AGP Executive Report

Nations League Shock: England crushed Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka, with Harry Kane scoring twice, Bukayo Saka twice, and Jude Bellingham and Anthony Gordon also on the scoresheet, in a match played “behind closed doors” due to UEFA sanctions. Stadium Rules, Real Atmosphere: Instead of a full home crowd, about 6,000 Croatian schoolchildren were allowed in under a loophole, while only 100 England fans attended; some Croatian supporters even watched from a nearby rooftop. Aftermath in Croatian Media: Croatian outlets called it an “unacceptable catastrophe” and Croatia’s heaviest-ever defeat, while England papers celebrated a dominant “seventh heaven” performance. Culture & Lifestyle Angle: In Australia, Croatian-style “baka” biscuits are being kept alive by home-kitchen microbusinesses, showing how food traditions travel and adapt. Screening the Cold War: A new Croatian documentary series, Ispod radara, explores Cold War bunkers and secret tunnels across the region, turning hidden history into a cultural experience.

Bosnia-Herzegovina Elections: A “day of reflection” is underway ahead of Sunday’s general vote, with 3.4 million registered voters choosing a tripartite Presidency, parliament seats across the state and entities, and new cantonal representatives—using biometric ID machines and optical ballot scanners at 5,569 polling stations. Croatia-UK Football Culture: Croatia’s Nations League home match vs England in Rijeka is set to draw thousands of schoolchildren despite UEFA’s behind-closed-doors punishment, while England’s small fan group will avoid the notorious caged-away end. Croatian Screen & Heritage: HRT launches a four-part adventure documentary, “Ispod radara,” digging into Cold War bunkers, tunnels and command centres across Croatia and the wider region. Health & Environment: Croatian participants in an EU-linked PFAS (“forever chemicals”) blood study have spoken out, with a Gospić man reporting the highest levels among those tested. Gaming & Design: Nomion appoints Croatian 3D artist Space Meerkat as art director for “Rush is Real,” blending cyberpunk and brutalism with Eastern European and Asian references. Tech & History: AI has helped decipher a Napoleonic-era coded letter tied to General Marmont, cracking a mystery that lasted 217 years.

Croatia–Azerbaijan Cultural Diplomacy: Zagreb hosted the 4th Joint Commission session between Croatia and Azerbaijan, with talks spanning culture, economy, energy, transport, science, education, and tourism, ending in a signed protocol. EU Migration & Borders: The EU approved tougher migration rules, including broader penalties for people ordered to leave, longer detentions, and the possibility of “return hubs” outside the EU. Football in Rijeka (Culture + Community): Croatia–England in Rijeka is set to be “behind closed doors,” but UEFA’s exception lets thousands of schoolchildren attend for free, while 100 English fans will be moved from the caged away end to the open West Stand. Napoleon Decoded by AI: An AI system cracked a 217-year-old encrypted Napoleon letter, revealing details of French and Austrian troop movements in 1809. Bosnia Election Watch: Bosnia and Herzegovina heads to elections amid EU–Russia tug-of-war and renewed strain on the Dayton system. Arts & Film: Cyprus gets a theatrical release for Minos Papas’ gothic feature “MOTHERWITCH,” returning to the island after festival runs.

Bosnia Election Watch: Bosnia votes Sunday in a tense, nationality-shaped race as EU accession stalls and voters weigh corruption, slow reforms, and outside influence. Football & Youth Culture: Croatia’s UEFA punishment for past crowd incidents means the England clash in Rijeka is “behind closed doors,” but thousands of local schoolchildren (under 14) can attend free, turning the stadium into a youth-filled cultural moment. Travel Rules for Croatians & Visitors: The EU’s EES biometric entry/exit system is reshaping travel across Schengen, with Croatia among the participating countries and ongoing calls for more time as queues and delays have hit some routes. Croatia–China Link: Zagreb’s new direct Beijing–Zagreb flight is already boosting Chinese arrivals and overnight stays, opening doors for tourism, business, and cultural exchanges. Arts & Community: The Neretva Delta hosts Sand Art Neretva (Oct 2–5), where monumental sand drawings are created for aerial viewing before the tide erases them. Beauty Retail: rhode expands into Sephora across 19 European markets, including Croatia, bringing its skincare and hybrid makeup to more shoppers. Sport Spotlight: Croatian powerlifter Teo Kalogjera sets six European records at an international meet in Poland.

