2020 in Croatia explained

Incumbent

• President
  • Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović (until February 18)
  • Zoran Milanović (from February 19)
• Prime Minister – Andrej Plenković

Events

Ongoing – COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia

January

• January 1 – Croatia assumed the presidency of the Council of the European Union.^[1]
• January 5 – Former prime minister Zoran Milanović defeated president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović in the second round of the presidential election with 53% of the vote.^[2]
• January 26 – Croatia men's national handball team finished second at the 2020 European Men's Handball Championship after a 22-20 loss to Spain in the final.^[3]

February

• February 18 – Zoran Milanović was inaugurated as the fifth President of Croatia.^[4]
• February 25 – The first case of COVID-19 in the country was confirmed.^[5]

March

• March 12 – The Croatian Football Federation suspended all football leagues in the country.^[6]
• March 13 – All classes in schools and universities were suspended, effective March 16.
• March 21 – All public transport in the country was suspended.^[7]
• March 22 – Zagreb was hit by a strong earthquake, killing a person, wounding 26 others, and damaging several structures.^[8]

April

• April 14 – The number of active COVID-19 cases reached a peak of 1,258.^[9]
• April 24 – The number of recorded COVID-19 cases surpassed 2,000.^[10]

May

• May 18 – The 9th Croatian Parliament dissolved itself.^[11]

June

• June 21 – Adria Tour final in Zadar is cancelled after Grigor Dimitrov tested positive for COVID-19. Within a week, other participants of the Zadar event including Borna Ćorić, Viktor Troicki, Novak Djokovic and Goran Ivanišević tested positive too.^{[12] [13]}

July

• July 5 – Parliamentary elections were held.^{[14] [15]}
• July 10 – The country joined the European Exchange Rate Mechanism.^[16]

September

• September 10 – Mate Pavić and Bruno Soares win the US Open Men's Doubles title.^[17]

October

• October 12 – 2020 Zagreb shooting.^{[18] [19]}

December

• December 20 – Croatia women's national handball team finished third at the 2020 European Women's Handball Championship, winning the bronze medal, first-ever medal in Croatian women's handball history.^[20]
• December 27 – COVID-19 vaccination begins.^[21]
• December 28 – Sisak-Moslavina County was hit by a strong earthquake, with damage being reported.^{[22] [23]}
• December 29 – 2020 Petrinja earthquake. Seven people killed and 26 injured.^[24]

Deaths

January

• January 1 – Damir Mihanović, comedian and musician (b. 1961).^[25]
• January 4 – Zdravko Tomac, politician and writer (b. 1937).^[26]
• January 21 – Zlatko Mesić, footballer (b. 1946).^[27]
• January 24 – Duje Bonačić, rower (b. 1929).^[28]

February

• February 15 – Vatroslav Mimica, film director (b. 1923).^[29]

March

• March 3 – Božidar Alić, actor (b. 1954).^[30]
• March 7 – Veronika Durbešić, actress (b. 1945).^[31]
• March 8 – Zdenka Vučković, singer (b. 1942).^[32]
• March 23 – Branko Cikatić, heavyweight kickboxer (b. 1955).^[33]

May

• May 21 – Bekim Sejranović, writer (b. 1972).^[34]

June

• June 20 – Ema Derossi-Bjelajac, communist politician (b. 1926).^[35]
• June 30 – Ivo Banac, historian (b. 1947).^[36]

August

• August 4 – Rajko Dujmić, musician and composer (b. 1954).^[37]
• August 11 – Tonko Maroević, poet, writer and academic (b. 1941).^[38]
• August 15 – Josip Kregar, sociologist, jurist and politician (b. 1953).^[39]

September

• September 5 – Žarko Domljan, politician (b. 1932).^[40]

October

• October 18 – Orlando Rivetti, sports journalist (b. 1951).^[41]
• October 25 – Slaven Letica, sociologist, politician and university professor (b. 1940).^[42]
• October 26 – Jean-Jacques Roskam, rock guitarist (b. 1954).^[43]
• October 29 – Slaven Zambata, footballer (b. 1940).^[44]

