Tuesday, 31st January, 2012
Croatia joins Multinational Corps Northeast!
On 30 January 2012, Croatia joined Multinational Corps Northeast (MNC NE) in Szczecin, Poland, and became its twelfth member state.
A note of accession was signed by Lieutenant Colonel Tihomir Zebec, the Chief Military Police Department of the Croatian General Staff. Along with the Croatian flag run up the pole, Croatia became the twelfth member state of the Multinational Corps Northeast and opened a common chapter in relations between Croatia and Multinational Corps Northeast.
The Commander of the Multinational Corps Northeast Lieutenant General Rainer Korff, on behalf of the whole staff, welcomed new members of the Corps. “I hope that our collaboration will be fruitful for both sides,” said General Korff. “The signing of the Note of Accession underscores Croatia’s efforts to foster its relations with NATO. I would also like to emphasize the importance of the Croatian contribution to the development of the NATO Multinational Military Police Battalion, which will be affiliated to the Corps after passing Full Operational Capability,” added General Korff. “We will give maximum power to our work contributed to the development and progress of Multinational Corps Northeast,” reassured Lieutenant Colonel Tihomir Zebec, expressing pride and content with the Croatian integration into Multinational Corps Northeast.

The ongoing manning conference will establish how many Croatian soldiers will serve at HQ MNC NE. Along with the increase of posts of the Headquarters peacetime structure, all member states of the Corps – Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United States – will decide upon manning the respective posts.
Multinational Corps Northeast was founded by Denmark, Germany and Poland in 1999 in Szczecin, Poland, as the first and most eastward located NATO unit. Several other countries have joined the Corps throughout almost thirteen years of its functioning: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (2004), Slovakia and the Czech Republic (2005), the United States (2006), Romania (2008) and Slovenia (2009). Thus, Croatia has become the twelfth member state of Multinational Corps Northeast.
Since 2005, Multinational Corps Northeast has been a certified NATO Graduated Force Headquarters of Lower Readiness (Land) and a part of NATO Force Structure. The MNC NE personnel have been deployed to Afghanistan twice already – in 2007 and 2010. Currently, the Corps is preparing for this year’s biggest training event – the Crystal Eagle exercise, the aim of which is to train assigned units and share mission experiences.
Text: Anna Gałyga, HQ MNC NE Public Affairs Office
Photos: Marian Cihon, HQ MNC NE Public Affairs Office

Brussels, 20 January 2012
Croatia EU referendum: EPP President looks forward to historic vote
Following the completion of Croatia's accession negotiations with the European Union and the signing of the accession Treaty, the country will hold a referendum this Sunday, 22 January 2012, to decide if it will become the EU's 28th Member State. The President of the European People’s Party (EPP), Wilfried Martens, expressed his thoughts on Sunday's vote:  
“The people of Croatia are called this Sunday for a historic vote that will change the course of the country. Twenty years after Croatia gained its independence, the EPP and most Europeans will eagerly follow this Sunday's decision of the Croatian people, which will surely be guided by their nation's best interest. It has always been my belief that Europe will become more complete with the accession of Croatia, so I truly hope that on Sunday the country will embrace with confidence its European future and finally become a proud 28th EU Member State,” the EPP President underlined.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank former Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and the HDZ for the tremendous work over the years in Croatia's EU accession process, as well as the work and support of the HSS and all other pro-EU parties and politicians in Croatia,” Wilfried Martens added. EPP pres /hic

Monday, 9 th January, 2012.
Danish People’s Movements against the EU:
Joining the EU is a great risk for Croatian democracy and economic stability
Croatia will have a referendum concerning EU membership the 22nd of January. The Danish People’s Movement against the EU’s believes that it is the worst time ever for Croatia to join the European Union.
First of all the EU is becoming a more and more centralized union and Croatia’s influence will be marginal.
Secondly the EU is in its worst crisis ever and Croatia does not have an opt out from the euro as e.g. Denmark. This means that Croatia will be bound to a currency union in great trouble. The welfare risks for the Croatian citizen are great.
The Danish People’s Movement suggests that Croatia should join the EFTA, the European Free Trade Association, instead of the European Union. Membership of EFTA will give the Croatian citizens possibilities to work, study, live and travel, trade in all EFTA and EU countries just like the citizens of the EU. However Croatians citizens will be able to have more democratic influence. And the Croatian economy does not have to be connected to the failing EU Monetary Union and the euro. folkebevaegelsen.dk

