).

In July 2022, the Croatian Government submitted its proposal for the National Mine Action Programme to Parliament. This proposal has strategies for demining in different areas and deadlines for each affected region.

EEA citizens can perform Croatian demining inspections

As a result of what is laid out in the Mine Action Act, MUP explains that sole traders and legal persons from other European Union/European Economic Area member states can perform Croatian demining inspections.

There are of course several caveats to this, however, and one of them is that said sole trader/legal person must have their principal office headquartered within the EEA.

What else is required of EEA citizens who are sole traders/legal persons?

They must have permission from competent Croatian ministry to perform such activities

Permission to carry out demining activities in the countries of their citizenship/origin

They must have a registered subsidiary

What are EEA sole traders/legal persons permitted to do?

Should a sole trader/legal person from elsewhere in the EEA have the above documents, they can perform Croatian demining inspections with the use of trained mine dogs for ground inspections, they can demine following manual mine detection, and they can perform mechanical ground preparation.

What about natural persons from the EEA?

Natural persons from elsewhere in the EEA can also perform Croatian demining inspections, and they must have the following in order to get a thumbs up from the powers that be:

They must meet every single condition laid out in Croatia’s Mine Action Act

They must hold a demining ID card

There must be no security impediments preventing them from performing said activities. This must be proved with the engagement of a competent security intelligence agency and proven by valid security clearance

Natural persons from the EEA can perform the following:

Should an applicant tick all of the above boxes, they may perform the work of an explosives technician, a mine detection dog handler, or be a mine detecting machine operator.

The post A Guide to Who Can Perform Croatian Demining Inspections appeared first on Total Croatia.

The Croatian police are available to the public 24 hours per day, seven days per week, and you’ll often see them wandering or driving around. This is especially the case in larger towns and cities, as well as in tourist destinations during the warmer months. In tourist destinations which aren’t otherwise towns or cities with a large number of residents outside of the tourist season, or if you’re in a rural area, you’ll naturally see less police presence.

In emergencies

Unlike in the UK or the USA, you won’t need to call 999 or 911, but 192.

You can also approach any Croatian police officer you see in the area.

You can also go to the nearest police station to you to report a crime, and you can do so while choosing to remain anonymous if you so wish, although it’s worth noting that this does depend on the way you’ve decided to report the crime in question. I’ll explain that in more detail below:

If you don’t go in person to the police station but instead choose to contact the authorities in writing, you don’t need to provide any of your personal information. 

If you do go to the police station in person, you must still provide the personal information the officer(s) ask for, and a record of the situation will also be made and kept. 

If it isn’t an emergency

Just like in any other country, you shouldn’t call 192 unless the situation you’re in is an emergency which requires a quick response from the Croatian police. While this country has far less inhabitants than most others in Europe, and is absolutely not comparable in this sense to let’s say, France or the UK, resources are still stretched thin and police officers do need to be available for actual emergencies.

In the case of you not needing a quick police response, you can always submit your report to the police (in writing) or to the State Attorney’s Office.

Caveats

Most people in Croatia speak some degree of English. The level of English fluency is incredibly high in this country and you wouldn’t be being ignorant or unwise to expect to come across a police officer who can at the very least communicate the basics with you or understand what you need. Once again, in more rural areas of the country, the level of spoken English is naturally less, and this is also the case for the authorities working there. 

If the first Croatian police officer you speak with struggles to communicate with you, and you’re not able to convey what you need to in Croatian, an officer or other police staff member who does speak English or your native language (presuming it is German, Spanish, Italian, French or another widely spoken language) will be found to make communication more concise and easier.

Here in Zagreb at least, the Croatian police have been busy intensively brushing up on their English language skills in order to make themselves more available to foreign nationals who might end up running into trouble of some kind. 

Most Croatian police officers are friendly and approachable. If you’ve been a victim of a crime or if you’ve witnessed a crime, don’t hesitate to make the appropriate contact.

Croatian police officers are free to ask anyone, at any time, to produce their ID card or other form of government-issused photographic identification. This can also be a residence permit or a passport. Remember, you’re supposed to carry a form of ID on your person at all times in Croatia, and while leniency with foreign visitors is a given, residents and citizesn can end up being landed with a small fine if they fail to provide this at the officer’s request.

The Croatian police carry guns. They rarely ever have to be used.

For more on living in or moving to Croatia, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section and keep your eyes peeled for our How to Croatia articles which are published every Wednesday.

The post How to Croatia: Reporting Crime to the Croatian Police as a Foreign National appeared first on Total Croatia.

