Footage reveals Croatian soldiers in Afghanistan in armed combat

Croatian soldiers in Afghanistan have taken part in armed combat and not only as army trainers, footage published on Croatian daily 24 Sata shows.The footage shows Croatian soldiers fighting Taliban insurgents in some parts of Afghanistan. A vehicle with Croatian flags can be seen in the midst of a fight and one can hear voices of men speaking in Croatian.A different feature shows a member of the Croatian Army who returned from Afghanistan confirming the authenticity of the shots. "It is not that harmless over there…I would like the people to know where they are going and what to expect,"

iPad goes on sale in Croatia

iPad sales have kicked off to a good start with retailers expecting crowds this evening as the popular gadget premieres on the Croatian market.All four licensed carriers - HG spot, iStyle, TechnoMax and Profil Megastore - have received many inquiries, but a rush is expected in the evening when people start leaving work.Retailers are reporting good sales, but the exact number of sold samples is kept a business secret, the portal Dalje writes.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Serbian documents show no basis for Purda´s trial

The accusatory document against Croatian war veteran Tihomir Purda shows no evidence that would justify starting criminal proceedings against him, Croatian Television has reported.The station reported that the document submitted by Serbia and reviewed by HTV's journalists contains no information that would warrant starting a trial against him.Purda is being charged with armed rebellion against the former Yugoslavia (SFRJ) and for violating Geneva conventions by having killed two wounded former Yugoslav Army (JNA) soldiers.The warrant for Purda's arrest was issued by an investigative judge from a military court in Belgrade. The same court suspended the procedure against Purda as he

Strabag considers Croatia as a future market

The Austrian company Strabag chairman has announced that he still considers Eastern Europe as a "future market"."I think the same about the Balkans – all of it from Croatia to Macedonia.", Strabag SE chief Hans Peter Haselsteiner has said.He has rubbished speculations construction projects in 2014 Olympics host city Sochi are running late, the Austrian Times has reported.The businessman's company is just one of a string of Austrian firms which were assigned to carry out building and infrastructure projects at the Russian Black Sea resort.Haselsteiner told the Kurier newspaper: "We are currently in the stage of mobilisation. We will get

Thirteen Croatian firms present products at fishing fair in Morocco

Thirteen Croatian firms are participating in a fishing fair that opened on Wednesday in the Moroccan city of Agardir, the daily newspaper Vjesnik writes.The majority of the Croatian firms specialize in the production of fishing boats, fishing equipment and the processing of fish products.Moroccan king Muhamed VI. visited Croatian stands paying special attention to the motors for smaller fishing boats on display by companies Perkovic from Matulje and Scam-Marine from Viskovo.Moroccan fishermen are interested in these kinds of motors and Croatians are expecting to do good business, the daily writes.Moroccan fishermen catch some 1.2 milion tonnes of fish each year.

Croatia in EU not before 2013 or 2014

Croatia is unlikely to become a member of the European Union before the end of 2013 or beginning of 2014, the European Parliament rapporteur for Croatia Hannes Swoboda has said.Even if Croatia manages to finish membership negotiations by June this year, Swoboda believes that much time would be needed for all 27 states to ratify the accession agreement.Swoboda delivered his opinion at the meeting of the EU's Committee on Foreign Affairs where he presented his report on Croatia's progress.Although he praised the Croatian government's efforts in implementing reforms and had expressed his belief that the country would finish negotiations by

Tony Blair´s book helps Sanader in a prison

Former Croatian PM Ivo Sanader finds solace in Tony Blair's book.Sanader, currently in Austrian prison in Salzburg awaiting extradition to Croatia over corruption investigations, has told the newspaper Salzburger Nachrichten that reading Tony Blair's book will help him to fight his legal battle.Sanader, who has been detained in western Austria since last December, believes the book will help him "to understand the plot" against him.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