Friday 9.December,2011.
CROATIA SIGNS ACCESSION TREATY
Jerzy Buzek's speech at the signing ceremony for Croatia's accession
-"We were proud to say a loud and decisive "yes" to the 28th Member State of the European Union".
-"Your country is a model, but we also need to send an encouraging signal to the rest of the region that the door of the EU remains open".
(more )

Monday,5th December, 2011
Jerzy Buzek, president of the European Parliament
on Croatian elections

BRUSSELS: Commenting on the results of the Croatian parliamentary elections, the President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek stated:

"I congratulate the Kukuriku coalition on winning Croatia's parliamentary elections

I am glad that support for EU membership is an issue that cuts across the political spectrum in Croatia and that the winning coalition will remain strongly committed in the pursuit of European integration. It is necessary to maintain national unity ahead of the referendum, and sustain the reform momentum building on the good progress achieved by the outgoing government.

Much like the EU, Croatia is facing a difficult economic situation. I am confident that by the time Croatia becomes a full member of our Union, we shall all be standing more firmly and united on the path to recovery and growth.
On Friday, we will sign the Croatian Accession Treaty in Brussels. This will be a moment of celebration for the remarkable progress achieved by Croatia towards EU membership, but it shall also serve as an opportunity to look together at our common future in the European family."
Robert A. Golański, europarl President Press /HIC

Thursday, 1st December, 2011
Nigel Farage: EU bribing independent Croatia to rejoin a 'new Yugoslavia'



"Last September I went to Croatia. I wanted to find out whether a proper national debate is going on; whether there was afair campaign.
What did I find? I found that the EU is doing everything it can to bribe the political class in Croatia - doing it quite well, really, too. Already the EU has given 320 million euros to Croatia in what is called pre-accession aid. The EU has just spent a million euros on a blatant propaganda advertising campaign, telling Croatia that the EU is their only hope.
Cleverly, you've even given jobs to Croatians - highly paid jobs to Croatians in the European Parliament and in the European Commission just to show them how well off they'll be - the ruling class will be - if they join, and you've got EU flags flying on official buildings all over the country to give the impression that it's a done deal.

You've got some willing helpers, because the old Communists are still there in Croatia, they still hold all the positions of power and they will all become personally enormously wealthy if Croatia joins the European Union.
And there is an even more sinister side to this, because there is not a free press in Croatia. There is no national debate going on at all. Indeed a prize has been offered - 10,000 kunas have been offered if anybody can find an article in any Croatian newspaper suggesting that joining isn't the right thing to do.
The whole campaign is bent, corrupt and distorted. We've seen this before from the European Union, but I think it's happening on a scale in Croatia that is worse than I've seen before.
This country has for nearly a thousand years sought independence. And for 20 years they've had independence - they got out of the failed political experiment that was Yugoslavia - and if they vote to join the European Union, they're voting to rejoin a new Yugoslavia - a failing political experiment that will implode.
I hope there is, in the last month or two a debate in Croatia. Sadly, I doubt it".Hrsvijet

Wednesday, 30th November, 2011
Fewer companies donate to political parties
Fewer firms are donating to major political parties in these elections, campaign financing statements show.
Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) have both lost a significant number of company donors compared to parliamentary elections held in 2007.
Some 127 firms gave money to HDZ that year, with their donations totalling 10.2 million kunas (1.36 million Euros). SDP, on the other hand, had 25 company donors in 2007 that gave 3.1 million kunas (413,000 Euros).
The numbers are different in 2011. HDZ’s campaign financing statement that includes the period from 17 to 26 November shows that only 10 companies gave the party some 565,300 kunas (75,400 Euros). SDP has received donations from eight companies or 320,500 kunas (42,750 Euros) in total since 1 November.
SDP received 48,511 kunas (6,470 Euros) from individual persons, while HDZ collected 164,000 kunas ( 21,871 Euros).
The biggest company donor for HDZ is Agrokontrola that gave 150,000 kunas (20,000 Euros). Out of the 10 companies that supported the party is also Radnik d.d with a donation of 50,000 kunas (6,670 Euros). According to Croatian daily Vecernji List, the company had made several very lucrative deals through state tenders in the past two years.
The biggest SDP donor is Unisol Kastelica with 75,000 kunas (10,000 Euros). The company is owned in part by former model-turned-businesswoman Suncica Lalic. Together with her husband Dragan Jurilj, Lalic was a business partner to Vladimir Zagorec, former Croatian general serving seven years in jail for abuse of power.
SDP collected a total of 8,369,011 kunas (1.116 million Euros) for campaign expenses and has spent 5,485,738 (732,000 Euros) so far.
Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) had most donations - 29 company donors that gave 1.5 million kunas (200,000 Euros) and 31 individual donors who had given 164,300 kunas (22,000 Euros) between 1 January and 25 November 2011.
The two biggest parties have spent the most money on advertising in electronic media for the most part, daily Vecernji List writes. Croatiantimes

