International bass competition taking place in Croatia

An international bass guitar competition will take place in Croatia starting next Tuesday, the 2nd November.The Bassmaster2010 competition has announced the names of the finalists that will compete next week in different venues in the capital Zagreb and the town of Sisak from the 2nd to 4th November.The list of the finalists includes: Petar Ceho (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Vincenzo Maurogiovanni (Italy), Julius Boone (Denmark) and Croatians Kresimir Susec, Marinko Pintaric, Petar Makar and Dino Juric.The winner will get the bass guitar Sterling By Music Man, but will also get the opportunity to perform at the ViennaBass event on 21 November

Serbia returns 31 icons to Croatia

The Serbian Ministry of Culture has returned a further 31 icons which were taken from Croatian churches and monasteries taken during the war of the 1990s to their Croatian colleagues.The Serbian Minister of Culture Nebojsa Bradic praised the work of the Joint Serbian-Croatian commission for the return of cultural property and added that relations between the two states in the area of culture are on the rise.The work of the Commission is expected to be complete by the end of the next year.Since the Commission's establishment in 2001, Serbia has returned more than 20,000 items to Croatia, the daily Vecernji

Serbia returns 31 icons to Croatia

The Serbian Ministry of Culture has returned a further 31 icons which were taken from Croatian churches and monasteries taken during the war of the 1990s to their Croatian colleagues.The Serbian Minister of Culture Nebojsa Bradic praised the work of the Joint Serbian-Croatian commission for the return of cultural property and added that relations between the two states in the area of culture are on the rise.The work of the Commission is expected to be complete by the end of the next year.Since the Commission's establishment in 2001, Serbia has returned more than 20,000 items to Croatia, the daily Vecernji

Jadranka Kosor´s government receives Parliament support

Croatian Parliament has voted not to uphold the opposition Social Democratic Party's initiative for a vote of no confidence for the Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and her government.After almost 15 hours of heated discussion, the 79 representatives of the governing majority voted against and 62 representatives of the opposition voted for the initiative. One representative abstained from voting, the business portal Poslovni Dnevnik writes.The parliamentary discussion for which 60 more speakers were scheduled was interrupted after the chairman of the Constitution Committee Vladimir Seks said SDP was violating the Constitution.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Croatia in 62nd place on Corruptions Perceptions Index

Croatia ranks 62nd in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index of 178 countries.In the report published by Transparency International, Croatia received 4.1 points on a scale from 0 to 10, where zero represents a totally corrupt state and 10 a state without corruption.The least corrupted states are Denmark, New Zealand and Singapore, while worst off are Iraq, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Somalia.Looking at the neighbouring countries, Slovenia is the only one ahead of Croatia at the 27th place. Croatia and Macedonia share the 62nd spot, and behind them are Italy (67th), Montenegro (69th), Serbia (78th) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (91st place).

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Daylight saving time ends

Daylight saving time ends on Sunday 31 October at 3 am in Croatia, the state office for meteorology has reported.Everyone will need to adjust their clocks by turning them back an hour from 3am to 2am.Summer time began in Croatia and the rest of Europe on 28 March this year.Daylight saving time is the practice of temporarily advancing clocks so that afternoons have more daylight and mornings have less. Not all countries participate in the hour shift.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Not allowed to be headteacher because she is a Croat

Although she has been teaching for the last twenty years in an Italian language elementary school in Novigrad, Mariza Labinjan can not become the headteacher of the school - just because she is a Croat.According to iPress.hr web site Labinjan had the support of the school board and the approval of the Ministry, but the whole thing was stopped by the Italian community with the support of the City of Novigrad and County of Istria .The woman said iPress.hr she suffered very explicit forms of harassment and extremely insulting behaviour from the Italian Community in Novigrad.As she said, the most

Lady Gaga brings her own furniture to Zagreb

Lady Gaga is planning to bring her own furniture with her when she travels to Zagreb for her concert on 5 November.Organizers of the concert told Croatian TV station NovaTV that the pop star did not have any unusual requests before the concert – other than the fact that she plans to bring her own furniture for the dressing room.The room would also need to have a special extra high safety lock on the door, the singer's management told Croatian organizers.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Lady Gaga brings her own furniture to Zagreb