National health insurance to pay for medical treatments in EU starting 2013

New guidelines passed by the European Union Parliament would allow Croatians to seek medical treatment in other EU member states and be reimbursed by their national health insurance should they join the Union.The new guidelines regarding cross-border health protection accepted last week by the European Parliament are expected to take effect in 2013. Patients from all EU members  will be able to receive treatment in any other member state, with their national insurance covering the cost of the procedure up to the amount that the same treatment would cost in their own country.Croatian Health Insurance Institute (HZZO) could only deny

Qualified Zagreb´s retirees continue riding for free in city center

The transport authorities have reassured Zagreb pensioners that they are still entitled to free rides even as Zagreb Electric Tram (ZET) has brought free transportation in the city centre to an end.Many of Zagreb's retirees were confused whether their privileges would be affected as city revokes an ordinance that has allowed residents to take free rides for two tram stops in any direction from Zagreb's main Trg Bana Jelacica square."Pensioners who have the right to free transport should not fear controls in the city centre because they can still ride for free there," ZET's spokesperson said.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Qualified Zagreb´s retirees continue riding for free in city center

The transport authorities have reassured Zagreb pensioners that they are still entitled to free rides even as Zagreb Electric Tram (ZET) has brought free transportation in the city centre to an end.Many of Zagreb's retirees were confused whether their privileges would be affected as city revokes an ordinance that has allowed residents to take free rides for two tram stops in any direction from Zagreb's main Trg Bana Jelacica square."Pensioners who have the right to free transport should not fear controls in the city centre because they can still ride for free there," ZET's spokesperson said.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Government plane brings back donor´s heart from Germany

The Croatian government has dispatched its official plane to collect the heart of a donor from Germany.Due to the unavailability of any private air carriers, the Croatian government has stepped in to help retrieve the heart from Frankfurt shortly after midnight last night.Croatian doctors participated in the harvesting of the organ in Germany and are expected to arrive back to Zagreb today (Thu), the daily 24 Sata writes.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

MOL acquires only 0.01 per cent of additional Ina shares

The Hungarian MOL has managed to acquire only 10,082 or 0.01 per cent of Croatian oil company Ina's shares from small shareholders during its public offer last month.MOL currently owns 47 per cent of Ina's shares and had wanted to become a majority shareholder, offering to buy additional shares from Ina's small shareholders for 379 Euros a piece.Part of Ina's shares, however, was bought by Croatia's pensions funds and one American investor, preventing MOL from acquiring a sufficient percentage for majority ownership.The pension funds acquired close to four per cent, while the American investor bought little less than one per

Stats show librarians find jobs easily in Croatia

Librarians, flight attendants, cooks and bartenders seem to have the easiest time when it comes to finding a job in Croatia today, the latest statistics show.According to the Croatian Employment Services (HZZ), in December of last year an unemployed librarian with a diploma could get a placement in just two month's time. Doctors, oil mining engineers, and physics professors were also in demand, while the coffee and tea processing supervisors snagged jobs in just two weeks!Those that end up looking for job hunting the longest – between six to ten years – are predominantly low-skilled workers such as textile processors

EC makes no decisions yet on Croatia´s shipyards

The European Commission has not yet made any decisions regarding the plans for the reconstruction of Croatian shipyards that have been submitted so far, EC officials said."The European Commission will not reach any decisions or publish its opinion about the plans for the reconstruction of Croatian shipyards today or in the next few days," said Dirk Lange, EC's main negotiator with Croatia.The spokesperson or the Commissioner for the Enlargement, Natasha Butler, said that drafts received so far are incomplete and require additional information.Solving the question of the shipyards is a key condition for completing the European Union requirements on market

MOL has not acquired majority of Ina´s shares

The Hungarian MOL has not acquired the majority stake in the Croatian oil company Ina after offering to buy shares for 379 Euros a piece from small shareholders last month.MOL currently owns 47 per cent of Ina's shares and had wanted to become a majority shareholder in order to legalize the managerial rights it enjoys at present without owning 51 per cent of the shares.Part of Ina's share, however, was bought by Croatia's pensions funds and one American investor, preventing MOL from acquiring sufficient percentage for majority ownership. The pension funds acquired close to four per cent, while the American