Croatia–China Tourism Boost: Zagreb’s new direct Air China Beijing–Zagreb flight is already paying off, with Chinese arrivals up 7% and overnight stays up 8% in September, opening fresh doors for tourism, business, and cultural exchanges. Music & Culture in Croatia: Russell Crowe’s Indoor Garden Party lands at Pula Arena on 27 June 2027, while Zagreb-born jazz artist Ziza Muftic shares how music shaped her identity after moving to South Africa. Beauty Retail Expansion: rhode skincare and hybrid makeup debuts in Croatia via Sephora, rolling out to 19 new European markets including Croatia. Film Industry & Co-productions: Thessaloniki’s Agora Crossroads Forum selects 14 projects from 15 countries, spotlighting representation and new takes on folk stories and growing up. Art in Public Space: The Neretva Delta becomes a temporary open-air gallery as the Sand Art Neretva festival turns the river mouth into giant sand drawings from 2–5 October. Zagreb Events & Craft: IFKT’s international knitting conference opens in Zagreb (30 Sept–2 Oct), bringing industry and academia together. Sports & Youth Access: Croatia’s behind-closed-doors Nations League clash with England will still draw 5,000–6,000 children via a UEFA loophole, with 100 English fans also allowed in. Bosnia Vote Watch: Bosnia heads to elections on 4 October amid EU-stall frustration and ethnic politics dominating the campaign.

Split Airport Culture: A new St. Jerome exhibition opens at Split Airport, bringing works by 24 Croatian painters and sculptors from the Marjan art colony—an art stop for travelers celebrating the airport’s 60th anniversary. Film & Festivals: CinEast in Luxembourg runs a Luxembourg–CEE Short Film Night plus avant-premieres of co-productions “3 Weeks After” and “Guria,” with guests including Jean Asselborn and a special Ukrainian programme tied to CinEast4Ukraine. Croatia on Screen: A Croatian documentary, “From the Ashes of Lipik / Iz pepela Lipik,” is filming in Lipik and Daruvar, revisiting wartime footage and the Children’s Home story through a theatre production with former residents. Beauty Retail: Rhode expands across Europe via Sephora, now available in Croatia and 18 other markets—another lifestyle signal for the region’s shopping culture. Travel Tech: Deutsche Telekom launches “T-Travel” eSIM data packages for 200+ destinations, aiming to make getting online abroad simpler. Bosnia Politics & Culture: Bosnia’s elections keep circling ethnic identity and emigration fears, with demographic collapse and youth leaving shaping the backdrop. Money & Collecting: Croatia issues a new commemorative €2 coin featuring Vukovar, with collectors able to pre-register for exchange.

Croatian Culture & Lifestyle: Croatia’s National Bank has issued a new commemorative €2 coin featuring Vukovar, part of the “Croatian Cities” series, with pre-registration open until 5 October and exchange options via the HNB system, Fina branches, or postal delivery. Travel & Mobility: The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is reshaping travel for many non-EU visitors, with Croatia among participating countries—meaning biometric checks can mean longer airport queues and new pre-travel planning. Arts & Film: A Croatian documentary, From the Ashes of Lipik / Iz pepela Lipik, is filming in Lipik and Daruvar, revisiting wartime footage and connecting former residents with a theatre production about the Children’s Home. Human Stories & Heritage: Croatia’s foreign minister highlighted the return of Ukrainian children and missing persons at a Toronto conference, drawing on Croatia’s own post-war experience. Wellbeing Tourism: HVARMONY spotlights wellbeing on Hvar, leaning into the island’s quieter off-season lifestyle as a counterpoint to peak tourism. Health & Care: A new study presented in Paris suggests a nasal spray combining sufentanil and ketamine can bring fast pain relief to injured children in emergency rooms, with a Zagreb ER head noting mild side effects. Education & Youth: OECD warns teacher shortages are pressuring education systems, especially in math and science and in rural or disadvantaged areas. Beauty & Retail: Rhode expands across continental Europe via Sephora, including Croatia, bringing the brand’s skincare-to-makeup lineup into more local retail spaces.

Beauty & Retail Expansion: Hailey Bieber’s skincare brand rhode is rolling into Europe via Sephora, now available in 19 new markets including Croatia, with online access too—another step in the brand’s rapid retail push. Documentary & Memory: Filming is underway on the Croatian documentary “From the Ashes of Lipik / Iz pepela Lipik”, revisiting wartime destruction through newly found footage and a theatre process that reconnects former residents with younger generations. Justice & War Crimes: The Hague convict Jadranko Prlić has again requested early release, with his defense citing his prison roles and activities while serving his sentence in the UK. Healthcare Innovation: A new study highlights a nasal spray combining sufentanil and ketamine that can ease pain quickly for injured children in ERs, with Croatian emergency-department head Maša Šorić commenting on the findings. Croatia at UN: Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman spoke at a Toronto conference on returning Ukrainian children and POWs, stressing missing persons and family reunification. Education Pressure: An OECD report warns teacher shortages are hitting education systems hardest in math and science, especially in rural and disadvantaged areas. Local Culture: The 18th Festival of Romani Song and Dance took place in Beli Manastir, spotlighting Romani heritage, language, music, and dance.