Lady Gaga is planning to bring her own furniture with her when she travels to Zagreb for her concert on 5 November.Organizers of the concert told Croatian TV station NovaTV that the pop star did not have any unusual requests before the concert – other than the fact that she plans to bring her own furniture for the dressing room.The room would also need to have a special extra high safety lock on the door, the singer's management told Croatian organizers.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Lady Gaga brings her own furniture to Zagreb

Lady Gaga is planning to bring her own furniture with her when she travels to Zagreb for her concert on 5 November.Organizers of the concert told Croatian TV station NovaTV that the pop star did not have any unusual requests before the concert – other than the fact that she plans to bring her own furniture for the dressing room.The room would also need to have a special extra high safety lock on the door, the singer's management told Croatian organizers.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Lady Gaga brings her own furniture to Zagreb

Lady Gaga is planning to bring her own furniture with her when she travels to Zagreb for her concert on 5 November.Organizers of the concert told Croatian TV station NovaTV that the pop star did not have any unusual requests before the concert – other than the fact that she plans to bring her own furniture for the dressing room.The room would also need to have a special extra high safety lock on the door, the singer's management told Croatian organizers.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Tadic to visit Croatia in November

Serbian President Boris Tadic is preparing for a three-day visit to Croatia in November, the Serbian press has reported.

The Serbian head of state will be hosted by his Croatian counterpart, President Ivo Josipovic. He is also likely to meet other high-ranking officials including the Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and the Speaker of the Parliament Luka Bebic.

On the meeting's agenda are various questions including the return of refugees, protection of their property, solutions to housing questions, and the preservation of the Serbian minority's language in Croatia.

But one of the main issues are the countries' mutual accusations of genocide

University of Zadar introduces diplomacy studies

Starting this November, the University of Zadar will be offering diplomacy studies, the first such course on offer in Croatia.Together with the Dubrovnik International University, the University will offer classes in international relations and diplomacy. It is a unique course, the University's dean Ante Uglesic says, as diplomacy studies were not available before in Croatia.The classes will begin in November and will be taught between the two universities by local and foreign experts.While students will be able to take classes in both English and Croatian at the Zadar University, those attending Dubrovnik International University will have lectures in English only,

Croatians would prefer Sanader to stay out of politics

Seventy seven per cent of people in Croatia do not want to see the former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader back in politics, a new survey shows.Conducted on a sample of 600, Nova TV research asked Croatians about their take on the latest political drama developing in the country.The former PM – who stepped down before the end of his mandate in 2009 – requested a reactivation of his parliamentary mandate last week. More than half of Croatians (57 per cent) see the move as an attempt to secure political immunity. The former PM is implicated in some fraudulent affairs currently

Croatians becoming more and more tolerant of difference, new research shows

The new research shows that Croatians have become more tolerant in the last ten years.They no longer mind having neighbours who belong to a different race or religion, who are alcoholics, belong to the extreme right or left, have a criminal past, are HIV-infected or are gay.The neighbours that Croatians still cannot stand are drug addicts.These are some of the results of the European Values Survey conducted in 10-year-intervals in 44 states, including Croatia. The results show that in the decade since the last investigation, the Croatians have become more tolerant towards those that could be considered different from them.The

Drug 'meow meow' reaches Croatian markets

A drug that recently killed a 19-year-old British girl has already made its way to Croatian markets, the authorities have confirmed.Mephedrone, commonly known as "meow meow" is a drug whose effects are similar to a mixture of cocaine and ecstasy. It recently claimed the life of young Brit Rebecca Cardwell whose liver failed three days after she consumed the drug (in combination with several others).Croatian police have confirmed that "meow meow" is available in Croatia and they have already confiscated it several times this year, the daily Jutarnji List writes.Those that take it become more animated, have more self-confidence and

