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	Top Stories Croatia farm offers 'hotel' for bees with busy owners Croatian island eyes green energy self-sufficiency in this decade (+ Reuters video) Croatian minefields now produce olive oil, figs

	Top Stories Croatia: Helping more people learn about Transcendental Meditation Croatia: Plans for Maharishi Ayurveda health care, advanced meditation group Croatians aim to establish large coherence-creating group of advanced meditators

	Top Stories Croatia says it can take no more migrants Croatia overwhelmed by flood of migrants Alphabet dispute revives old injuries in Croatia
Positive Trends Short Summaries of Top Stories Croatia farm offers 'hotel' for bees with busy owners 24 September 2021 - A family in Croatia has opened a 'bee hotel' offering productive beehives for sale to clients who'd like to keep bees but lack the time or space to care for the tiny pollinators themselves. Domagoj Balja says the venture responds to growing curiosity among buyers of his honey about how it's made, at a time when beekeeping is suffering from a global drop in bee populations. (more) Croatian island eyes green energy self-sufficiency in this decade (+ Reuters video) 18 June 2021 - The northern Adriatic island of Krk, among the biggest in Croatia, looks headed towards energy self-sufficiency by the end of the decade in what environmentalists say is an example for the Mediterranean in transition to green and sustainable power. (more) Croatian minefields now produce olive oil, figs 9 August 2018 - Olives grow on land on a Croatian farm cleared of land mines. Almost 30 years have passed since Croatia and Serbia were at war during the Croatian War of Independence . . . In 2018, agriculture has taken over the battlefields with glorious results, particularly for the MasVin co-operative based at Ravni Kotari. It is managed as organic aided by favourable climatic conditions. The farm produces 100 acres of olives ... It grows about 16 varieties. Figs are produced on eight acres on 600 trees from June until September for both fresh and dried figs. (more) Croatia eyes solar power in bid to curb energy imports 17 November 2017 - Thanks to its exposure to the Mediterranean sun and the pristine Adriatic Sea, Croatia secures almost 20 percent of its gross domestic product from tourism -- but in stark contrast, it has practically neglected electricity production from solar power. The government is drafting a new strategy aimed at reducing energy imports which is likely to be completed next year. 'I set myself a target to promote solar power in that context as much as possible,' an official involved in the work ... told Reuters. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, Croatia ... could develop 3,200 megawatts (MW) of solar power by 2030... (more) Croatia: GMOs? No, thank you! 23 May 2014 - The European debate on the authorization for cultivating Pioneer 1507 corn has raised concerns in the youngest country of the Union, where all regions have declared themselves 'GMO free'. 'We have almost a million hectares of fallow land, ready for organic production, which must be defended against GMOs', explains Katica Knezović of the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the University of Zagreb. Sixty-one per cent of the Croatian public is opposed to the use of GMOs, as shown by the 2010 Eurobarometer Biotechnology Report, and the Farmers Association argues that organic production is the country's only shot at being competitive. (more) Croatia: Conference on 100% renewable energy on islands held in Krk 17 October 2013 - An increasing number of Croatian Adriatic islands want to be independent in terms of energy and are turning towards renewable energy sources which, when owned by citizens, are becoming a strong lever for local sustainable development, an international conference said on the northern Adriatic island of Krk on Thursday 17 October. Krk island was the first in Croatia to establish an energy cooperative with the aim of promoting the use of renewable energy sources among the local population and businesses. (more) Croatia celebrates its EU membership 30 June 2013 - Fireworks lit the sky and festive crowds gathered on the streets to mark Croatia's entry Monday into the European Union, a major milestone some 20 years after the country won independence in a bloody civil war that shook the continent. Croatia became the 28th EU member, the bloc's first addition since Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2007. Though enthusiasm for the country's achievement has been dampened by the EU's financial turmoil, it is a historic turning point for the small Balkan nation of 4.2 million, which endured years of carnage after declaring independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991. (more) Facts about upcoming EU member Croatia 30 June 2013 - Croatia formally becomes the 28th member of the European Union on Monday, the bloc's first addition since Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2007. Croatia is becoming a member after a decade of negotiation, and marks a historic turning point for the country which went through a civil war after declaring independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991. (more) Croatian micro-car maker hopes to electrify mass market 4 March 2013 - Croatian engineering company Dok-Ing has announced plans to start serial production of its electric three-seat microcar. The company believes urban commuters will find the vehicle ideal for low-cost, environmentally-friendly motoring. (more) Croatia Airlines anticipates the busiest summer season in history 17 January 2013 - Croatia Airlines is anticipating its busiest summer season since it began passenger operations 22 years ago. With a record tourist season and the country's entry into the European Union expected this coming summer, Croatia Airlines has significantly boosted its frequencies and flight offering. The Croatian carrier will launch services from Pula to Paris, Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Erfurt. Furthermore, it will strengthen its position in Dubrovnik where it was the busiest carrier in 2012. (more)
