Novelties

Winners of the prize contest Select the most beautiful postage stamp and win a week-end in Opatija

To the purpose that Croatian postage stamps would continue to be recognised by many philatelists as valuable and that as such they would find their place in philatelic collections, Croatian Post has organised - already 18th year is sequence the contest for the selection of the most beautiful issue of Croatian postage stamps. This year the most beautiful stamp was selected among 48 stamps issued in 2014. It was possible to vote by mail or through internet page and all those who sent their votes by mail could also win valuable prizes: a wean-end in Opatija for two persons in Hotel Bristol Opatija, yearbooks and postage stamp collections, commemorative albums and other valuable prizes. The souvenir sheet 125th Anniversary of the Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Science, University in Zagreb won the first prize, the second prize went to the souvenir sheet 800 Years of the Portal of Split Cathedral, and the third to the postage stamp 150th Anniversary of the first Croatian Volunteer Fire Department. Public prize draw of the contest Select the most beautiful postage stamp and win a week-end in Opatija was held on 20 March 2015 at 12.00 in the premises of Croatian Post Inc, Jurišićeva 13 in Zagreb, in accordance with the rules of the contest approved by the Ministry of Finance, class: UP/I- 460-02/14-01/870, registry no: 513-07-21-01/14-2 from 15 December 2014. Croatian Post uses the opportunity to thank all participants in the voting and congratulate the winners.

Prize winners:

1. First prize: week-end in Opatija for two persons i.e. accommodation for two persons in Hotel Bristol Opatija (four stars) in Opatija: two HBs (breakfast and dinner). The prize can be realised from 7 April 2015 to 1 July 2015 or from 15. September 2015 to 28 December 2015. Not included in the prize are travel costs to Opatija and back. Maik Punzel, Barnimstrasse 38, 10249 Berlin, Njemačka
2. Second prize: annual collection of postage stamps 2014: Giancarlo Moscarda, Aleja maslina 11, 52212 Fažana
3. Third prize: annual collection of postage stamps 2013: Božica Palfi, Peklenica – Cvijetna 5, 40315 Mursko Središće
4. Fourth prize: annual collection of postage stamps 2012: Kristijan Margetić, Cirkovci 37, 10090 Zagreb
5. Fifth prize: annual collection of postage stamps 2011: Jasna Filipović Stojanović, Benčićeva 66b, 52100 Pula
6. Sixth prize: commemorative album Lighthouses II: Radmila Gogić, Tizianova 33, 51000 Rijeka
7. Seventh prize: commemorative album Castles of Croatia II: Anka Piršić, Vučnik 66, 51300 Delnice
8. Eighth prize: commemorative album Accession of Croatia to the European Union: Sandra Ulaković, Varoš Bosiljevski 16b, 47251 Bosiljevo
9. Ninth prize: philatelic album Leuchtturm: Leon Neralić, Trg kralja Petra Svačića 3, 47000 Karlovac
10. Tenth prize: book Postage stamps of the Republic of Croatia 1991 – 2011: Božo Kolić, Bartolići 49, 10000 Zagreb.

The winner of the first prize will be informed in writing on the way of realisation of his/her prize immediately after the publishing of the results while all other prizes will be sent to home addresses of the winners within 30 (thirty) days from the publishing of contest results.

Silver medal for stamps of Croatian Post in Malaysia

At the 11^th International Philatelic Competition in Kuala Lumpur Croatian Post won second place and silver medal in the category of postal operators which yearly issue up to 69 stamps. Professional jury awarded the highest number of points for beautiful presentation and quality of exposed material. This prize is a confirmation of the efforts of the Philately of Croatian Post and an incentive to continue issuing even more beautiful and higher quality stamps. The competition in Malaysia took place from 1 to 6 December 2014 within the great international philatelic exhibition “Malaysia 2014” organised by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and the International Federation of Philately (FIP). All postal operators from the states members of the Universal Postal Union had the right to participate and the competition was organised in three categories according to the number of stamps issued per year. In A category of postal operators issuing yearly up to 30 stamps, first place and gold medal went to Slovakian Post, silver medal to Vietnam and the third place shared Bosnia and Herzegovina i.e. Croatian Post Mostar and the Kingdom of Bahrein. In the second, B category of postal operators issuing between 30 and 69 stamps per year first place went to Kirgizstan, second shared Croatia and Belorussia, and the third went to the Czech Republic. In the category of postal operators from countries issuing more than 70 stamps per year the places from first to third went to: South Africa, Russia and Turkey.

Promotion of the joint philatelic issue of Croatia and Romania

The solemn promotion of the joint stamp issue of Croatian Post and Romanian Post at the theme of fortified churches took place on 14 November 2014 in the premises of Croatian Post in Zagreb. The joint theme of Croatia and Romania are churches built in order to offer shelter and refuge to citizens during attacks and sieges throughout centuries. The stamp issue Spirituality – Fortified Churches is a commemorative two-stamp souvenir sheet. On one stamp the motif is St. Nicholas Church in Komiža and on the other the Church in Cristian in Romania. At the formal promotion, on the very day of putting the issue into circulation, Ms. Stela Prislan Fujs from the Office of Corporate Marketing and Development of Croatian Post pointed out that postage stamps fixed on letters and sent into the world connect people and that the joint issues connect countries. She also emphasized that for Croatian Post this is the twelfth joint stamp issue with another country. Apart from with the Sovereign Order of Malta, the cooperations were realised with Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Belgium, Vatican (twice)and San Marino. Special guest at the promotion was Mr. Bogdan Brinzeî, the Consul from the Romanian Embassy, who on behalf of the Ambassador thanked Croatian Post by saying that he felt happy and proud to see that in this way – on postage stamps – the good side of Romania is being presented. The locality of Cristian in Transylvania always thrills visitors and the consul also said that he will certainly visit the island of Vis, from which the Croatian motif of the issue originates.

Minerals and Rocks

Promotion of two new commemorative postage stamps in a commemorative sheet from the series Minerals and Rocks was held on the day of putting the stamps into circulation, on Friday, 24 October 2014 in the premises of Croatian Post. On the same occasion also philatelic exhibition entitled Crystals, Minerals and Rocks was opened.
At promotion spoke Davorin Blagojević, director of the Hotel Tomislavov dom, Jana Žiljak Vujić - the author of postage stamps, Professor Zvonimir Hernitz, PhD from the Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering in Zagreb, who is also a member of the Philatelic Society Poštar (Postman) and Stela Prislan Fujs.

Promotion of postage stamps from the series Locomotives

On Wednesday, 1 October 2014, the promotion of commemorative postage stamps was held at the main Railway Station of Zagreb, at which occasion Croatian Post and Croatian Railways Infrastructure
(HŽ infrastruktura) presented postage stamps from the series Locomotives,
issued to commemorate the152^nd anniversary of the railway in Zagreb. At the promotion the members of the Folk Ensemble Željezničar (The Railwayman) from Zagreb performed and a philatelic exhibition was organised by Krunoslav Tušek, member of the Philatelic Association Poštar (The Postman) from Zagreb. The author of the exhibition also presented two Maximum Cards (MCs) at the same theme of the issue. The promotion was moderated by Stela Prislan Fujs from the Croatian Post’s Office of Corporate Marketing and Development, while commemorative speeches were held by Dragan Vučić, - representative of Croatian Railways Infrastructure and Krunoslav Tušek - director of the regional unit Centre and a member of the Philatelic Association Poštar (The Postman).