The recent Dr. Ivan Šreter Awards in Lipik, Croatia, have introduced three new words to the Croatian language, marking a significant step in the promotion of linguistic creativity. The awards ceremony, held on March 14, 2026, saw the word ‘presudnik’ awarded first prize as a Croatian alternative to the term VAR, emphasizing the importance of developing local expressions for commonly used foreign terms.
Second place was awarded to ‘dohvatnica,’ which serves as a Croatian equivalent for the word widget, while ‘narubno’ took third prize as a replacement for the Germanism ‘na kant.’ This year’s contest attracted a strong response, with a total of 412 proposed words submitted for consideration, reflecting a growing interest in language preservation and innovation.
The judging panel evaluated entries based on criteria such as linguistic correctness, clarity, creativity, and usefulness. The initiative aims to encourage speakers to develop Croatian alternatives to foreign expressions that increasingly enter everyday usage. This year marked the 20th anniversary of the contest, highlighting its long-standing role in promoting the Croatian language.
In a related development, Croatia Airlines, the national carrier, is undergoing a complete fleet renewal with the introduction of 15 Airbus A220 aircraft. Founded on August 7, 1989, originally as a postal delivery service, Croatia Airlines has evolved into a modern European passenger transport company, having performed over 711,000 flights and transported more than 46 million passengers in its 35 years of operation.
Despite facing financial challenges and criticism throughout its history, the airline has demonstrated resilience. “The journey of the national airline is a story of perseverance, adaptation, and dogged determination,” a spokesperson noted. The renewal of the fleet is expected to enhance operational efficiency and service quality.
As Croatia continues to embrace its linguistic heritage and modernize its transport services, the future holds potential for further developments in both the cultural and aviation sectors. Details remain unconfirmed regarding the next steps for the language initiative and the airline’s expansion plans.