Success of Maharishi's Programmes Short Summaries of Top Stories Croatia: Helping more people learn about Transcendental Meditation 3 November 2012 - The Transcendental Meditation organization in Croatia wants to help more people in the country learn about and enjoy the many scientifically validated benefits of practising the technique--including reduced stress, improved health, and development of integrated brain functioning. One way this will be happening is by making information more widely available online. Plans are underway to update and modernize the programme's website, and also to make more use of Internet advertising. People have been hearing about Transcendental Meditation often through word of mouth, from colleagues, friends, and family who have begun the practice. (more) Croatia: Plans for Maharishi Ayurveda health care, advanced meditation group 3 November 2012 - A public screening of David Lynch's new documentary Meditation, Creativity, Peace was held in Croatia last month. The film looks at the award-winning director's creative process, the role of Transcendental Meditation in reducing stress and increasing creativity, and the importance of groups of people practising the technique together to create coherence in society and world peace. Goals for the Transcendental Meditation programme in Croatia include establishing such a coherence-creating group of advanced meditators, opening a Maharishi Ayurveda natural health centre, and other projects. (more) Croatians aim to establish large coherence-creating group of advanced meditators 3 November 2012 - Vedran Turkalj, who has practised Transcendental Meditation for 17 years, is the new director of the Transcendental Meditation organization in Croatia. Among many new projects and plans to bring the stress-reducing benefits of Transcendental Meditation to many more Croatians, he described a primary area of focus, inspired by his recent visit to the Invincible America Assembly--a coherence-creating group of advanced meditators in the USA. Mr Turkalj returned home with the thought, 'I can do more for our nation'. He is working closely with Transcendental Meditation teachers to establish a similar large group of people who regularly practise TM and its advanced programmes together. (more) Invincible America Assembly inspires Croatians to form coherence-creating group 3 November 2012 - The new director of the Transcendental Meditation programme in Croatia recently spent time in Fairfield, Iowa, USA, participating in the Invincible America Assembly--a large group of people who practise Transcendental Meditation and its advanced programmes together daily. It was founded in 2006 to reduce social stress and crime, and create a sustained influence of coherence and harmony in the United States. Inspired by his experience, Vedran Turkalj returned home to Croatia with the desire to create the same effect for his country. One of the main goals of Transcendental Meditation teachers in Croatia is to establish a group of 200 advanced Transcendental Meditation practitioners--the threshold number practising together to create the Maharishi Effect of coherence in collective consciousness for the whole population. (more) 'Brilliant week' on course in Croatia inspires participants to become Transcendental Meditation teachers 18 September 2012 - A Transcendental Meditation (TM) course on the island of Hvar, Croatia inspired many of its young participants to become teachers of the technique. The course drew 'a lot of very creative, bright people, including filmmakers, architects, lawyers, businesspeople' from many countries--Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Albania, Germany, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Switzerland, Greece, Egypt, and Australia, an organizer said. They all greatly enjoyed being together and the long meditation programme; by the end, many were planning when they would attend the Transcendental Meditation Teacher Training Course. (more) Beautiful location, 'life-changing' experiences inspire meditators at Croatia conference 18 September 2012 - The success of a conference for young meditators, held recently in Croatia, bodes well for future such conferences planned for the same area. Participants praised the beautiful location on the island of Hvar, as well as the profound effect of practising Transcendental Meditation in a group with other young professionals and students. 