• austriantimes.at
• romaniantimes.at
• salzburgtimes.at
• viennatimes.at

14. 07. 11. - 11:00

• more Panorama news...
• RSS Feed Panorama

14. 07. 11. - 11:00

Visnjic family could not have surrogate mother in Croatia

Croatian Times

Croatian actor Goran Visnjic and his wife Ivana Vrdoljak have taken advantage of their life in America to do something they would not have been able to do in Croatia – have a child by a surrogate mother.

Surrogacy is illegal in Croatia as well as in many countries around the world. Croatia has also one of the world’s most rigid laws on medically assisted reproduction.

Visnjic’s son Vigo Leo was born to an American woman on 7 July in a private Los Angeles clinic. This is the couple’s second child, who adopted another boy Tin, now four years old. Visnjic also has a daughter Lourdes (4) from an affair with his school days girl friend Mirela Rupic.

For months the couple had kept their decision private even from the knowledge of their closest family and friends.  Only when it became probable that they would become parents and that all was well with the pregnancy, they informed their families. They thus became the first Croatian well-known family to choose surrogacy, daily Jutarnji List writes.

Every sixth couple in Croatia cannot have children of their own, but restrictive laws and tough adoption bureaucracy make alternatives difficult. Only 130 children are adopted every year in Croatia out of some 2,000 living in orphanages. There are at least twice as many couples interested in adoption, the daily writes.

Actress Natalie Dormer to spend her summer holidays on Dalmatian islands
The American actress Natalie Dormer has announced she will spend her summer holiday in Croatia.

Zagreb reaches temperature record
The Croatian capital Zagreb has broken the record for the highest ever outside temperature on 17 June.

Erste Bank robbed in Split
Police are searching for bank robbers that have taken a large amount of money from the Erste Bank at the City Center One shopping mall in the Adriatic port of Split.

Sculptures of insects exhibited in Kastav
An exhibition of insect sculptures will open as a new tourist attraction in the western Croatian town of Kastav.

Nenad Bjelica takes over Austria Vienna and gives hopes to other Croatian coaches
The 41-year-old former Croatian national football team player has taken up the bench of the Austrian champions Austria Vienna.

A sheikh planning to invest in Le Meridien Lav
A Arab sheikh who has not been named is thought to have placed a bid to buy the 5 star luxury Le Meridien Lav Hotel in Podstrana at outskirts of the Croatian coastal town of Split.

Radimir Cacic starting to serve his jail term
The former Croatian government vice president Radimir Cacic is due to start his jail sentence today (Monday).

Czech MP tries to help ex Croatian employee of Radio Free Europe
A Czech politician is helping a former Croatian employee of the Radio Free Europe in an anti-discrimination case.

Football coach Josip Kuze dies
The Croatian football coach Josip Kuze died on Sunday at the age of 61.

Scottish fans plead to get back their flag lost in Zagreb
Scottish football fans have asked Croats to hand them back their missing Tartan Army flag so they can support their team against England in London in August.