The wider Dubrovnik region has been battered by torrential rain over the past few days, causing flash floods, road disruptions, and dramatic changes to the normally pristine coastline. The relentless downpour has washed vast amounts of soil and debris into the Adriatic Sea, turning its usual crystal-clear turquoise waters into a murky shade of light brown.

While heavy rain is not uncommon during transitional seasons, the intensity of this storm has taken many by surprise. Forecasts suggest that wet conditions will continue in the coming days, prolonging the clean-up efforts and keeping the Adriatic’s unexpected new hue in place a little longer.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković presented the eighth package of aid measures for citizens and the economy to employers, trade unions, and other partners. The government announced on its website that it will adopt the package at this week’s session.

"In the context of the energy crisis, the government will continue to stand firmly by citizens and businesses, ensuring the stable functioning of counties, cities, and municipalities while keeping energy prices affordable," the statement reads, without providing specific details about the package.

It is noted that the previous seven aid packages amounted to a total of eight billion euros, helping to protect citizens, maintain social cohesion, and ensure the normal operation of the economy amid multiple crises.

"Through constructive social dialogue, we remain focused on further improving the living standards of Croatian citizens and enhancing the competitiveness of our economy," the government added.

Government Introduces New Measures: Electricity and Gas Prices to Rise

At the meeting with Prime Minister Plenković, representatives of key economic and labor organizations were present, including the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts, the Croatian Agricultural Chamber, the Croatian Employers' Association, as well as major trade unions and associations for pensioners and people with disabilities.

Earlier, Plenković also met with representatives of Croatian counties, city associations, and municipal organizations.

He shared updates from these meetings on the platform X (formerly Twitter).

This morning, drivers reported a large landslide in Dubrovnik over the Banja beach. The popular Viver group “Radari – Kontrole Dubrovnik” added some photos of the landslide which has completely blocked one of the most important roads near the Old City of Dubrovnik.

The road is completely blocked, and clean-up crews are on the scene.

Police officers are redirecting traffic, but as this is a vital connecting road around the Old City the traffic this morning will be extremely busy.

The south of Croatia has been experiencing heavy rain and storms for the past few days and this could well have led to the landslide onto the road above the Banje beach.

At the invitation of ABTA, the UK's largest travel association, the Mayor of Dubrovnik, Mato Franković, participated in a conference on sustainable travel held in central London. The event brought together experts from the UK travel sector, as well as representatives from global institutions such as the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), easyJet Holidays, and national tourism organizations.

Due to Dubrovnik’s successful implementation of various sustainable tourism initiatives, ABTA invited Mayor Franković to deliver a keynote presentation. During his address, he outlined the city's responsible tourism management strategy, emphasizing sustainability, destination enhancement, and improving competitiveness in the face of global tourism challenges.

A particular focus was placed on the Respect the City project, which serves as a model for eco-conscious and long-term solutions to controlled tourism growth, ensuring the preservation of Dubrovnik’s authenticity and rich cultural heritage. The British audience had the opportunity to learn about the strategies Dubrovnik employs to secure a sustainable future for tourism while balancing the needs of both residents and visitors.

Sustainability and overtourism are key concerns in the UK travel sector, and the conference facilitated the exchange of experiences, challenges, and opportunities that tourism presents to global communities. The ongoing interest from British and international media in this topic underscores the importance of promoting sustainable tourism solutions. This was further highlighted by a recent interview with Mayor Franković in the British Mirror regarding the future of tourism in Dubrovnik.

Looking ahead, Dubrovnik plans to continue its sustainable tourism policies by further regulating visitor flows, investing in municipal infrastructure, and expanding its Dubrovnik Housing project. As the first city in Croatia to successfully launch its own housing model, Dubrovnik has already provided homes for 91 families, either through affordable rental schemes or one-time financial assistance of €30,000 for home purchases.

With this approach, Dubrovnik is setting high standards for sustainable tourism and has been recognized globally as a leading example of effective destination management.

A fourth group of wounded individuals from Ukraine has arrived at Zagreb Airport today —17 people, accompanied by three family members. They have been transferred to hospitals for treatment and rehabilitation, reports HRT. 

"Most of them are young, and several have suffered severe injuries, including amputations. Based on the medical assessments we exchanged with the Ukrainian side, they are being assigned to hospitals for treatment and later to veterans' centers," said Croatian Minister of Veterans' Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister Tomo Medved.

Croatia deeply understands the horrors Ukraine is enduring, Medved noted. The first priority for the wounded is medical stabilization, after which they will have the opportunity to speak with Croatian war veterans who have also experienced severe injuries.

"Thirty-five years ago, these veterans went through devastating injuries, recovered, and today they have families and even grandchildren. The experiences they will share serve as invaluable encouragement," Medved emphasized.

The first group of wounded Ukrainian individuals arrived in Croatia in April 2023. In total, 55 people, accompanied by 27 family members, have come for treatment as part of the first three groups.

"Given the ongoing intense battles to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty in the face of Russian aggression, Croatia will continue to assist the Ukrainian people by providing medical care for their wounded, as well as through other forms of aid and support," the minister stated.

Most of the injured from the first three groups have since returned to Ukraine, while 12 remain in Croatia under temporary protection status. They are entitled to the same rights as other displaced persons under Croatian law.

