Preparations Underway for Thompson Concert in Zagreb

The news in Croatian

1. pripremati
   Akt činiti nešto spremnim za korištenje ili događaj. ↩︎
2. koncert  (m.)
   Glazbeni događaj na kojem izvođači sviraju instrumente ili pjevaju pred publikom. ↩︎
3. posjetitelj  (m.)
   Osoba koja posjećuje neko mjesto ili događaj. ↩︎
4. medicinski
   U vezi s medicinom ili zdravljem. ↩︎
5. osigurati
   Učiniti nešto sigurnim ili zaštititi od rizika. ↩︎
6. uspješan
   Koji postiže željeni rezultat ili cilj. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Where is the Thompson concert going to take place?

Question 2: What are the organizers doing to ensure the event is safe?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
pripremati	prepare
koncert  (m.)	concert
posjetitelj  (m.)	visitor
medicinski	medical
osigurati	ensure
uspješan	successful

Read the full story

The city of Zagreb is gearing up for an enormous event as well-known Croatian musician Marko Perković Thompson is set to perform at the Zagreb Hippodrome. The concert, scheduled for two weeks from now, is expected to attract an audience of up to 500,000 people, making it one of the largest planned events in Croatia this year.

Thompson’s manager, Zdravko Barišić, recently provided insights into the extensive preparations underway to accommodate such a hefty crowd. An innovative application has been launched to aid concertgoers in navigating the event. “There is a steady stream of downloads, with current figures suggesting between 150,000 to 200,000 people have already installed it,” Barišić noted.

However, these preparations have not been without controversy. The closure of a road adjacent to the Hippodrome, necessary for concert logistics, has drawn complaints from local residents. Barišić remarked that while he understands their frustration, he urges patience, explaining that “the road closure is facilitated by the Traffic Office and the police” and not by the event organizers themselves.

Significant attention has been devoted to ensuring the safety and welfare of attendees. The Ministry of Health has announced the deployment of nearly 200 emergency medical service (EMS) personnel across the venue. This includes 16 EMS vehicles stationed inside the Hippodrome, along with 10 more outside, and a medical contingent capable of coordinating health responses seamlessly.

Moreover, a stational medical unit with 200 beds is planned at the nearby Velesajam area, aimed at managing any health-related emergencies. This setup includes the participation of physicians, nurses, and additional support staff drawn from Zagreb’s hospitals, ensuring that the regular medical services for non-concertgoers in the city remain unaffected.

The concert’s organization has also involved in-depth collaboration between event planners and city officials. Barišić emphasized a strong cooperation with the city services, confirming that “all statutory requirements, including crucial safety, traffic, and evacuation plans, have been properly addressed.” Concert organizers insist these measures are pivotal in ensuring both the viability and the safety of the event.

Looking towards the concert day, Barišić advised attendees to consider arriving ahead of schedule to circumvent expected traffic jams, attributable to the event coinciding with a busy tourist weekend. The organizers have also assured provisions of water, food, and seating areas for early arrivals.

Overall, the objective set by the organizing team, as described by Barišić, is clear: to conduct a secure and memorable event. Despite the scale and logistical challenges, he remains optimistic, declaring, “We’re making history with what could be the biggest concert globally by ticket sales.”

Info: ‘Croatian Learner News’ is a service from ‘Let’s Learn Croatian’, a language school dedicated to teaching Croatian. We offer various types of online Croatian courses, with our Croatian language classes catering to different learning needs and levels.