Authentication is the legalisation of certain documents that Croatia requires to go through that process, such as diplomas, certificates, or public documents such as records.

Let’s say you’re an Indian national and you have documents issued to you officially by the Indian authorities and you need to have them authenticated for use here in Croatia. You’ll need to have the authentication done by the Indian authorities, not the Croatian ones. This is usually done with an official stamp and/or mark such as a signature.

The process of authentication verifies the authenticity of the stamp and/or signature on the document, but not the content the document contains. 

So, back to being an Indian national with Indian documents which need to be authenticated by the Indian authorities – you’ll need to do this in order to legally use said documents and have them be valid for Croatia. In order to exercise some sort of right that said documents afford you here in Croatia, an apostille stamp will be required from the issuing nation (in this case, India).

What about public Croatian documents?

If you need to have a public document issued by a Croatian authority authenticated, you’ll need to request an apostille stamp from the municipal court in Croatia competent for the territory on which the issuing authority is located.

A German document requires the German authorities, a French document requires the French authorities, a Croatian document requires the Croatian authorities, etc.

The legalisation process for Croatian documents issued to you by the Croatian authorities:

If you have public Croatian documents which require legalisation by the powers that be and you’re abroad, with the intention of exercising a right that document affords you abroad, you’ll need to do the following:

First and foremost, you’ll need to have that document or documents translated by a court interpreter in Croatia.

Then, you’ll need to have it authenticated by the municipal court competent for the territory where the issuing authority is located, as touched on above.

You’ll then have to request legalisation of a judge’s signature and a court stamp from the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration

Last but by no means least, you’ll need to then request legalisation of both the official signature and stamp of the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

Sound like a headache? It can be. So be prepared to do a bit of running around. If you’ve spent any considerable amount of time in Croatia and dealt with anything remotely administrative, you’ll already be aware of that. With that, I’ll get into the next bit which will likely contribute to any headaches already being suffered. You’ll need to request all of the above by paying a physical visit to the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration. Lucky you.

The Ministry of Justice and Public Administration authenticates documents for use abroad on:

From Monday to Thursday from 09:00 to 11:00 and then from 13:00 to 15:00.

On Fridays from 09:00 to 12:00.

Are there any countries and their documents which are exempt from this process?

Yes. Thanks to European Union (EU) regulations, more specifically the one which promotes one of the main pillars of the functioning of the bloc – freedom of movement – some countries and some documents are exempt.

Since the year 2019, certain (but not all) public documents and their certified copies issued by an EU member state are exempt from needing to go through the legalisation or authentication process within another EU member state. As stated, this doesn’t mean every single document is exempt, and for some of them, you can ask for what’s known as a multilingual standard form to avoid translation requirements.

You can find the list of countries which have some of their public documents exempt from this requirement by clicking here.

Caveats

These exemptions only apply to documents and their certified copies issued by an EU member state’s public authorities which are being presented to the public authorities of another EU member state. For example, if you’re a German national with certain German Government-issued documents, and you need those documents in Croatia, you won’t need to have them authenticated or legalised by the use of an apostille.

As stated above, this applies in certain cases only, such as for the establishment of facts like death, birth, marriage, civil partnership, divorce, legal names and so on. More detailed information and other such items can be found by clicking here.

Costs can be accessed by clicking here.

SOURCES: Courts of the Republic of Croatia and the European Justice’s e-Justice portal

For more on moving to and living in Croatia, which covers everything from ferry, pet and parking tips to getting residence, health insurance and a job, make sure to keep an eye out for our dedicated How to Croatia articles in our lifestyle section which are published every Wednesday.

The post How to Authenticate/Legalise Foreign and Croatian Documents appeared first on Total Croatia.

The photo contest called #ljepotaHRVATSKE is looking for photos that show Croatia as a desirable tourist destination, which is recognizable for its natural beauty, architecture, gastronomy, flora and fauna.

“For the first time, we decided to directly involve visitors in the content of the fair. The presentation of Croatia through the lens of visitors is the most authentic way, because the most important thing for a good photo is to be in the right place at the right time. We look forward to seeing hidden parts that are not so well known, details of architecture, interesting people and customs, characteristic of our country.

At the same time, this is a great opportunity for Croatia, which has been ranked highly as a tourist destination for the past few years, not only in Europe, but also in the world, so exhibitors from all over the world will get an insight into Croatia through the eyes of citizens, which is also a good promotion for the upcoming season,” explained Damjana Domanovac, organizer of the tourism fair PLACE2GO.