Wednesday, 30th November, 2011
Apartments cheaper in 2012
Apartment prices in Croatia could drop another 10 per cent next year, real estate experts believe.
They warn that there are currently 15,000 unsold apartments available and the general economic situation in the country will not change much in the next year. In such circumstances, further price drops would seem a logical step to awaken the hybernating real estate market.
Domenico Devescovi who edits internet portal Centar nekretnina says that the capital Zagreb is likely to see price drops of about 10 per cent.
"The final price will depend on location. The prices will continue to drop also in other places," Devescovi says.
Maruska Vizek from the Institute of Economics says she expects prices to drop between five and 10 per cent.
When it comes to the Croatian capital, apartments in Novi Zagreb are likely to see the biggest drops in prices. The area has seen a lot of new construction, unproportional to demand.
Amongst the candidates for new price corrections are also apartments in the centre that have been waiting for buyers for years. For example, a square meter of an apartment in Zagreb's central neighbourhood Donji Grad cost 2,377 Euros. This year the price has dropped to 2,165 Euros. Pula is the Croatian city where prices dropped the most, or 30 per cent in the last two years.
The Croatian real-estate market was one of the biggest victims of the recession, daily Jutarnji List writes. The apartment prices in Croatia have been dropping year on year. The average price per square metre in October of this year was 1,757 Euros, a 14 per cent drop since the end of 2007.

Wednesday, 30th November, 2011
Croatia receives 1.2 million tourists more than in pre-crisis year
Croatia received 1.2 million tourists more than in the year before the crisis, beating overall European results for the fourth time.
The growth of the number of overnight stays is two times that of Europe. The longer season this year meant 800,000 more guests.
"With such results, the total number of employed grows," said Damir Bajs, Croatia’s Minister of Tourism.
Bajs was also optimistic about continental tourism’s potential.
Croatia has more than 1,000 package offers for its continental areas. The efforts that were invested helped place every single nook of the country onto a tourist map, daily Vecernji List writes.
"The results are coming slowly but surely," Bajs said. Croatiantimes.com

Wednesday, 30th November, 2011
Technology and tourism mix well at ITDE expo in Split
Travel searches via smart phones increased 1,200 per cent just in the last year. This fact may point at the importance of online technologies to travel and tourism, the focus of the first International Travel and Destination Expo (ITDE) that took place at the Meridien Lav hotel in Podstrana near Split. Vedran Bajer from Google Adriatics said the internet played a very important role in selection of destinations. "Forty per cent of tourists – when they choose the destination – go by what other people have written about it on the internet. The number of reservations made with so-called "smart phones" increased 175 per cent just in the last year." Some 62 per cent of tourists look for information on the internet before choosing their destinations. The participants learned useful tips and strategies they could later implement in their work. "This is the future of travel and tourism," Josko Stella from Split-Dalmatia county said. The director of the fair Josko Nikolic said the feedback from the participants was very positive and many presenters such as Google and Tripadvisor will be returning next year. This year's partner nations India and the Czech Republic will be coming again as well. Croatiantimes.com

Wednesday, 2nd november 2011
Rab champion in all things tourist
The Croatian island of Rab is the country's champion when it comes to all things tourist.
The charming island won the Tourist Flower (Turisticki cvijet) award this year for the overall quality of its tourist offer.  The awards are  given by the Croatian Chamber of Economy (HGK) and Croatian Radio Television (HRT).
Opatija, Krk, Nin and Mlini also won accolades.
Velika Gorica was voted the continental Croatia's "best-dressed" city. Croatiantimes.com

