The Sunday Times Suggests the Croatian Island of Hvar as a Venue for a Perfect Holiday

Croatia, April 6 (CD) – The British newspaper Sunday Times has in illustrated its spread on best affordable summer destinations with a picture of the town of Hvar on the island of the same name situated in Croatia.

Hvar is described as a top destination for those not wanting to splash out an enormous sum of money for their holidays, as a holiday should not cost more than 400 pounds.

Croatia is linked to the UK with numerous low-budget flights heading for both the coast and continental destinations like the capital, Zagreb.

Croatia in general has been described as having affordable prices at supermarkets that are lower than those in the UK, while the nightlife in Hvar is varied and something can be found for everyone and there are good value for money boat trips including those to Paklinski otoci isles where the beaches are just out of this world.

New Croatian Bus To Be Sold across the World

Croatia, April 6 (CD) – Croatia has established its first ever bus protection with the AutoZubak company owner Pavo Zubak announcing annual production of up to 400 buses per year.

This is the first real domestic auto production in Croatia.

The Swedish company Scania’s motors, while the rest will be produced by domestic companies.

Some 350 jobs will be created once production takes off and some 300 other people will be cooperating, so that a total of 650 people will be working on the production of the first Croatian bus which will cost between €180 and €220 and some 400 expected to be sold each year.

Interest has already been expressed by potential buyers from Italy, Austria and Egypt.

Italian Diva Monica Bellucci To Visit Croatia on April 14

Croatia, April 4 (CD) – Italian actress Monica Bellucci is expected to visit Zagreb after she had been invited to attend the opening of a Sherri Hill shop at the Westin Hotel on April 14.

The invitation to Bellucci was extended by the entrepreneur Vladimir Kraljevic who had earlier also brought Bellucci to 

Ljubljana, Slovenia.

April 14 is to also see the Miss Universe competition take place in Zagreb with 15 contestants being picked out of 30 to go into the next round of competition.

Top Croatian Tourist Resort Dubrovnik Nominated for a Tourism Oscar

Croatia, April 4 (CD) – The Croatian resort of Dubrovnik is in the run for the World Travel Awards dubbed as the tourism Oscar.

Tens of thousands of visitors come to Dubrovnik each year and now the resort is in the run with the likes of London, Vienna, Nice and Paris.

The winner of the award will be declared at the World Tourist Fair in the autumn.

Tragically Killed US Trade Secretary Ron Brown and his Associates Remembered near Dubrovnik prior to Brown Forum Opening

Croatia, April 4 (CD) – Former US Trade Secretary Ron Brown and his associates are remembered 15 years after their plane hit Mount St. Ivan, near Dubrovnik which killed everyone on board.


The tragic event resulted in the establishment of the Brown Forum happening annually and bringing together business people from the US, Croatia and other SE Europe countries attending a two-day conference on trade and investment to be held in Dubrovnik on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Among the participants are Robert Benmosche, the executive director of the US AIG insurer, who has recently started own wine production on the Peljesac peninsula, as well as Todd Morley, The founder and CEO of the G2 Investment Group who has plans to build a Guggenheim Museum in Istria.

Representatives of large information, construction, pharmaceutical, trade and other firms will also be attending the gathering.



Croatia will be represented by Emil Tedeschi of Atlantic Grupa, Damir Kustrak of Agrokor and several other large Croatian companies.

Teachers Sent to Self Defence Classes To Help Ward off Pupils' Attacks

Croatia, April 4 (CD) – Following an attack by pupils on a teacher in a secondary school in the town of Bjelovar east of the capital Zagreb, the local authority has decided that teachers need to attend self-defence classes in order to be able to react swiftly in such cases.


The authorities are looking into setting up a self defence program in collaboration with family welfare centres and the police and teachers will also be taught about how to decrease violence.

While in the past there were rare cases of teachers being attacked by individuals who were brought up in mostly broken homes and did not receive the necessary guidance, the current situation is such that the numbers of violent pupils are on the increase across Croatia.

Croatian Transport and Infrastructure Ministry Extends Deadline for Partnership for Zagreb Pleso Airport (ZLZ) Tender

Croatia, March 31 (CD) – The tender deadline for the submission of documents for the private-public partnership for the Zagreb Pleso Airport (ZLZ) has been extended to May 2, due to a large show of interest.

The tender for the first stage of choosing a partner was put out on February 18, 2011 and was to expire on April 4.

The second stage will be made up of shortlisted companies that have expressed interest in the partnership.

Croatian Company Awarding Employees for Not Going on Sick Leave

Croatia, March 30 (CD) – Estare Culto textiles production plant which has branches in the capital Zagreb and two other across the country and is employing 480 workers is one of the rare Croatian firms giving money away to those not taking sick leave.


The company's CEO Nikola Mikic awards his workers between 200 kuna ($ 30) and 1,100 kuna ($150) each month if they avoid taking sick days.