Aeroflot connects Moscow and Dubrovnik with direct flights

Dubrovnik Airport authorities have confirmed that Dubrovnik and Moscow will be connected by a direct flight from 27 May to 29 October.Russian airliner Aeroflot will keep daily flights between two cities.The line will additionally boost the arrivals of Russian tourists in Dubrovnik, the city dubbed as "the pearl of Adriatic".After years of charter flights, Dubrovnik and Moscow will now, for the first time, be connected with direct flights.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Two Croat women detained in Italy

Police in Italy have arrested two Croatian woman under suspicion of robbing a 78-year-old woman on the streets of Tortorici.It has been ordered that Daliborka Marinkovic (26) and Giulia Zirmovic (41) are expelled from Italy.Both of them were allegedly already known to Italian police, officers have revealed.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

eWaterways announces naked cruise in Croatia

Cruising company eWaterways offers bold holidaymakers a chance to strip off for an eight-day naked cruise along the stunning Dalmatian Coast in Croatia.With visits to enchanting islands, endless opportunities for swimming, sunbathing and exploring, eWaterways recommends this cruise for the free spirited, "promising to invigorate the senses and minimize your holiday wardrobe worries".Boarding will take place on 11 June in the Adriatic port of Split.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Minister Popijac hopes number of unemployed will decrease soon

Croatian minister of Economy Djuro Popijac has admitted unemployment as a big problem of in the Croatian economy, but has contradicted the bleak outlook predicted by some experts."The measures being undertaken by the Croatian government will lead to new jobs", Djuro Popijac stated in his interview with Nova TV.He refused to accept the prediction that 350,000 people will be unemployed by next Spring. Despite the current figure of 320,000 unemployed people in the country, the minister insisted that the Government's measures will lead to better times."The Government is doing all it can to decrease the number of unemployed people", he

Minister Popijac hopes number of unemployed will decrease soon

Croatian minister of Economy Djuro Popijac has admitted unemployment as a big problem of in the Croatian economy, but has contradicted the bleak outlook predicted by some experts."The measures being undertaken by the Croatian government will lead to new jobs", Djuro Popijac stated in his interview with Nova TV.He refused to accept the prediction that 350,000 people will be unemployed by next Spring. Despite the current figure of 320,000 unemployed people in the country, the minister insisted that the Government's measures will lead to better times."The Government is doing all it can to decrease the number of unemployed people", he

Unemployment highest in six years

The number of unemployed Croatians rose to 319,845 last December, the highest it has been since April 2005.The head of the Economic Research Department of Raiffeisen Consulting Zrinka Zivkovic-Matijevic said that the data is not surprising."The number of unemployed is nearing 320,000, so we can expect that the unemployment rate for December will measure 18.7 per cent," she added.In addition to the growth in unemployment, the active working population is shrinking and the number of employed continues to fall due to retirement and loss of jobs, the portal Business writes."I expect the labour market to remain weak during the first

Zagreb salaries up one per cent from September

The average net salary for Zagreb in October of this year was 6,277 kunas (848 Euros) or one per cent more than in the previous month, the latest figures show.Compared to October last year that is a 2.3 per cent increase, as Zagreb City Office for Strategic Planning and Development reports.Those working in building maintenance and landscaping had the lowest average salaries or 3,150 kunas (426 Euros) per month. The highest-paid professionals were management consultants and advertising and marketing specialists, earning 14,015 kunas (1,906 Euros) and 10,585 kunas (1,430 Euros) respectively.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Virgin Mary is 165 centimetres tall, a visionary says in a new book

The Virgin Mary is a blue eyed teenage girl that appears taller than she is because she stands on a cloud.That is according to a new book that has carried out exclusive interviews with the the visionaries of Medjugorje, who first saw her 30 years ago this year when they were schoolchildren.On June 24, 1981, six children in the town of Medjugorje, in then Yugoslavia, began to experience phenomena which they alleged to be apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary.The apparition they saw had a message of peace for the world, as well as a call to conversion, prayer and

