On Tuesday, a communication board was installed in the children's park in Mlini for children and adults with communication, language, and/or speech difficulties, the first of its kind in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County.

The Head of the Borough, Silvio Nardelli, hosted speech therapists Nikolina Klešković and Kristina Milolaža, who, as members of the Croatian Speech-Language Therapy Society, initiated and realized this project with financial support from the Municipality. He thanked them for their commendable initiative, which has made the Municipality better and more accessible to children and people with difficulties.

The communication board is intended for children and adults who cannot communicate through speech and/or have difficulties understanding language (such as individuals with autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disabilities, speech-motor disorders, genetic syndromes, etc.).

The board in Mlini is bilingual, in Croatian and English, which allows communication with foreign visitors as well.

Andrej Plenković, the Croatian Prime Minister, will soon be traveling to the USA as one of the recipients of the Atlantic Council’s Distinguished Leadership Award, often referred to as the Washington Oscars. He will be accompanied by representatives of major Croatian companies.

"According to my information, this has nothing to do with tariffs. The Prime Minister is coming to receive a prestigious award and will quickly return home. We'll see what happens with the people who are coming with him," said Ivica Puljić, Al Jazeera’s correspondent from Washington, in the Dnevnik news program on Nova TV.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Ivan Anušić said on Sunday that NATO member states would continue monitoring Croatian airspace until the end of this year, or at the latest the beginning of next year, by which time Croatia’s ‘Rafale’ aircraft will be fully equipped and the pilots fully trained.

After the presentation of the election program of HDZ’s candidate for Mayor of Osijek, Ivan Radić, Anušić was asked by reporters when Croatia’s newly acquired ‘Rafale’ aircraft would begin guarding Croatian skies. He responded that "all 12 'Rafale' aircraft have arrived and the entire squadron is ready."

He added that Croatian skies are still currently being protected, but that "air-policing" duties would continue to be carried out by allied NATO countries until the end of this year, or early next year at the latest, when Croatia’s 'Rafale' jets would be fully operational and pilots properly trained for their missions — most importantly, the protection of Croatian airspace.

The strawberry season has kicked off in Croatia’s Neretva Valley, with hundreds of tons expected to be harvested over the next month across about 40 hectares, reports HRT

Despite a two-week delay caused by bad weather and strong winds, the first strawberries have reached the market, selling at around €3.50 per kilo.

Farmers are focusing on adapting various strawberry varieties to the local climate, now cultivating them annually instead of biannually due to hotter summers. Demand for fresh, local strawberries is strong, with producers confident they can outshine imported alternatives thanks to their quality and freshness.

Over the coming weeks, these strawberries will be sold directly from fields to supermarkets, markets, and city streets—with farmers hoping for plenty of sunshine to ensure a successful season.

Pope Francis will be remembered as "the pope who wanted to take one step further" and "who loved justice and peace," which is evident from the huge turnout of believers at his farewell, said Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Saturday.

After the funeral mass at the Vatican, the Prime Minister told journalists that the twelve years of Pope Francis' pontificate marked not only the Catholic Church but also humanity as a whole, particularly among the most vulnerable groups.

"He was a pope who loved justice and peace and advocated for them, and this was evident from the massive response of the faithful," Plenković said. It is estimated that around 200,000 worshipers and an exceptionally large number of statesmen arrived in the Vatican.

The Prime Minister called Pope Francis "the pope of the little man, of all nations and countries," emphasizing that this was felt "in his actions, books, sermons, and messages he sent, the countries he visited," and his efforts for peace and helping those in need, based on the main Christian principle of solidarity.

Plenković was among the last leaders to meet with Pope Francis, visiting the Holy Father on Easter, the day before his death. The Prime Minister said that it was an emotional moment for his family, although it was clear that Pope Francis was in fragile health.

Plenković added that the four meetings he had with Pope Francis were always meaningful.

"He radiated kindness, wisdom, with messages of peace and a desire to do good every day," said the Croatian Prime Minister.

There’s a sound that defines Easter in Dubrovnik—not the uplifting chorus of church bells, nor the joyful peal of children unwrapping chocolate eggs on the sun-drenched Stradun.

No, it’s the unmistakable, high-pitched screech of the grass strimmer, echoing around like a swarm of steroidal mosquitoes. Dubrovnik’s version of spring cleaning is a two-pronged assault: one aimed at errant blades of grass, the other at your eardrums.

And if that doesn’t quite set the mood for you, throw in the shrill promises of a dozen political candidates, all waving their banners and clichés as the local elections loom.

Yes, Easter this year came bundled with all the expected signs of the start of the tourist season: clear skies, cruise ship horns, tourists walking up Široka Street as if they’re storming Normandy, and now, black bunting and sorrowful bells to mark the passing of Pope Francis.

With Easter now firmly behind us, the 2025 season has begun in earnest.

The cobbled streets of Dubrovnik are already a teeming international buffet of sunburnt shoulders, selfie sticks, and overpriced gelato. The walking tours have resumed their slow-motion parade, blocking traffic and time alike.

But while the city centre bubbles with energy, my wife and I have had an entirely different sort of revelation—we’ve got new neighbours.