If the worker is absent from work for a day for whatever reason that is not certified a quarter of that money is slashed, two days of absence halves the money and three or more days in the month means that the worker will not be given any additional money.

On average workers make some 400 kuna ($ 65) a month in this way.



The program has been introduced two years ago, sick days have been slashed to just five percent from 20.

Former Croatian Foreign Minister Named Assistant of NATO Secretary General Rasmussen

Croatia, March 30 (CD) – Former Croatian Foreign Minister Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic has become the Assistant of NATO Secretary General for Public Diplomacy according to sources in Brussels.

Croatia has only joined The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation a year and a half ago, so this post means that it has proved its ability to take serious responsibilities within the Treaty.

Former Danish PM Anders Fogh Rasmussen has been at the helm of the Alliance since its summit of 2009 when Croatia won admittance.

ILECU Police Office Is Opened in Croatia

An office of the International Law Enforcement Coordination Units ( ILECU) has been opened in Zagreb, as part of efforts to combat the cross-border crime.


The project of the International law Enforcement Coordination Units was launched within the 2005 CARDS programme, and its offices have already been set up in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia and Serbia.

The objective of the ILECU project is to create effective international law enforcement cooperation mechanisms in the CARDS Regional Programme Beneficiary Countries and to achieve improved international law enforcement cooperation in the region.



Existing mechanisms must be adjusted to the EU acquis communitaire standards, as well as international ones.

Female Worker Killed, another Injured after an Ironing Machine Explosion at a Croatian Textiles Mill

Croatia, March 29 (CD) – A 51-year-old woman has died  and another was injured, after an ironing machine exploded in a textile plant on Croatia’s northern coast on Tuesday.

The freak accident happened in an industrial area, near the coastal town of Rijeka on evening Tuesday and it has only been reported that one of the workers died.

The details of the accident are still not clear, as an investigation is still under way.

Croatian Construction Sector Net Profit Down 63 Pct Y/Y

Croatia, March 29 (CD) – Croatian businesses dealing in construction have managed a gross profit of 816 million kuna in the first nine months of 2010, down 63.3 percent from the previous year.

The data has been published by the FINA Financial Agency.

The economic crisis in 2010 has impacted personal spending and construction efforts, resulting in a steep spiralling of the net profit.

Of the businesses in the construction sector only 41.5 percent were in the red, while the rest reported losses in the first nine months of 2010.

Construction makes up a great deal of Croatian economy, as much as 13 percent.

Sir Anthony Hopkins Enjoying His New House in Croatia

Croatia, March 28 (CD) – Sir Anthony Hopkins is spending time in Croatia, where he has allegedly bought a home.

Local newspapers are reporting that Hopkins’ is enjoying the beauty of Istria in a 400 square meter long rustic villa of undisclosed location custom-built by German entrepreneur Andreas Dussman.

The British acting heavyweight is said to be spending time in Istria with members of his family.

It is believed that the house is situated close to the ancient town of Groznjan, while another of Hopkins’ homes is in Malibu, California.

Croatian Woodprocessing Companies Strike Deals Worth Several Million Euro at Birmingham Homebuilding and Renovating Show

Croatia, March 27 (CD) – Seven Croatian woodprocessing plants specialising in flooring, widows and wooden homes production have struck millions worth in deals with British buyers.

The Soldus, Azeleija-Kupa and PPS companies struck several deals with British clients with the distributor of Croatian wood products David Whitewood describing Croatian wood products as being ‘best buy’ products.

The latest deals are worth some €7 million and were managed with the assistance of the Croatian Chamber of Economy (HGK).

Croatian Armed Forces Camp in Afghanistan Comes under Fire; No Injuries Reported

Croatia, March 27 (CD) – Some 10 members of the Croatian army ISAF troops came under fire at the Black Horse camp in Kabul, but no injuries were reported.

The Croatian MOD issued a statement explaining that the Croatian troops came under rocket attack on Saturday evening and no more information was released on the incident.

The Black Horse camp houses Croatian artillery instructors serving as part of the ISAF security mission of NATO.

There are a total of 334 members of the Croatian Armed Forces serving under ISAF in Afghanistan.

A Bird Thought To Have Been Extinct a Long Time ago Discovered in Croatia

A Bird Thought To Have Been Extinct a Long Time ago Discovered in Croatia 

Croatia, March 27(CD) – The Dalmatian Pelican or Pelicanus crispus, a member of the pelican family believed to be extinct has been spotted at the Neretva river in Croatia a few days ago.

The bird was spotted at the Neretva river estuary by bird scientists, orinthologists, and it seems that the bird was preparing to nest.

It was believed that this particular bird had been extinct in Croatia for 100 years.

However, the bird had been spotted in Eastern Croatia’s Kopacki Rit bird reserve a few times over the past 50 years, but never in other sections of the country.

It is believed that improved conditions in the area and a stop being put to illegal bird hunting had secured the return of birds to the area, even those believed to have been extinct.