The three photos with the highest number of likes on social networks and the best jury scores will be additionally awarded with valuable vouchers. The winners will be announced on April 5 on the websites place2go.org, place2go.hr and on the Facebook and Instagram PLACE2GO platforms.

“PLACE2GO is the leading tourism fair in the region, which has hosted more than 113,500 visitors over ten years, and around 700 exhibitors from 38 countries and more than 40 sponsors have participated in the fair so far. In addition to domestic and regional exhibitors, visitors will have the opportunity to get to know the newly discovered destination of Albania and exotic Malaysia, and special attention this year is devoted to Algeria, which is also the partner country of this jubilee edition. Entrance for all visitors is free,” the organizers announce.

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

The post PLACE2GO: Here’s How to Make Money on Your Amazing Photos of Croatia appeared first on Total Croatia.

Once you’ve racked up your five years of temporary residence, you can get permanent Croatian residence. As an EEA citizen, unlike a third country national, this is your right, even if the clerk you’re met with makes you feel like it isn’t. You might get lucky and be dealt with by a friendly face, but if you aren’t, remember it’s them and not you. Just provide what they ask for and you’ll be fine.

Typically, you’ll need to prove your five years of continuous, legal residence, this is done simply by presenting your temporary residence card. All of the information MUP needs will be on it, or stored in it. 

You may be asked to provide proof of enough funds to sustain yourself, proof of address, proof of health insurance (again, you might not even be asked for this), and proof of your identity.

The key requirement is that you have held residency for a continuous period of five years in Croatia, absences of six months or less every year are permitted. As opposed to third country nationals, permanent residence for an EEA citizen is an automatic right under EU law. You’re simply asking MUP for a confirmation of those rights. You therefore do not need a valid temporary residence permit when registering your permanent residence, unlike third country nationals. EEA nationals apply after five years and one day.

EEA citizens do not need to take an exam in Croatian language and the Latin script, this was confirmed by MUP here in Zagreb via email correspondence. Despite this, some EEA nationals report being told they need to do so, and some portals and websites with outdated or confusing information claiming they need to. If you need to be certain, email pitanja@mup.hr with the question, stating that you are an EEA citizen and are unsure. You can present that email if you end up being wrongly asked to take a test.

As stated just above, some officials claim that you must submit this application before the validity of your five-year permit runs out, however, this is not the case for EEA citizens as your right to permanent residence is automatic under EU law, meaning that you actually seek confirmation of your rights after five years and one day. Make sure to ask about your situation. The same rules apply to family members of Croatian nationals who are not nationals of an EEA country.

You’ll be given the correct form to fill in once you go in person to apply at the police station.

As opposed to the case with third-country nationals, MUP is required to provide a decision on the permanent residence application of an EEA national in the shortest time period possible, so you’ll likely hear of your approval quite quickly. Once again, if you don’t hear anything or have questions, make sure to call your case worker (ask for a contact number when you make your application!) or send them an email.

Once your permanent Croatian residence is approved, you’ll go to pick up a new biometric permit with a typical validity of ten years. As stated previously, permanent residence provides almost all of the rights a Croatian citizen enjoys and when granted, you are no longer subject to any conditions as long as you do not leave Croatia for longer than you’re allowed to, and you can read about that here.

You can access the state’s social security system, you can work and carry out services freely, in any manner citizens do without needing any type of special permit or permission for foreigners, and you can leave the country as often as you’d like to. You simply renew it as you would a passport every decade. You will not be subject to any more conditions or questions.

If you commit a crime that lands you with six months or more in jail, or you’re deemed and proven to be a threat to national security, then your permanent Croatian residence can be revoked and you can, in some very rare cases, face deportation.

For more on moving to and living in Croatia, make sure to keep up with our dedicated lifestyle section. An article dedicated to certain practical and/or administrative procedures for life in Croatia is published every Wednesday.

The post How to Obtain Permanent Croatian Residence as an EU/EEA Citizen appeared first on Total Croatia.

When I started Total Hvar almost 12 years ago, I was SO sensitive about comments, and I would consider changing articles on the basis of comments. I didn’t want to offend people. It wasn’t long before I learned that you can’t please everyone in this beautiful land, and that being true to oneself was the best course. 

And, slowly, over time, I came to quite enjoy the abuse, and I decided to celebrate it. I even started to feel a little affectionate towards my online trolls. So much so in fact that I genuinely find it hard to get out of bed unless there is a ton of abuse in my inbox. 

And now, a vlog on my new YouTube channel, Paul Bradbury Croatia Expert. To the Keyboard Warriors of Croatia, I salute you.