Despite government reshuffling, right still losing to left in popularity

The leading conservative coalition is still lagging behind the left in popularity with voters, the latest Promocija plus poll shows.It appears that the current government did not benefit a lot from the recent reshuffling of its ranks, when several ministers were replaced and one new post was created.If the elections were to take place today, 31.2 per cent of the voters would support the left-wing Social Democratic Party (SDP) (they received 32.4 per cent of popularity votes in December), while the majority right-wing Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) would receive 22.6 per cent (up slightly from last month's 22.1 per cent).Croatian

Girl suffers electricshock in Zagreb tram

A five-year-old girl suffered first and second degree burns from an electrical shock when riding a tram on the number four line in Zagreb.The girl was hurt when she placed her hands between two of the old tram's seats, the Zagreb police informed.She was taken to the hospital but her condition is not yet known, daily Jutarnji List writes.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Two mega shopping centers bring new jobs to Osijek

Osijek area job seekers are rushing to snag one of the 1,600 new positions becoming available when two mega shopping centers open their doors this March.Ante Barukcic from Osijek's branch of Croatian Employment Services (HZZ) says that there is a big interest for the new jobs."We expect that 1,000 people will be removed from our registers. Another 600 would probably move from one of the existing jobs in the city to a new location in the shopping meccas," Barukcic predicts.Such calculations give Osijek's HZZ hope that unemployment numbers in 2011 will not reach the frightening 35,000 after the numbers rose

National park´s Plitvice Lakes rakes in record number of tourists in 2010

Croatian national park Plitvice Lakes (Plitvicka Jezera) registered a record number of tourists and overnight stays last year, the park's PR department has reported.The area - which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site - was visited by 981,000 tourists or five per cent more guests than in 2009. The majority of visitors came from Germany, Italy and France.The biggest increase in organised visits comes from Japan, the daily Vjesnik writes.Plitvice made 50 million kunas (6.8 million Euros) profit in 2010.

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Uljanik is Croatia´s star shipyard

The Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor has visited Uljanik shipyard in Pula (Istria) on the first day of the New Year, giving her support to one of the rare Croatian shipyards that are operating at profit."Uljanik is the first shipyard in Croatia which the European Commission judged as not having problems. This opens a new page in the life of shipyards," said Kosor.As Croatia nears EU membership, the Union has demanded that the Croatian government stops subsidizing the country's ailing shipyards in favour of their privatization.Uljanik has finished 2010 with 41 million kunas (5.55 million Euros) of net profits, the

USKOK after former Kutjevo mayor for abuse of power

The Croatian Anti-Corruption Bureau (USKOK) has accused the former mayor of Kutjevo (eastern Croatia) of financing his election campaign with money from the city budget.As a former mayor and candidate of the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) and the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) in 2009, Ante Pavkovic is accused of paying for promotional materials during his campaign with city money. He is also suspected of approving the use of telephones on the city's expense.Pavkovic lost the 2009 elections to Ivica NIkolic, the portal Business writes. 

Source: Croatian Times Online News

Employment down 0.7 per cent in November

There were 1,396,438 persons employed in Croatia this November, 10,485 fewer than last month, the latest data from Central Bureau of Statistics shows.The number of employed in October was 1,405,923 or 0.7 per cent more than last month. The number of employed women dropped 0.8 per cent, while the number of artisans and free professionals fell by 1.5 per cent.The number of unemployed grew by 2.6 per cent in November compared to last month, reaching 18.3 per cent. The unemployment amongst women was 21 per cent.There were 312,350 persons registered as unemployed in November, compared to 304,479 in October, the

Employment down 0.7 per cent in November

There were 1,396,438 persons employed in Croatia this November, 10,485 fewer than last month, the latest data from Central Bureau of Statistics shows.The number of employed in October was 1,405,923 or 0.7 per cent more than last month. The number of employed women dropped 0.8 per cent, while the number of artisans and free professionals fell by 1.5 per cent.The number of unemployed grew by 2.6 per cent in November compared to last month, reaching 18.3 per cent. The unemployment amongst women was 21 per cent.There were 312,350 persons registered as unemployed in November, compared to 304,479 in October, the