'TM is profoundly changing my life,' wrote one participant who had become interested in helping organizations teaching the technique and the David Lynch Foundation. (more) Filmmaker David Lynch inspires a group of young meditators to change the world 18 September 2012 - A group comprised of students and young professionals from 11 countries in Europe, Oceania, and Africa, gathered on the island of Hvar in Croatia for an extended course in Transcendental Meditation. During the course, film director David Lynch connected and spoke for over an hour with the course participants. He gave an account of his own experience with Transcendental Meditation and spoke about the various projects the David Lynch Foundation is involved in around the world, including bringing the stress-reducing meditation technique to high-risk groups in schools and prisons, and to veterans and homeless people. (more) Young meditators inspired to bring Transcendental Meditation to people worldwide 18 September 2012 - A week-long meditation course on the beautiful island of Hvar, Croatia, drew together a diverse and creative group of young people from across Europe. They were all initially attracted to the course by their enjoyment of Transcendental Meditation, but by the time they left, many felt a strong desire to help create peace and harmony in the world. A young man from London said, 'I'm so much looking forward to dedicating my time to work with the David Lynch Foundation, and make a change that starts within, and help others to get what I've got--which is just sheer bliss.' (more) Youth group mobilizes to help David Lynch Foundation raise awareness of Transcendental Meditation 18 September 2012 - A week-long conference in Croatia for young professionals, students, and recent graduates who practise Transcendental Meditation seems to have created lasting results. The group, who came from all over Europe as well as Egypt and Australia, enjoyed the conference and the opportunity to connect with one another. By the end, many wanted to help with the David Lynch Foundation's charitable activities worldwide, whether in schools, prisons, with the homeless, or with veterans. Now they are using social media to keep in touch and coordinate their efforts to help the Foundation provide Transcendental Meditation to as many people as possible around the world. (more) Croatians enjoy Transcendental Meditation; Maharishi Garden City planned 11 October 2011 - In the past year, Croatians have been enjoying the benefits of Transcendental Meditation and its advanced programmes and technologies of consciousness for the individual and society. Future plans include a proposed Maharishi Garden City to be established on one of its islands. (more)
Flops Short Summaries of Top Stories Croatia says it can take no more migrants 18 September 2015 - After suddenly finding itself in the path of Europe's biggest tide of migrants for decades, Croatia said on Friday it could no longer offer them refuge and would wave them on, challenging the EU to find a policy to receive them. The migrants, mostly from poor or war-torn countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, have streamed into Croatia since Wednesday (16 September), after Hungary blocked what had been the main route with a metal fence and riot police at its border with Serbia. The arrival of 17,000 since Wednesday morning, many crossing fields and some dodging police, has proved too much for one of the EU's less prosperous states in a crisis that has divided the 28-nation bloc and left it scrambling to respond. A record 473,887 refugees and migrants have crossed the Mediterranean to Europe so far this year, most of them from countries at war such as Syria who are seeking a better, safer life. (more) Croatia overwhelmed by flood of migrants 17 September 2015 - Amid chaotic scenes at its border with Serbia, Croatia said on Thursday it could not cope with a flood of migrants seeking a new route into the EU after Hungary kept them out by erecting a fence and using tear gas and water cannon against them. More than 7,300 people entered Croatia from Serbia in the 24 hours after Wednesday's clashes between Hungarian riot police and stone-throwing refugees at its Balkan neighbor's frontier. At the eastern border town of Tovarnik, Croatian riot police struggled to keep crowds of men, women and children back from rail tracks after long queues formed in baking heat for buses bound for reception centers elsewhere in Croatia. (more) Alphabet dispute revives old injuries in Croatia 2 February 2013 - More than 20 years after it was reduced to rubble in a brutal Serb-led army siege, Vukovar is testing if Croatians are ready to respect the EU's standards on minority rights when their country joins as the 28th member on 1 July. Whether the name of the war-scarred town on the Danube is written in the Latin or Cyrillic alphabet is a sensitive question. Croatia's upcoming entry into the European Union is forcing residents of the Balkan country to answer it. The Croatian government is trying to introduce Serbian Cyrillic writing into areas with sizeable ethnic Serb communities, a move that has infuriated Croatia's war veterans and nationalists. Thousands of flag-waving protesters, some wearing military uniforms, joined a demonstration against the change on Saturday in downtown Vukovar. (more) Croats, Serbs still nurture antagonisms 8 August 2006 - Resurgence of vandalism and other hate-related offences between Serbs and Croats show that the terrible events that took place in the 1990s have not been forgotten. (more)