As true patriots, may I suggest that for every negative comment you post on the trip, you pick up a piece of trash on a Croatian beach. What a clean country we would have then.

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What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning – Business and Dalmatia.

Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to the Paul Bradbury Croatia & Balkan Expert YouTube channel.

Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners is now available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.

The post How To Deal With Online Trolls in Croatia (and Beyond) appeared first on Total Croatia.

Did you know that we make our minds up about others within about ten seconds of meeting them? It’s subconscious and automatic. This is because back when we were living in caves and trying to avoid being killed by sabre toothed tigers, we didn’t have the time to spend getting to know others on a deeper level. I suppose when your life is all about churning out offspring and becoming old and decrepit at about 25, things like that aren’t quite as important. Times have changed dramatically, but we still tend to make up our minds to a certain degree about others based on the energy we feel from them when we first meet. First impressions are everything, as they say. Meeting people in Croatia might be a bit more complicated because of the language barriers, but deep down – we all speak the same language, and decency transcends everything else.

Many foreigners tend to think Croats are a bit standoffish because they tend not to walk around with beaming smiles plastered across their faces. While people in the UK have even been known to apologise to inanimate objects when bumping into them, you’ll likely not notice that here. Despite typically not being seen grinning from ear to ear, the truth of the matter is that Croatian people would usually give you the shirts off their backs if asked. 

Croats speak English to an extremely impressive standard, but even an attempt at speaking Croatian (which is notoriously difficult and most Croats are aware of that), will win you instant appreciation with most people. A friendly ‘dobar dan’ (good day), ‘dobro jutro’ (good morning) or ‘doviđenja’ (or just ‘đenja’ for short) will elicit a smile and help develop connections. I’ll jump more into language a bit later on.

Expats who like to live their lives in expat bubbles full of their own nationality or indeed different nationalities who have also come to live in Croatia do so understandably. Humans are social animals, we seek out what feels most comfortable, and the craving for something familiar can be extremely strong when spending extended periods of time abroad, and that doesn’t really fade no matter the length of time spent outside your home country. 

I still have cravings for Greggs sausage rolls and every time I go to England, which is every few months or so, I transport myself back in time with the taste of them, proper fish and chips and Irish bacon. My mum’s Sunday dinners are something irreplaceable, and even if they could somehow be made in Croatia, I honestly don’t think I’d want to eat them anywhere else but in my childhood home. I’m going off on a bit of a tangent here (the thought of sausage rolls does have that effect), but my point is that feeling homesick and longing for home comforts isn’t unusual, and what might be a hard pill to swallow is the fact that while it will fade in and out, this will likely never go away. It’s human, and while frustrating, it’s completely natural.

Don’t limit yourself to other expats only

Feeling like you don’t quite belong here (being home) or there (being Croatia) often leads expats in Croatia to associate and build relationships solely with those from their country of origin. While understandable, doing so will limit your understanding of Croatia and Croats enormously. Becoming friendly with the locals will see doors open up to you in a way you might not expect, despite how obvious and logical it might seem to read it. Understanding the country you’re in on any deeper level gives you the opportunity to see the wood from the trees, broaden your horizons and grasp another way of life, even if not entirely. 

While I’m a huge proponent of immersion, I am absolutely aware that saying ‘just speak to people’ is a daunting task and much more easily said than done. Feeling comfortable in a new place is a gradual process which happens over time and isn’t straightforward, so if you’re just interested in meeting others who will more than likely share the same struggles, have the same problems, and be feeling the same feelings as you for now while you get settled and find your feet, I’d recommend introducing yourself to some expat groups. There are several large and very active and helpful ones to be found on – you guessed it – Facebook.

Expat groups

There are expat groups for various locations all over the country, from Osijek to Dubrovnik and everywhere in between, and most of them are very active. Asking questions there will help get you realistic answers from people who have experienced things themselves, introducing yourself there will quickly gain you some friends, and observing what’s posted there will keep you up to date on events and the like which you might not have known about otherwise, especially if you’re still working on learning Croatian.

Expats in Zagreb [Official], Expats meet Split, Dubrovnik Foreign Circle, Expats of Dalmatia, Expats in Dubrovnik, Expats on Brač, Korčula, Hvar Comunita Degli Italiani Spalato, Croatian Australian NZ-ers and Friends in Split, Expats in Trogir, Americans in Croatia, Chilenos en Croacia, Indians in Croatia, Latinos en Croacia, Svenskar i Kroatien, South Africans in Croatia… I could go on, but you probably get my drift. These are just some of the expat groups on Facebook, so you’ll find something that suits you without any problem at all.