November

• November 2 – Mladen Kušec, poet, narrator, publicist and journalist (b. 1938).^[45]
• November 7 — Vera Zima, actress (b. 1953).^[46]
• November 11 – Anđelka Martić, writer and translator (b. 1924).^[47]
• November 12 – Krasnodar Rora, footballer (b. 1945).^[48]
• November 13 – Krunoslav Kićo Slabinac, folk singer (b. 1944).^[49]
• November 15 – Ivan Kožarić, artist (b. 1921).^[50]
• November 15 – Anto Kovačević, politician, publicist and philosopher (b. 1952).^[51]
• November 16 – Tomislav Merčep, convicted war criminal (b. 1952).^[52]
• November 22 – Mustafa Nadarević, actor (b. 1943).^[53]
• November 27 – Špiro Guberina, actor (b. 1933).^[54]
• November 28 – Vera Tomašek, journalist and editor (b. 1958).^[55]

December

• December 1 – Lazo Goluža, editor, quiz author and translator (b. 1936).^[56]
• December 11 – Đurđa Ivezić, actress (b. 1936).^[57]
• December 13 – Otto Barić, football player and manager (b. 1933).^[58]
• December 18 – Vojmir Kačić, football manager (b. 1934).^[59]
• December 23 – Pero Kvrgić, actor (b. 1927).^[60]
• December 26 – Milka Babović, sprint and hurdles runner, and later sports journalist (b. 1928).^[61]

See also

• Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia
• List of years in Croatia
• 2020 in Croatia