Friday, 11th November, 2011.
Sarajevo's Cardinal Vinko Puljic and the NFCA Meet with Washington Decision Makers – Congressional Letter Sent to US Department of State
Washington: DC -   Members of the National Federation of Croatian Americans (NFCA) were honored to again assist esteemed Cardinal Vinko Puljic of Sarajevo with his meetings schedule while recently in Washington DC.  Cardinal Puljic was in Washington for an official visit that included meetings at the US State Department, with Members of Congress, and at the White House for discussions with National Security Council staff.  In addition, he delivered several speeches before Washington’s influential foreign policy think tanks.  The Cardinal's visit also involved attending Croatian American gatherings on the East Coast and celebrating Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. MORE

Wednesday, 13th July 2011
Remembering Croatian – American Artist Joseph Turkaly (Josip Turkalj)
Joseph Turkaly was born in 1924 in Croatia, the eldest of three sons. At the age of six he witnessed a bust of a local hero being installed in the town square where he grew up. This seemingly innocent event stoked the interest of the young boy, which would later turn out to be a lifelong passion. This school aged child modeled a small horse out of clay and presented it to his teacher who immediately recognized his talent. With her encouragement and the support of his family, he attended a high school for the fine arts in Zagreb. MORE

Tuesday, 10th May, 2011
ANNOUNCE
A Croatian Wine Event in New York City
The National Federation of Croatian Americans (NFCA) and the Croatians of New York & Los Angeles (CNYLA) are present Adriatic Breeze, an evening of exquisite wine and music at the Ana Tzarev Gallery on Thursday, May 19, 2011 at 6:00 PM.
W ill be present an extensive Croatian wine selection paired with several different small plates that will remind visitors of the warm and light breezes of the Adriatic Sea. Emerge yourself in the world of sound and flavors. A music showcase will be provided by award winning artists Ludvig & Stelar. Recent winner of the Best Independent International Musical Documentary, Damir Ludvig, has graciously teamed with CNYLA to bring you amazing sounds from the Adriatic Coast. John Kraljic, president NFCA
http://www.showclix.com/event/AdriaticBreeze

Monday, 2nd. May, 2011
Croatian manifest for truth and justice
We, the Croats and descendants of  the Croatian people who live in the Argentinian Republic, in an independent way and through the institutions and organizations that represent us, want to manifest our absolute rejection to the verdict of the International Court of The Hague in relation to the sentence issued against Generals Gotovina and Markac.

As direct and indirect witnesses to the events occurred during the  Patriotic War in Croatia fifteen years ago, we cannot keep silent or refrain from telling the truth, since this verdict from The Hague has been issued against the Republic of Croatia, against its government, against those who defended Croatia from foreign aggression, but, has only, and for the time being, punished the abovementioned Generals. (more)

22nd April, 2011
18th Annual Assembly of National Federation of Croatian Americans Announced for Pittsburgh area June 3-5
“18th Annual Convention of the National Federation of Croatian Americans Cultural Foundation Convention and Wine Tasting Events to Take Place June 4, 2011, in Pittsburgh”
For Immediate Release - April 20, 2011
The 18th Annual Convention of the National Federation of Croatian Americans Cultural Foundation (NFCA) will take place in Pittsburgh on June 4, 2011 at the Clarion Hotel in Greentree, located just outside of Pittsburgh.  Delegates from throughout the United States are expected to attend and will discuss a wide range of issues, including the recent convictions of General Gotovina and Mladen Markac, the status of Croats in Bosnia and Hercegovina, and furthering links between the United States and Croatia. (more)

19th December, 2011
sent by : Janet Alilovic
CHUVALO: CANADIAN BOXING LEGEND HONOURED IN HERZEGOVINA

George (Jure) Chuvalo (wikpedia) was honoured yesterday, 18th December in his parents' home town of Ljubuski with the unveiling of a monument in front of the city's Sports Centre.
Though George's parents left for Toronto in search of a better life in 1937, with George in his mother's womb, he still addressed the crowd in Croatian and shared with them how proud he felt to be standing among the friends and relatives present.
George's career was full of glory: he'd never been knocked down in a match, and Mohammed Ali admitted after fighting Chuvalo that he's never suffered as severe blows. Personally, George encountered traumatic loss in his family life which has brought him to his present-day calling: speaking about the negative effects of drug abuse, which is linked to the tragic deaths of his 3 sons and spouse.
Thus, George himself is a symbol of strength, and his statue in Ljubuski serves to remind us of the bravery our parents showed in leaving for better life, and equally of the strength of those who stayed to fight the good fight for everyday survival.Croatian boxing champion Zeljko Mavrovic unveiled the monument after acknowledging the generations before us, the Herzegovians of these parts who understood what hard struggle was, much harder than what athletes face in the ring, as they fought for mere existence.