Committee Chairman speaks about rights of minorities in Croatia

The Chairman of the Committee on Human and National Minority Rights Dr. Furio Radin has spoken about the rights of minorities in Croatia at a recent talk organized by the Burgenland-Croatian Centre in Vienna.National minorities including Italians, Serbs, Slovenians, and Germans form about 7.5 per cent of the Croatian population. Dr. Radin familiarized those present with their situation in Croatia and has spoken about Article 15 of the Constitution that gives these citizens a so-called "double voting right."The members of the national minorities are given an opportunity to vote for their minority representatives in the Parliament in addition to having

Teenager on trial over Facebook prank

A teenager in Croatia awaits trial for logging onto his neighbours' Facebook profile and leaving a post reading "we are two sexy sisters".

The 15-year-old from southern town of Trogir apparently hacked the profile of his 17-year-old neighbours, two sisters and friends of his, as a joke.

However the girls' unamused mother noticed the comment on her daughters' Facebook profile and alarmed the police, daily newspaper Slobodna Dalmacija has reported.

The paper also reported that the 15-year-old has admitted responsability and he will face a trial soon. The neighbours have already forgiven him, but the public prosecutor still consider it

Hiring of Croatians for EU positions at standstill

The European Union institutions are denying union claims that the hiring of Croatian citizens for positions in the EU has been halted because of "budget reasons."Unions claim that the hiring of Croatian nationals has hit a standstill. After some 1,400 Croatians passed the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) testing in February last year, only a few of them have been notified about the next stages .Although there has been no official confirmation, many sources in the EU admit that the delay in procuring temporary contracts for Croatian citizens is in large part due to the delay in the country's negotiations

Croatian wins fourth place in nail decorating olympics

Ivana Simunec Gedalja's creativity has won her a fourth place at this year's Nailympics – the Olympics of the art of decorating nails.This is not the first title for this 32-year-old who is a medical technician by profession, with some years of journalism behind her. In 2007 she won the first place in the same competition.Simunec-Gedalja had mesmerized judges with her crazy creations, some of them involving battles and entire farms constructed on her models' nails. "My favourite was "Peasant," when I created a stable with little cows, pigs, horses," she says. Some of her projects involve several hours of work

Ivanisevic´s villa hot spot for luxury weekend escapes

The Financial Times (FT) has recently named the Croatian tennis player Goran Ivanisevic's luxurious villa in Split as one of the best places for a "weekend escape."In an article that writes about wealthy British travellers who are now choosing more distant destinations for their long weekends because of affordable flights, the FT includes Ivanisevic's villa amongst the most attractive houses located under half an hour from the airport.The article might help Ivanisevic sell his home, which has been on the market for some time. The retired player withdrew it at the beginning of September, but the property is again for

Split´s maternity ward breaks 10-year record

The maternity ward of Split hospital has broken a 10-year record by having 30 babies born in 24 hours, the daily 24 Sata writes.Twenty one girls and nine boys were born between Wednesday and Thursday morning. This is a record number in the last ten years.The all-time record is 36 births.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

First monument to Serb civilian war victims unveiled

A first monument honoring Serb civilian war victims in Croatia was unveiled in Varivode in Sibenik-Knin County on Tuesday.The monument and the plaque have the names of nine Serbs killed in the village in 1995 written in both Latin and Cyrillic alphabet.Croatian President Ivo Josipovic, the president of the Serbian National Council Milorad Pupovac and other government and clerical officials were present at the unveiling ceremony, the daily Vecernji List writes.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Croatians win gold in Australian football

Croatian team has won gold at the Euro Australian football Cup which was held in Milan last weekend.Croatia took the trophy beating worthy opponents in four games that all took place over one day. Croatia won against Austria and Wells, then played semifinals against Ireland, and finally beating the Netherlands in the final game.Croat Josip Josipovic was named player of the final, while three Croatian players -Tomislav Cvetko, Josip K, and Matija Basic - were selected for the European team.Last year the team had won the bronze medal at a championship played in Samobor, while the year before it had