Notes and References

1. Web site: Croatia Takes Over Rotating EU Presidency for the First Time. 1 January 2020. European Views. 5 January 2020.
2. https://apnews.com/e5f15ffffe8b60ba866477ce92e0eccd Leftist beats conservative in Croatia's presidential vote
3. Web site: Rukomet Euro 2020: Hrvatska osvojila srebro, svi rezultati na jednom mjestu. 26 January 2020. Nova TV (Croatia). hr. 12 April 2021.
4. Web site: VIDEO: Zoran Milanovic inaugurated as fifth president of Croatia | Croatia Week. 18 February 2020.
5. News: Croatia latest European country to confirm coronavirus case. 25 February 2020. The Guardian.
6. Web site: All schools and universities in Croatia to shut down. 13 March 2020. Croatia Week. 13 March 2020.
7. Web site: All public transport services suspended in Croatia. 21 March 2020. Croatia Week. 21 March 2020.
8. Web site: Earthquake rocks Croatia's capital Zagreb. 22 March 2020. bbc.com. BBC. 22 March 2020.
9. News: COVID-19 koronavirus Hrvatska: Podaci za 14.4.2020. prema HZJZ . viborc.com . 14 April 2020 . 12 April 2021 . hr.
10. News: Priopćenje za medije Stožera civilne zaštite Republike Hrvatske od 24. travnja 2020. . civilna-zastita.gov.hr . 24 April 2020 . 28 December 2020 . hr.
11. Web site: 9th Croatian Parliament dissolved . sabor.hr . 19 May 2020.
12. News: Još jedan tenisač koji je nastupio na Adria Touru zaražen koronavirusom: Da, supruga i ja smo pozitivni... . Tportal.hr . 22 June 2020 . 28 December 2020 . hr.
13. News: Novak Đoković i njegova supruga pozitivni na koronavirus . N1 HR . 23 June 2020 . 28 December 2020 . hr.
14. News: Parlamentarni izbori 5. srpnja, za promidžbu 15 dana . . 28 December 2020 . hr.
15. News: Hruškovec . Ivan . HDZ 66, Restart 41, a Škoro 16 . . 5 July 2020 . 28 December 2020 . hr.
16. Web site: Press corner.
17. Web site: Pavic/Soares Win US Open For First Grand Slam Title As A Team. 10 September 2020. atptour.com. ATP Tour. 11 September 2020.
18. News: . Pucnjava na Markovu trgu: Policajac ranjen s više hitaca iz kalašnjikova . N1 HR . 12 October 2020 . 28 December 2020 . hr .
19. News: Detalji pucnjave na Markovu trgu: Iz automatskog oružja pucao je u smjeru trojice policajaca . . 13 October 2020 . 28 December 2020 . hr.
20. Web site: Hrvatske rukometašice osvojile povijesnu BRONCU na Europskom prvenstvu: Pobijedile i domaćina Dansku!. 20 December 2020. Nova TV (Croatia). hr. 12 April 2021.
21. Web site: Počelo cijepljenje protiv koronavirusa. 27 December 2020. Croatian Radiotelevision. hr. 27 December 2020.
22. Web site: M 5.2 - 8 km W of Petrinja, Croatia . earthquake.usgs.gov . 28 December 2020.
23. Web site: 5.2 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Central Croatia Monday Morning . total-croatia-news . 28 December 2020.
24. News: Croatia earthquake: Seven dead as rescuers search rubble for survivors. en. BBC. 2020-12-29.
25. News: Preminuo je Damir Mihanović - Ćubi . www.slobodnadalmacija.hr . 1 January 2020 . 2 January 2020 . hr.
26. Web site: UMRO POZNATI POLITIČAR: Zdravko otišao posle KRATKE I TEŠKE BOLESTI . Espreso.rs . sr.
27. Web site: Umro je Zlatko Mesić, član proslavljene generacije Dinama iz 1967. godine . Večernji list . 8 April 2021 . hr . 21 January 2020.
28. Web site: Preminuo Duje Bonačić, najstariji hrvatski olimpijac i osvajač zlatne olimpijske medalje 1952. u Helsinkiju. https://web.archive.org/web/20200125151430/https://www.tportal.hr/sport/clanak/preminuo-duje-bonacic-najstariji-hrvatski-olimpijac-i-osvajac-zlatne-olimpijske-medalje-1952-u-helsinkiju-20200124. dead. January 25, 2020. tportal.hr.
29. News: Vatroslav Mimica . Kino Tuškanac . hr . 1 November 2020.
30. News: UMRO JE HRVATSKI GLUMAC BOŽIDAR ALIĆ, OTIŠAO JE NAKON TEŠKE BOLESTI . www.gloria.hr . 20 August 2020.
31. News: Umrla je glumica Veronika Durbešić . hrt.hr . 9 March 2020 . 20 August 2020.
32. News: UMRLA LEGENDARNA PJEVAČICA ZDENKA VUČKOVIĆ 'Bila je naša prva djevojčica koja je postala zvijezda, koja je ostvarila sjajnu karijeru' . jutarnji.hr . 8 March 2020 . 20 August 2020.
33. News: TUŽNA VIJEST IZ DALMACIJE U 66. godini života umro je 'Hrvatski tigar', legendarni Branko Cikatić . jutarnji.hr . 23 March 2020 . 20 August 2020.
34. Web site: U 48. godini umro Bekim Sejranović, jedan od najčitanijih BiH književnika, studirao je u Rijeci, magistrirao u Oslu, pamte ga i Splićani. Slobodna Dalmacija. 21 May 2020 . 25 November 2020. hr.