The bronze statue was sculpted by Fabijan Tomic, a war veteran who was left with 100% invalid status. The monument's base was formed from Herzegovian stone by Gracine Kamen, the same stone masons who carved parts of the altar in Norval, Ontario's new Croatian church in Canada.George himself has commented that he believes he's made of Herzegovian stone which saved him inside the ring (and likely outside if it) and kept him strong . hic

Monday, 29th November 2010.
Who Saved Bosnia and other Essays.

Vitmomir Miles Raguž
Da nije bilo Oluje i drugi eseji/Who Saved Bosnia and other Essays.
Zagreb: Stih, 2005. pages 363.
FOREWORD
By Dr. Ante Čuvalo – Professor of History

For over thirty years, Walter Cronkite, celebrated former anchor of CBS Evening News, calmly, clearly, and with authority ended his news reports with the sign-off line, “And that’s the way it is.”  As a news anchor, he was voted by Americans among the top 10 “most influential decision-makers in America” in the 1970s.  His audience accepted his word that the world was the way he presented it.  This willingness to accept the world as others portray it is not unusual.  People around the world accept reality “the way it is” instead of making an effort to see it in all its complexity. (more)

World market oil & gold:

5th December 2011
CROATIA AMONG TOP-10 COUNTRIES WITH FASTEST GROWING NATIONAL BRANDS

LONDON , Dec 5 - Croatia ranks 9th in terms of the rate of growth of its national brand - as China tops the list-  according to Brand Finance, a leading global brand valuation consultancy. MORE

30th November 2011
COMMANDER JOINT FORCE COMMAND NAPLES VISITS KOSOVO

PRISTINA-KOSOVO: Yesterday, 29.November 2011, Admiral Samuel J Locklear, III, Commander Allied Joint Force Command Naples, released the following statement regarding recent NATO operations in Kosovo. He was in Kosovo today to assess the current situation.
"The use of violence against KFOR troops is unacceptable. We urge all parties to exercise restraint and cooperate fully with all international actors on the ground to ensure freedom of movement without delay.
KFOR's mission is to contribute to the maintenance of a safe and secure environment, freedom of movement and security in Kosovo, under United Nations Security Council 1244. It is fulfilling that mission carefully, fairly and impartially.

MORE

2nd November 2011
E-3A aircraft return from successful Operation Unified Protector
NATO Air Base, Geilenkirchen, Germany – On the afternoon of 1st of November 2011 the last two E-3A aircraft returned from Operation Unified Protector to Geilenkirchen Air Base. These aircraft had flown the very last missions on 31st of October during the NATO operation over Libya. Brigadier General Burkhard Pototzky, Commander of the E-3A Component, welcomed the crews at Geilenkirchen Air Base. He said, “Your work and sacrifice during the last seven months has truly tested our ability to deploy, maintain, sustain and finish victoriously”.
Operation Unified Protector was launched under a UN mandate to protect the people of Libya. It is seen as one of the most successful operations in NATO’s history. The E-3A Component Commander highlighted the contribution of the E 3A aircraft to the overall success of the operation, especially with regard to the enforcement of the No-Fly Zone and the arms embargo: “The AWACS is a shining example of NATO’s resolve and what we can do to defend freedom across the globe”.
Brigadier General Pototzky summarized the E-3A Component’s impressive contribution to Operation Unified Protector: Between the end of March 2011 and the end of October, E-3A aircraft conducted 247 sorties over Libya. During the operation, the aircraft from Geilenkirchen were based at Forward Operating Base Trapani, in Sicily, Italy. Overall 2,125 flight hours were flown. Every mission flight was successful.
The AWACS aircraft of the E-3A Component were mainly used as Command and Control platforms and ensured via modern high-capacity data link communication to other aircraft as well as to ships in the Mediterranean. The E-3A Component has thereby demonstrated once again its unique capabilities with the airborne warning and control system (AWACS).Nato/HIC