There are usually local Croats who are members of these groups, too.

For more on finding your feet in Croatia, be it regarding setting up your health insurance and finding a job and somewhere to live, to driving and learning to avoid snakes and bears, make sure to keep up with our dedicated lifestyle section and our How to Croatia series, which is published every Wednesday.

The post How to Croatia – New People, Expat Groups, Homesickness and More appeared first on Total Croatia.

But there is also one proven method – also available to locals – which can make Croatian bureaucracy a lot easier. And, as is usually the case in this magnificent but flawed country, it is a solution which was born out of necessity and creativity. 

Croats are legendary at finding practical solutions for impossible situations, as they constantly find ways to deal with the absurdity of the bureaucratic jungle which engulfs them. 

As I explain in the video below, it all started back in 2010, when the Internet stopped working at home, and I was told that it would be a week until the engineer could come and take a look – a lifetime for a blogger who relies on connectivity to spam the Internet. 

An appeal on Facebook for a Croatian solution prompted a suggestion by private message, which resulted in a little trick which has great results. And you don’t have to be a fat foreigner to try it – local friends have done so with success.

Here’s the latest from the Paul Bradbury Croatia Expert YouTube channel – have you subscribed yet? How to Beat Croatian Bureaucracy: Proven Method.

If, like me, you have a mild obsession with Croatian bureaucracy, you might want to check out our series, Croatian Bureaucracy, a Love Story. 

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What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning – Business and Dalmatia.

Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to the Paul Bradbury Croatia & Balkan Expert YouTube channel.

Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners is now available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.

The post How to Beat Croatian Bureaucracy: Proven Method appeared first on Total Croatia.

With all this being said and looking half decent on paper, LGBTIQ+ individuals in Croatia still unfortunately have to deal with various challenges that heterosexual individuals don’t, both in a legal and social sense.

A brief history of Croatian LGBTIQ rights

After the Republic of Croatia became recognised as an independent state back during the early 1990s, there wasn’t any advancement in gay rights until the early 2000s when a centre-left coalition took power from the conservative, Christian democratic HDZ party. The coalition passed the aforementioned same-sex union law in 2003, giving full, legal recognition to same-sex relationships. This was an enormous breakthrough by Croatian standards, and it didn’t pass without quite some earthquakes (proverbial ones, of course).

Several laws and directives prohibiting any form of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and self expression have also been introduced over the years. These include a penal code recognising hate crime based on gender identity.

When it comes to the protection of individuals other than gay men and lesbians who also fall under the LGBTIQ+ umbrella, the laws become more difficult to follow, and it does leave one scratching their head quite a lot. Gender transition is absolutely legal in Croatia and the law also allows for a person to change their name and all of the paperwork which would follow such a move. This law includes transgender persons who haven’t undergone gender affirmation surgery yet, or perhaps don’t plan to at all, which is a huge step. The rights of intersex people, however, have not yet been given legal protection in any way.

Constitutional amendments

With considerable help from the Catholic Church, a controversial lobby group called ‘U ime obitelji’ (In the name of the family) ran a very visible campaign against same-sex marriage during the year Croatia joined the EU (2013) in which, among other things, they called for a referendum to introduce changes to the national constitution. The changes they proposed would constitutionally define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, which I touched on above.

The outcome of that referendum was 65.87% of voters supporting the change to the constitution, and 33.51% opposing it. It is worth noting, however, that voter turnout was less than 40%, leading many civil rights groups, particularly those very focused on LGBTIQ+ issues, to point to the issue of the turnout threshold.

Croatia’s Life Partnership Act

Regardless of the aforementioned (and very fraught) campaign by U ime obitelji and its results, the following year, the Croatian Government went ahead and introduced the Life Partnership Act. This established registered civil partnerships, which saw same-sex couples granted equal rights to those of married heterosexual couples. One notable exception was that they wouldn’t be given the same adoption rights heterosexual couples enjoy, which may have seemed a bridge too far to the powers that be and has been a burning topic on a regular basis, especially over more recent years.

It has, all in all, been a mixed back indeed. But to say there hasn’t been a very marked shift since Croatia’s European Union membership would be a lie. A left-green coalition entered the Croatian Parliament for the first time in 2020, a great number of its members were from various different civil rights groups, and the coalition very openly supports Croatian LGBTIQ+ rights.