35. Web site: 27 June 2020. Umrla prva hrvatska predsjednica: Posljednji ispraćaj Derossi-Bjelajac bit će 29. lipnja. 25 November 2020. rtl.hr. hr.
36. Web site: Preminuo povjesničar Ivo Banac. 2020-08-20. Hrvatska radiotelevizija.
37. News: Umro Rajko Dujmić: Legendarni glazbenik podlegao teškim ozljedama nakon nesreće . jutarnji.hr . 4 August 2020 . 20 August 2020.
38. News: Umro Tonko Maroević: Otišao je istaknuti akademik, književnik, povjesničar umjetnosti i publicist . jutarnji.hr . 11 August 2020 . 20 August 2020.
39. News: Umro Josip Kregar, sveučilišni profesor, nekadašnji političar i poznati društveni komentator . jutarnji.hr . 15 August 2020 . 20 August 2020.
40. News: U dobi od 87 godina preminuo je Žarko Domljan, prvi predsjednik Hrvatskog sabora . jutarnji.hr . 5 September 2020 . 6 September 2020.
41. Web site: 18 October 2020. Preminuo legendarni sportski novinar Orlando Rivetti. 25 November 2020. Gol.hr. hr.
42. News: Umro je Slaven Letica . . hr . 1 November 2020 . 26 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201026213041/http://hr.n1info.com/Vijesti/a567955/Umro-je-Slaven-Letica.html . dead .
43. Web site: Bekavac Šuvar. Vedrana. Topić. Andrea. 27 October 2020. Umro je Jean-Jacques Roskam, Vrgorčanin rođen u Kongu, član niške Galije i hrvatski branitelj. 28 November 2020. 24sata. hr.
44. News: Preminuo je kapetan slavne generacije Dinama iz 1967. . 29 October 2020 . . hr . 29 October 2020.
45. News: Odlazak legende, preminuo je Mladen Kušec . HRT . hr . 2 November 2020.
46. Web site: 8 November 2020. U dobi od 67 godina u Zagrebu umrla Vera Zima, jedna od naših najomiljenijih glumica. 8 November 2020. Jutarnji list. hr-hr.
47. News: Umrla je književnica Anđelka Martić, poznata je po romanu Pirgo i prozi za djecu . 2020-11-12. Jutarnji list. 2020-11-12.
48. News: Ničota, Tomo . Nadvilo se crnilo nad Maksimir, otišla je zauvijek još jedna Dinamova legenda! Preminuo Krasnodar Rora . . 12 November 2020 . 12 November 2020 . hr.
49. News: Rožman, Klara . Umro je Krunoslav Kićo Slabinac . . 13 November 2020 . 13 November 2020 . hr.
50. Web site: Kiš Trebovc. Patricia. 15 November 2020. Odlazak čuvenog hrvatskog kipara, u 100. godini preminuo Ivan Kožarić: Naše Sunce vraća se Suncu. live. 16 March 2021. Jutarnji list. hr-hr. https://web.archive.org/web/20201115191653/https://www.jutarnji.hr/kultura/art/odlazak-cuvenog-hrvatskog-kipara-u-100-godini-preminuo-ivan-kozaric-nase-sunce-vraca-se-suncu-15031485 . 2020-11-15 .
51. News: Kukec, Tomislav . U dobi od 68 godina umro bivši saborski zastupnik i nekadašnji politički zatvorenik Anto Kovačević . jutarnji.hr . . 15 November 2020 . 15 November 2020 . hr.
52. Web site: 17 November 2020. U 69. godini života preminuo osuđeni ratni zločinac Tomislav Merčep. Jutarnji list. hr-hr.
53. Web site: 22 November 2020. Preminuo Mustafa Nadarević. Index.hr. hr.
54. Web site: N. K.. 27 November 2020. Odlazak još jedne glumačke legende: Špiro Guberina preminuo u 88. godini. Dnevnik.hr. hr.
55. News: Umrla novinarka Vera Tomašek . HRT . 28 November 2020 . 29 November 2020 . hr.
56. News: Pacek, Tatjana; Malić, Tonia . Preminuo je Lazo Goluža (84), tvorac legendarne 'Kviskoteke' . . 1 December 2020 . 14 December 2020 . hr.
57. News: Hina . Od posljedica koronavirusa preminula istaknuta kazališta i filmska glumica Đurđa Ivezić . 14 December 2020 . Jutarnji list . 11 December 2020 . hr-hr.
58. Web site: Odlazak velikog trenera: Umro je Otto Barić, imao je koronavirus. 2020-12-13. Gol.hr. hr.
59. News: Reić. Zdravko. 18 December 2020. Nesretni COVID-19 bio je jači: Preminula legenda Hajduka, čovjek koji je otkrio brojne velike igrače. hr. Sportske novosti. 19 December 2020.
60. Web site: 23 December 2020. Umro je Pero Kvrgić. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201223103043/http://hr.n1info.com/Vijesti/a589307/Umro-je-Pero-Kvrgic.html . 2020-12-23 . 23 December 2020. N1 HR. hr.
61. Web site: Hina. 26 December 2020. Uz njen glas su odrastale generacije: Preminula legendarna Milka Babović. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201226103833/https://gol.dnevnik.hr/clanak/rubrika/ostali_sportovi/preminula-legendarna-milka-babovic---633710.html . 2020-12-26 . 26 December 2020. Gol.hr. hr.