On 3 March 2010, the three counties of Medjimurska, Varazdinska and Koprivnicko-krizevacka (the so-called 'digital region D3') together became the second region to switch to digital TV broadcasting in Croatia.

At 11:59 pm local time, all the national and local broadcasters operating is the region switched to digital television signal. Meanwhile, local analogue television transmitters remained to work for a short period of time in order to ensure a smooth transition period for local television broadcasters.

The switch-over, which had been carefully planned by a number of state institutions and coordinated by the Central State Administrative Office for e-Croatia, proved successful. All transmitters are fully functional; more than 130 000 households as well as local television broadcasters in this area have responded well to the switch-over process. Likewise, the switch-over help scheme ''DTV FOR ALL'' has been recognised as a helpful hand for the digitalisation process.

As a result of digitalisation, citizens are able to watch four national, one specialised and two local television channels. Another advantage of digitalisation is the Electronic Programme Guide (EPG), available at this area starting 3 March 2010. The process will continue to progress region-by-region. The next switch-over is planned for 30 March 2010.

The first Croatian area to switch to digital broadcasting was the one comprising the Istria county and the Primorsko-goranska county (digital region D5). This historical event happened on 26 January 2010.

Background information:

The Strategy for the transfer from the analogue to the digital broadcasting of television programmes in the Republic of Croatia was adopted by the Croatian Government at the end of July 2009. The Strategy foresees the beginning of the nation-wide broadcasting of the digital television signal by 1 January 2011.

''The European Commission has placed all EU Member States under the obligation to meet this goal by the end of 2012. Considering that some of the Member States have started early with the fulfillment of this goal, Croatia will, by the end of 2010, be among the EU countries which will have completed the transfer to digital broadcasting'', stated Igor Lučić, the State Secretary of the Central State Administrative Office for e-Croatia, the institution in charge for the overall coordination of the digitalisation process.

Further Information:

• Original news article - Central State Administrative Office for e-Croatia
• Central State Administrative Office for e-Croatia