Pride events

The first Pride march happened in the City of Zagreb way back in 2002, taking a very profound place in modern Croatian history as the first high-profile LGBTIQ event ever in what was then a relatively new country. It had just 300 participants, and despite clear government support, they were met with verbal abuse and attempts at violence from homophobic crowds who had gathered on the streets solely to taunt and threaten those taking part. It is an enormous understatement to say that this, the first of many Pride events to hit Zagreb’s streets, did not go well. Despite the atmosphere, Pride continued every June in the Croatian capital, getting more and more public support and reporting less and less incidents with each and every passing year.

2011 rolled around, just two years before Croatia joined the EU, and Pride took to Croatia’s second biggest city – Split. Pride in Dalmatia’s largest city unfortunately ended in physical violence, with attackers significantly outnumbering the event’s actual attendees. The media and general public condemned the Croatian Government and the police for failing to adequately protect those marching from the homophobic crowds. A march of support was held in Rijeka, known as a very progressive city, that very same year.

The terrible events in Split marked a turning point for LGBTIQ+ activism across Croatia. While what happened never should have, it didn’t occur in vain as it prompted more public discussions on this issue which was deemed taboo in Croatia for a very long time than ever before. Shocked by the homophobic attacks on attendees, people who had once been passive bystanders at such events became active allies, determined to never be lumped in with people who would seek to harm others for simply wanting acceptance and to live their own lives how they so wish. More and more well known faces began attending Pride marches and speaking up for the LGBTIQ+ community.

Held just one week after Split Pride, Zagreb Pride in 2011 became the biggest Pride march up until that point. The event had grown considerably from its initial 300 marchers, it was promoted and backed by the media, as well as by some celebrities and Croatian politicians, and remarkably, it took place without any violence.

Then came 2013, the year Croatia joined the EU, and just before it, that year’s Zagreb Pride event. Many people who would otherwise have been passive bystanders grateful to not be affected by this issue readily joined it to express their opposition to the outcome of the referendum of November 2013 regarding the definition of marriage. With 15,000 participants marching and showing public support for LGBTIQ+ rights, it continues to be the biggest Pride event ever held in Croatia.

Croatian LGBTIQ+ organisations

There are a number of organisations dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights of various members of the LGBTIQ+ community all across Croatia. LGBTIQ+ centres exist in the large cities of Zagreb, Split and Rijeka. 

The City of Zagreb is home to initiatives such as Zagreb Pride, Iskorak, Kontra, LGBTIQ Initiative AUT, qSPORT and the recently initiated Ponosni Zagreb (Proud Zagreb). Trans Aid protects the rights of trans, intersex and gender-variant persons. Dugine obitelji (Rainbow families) is primarily made up of LGBTIQ parents and those who wish to become parents.

Split Pride is known for their original approach to activism which includes amusing and sarcasm-filled videos uncovering, for example, the absurdity of mainstream reactions to the pride events. QueerANarchive works on developing the queer discourse in and around Split. 

Rijeka is, as I mentioned, known for its progressive stances surrounding a whole host of social issues, and it is no coincidence that one of Croatia’s oldest LGBTIQ+ organisations, LORI, comes from here.

LGBTIQ+ tourism in Croatia

A bit of research placed Croatia as 39th on the list of 150 world’s most popular countries for LGBTIQ+ travel. While Croatia may not have a particular strategy for attracting LGBTIQ+ tourists as such, some 200,000 of them visit the country for touristic purposes each and every year.

Given the fact the country heavily relies on tourism as its source of income, with tourism being the strongest economic branch by far, the sentiment of the general public towards LGBTIQ+ individuals is a little more relaxed when it comes to tourists than it is when it comes to the locals. This isn’t necessarily to say that busy tourist destinations full of various nationalities and accommodation providers are more LGBTIQ+-friendly, they’re simply less concerned about who they provide their services to than they are about making their profit.

Renting out accommodation as a same-sex couple should generally not be a problem at all. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression is 100% illegal in Croatia. There were unfortunate cases of private landlords refusing to rent their properties to same-sex couples, and they got ripped apart for it by the media and nearly sank their only flow of income into the ground. Being homophobic and caring what others do in their bedrooms isn’t really the best business move in 21st century Europe.

Which destinations are the most welcoming to LGBTIQ+ tourists?

Rijeka is hailed as the most open city in Croatia and has been for a very long time. It is home to a very diverse range of people, and many more progressive people from other places across the country move to live there precisely because it appears, at least in some aspects, to be a step or two ahead of other cities. One of Croatia’s key port cities, the home of the torpedo (no, really) has always had a reputation of being a vibrant and diverse place despite its largely industrial past. The city’s slogan for the Rijeka – European Capital of Culture 2020 project was ‘Port of Diversity’ for a very good reason. Kvarner, the region in which Rijeka is located, and nearby Istria are both traditionally known as the most tolerant parts of Croatia, with most parts of Dalmatia still lagging behind.