Youth & Housing: Eurostat links why young Europeans leave home at very different ages to job prospects, housing costs, and family norms—Croatia stands out with a much later average exit than countries like Finland. Education Policy: The U.S. extends federal student-loan autopay enrollment to Dec. 31, keeping the interest-rate discount for borrowers who sign up in time. AI & Academia: Dartmouth launches an investigation after reports that its provost’s published work may have been AI-written, spotlighting double standards in disclosure rules. Film & Culture: Slovenia’s Lun Sevnik finishes debut feature The Healers, shot in Ljubljana and Split, while Cyprus prepares the release of gothic film Motherwitch after a festival run. Croatia’s Creative & Sports Scene: Croatian freediver Vitomir Maričić becomes the first Croatian inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame. Roma Heritage: Croatia hosts the 18th Festival of Romani Song and Dance in Beli Manastir, celebrating language, music, and tradition. Health Workforce: Primorje-Gorski Kotar County launches a €250 monthly nursing/technician bonus plus scholarships to tackle shortages. Conservation: IUCN’s Important Shark and Ray Areas maps go live, aiming to guide protection of key marine habitats.

Croatian Sports & Culture: Freediving champion Vitomir Maričić has become the first Croatian inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame, recognized not just for records but for his freediving education, safety work, and marine conservation efforts. EU Health Policy: The European Commission has proposed EU-wide cardiovascular health checks under a new Screening Week push, aiming to improve early detection and cut premature deaths. Local Lifestyle: Wellovar, billed as Croatia’s largest thermal baths, officially opens in Bjelovar with multiple indoor/outdoor pools, saunas, and sports facilities—an easy new reason to plan a day trip. Space & Science Diplomacy: Croatia has signed the Artemis Accords, joining a fast-growing list of countries shaping shared rules for lunar missions. Culture & Debate: Fest’s opening film “Zlatni rez 42 – Children of Goats” returns attention to wartime memory and controversy around how history is portrayed. Travel & Identity: A look at how the .eu domain became a quiet “everyday” marker of European digital identity. Regional Spotlight: Split hosted the CROYA Yacht Charter Show, bringing about 250 international brokers and luxury vessels to Croatia’s Adriatic scene.

Open Letter & Tech Ethics: European organisations demand governments scrap public-sector contracts with Palantir, citing surveillance and AI warfare uses. Film & Memory: Fest’s “Children of Kozare” premiere sparks controversy over attacks on actors and the director amid revisionist backlash. Split & Tourism Business: Split hosts the CROYA Yacht Charter Show with about 250 international brokers, 36 luxury vessels and Croatian exhibitors through Oct 1. Sports & Pride: Freediver Vitomir Maričić becomes the first Croatian inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame. Health & Daily Life: Croatia reports over 70% of preschoolers have tooth decay, while 12-year-olds’ oral health has improved. Culture & Music: Jala Brat and Buba Corelli dominate Croatia’s charts, flooding the Top 10 with hits. Arts & Learning: A study warns that test scores reflect more than knowledge, shaped by how questions appear and how students respond. Global Human Stories: Superbook brings joy to a Nova Gradiška girl, with Gizmo visiting her at home. Politics & Europe: Coverage highlights far-right parties moving mainstream across Europe.

Sports & Culture: Croatian freediver Vitomir Maričić made history in Las Vegas, becoming the first Croatian inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame, with the organisers praising not just records but his freediving education, safety work and marine conservation. Health & Kids: New research presented at a European emergency medicine congress backs a needle-free nasal spray pain relief option for children in ERs, aiming to get relief faster for injuries like fractures and burns. Education & Fairness: A new study by Serbian and Croatian researchers warns that test scores on computer-based exams reflect far more than knowledge, shaped by how questions are built, displayed, timed and even by quick facial reactions. Community & Heritage: Croatia’s foreign minister praised the Croatian community in Canada as a “bridge” that strengthens ties beyond politics, highlighting Montreal and Quebec’s cultural and business role. Arts & Film: The Dreamed Adventure won Best Film at Bulgaria’s Golden Rose National Film Festival, while Croatia-linked audiences can also catch the festival’s wider spotlight on European cinema. Local Lifestyle: Croatia’s coffee industry is pushing to abolish a special coffee tax, arguing it adds cost and paperwork despite the levy often being invisible to consumers. Music: Jala Brat and Buba Corelli keep dominating Croatian charts, with multiple tracks in the Top 10 and heavy presence across the Top 100.