Minister Medved highlighted the establishment of a just peace in Ukraine as a priority. He also expressed gratitude to the Norwegian team that, for the fourth time, organized the flight transporting wounded individuals from Poland.

"This is yet another clear sign of strong international cooperation and support for the Ukrainian people and their defenders," he stated.

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Croatia, Vasilj Kyrylych, extended his gratitude to the directors of hospitals and veterans' centers, as well as to the entire Croatian government, for their strong support in providing treatment and rehabilitation for the wounded.

New car sales in the European Union continued to decline in February, with Croatia experiencing a drop almost twice as large as the European average, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).

In February, 854,000 new cars were registered across the EU, a 3.4% decrease compared to the same month last year. This marks the second consecutive month of declining sales, with the first two months of 2025 showing a 3% drop in new car registrations, reports HINA. 

Sales in Leading Markets
Among the largest European markets, only Spain saw a rise in car sales, with an 11% increase in February. In the first two months of this year, Spain's sales grew by 8.4%. On the other hand, Germany, the largest European market, saw a 6.4% decline in February, resulting in a 4.6% drop for the first two months. Italy also experienced a 6% decrease, while France saw a 3.3% drop.

In Croatia, 4,245 new cars were registered in February, which is 6.3% fewer than last year. January's figures showed a smaller decrease of 0.4%. For the first two months of 2025, Croatia's car market shrank by 3.4% compared to the same period last year, with 8,717 new cars registered.

Electric and Hybrid Cars on the Rise
Sales of battery electric vehicles in Europe grew by 23.7% in February, following a 34% increase at the start of the year. Spain led the way with a 60.6% jump in sales, while Italy and Germany also saw strong growth, up 38.2% and 30.8%, respectively. However, in France, sales of electric vehicles declined by 1.9%.

In the first two months of 2025, battery electric vehicles made up 15.2% of the European market. Sales of hybrid electric vehicles also grew by 19%, capturing 35.2% of the market.

Decline in Gasoline and Diesel Cars
Sales of gasoline and diesel cars continued to fall, with a decrease of 22.4% for gasoline cars and 28.8% for diesel vehicles in February. These types of cars now make up 29.1% and 9.7% of the European market, respectively.

In Croatia, the trend was similar. Sales of battery electric cars grew by 6% in February, while plug-in hybrids saw a significant increase of 48.9%. Hybrid electric car sales also grew by 12%, although at a slower pace than in January. Meanwhile, sales of gasoline cars dropped by 13.4%, and diesel car sales fell by 26.5%.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman took part in a roundtable discussion on missing persons from the Croatian Homeland War, organized by the British Foreign Policy Group. During his stay in London, he visited the exhibition "Behind the Sky: A Tribute to Missing Persons from the Croatian Homeland War", dedicated to the victims and missing persons of the war and their families. He also met with the UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy.

In his opening speech at the roundtable, Minister Grlić Radman emphasized the importance of presenting to the British public the still-unresolved issue of numerous missing persons from the Homeland War. Speaking about the scale of the conflict, he noted that the Republic of Croatia is still searching for 1,771 individuals who went missing during the war, 1,080 of whom disappeared in 1991.

No National Divisions in the Search for Missing Citizens

He stressed that Croatian institutions have been acting in accordance with the highest standards of international law in this process for years, ensuring that the search for missing citizens transcends national divisions.

Minister Grlić Radman also addressed Croatia’s relations and cooperation with Serbia and its institutions, stating that progress in resolving numerous open issues began in late 2024 with the appointment of national coordinators to lead discussions. In this context, he expressed expectations for advancements in locating Croatia’s missing citizens, securing compensation for the families of murdered and illegally detained Croatian citizens in camps in Serbia and Montenegro, and prosecuting those responsible for these war crimes.

Meeting with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy

During his visit to London, Minister Grlić Radman held a bilateral meeting with his UK counterpart, Foreign Secretary David Lammy. Their discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries, global security, and current developments in Southeast Europe.

Both officials agreed on the importance of future cooperation and expressed their commitment to further strengthening ties and addressing European, global, and regional challenges together.

RIT Croatia and the American university Rochester Institute of Technology proudly invite all interested parties to the Grand Opening of the international conference Cultural Heritage Imaging & Innovation (CHII 2025), which will take place on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at Kino Visia in Dubrovnik, starting at 9:00 AM.

Among the many distinguished guests, we highlight the attendance of Mato Franković, Mayor of Dubrovnik, and Anuška Deranja Crnokić, Director of the Directorate for Archives, Libraries, and Museums at the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia.

They will address the conference participants during the opening ceremony.

Kino Visia Dubrovnik 

About the Conference

Cultural Heritage Imaging & Innovation Conference 2025 is dedicated to imaging and innovations in the field of cultural heritage, bringing together historians, scientists, practitioners, and technology leaders from around the world.

By introducing new technologies into the study of cultural heritage, museums, archives, and libraries can gain valuable new insights from historical artifacts and share the acquired knowledge. However, the collection, management, visualization, dissemination, and exhibition of this information remain constant challenges.

The goal of the conference is to connect historical artifacts with modern technologies to shape the future of cultural heritage preservation and presentation.