A young family has moved in upstairs. A real rarity. Young. Croatian. In Dubrovnik. I was half-expecting Attenborough to pop out from behind the hibiscus with whispered commentary: “Here we see a young breeding pair of Homo Croaticus Urbanus, cautiously re-entering their natural habitat…”

Which immediately prompted the obvious question: how on Earth did they afford it?

Because, you see, unless they’re heirs to a seafood empire or won Eurojackpot, I’m baffled. I mean, you can’t buy a grave or a garage in Dubrovnik for less than a kidney and your soul.

And this is where my wife and I’s guilty pleasure comes in.

We’re both addicted to those UK property shows—you know the ones. A slightly confused couple from Derby, who have never left the East Midlands, suddenly want to move to Spain. Or Portugal. Or the Caribbean. Always the Caribbean. They sit down with a real estate agent and say, “We’ve got a budget of £100,000 and we want a pool, two bathrooms, sea views, and walking distance to the beach.”

And the agent finds them five options. Five. We stare at each other in mute disbelief.

Here in Dubrovnik, for that price, you’re lucky if you get a basement with a sloping ceiling and a view of someone else’s laundry.

The truth is, real estate prices in the south of Croatia haven’t just gone up—they’ve been launched into orbit. Over the last decade, Dubrovnik has transformed into a boutique theme park for rich visitors, and that “easy” Airbnb money has turned housing into a blood sport.

Every flat, every attic, every shoebox has been converted into a short-term rental. The words “long-term lease” are now only whispered in dark alleys by desperate locals.

And so the young don’t buy.

They don’t rent.

They leave. Germany. Ireland. New Zealand. Pick a country. There’s a Dubrovčanin already there, pouring beer or building scaffolding, while dreaming of home.

And let’s not pretend this is unique to Dubrovnik. Barcelona, Lisbon, Venice—they’re all buckling under the pressure of overtourism. But at least some cities are doing something about it.

Barcelona, bless them, had the radical idea of banning short-term rentals Other destinations have stated that if an apartment building has only one main entrance, then it can’t be used as tourist accommodation. Imagine that.

Can you picture the outrage if such a law were passed here? There’d be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Headlines would scream, “WAR ON TOURISM” while hosts mourn the loss of their second income. But honestly, maybe it’s time for something that radical. Because we are running out of options—and out of neighbours. Maybe that means radical policy shifts. Maybe it means restricting Airbnb licenses.

Maybe it means building public housing. Maybe, just maybe, it means actually listening to the people who live here. Or we can just keep trimming the same old patch of grass and wondering where everyone’s gone.

Read more Englishman in Dubrovnik…well, if you really want to

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About the author

Mark Thomas (aka Englez u Dubrovniku) is the editor of The Dubrovnik Times. He was born and educated in the UK and moved to live in Dubrovnik in 1998. He works across a whole range of media, from a daily radio show to TV and in print. Thomas is fluent in Croatian and this column is available in Croatia on the website – Dubrovnik Vjesnik

The Mayor of Dubrovnik, Mato Franković, has been prominently featured in three of the UK's most respected travel media outlets – Travel Weekly, TTG Media, and the Daily Express – following his recent visit to London. His visit included participation in ABTA’s Sustainable Travel Conference, where he presented Dubrovnik’s transformation from a destination overwhelmed by mass tourism to a model of responsible tourism management.

Each outlet praised Dubrovnik’s strategic shift since 2017, when overtourism posed serious challenges to the city. Franković explained how Dubrovnik introduced smart visitor flow management rather than imposing bans, with special attention given to cruise tourism through a partnership with CLIA. Initiatives like regulating bus arrivals, requiring time-slot reservations for cultural institutions, and expanding the Dubrovnik Pass were highlighted as successful measures.

TTG Media emphasized that Dubrovnik is not just a destination for tourists but a living city for its residents, noting that the wellbeing of citizens is central to its tourism policy. Travel Weekly and the Daily Express underlined the importance of cooperation with cruise companies and the segmentation of visitors into cruise passengers, day-trippers, and overnight guests – all vital to the local economy but managed differently.

Franković's invitation to speak at ABTA was recognized as a testament to Dubrovnik's Respect the City program's global success. While proud of the progress made, he stressed that the work is far from over: "If we want Dubrovnik to remain the 'Pearl of the Adriatic,' we must ensure it continues to shine – for everyone, and for future generations."

The Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO) paid fewer foreign pensions last year compared to the year before, with around 8,000 fewer pensions sent abroad. The majority go to neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia—around 129,000 combined. Germany ranks third, followed by Slovenia and Australia, reports N1

In total, Croatia paid out 177,158 foreign pensions worth €438.9 million in 2024. In 2023, 185,227 pensions were paid across 50 countries.

The largest number of pensions went to Bosnia and Herzegovina (67,263) and Serbia (61,757), with over €192 million and €158 million sent respectively. Germany received 14,743 pensions worth more than €20 million. Slovenia followed with 9,272 pensions, and Australia with 6,067.

Austria received 4,832 pensions, Montenegro 2,143, and North Macedonia 1,868. Canada received 1,857 pensions and Italy 1,304.

Only one pension was sent to Armenia, Monaco, Paraguay, Peru, and South Korea, while two pensions were paid to Cyprus, Malta, Mexico, the Philippines, Thailand, and Turkey. Other countries with a small number of pension payments included Brazil, Greece, Chile, Iceland, Israel, Portugal, Argentina, and Ukraine.