The island of Rab, which markets itself as the ‘island of happy people’, lies in the very north of Dalmatia and is considered to be one of the first openly gay-friendly destinations in Croatia, holding the title since the 1980s, when it certainly wasn’t a popular thing to proclaim, however quietly. In 2011, this island which is known for its beaches officially became the first place in all of the Republic of Croatia to very openly promote itself as a gay-friendly tourist destination.

I mentioned that Dalmatia is still lagging in this area, and while that is true if you were to compare it with the likes of Rijeka and Kvarner, the City of Split is becoming increasingly open to different types of visitors. Dubrovnik is also among the most accepting destinations. Back in 2020, the first gay music festival was to be held at the world-famous Zrće beach on the island of Pag. It wasn’t homophobes who threw a spanner in the works in this case, but a global pandemic.

Public displays of affection and things to note

Gay is very much OK in Croatia on paper, and as time goes on, this is the case more and more in reality, too, but it is always best to exercise your judgement and pay attention to your surroundings. Major cities, especially the Zagreb, Kvarner and Istria areas, are generally more open, as is Dubrovnik in the extreme south. However, public displays of affection are still not common – even among the local LGBTIQ+ population, who are usually discreet when it comes to this. There are homophobes and hostile, ignorant people all over the world, and Croatia is unfortunately no exception.

If you’re planning to see some selos (villages), travel to more rural areas or head off the beaten path to some less frequented locations, have your wits about you and don’t engage in PDA too much. 

If you do end up being faced with any sort of homophobic abuse, be it verbal or otherwise, do not hesitate to contact the local police. You’ll more than likely find more of an alliance than you might expect. This is especially the case if it comes from an accommodation provider. Report them.

To sum this article up, I’ve watched Croatian LGBTIQ+ rights over the last few years absolutely blossom. The vast majority of people in Croatia have no issue with what other people do. It wouldn’t be true to say that Croatia is at the level of certain other European countries such as the UK or Germany when it comes to acceptance levels, after all, this is a Catholic country with many people still identifying as religious, but it has certainly come on leaps and bounds, and that is likely to continue to be the trajectory.

For more on living in and moving to Croatia, as well as tips and tricks to avoid the crowds and save a kuna euro or two when it comes to things like renting cars, driving and hopping on the ferry during summer, make sure to check out our lifestyle section.

The post How to Croatia – Croatian LGBTIQ+ Rights, Laws and Organisations appeared first on Total Croatia.

Do you need to be fluent? Absolutely not. Croats are (unless the person is very ignorant to the world) aware that Croatian is difficult to learn. That said, as I mentioned before, any attempt at learning shows respect and will be greatly appreciated and even admired if you manage to get a bit more advanced with your skills. 

It’s true when they say that the earlier you begin learning something, the more quickly and easily you’ll master it. Croatian kids converse very well in English, many of them take extra lessons outside of school, and a lot of them enjoy watching YouTube videos by American content creators and reading books written by British authors. I’ve met Croatian kids who actually don’t even like to speak in Croatian, choosing to instead speak in English among themselves, and lapping up the chance to practice to what is often fluency. 

Given the fact that the English language is so desired and so widely spoken across the world, those who have English as a first language often speak only that. That of course isn’t always the case and claiming so would be a wild generalisation, but at age 13 with raging hormones and wondering whether or not Darren from the year above fancies you or not, it isn’t really the best time to soak up the ability to tell everyone what you did on holiday in French. This puts Brits especially at a disadvantage when it comes to properly learning foreign languages.

Croatian is made up of dialects, there are three main ones; Kajkavian, Shtokavian, and Chakavian, but the reality is that the way in which people speak can alter from town to town, let alone region to region. Someone from Brač (or as they call it – Broč) will struggle to understand someone from Zagorje, and vice versa. The way the time is told in some parts of the country is different from in another, and Dalmatian is a language with many unfortunately near-extinct words of its own. Did I mention that Dubrovnik language is also one of its own in many respects? Don’t get me started on different words being used on different islands which are a mere stone’s throw away from each other. There are words that the now dying generation use which, when they depart this life, will tragically go with them.