Croatians win gold in Australian football

Croatian team has won gold at the Euro Australian football Cup which was held in Milan last weekend.Croatia took the trophy beating worthy opponents in four games that all took place over one day. Croatia won against Austria and Wells, then played semifinals against Ireland, and finally beating the Netherlands in the final game.Croat Josip Josipovic was named player of the final, while three Croatian players -Tomislav Cvetko, Josip K, and Matija Basic - were selected for the European team.Last year the team had won the bronze medal at a championship played in Samobor, while the year before it had

Croatians win gold in Australian football

Croatian team has won gold at the Euro Australian football Cup which was held in Milan last weekend.Croatia took the trophy beating worthy opponents in four games that all took place over one day. Croatia won against Austria and Wells, then played semifinals against Ireland, and finally beating the Netherlands in the final game.Croat Josip Josipovic was named player of the final, while three Croatian players -Tomislav Cvetko, Josip K, and Matija Basic - were selected for the European team.Last year the team had won the bronze medal at a championship played in Samobor, while the year before it had

Croatians win gold in Australian football

Croatian team has won gold at the Euro Australian football Cup which was held in Milan last weekend.Croatia took the trophy beating worthy opponents in four games that all took place over one day. Croatia won against Austria and Wells, then played semifinals against Ireland, and finally beating the Netherlands in the final game.Croat Josip Josipovic was named player of the final, while three Croatian players -Tomislav Cvetko, Josip K, and Matija Basic - were selected for the European team.Last year the team had won the bronze medal at a championship played in Samobor, while the year before it had

Heart from Germany saves 40-year-old Zagreb man´s life

A 40-year-old Zagreb man received a new heart flown in from Dortmund, Germany, in the early hours of Sunday morning.The heart was transported from Germany to Zagreb by Croatian government plane and taken to Zagreb's Dubrava hospital.The surgery was successful and the patient is currently recovering at the intensive care unit, the daily Vecernji List writes.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Serial granny robber on loose in Zagreb

A serial thief who drugs her elderly victims before making off with their valuables has struck again.A 77-year-old granny was robbed of several hundred Euros and a rash of bacon in the latest stunt by the con woman operating in the Zagreb area.The woman answers apartment rental advertisements and during conversation with the chosen victim slips a sedative into their drink.The latest victim offered the thief coffee but fell asleep twenty minutes later as the drug took affect.When she woke up she found several hundred Euros were missing - as was a piece of bacon, the daily Vecernji List reports.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Serial granny robber on loose in Zagreb

A serial thief who drugs her elderly victims before making off with their valuables has struck again.A 77-year-old granny was robbed of several hundred Euros and a rash of bacon in the latest stunt by the con woman operating in the Zagreb area.The woman answers apartment rental advertisements and during conversation with the chosen victim slips a sedative into their drink.The latest victim offered the thief coffee but fell asleep twenty minutes later as the drug took affect.When she woke up she found several hundred Euros were missing - as was a piece of bacon, the daily Vecernji List reports.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Serial granny robber on loose in Zagreb

A serial thief who drugs her elderly victims before making off with their valuables has struck again.A 77-year-old granny was robbed of several hundred Euros and a rash of bacon in the latest stunt by the con woman operating in the Zagreb area.The woman answers apartment rental advertisements and during conversation with the chosen victim slips a sedative into their drink.The latest victim offered the thief coffee but fell asleep twenty minutes later as the drug took affect.When she woke up she found several hundred Euros were missing - as was a piece of bacon, the daily Vecernji List reports.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

More cooperation needed for growing domestic violence problem

Domestic violence is on the rise in Croatia and a recent string of horrific murders of women has forced the state to call for a meeting of all relevant institutions in order to discuss better mutual cooperation in combating the growing problem.Sanja Sarnavka from women's rights association B.a.B.e. says that there is not enough mutual communication between the relevant institutions and that too much bureaucracy prevents efficiency."There is no team approach, everyone is just concerned with filling out forms, satisfying their supervisors, and adhering to various regulations while the problems are always individual," she says.The Croatian public has been shaken