Croatian Culture & Lifestyle: Croatia’s Month of Oral Health spotlights a worrying gap: over 70% of preschool children have tooth decay, even as 12-year-olds’ oral health improves (DMFT down from 3.21 in 2016 to 2.43 in 2023). The National Preventive Programme for 2025–2027 pushes early prevention via the Tooth Passport, supervised brushing in kindergartens and schools, and injury prevention. Music in Croatia: Jala Brat and Buba Corelli keep dominating Croatian charts—four songs in the Top 10 on Apple Music Croatia (including “Bass & Rave,” “Bez Koda,” “Mufasa,” and “Mačje Oči”) and heavy presence across the Top 100. Tourism & Heritage Tech: Dubrovnik Pass wins a European award for smart tourism and digital innovation, praised for real-time visitor monitoring, crowd forecasting, integrated ticketing, and support for cultural institutions and restoration. Food & City Life: A Split food guide highlights “gozba” culture—courtyard dining, seasonal local produce, and the ritual of sharing. Health & Everyday Life: Research on indoor air pollution urges action in homes, schools, and workplaces, pointing to invisible contaminants and the need for practical recommendations.

Croatian Culture & Tourism: Dubrovnik Pass just won first prize at the 2026 European Cultural Tourism Network Awards for smart tourism digitalisation, with real-time visitor monitoring and crowd forecasting aimed at protecting heritage while improving the experience. Local Food & Lifestyle: A Split food guide spotlights courtyard dining and the culture of sharing, from burrata and ćevapi to gelato worth the wait. Nature & Heritage Close to Home: Majkovi’s ponds near Dubrovnik are highlighted as Croatia’s herpetological reserve—an unusual stop for European pond turtles and a reminder that the region’s best stories are often off the main route. Arts & Community: A Japan–California art exchange, “Shared Horizon,” opens at Hermosa Beach with a multi-medium lineup exploring how artists’ perspectives connect across cultures. Sports & Identity: Croatia is mentioned in the UEFA Nations League context as Spain prepares to host Croatia in Seville, keeping the regional football spotlight on the Adriatic. Business & Daily Life: Croatia’s coffee industry is calling for changes to a special coffee tax, arguing it adds cost and paperwork for companies while many consumers don’t even notice the levy.

Croatian Culture & Tourism: Dubrovnik Pass has won first prize at the 2026 European Cultural Tourism Network Awards for “Digitalisation in Smart Tourism,” with the city highlighting real-time visitor monitoring, crowd forecasting, integrated ticketing and public transport, and revenue support for cultural institutions and restoration. Local Nature & Heritage: In the Dubrovnik area, the ponds in Majkovi—Croatia’s first herpetological reserve—are spotlighted as a rare habitat for European pond turtles and a peaceful escape just outside the city buzz. Arts & International Exchange: Gallery of Hermosa in California opens “Shared Horizon,” a Japan–California art collaboration curated by Creative Space Hayashi, bringing together painting, sculpture, mixed media and photography through an ongoing cross-Pacific cultural exchange. Culture, Faith & Community: A University of Birmingham conference explores why singing matters in Christian life—physically, socially and spiritually—linking worship, prayer and community building. Croatia in Global Spotlight: Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenković met Bangladesh’s Tarique Rahman at the UN, with both sides discussing trade, investment, education, technology and cooperation in multilateral forums. Everyday Life in Croatia: Croatia’s coffee industry is calling for changes to a special coffee tax levy (0.80€/kg for roasted coffee; 2.65€/kg for extracts), arguing it adds financial and administrative burden despite being largely invisible to consumers. Women’s Rights & Tech: Croatia and UN Women convened a UNGA roundtable on technology-facilitated violence against women and girls, stressing that online abuse can have real-world consequences and needs stronger prevention and accountability.

Smart Tourism in Dubrovnik: The Dubrovnik Pass won first prize at the 2026 European Cultural Tourism Network Awards for its digital tools and data-driven visitor management, linking heritage access with transport, crowd forecasting and revenue for cultural institutions and restoration. Faith & Culture: A Birmingham conference explored why singing matters in Christianity, looking at how voices shape prayer, community and meaning beyond spoken words. Croatia in the Global Space Club: Croatia became the newest signatory of the Artemis Accords, joining the US-led effort to expand international space exploration. Tech & Safety for Women: Croatia and UN Women convened a UN roundtable on technology-facilitated violence against women and girls, with Croatia’s PM backing the idea that online abuse has real-world consequences. AI and Youth Wellbeing: A large study in JAMA Pediatrics linked affective generative AI use with mental health problems in children and teens, raising questions about when AI becomes an emotional refuge. Local Nature Spotlight: Near Dubrovnik, the Majkovi ponds—Croatia’s first herpetological reserve—protect European pond turtles and amphibians in a rare protected habitat. Music Culture: Todd Edwards discussed his stage fright, UK garage roots and why house producers should stop recycling old ideas.