Some words in Croatian are so similar to each other in how they sound but mean wildly different things. Proljev is diarrhoea, and preljev is dressing. I cannot imagine a salad slathered in the former would be all that appealing. A friend once accidentally called her mother in law (svekrva) her ‘sve kurva’ (kurva means whore). Another person I know once said he had a headache (boli me glava), but ended up saying ‘glavić’ instead, which is part of the male sex organ. Given that ‘glava’ means head, you can probably guess which part ‘glavić’ is. My point is that this is a language which is intricate, and the little things make a big difference.

Croatian is a very colourful language. The ways people swear in this country and the creativity used is quite the art form in itself. The genitals of sheep, mice and Turkish people are dropped into conversations quite casually, and people refer to things being easy as a ‘cat’s cough’ or even as ‘p*ssy smoke’. I’ll be here all day if I carry on and explain all of their meanings, but rest assured, Croatian makes up for its infuriating difficulties with its imaginative creativity.

How do I begin learning Croatian?

Turn on your TV, your radio, and start reading news in Croatian language. You’d be surprised how much information having the radio or TV on in the background actually puts into your brain without you even actually listening. Children’s books are also extremely helpful if you’re starting from scratch.

Find a private Croatian teacher

Word of mouth and expat groups are your friend here. People are always looking for Croatian teachers and seeking recommendations for them. One question in an expat group will likely land you with several names of teachers with whom other users have had good experiences and progress with their language skills. Some teachers hold small classes, some do lessons over Skype, Zoom or another similar platform, and others will meet one on one. 

Language exchanges

There are also language exchanges offered informally, where a Croat will teach you Croatian in exchange for you teaching them English, German, French, Spanish, or whatever language is in question. You both help each other learn the other’s skill, and it is a very equal affair.

Take a Croatian language course

Certain faculties and Croatian language schools, such as Croaticum, offer Croatian language and culture courses for foreigners. Did you know that you can also apply for residence based on studying here? There are different types of courses available and at reasonable prices. Some of them are even free! From semester-long courses on language and culture spanning 15 weeks and over 200 lessons to one month courses of 75 lessons spanning 4 weeks, there is something for everyone, depending on how much time they can or want to put into it. There are also others which offer Croatian language courses online, such as HR4EU, Easy Croatian, the Sputnik Croatian Language Academy, CLS and more.

If you have a Croatian partner, don’t rely entirely on them

Have them help you to learn, but don’t completely rely on them to the point that they’re your buffer stopping you from attempting to learn and improve. Many expats make this error, and their Croatian spouse actually ends up becoming an unwilling barrier to them picking up at least bits of the language in their perfectly noble attempts at helping. Stick some notes on household items with their names in Croatian. You’ll be calling a bed a krevet, a door a vrata, a wall a zid, a floor a pod, a window a prozor and a glass a čaša (or a žmul, if you want to take a step even further and learn a little old Dalmatian), in no time.

Age is a factor, so don’t run before you can walk

It isn’t a popular thing to say, but age does play a role when it comes to learning new skills, whatever they may be. Kids soak up new languages like sponges because their brains are developing, but with each passing year of our lives, that sponge gets a little bit drier. Croatian isn’t Spanish, it has very complex rules which are unlike what native English speakers have grown up using. You might find that you never truly master Croatian, and you might also feel as if you’re behind and not picking it up as quickly as you’d like to. This is normal, and it’s fine. Moving to or spending any significant amount of time in another country is a huge shift and for some people, throwing themselves into learning the language is last on the list in comparison to working out how to make ends meet or set up their lives. Nobody should be shamed for not having the same priorities as others might have. For some people, being a polyglot is just part of their nature, for others, it just isn’t. Patience is a virtue. Many expats will tell you that they understand much more Croatian than they’re able to speak, and if you can reach that level (which takes a while), you’re already much more than halfway there.

If you’re a member of the Croatian diaspora, the State Office for Croats Abroad has has scholarships available

If you’re a member of the Croatian diaspora, even if you don’t have Croatian citizenship and don’t have any intention of moving to or working in Croatia, you can still learn Croatian in various locations in Croatia and reconnect with your family’s roots and heritage.

I’m a translator. I translate from Croatian into English all day long, I could talk about my love and endless interest in linguistics all day (so I’ll stop now) and I can tell you that the two languages are very different in almost every aspect. It will not come easily, but genuine desire and consistent effort will surprise you with its results. Listen to Croatian, watch things in Croatian with English subtitles, have your spouse, friends and Croatian family members help you, don’t fear making mistakes and your confidence will grow. You will get there.

For more How to Croatia articles, which explore living in and moving to Croatia and span everything from getting health insurance to taking your dog on a ferry, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

The post How to Croatia – Why You Absolutely Should Learn the Language appeared first on Total Croatia.