Croatia News - CroatiaPress.com

Zagreb, March 18 (CP) – The Croatian Ministry of Defence has issued a statement on Monday denying claims in the media a NATO base may be erected on the Peljesac peninsula.

However, the MOD has confirmed that in the long-term development plan, the maritime port south is to be erected for the future use by the coast guard, the navy and securing enough facilities to accommodate extra firefighting staff when necessary.

It was stated that the ‘south port’ would be erected in cooperation and agreement with local authorities and with the consent of the citizens and investments are planned as of 2011.
 

Zagreb, March 17 (CP) – Ivan Ljubicic, Mario Ancic and Ivo Karlovic have made it into the third round of the Indian Wells ATP tournament.

Ljubicic was better in the all-Croatian game between him and Marin Cilic, beating the Croatian youngster 7-6, 7-5. This was the first time the two played each other on the ATP Tour.

Mario Ancic, the second Croat to make it through beat Chilean Fernando Gonzalez 2-1, while Ivo Karlovic was victorious against South African Rik De Voest, beating him two sets to law.

In the next round Ljubicic is to play Spaniard Tommy Robredo, Ancic is awaiting the winner of the Thomas Johansson and Juan Carlos Ferrera match and Karlovic will be playing Scottish player Andy Murray.

Zagreb, March 17 (CP) – Croatian soccer squad coach Slaven Bilic has confirmed to Croatian media he has been talking with German HSV Hamburg team on the possibility of taking over as coach.

Bilic said he might take up the position as early as this summer.
 

Zagreb, May 17 (CP) – A new synagogue opened in the centre of Croatia’s capital Zagreb on Sunday in the presence of senior Croatian officials, as well as numerous rabbis from Europe and the U.S.

The main rabbi in Croatia Kotel Dadon stressed that the new synagogue represented an important step in securing spiritual life for Jews in Croatia.

The secession decorated synagogue stretches 270 square meters, the space secured by the city of Zagreb, temporarily until a new synagogue is built in the place an old one stood until 1942, when it was destroyed by the Ustashe.

Attending the celebrations was president Stjepan Mesic, deputy PM Jadranka Kosor and Zagreb mayor Milan Bandic.

Zagreb, March 17 (CP) – A group of robbers have managed to steal up to 15 million kuna from the Split post office branch where money for the whole of the Split and Dalmatia county postal branches is kept.
The robbers managed to overpower three security guards, cuff them and after that went for the clerks who they also cuffed.
The police are still searching for the robbers.
Hope is pinned on the post office’s CCTV will help find the culprits.
This is one of the largest heists in Croatia so far.

Zagreb, March 16 (CP) – Lajos Alacs the Mol executive vice president has confirmed that Mol would probably via INA or in cooperation with it join the race for the purchase of Albanian Amro. This was also confirmed by sources close to the INA oil company management.

Amro had already been offered for purchase several years ago with INA being one of the candidates for purchase, but the tender was called off due to ownership problems within the Albanian company.

Zagreb, March 16 (CP) – An 18-year-old youth was stabbed to death in a mass brawl in a Zagreb park near a popular night bar on Saturday evening.

The incident happened just minutes before midnight and the 18-year-old had suffered three stab wounds inflicted by a sharp object, most probably a knife.

The brawl began as a group of youths were celebrating a birthday party in the park and another group arrived clashing with them.

Several of those involved in the incident were arrested and the actual murderer is believed to be among them.

Zagreb, March 16 (CP) – A group of masked assailants attacked two Serb nationals overnight while they were sleeping in their car bearing Novi Sad number plates at the Tifon service station on the Zagreb-Split motorway.

The attack occurred around 4 a.m. and there are reports of the car being damaged.

The Ogulin police have as yet no information on the attackers.

Zagreb, March 16 (CP) – Some 20 bicycles were stolen between Wednesday night and Thursday morning from a top Croatian hotel in the northern coastal resort of Porec.

The robbers broke through the chained metal cages where the bikes belonging to German and Austrian riders competing in the Istria Spring race that was held there at the time were stored overnight.

The riders whose bikes were not stolen had taken them to their hotel rooms for safe keeping following the incident.

The Valmar Group that owns the Diamant hotel where the robbery was committed   has apologised and announced it would pay out damages.

The police are investigating the incident and searching for the sport-loving robbers.

Zagreb, March 16 (CP) – The coordination of Croatian non-parliamentary parties comprising 15 parties of different political affiliations held a protest gathering in Zagreb’s main square on Saturday sending a demand to parliament to call a referendum on Croatia’s NATO membership.

It was stated that if 10 percent of the voters in Croatia sign a petition for the holding of a referendum of NATO membership, the signatures for this to be gathered as of end of March, the calling of a referendum would be necessary under the Constitution.

The parties concluded that only once a referendum is called can a serious discussion on Croatia’s joining of NATO begin and all the pros and cons looked into.