London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Digital Estonia Leads, Serbian Tax Breaks: Meanwhile, in Croatia...

Digital Estonia Leads, Serbian Tax Breaks: Meanwhile, in Croatia...

As Estonia leads the digital revolution in Europe, Serbia announces tax breaks to entice digital nomads. Meanwhile in Croatia... 

There are so many things I love about living in Croatia - the people, the nature, the climate, the food, the wine, the safety, the cheap pints.

And the total absurdity. I genuinely couldn't live anywhere else.

Here we are, fairly well into the 21st century in the rest of Europe, or at least most countries are.

Somewhere up there in northern Europe, a tiny former Soviet republic with no obvious natural resources to turn it into an economic powerhouse, little Estonia leads the way in its digital revolution. Now offering public administration efficiencies we can only dream of in Croatia, those efficiencies have also brought savings equivalent to 2% of GDP. Learn more in Lessons from Estonia: Farewell Uhljebistan, Welcome to the Future?


Could it happen in Croatia? At least a little bit?

I had to laugh today when I saw this on a friend's Facebook timeline, as it just about sums it up. Rimac the superstar, a Croatian company which is taking the world by storm, attracting prestigious foreign investment form the likes of Porsche and Hyundai. Rimac Automobili, one small company started by a 23-year-old which represents the entire car industry of Croatia and which has the world's top names from abroad queueing up to invest. And the Croatian government, propping up things from the past - shipyards, a national airline (here is what happened in Budapest when Malev went bust 7 years ago) and a rusting boat of a former president from a former era.

But if they do insist on such things, could we at least be a little sensible looking to the future in working to attract investment by making laws and taxation competitive?

One area where Croatia has HUGE potential to attract an entirely new industry which could bring more visitors than tourism does currently (and for longer, not only in peak season, and not only on the coast) is the digital nomad revolution. To be clear - as there is some confusion - when talking about digital nomads, I am not referring just to bloggers and influencers (although they are a form of nomad), but people who work remotely online, and who can therefore be anywhere.

People like the Russian/Ukranian couple resident in Munich, but living all over Europe for 10 months of the year. From April to June inclusive, they were enjoying life in Jelsa (and they will return for three months next year). Their daily routine: swim, coffee on the square (Jelsa), work online until lunch (Munich), lunch in a restaurant in Jelsa, back to work online in Munich. After work, another swim and an evening's entertainment in Jelsa.

Working and earning in Munich, spending in Jelsa. 90 days a year.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
The Great Western Exit: Why Best Citizens Are Fleeing the Rich World [PODCAST]
The New Robber Barons of Intelligence: Are AI Bosses More Powerful Than Rockefeller?
The End of the Old Order [Podcast]
Britain’s Democracy Is Now a Costume
The AI Gold Rush Is Coming for America’s Last Open Spaces [Podcast]
The Pentagon’s AI Squeeze: Eight Tech Giants Get In, Anthropic Gets Shut Out [Podcast]
The War Map: Professor Jiang’s Dark Theory of Iran, Trump, China, Russia, Israel, and the Coming Global Shock [Podcast]
Labour Is No Longer a National Party [Podcast]
AI Isn’t Stealing Your Job. It’s Dismantling It Piece by Piece.
Lawyers vs Engineers: Why China Builds While America Litigates [Podcast]
Churchill’s Glass: The Drunk, the Doctor, and the Myth Britain Refuses to Sober Up From
Apple issues an unusual warning: this is how your iPhone can be hacked without you doing anything
Kennedy’s Quiet War on Antidepressants Sparks Alarm Across America’s Medical Establishment
The Met Gala Meets the Age of Billionaire Backlash
Russian Oligarch’s Superyacht Crosses Hormuz via Iran-Controlled Route
Gunfire Disrupts White House Correspondents’ Dinner as Trump Is Evacuated
A Leak, a King, and a Fracturing Alliance
Inside the Gates Foundation Turmoil: Layoffs, Scrutiny, and the Cost of Reputational Risk
UK Biobank Breach Exposes Health Data of 500,000, Listed for Sale on Chinese Platform
KPMG Cuts Around 10% of US Audit Partners After Failed Exit Push
French Police Probe Suspected Weather-Data Tampering After Unusual Polymarket Bets on Paris Temperatures
CATL Unveils Revolutionary EV Battery Tech: 1000 km Range and 7-Minute Charging Ahead of Beijing Auto Show
Crypto Scammers Capitalize on Maritime Chaos Near the Strait of Hormuz: A Rising Threat to Shipping Companies
Changi Airport: How Singapore Engineered the World’s Most Efficient Travel Experience
Power Dynamics: Apple’s Leadership Shakeup, Geopolitical Risks in the Strait of Hormuz, and Europe's Energy Strategy Amidst Global Challenges
Apple's Leadership Transition: Can New CEO John Ternus Navigate AI Challenges and Geopolitical Pressures?
Italy’s €100K Tax Gambit: Europe’s Soft Power Tax Haven
News Roundup
Microsoft lost 2.5 millions users (French government) to Linux
Privacy Problems in Microsoft Windows OS
News roundup
Péter András Magyar and the Strategic Reset of Hungary
Hungary After the Landslide — A Strategic Reset in Europe
Meghan Markle Plans Exclusive Women-Focused Retreat During Australia Visit
Starmer and Trump Hold Strategic Talks on Securing Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions
Unofficial Australia Visit by Prince Harry and Meghan Expected to Stir Tensions with Royal Circles
Pipeline Attack Cuts Significant Share of Saudi Arabia’s Oil Export Capacity
UK Stocks Rise on Ceasefire Momentum and Renewed Focus on Diplomacy
UK to Hold Further Strategic Talks on Strait of Hormuz Security
Starmer Voices Frustration as Global Tensions Drive Up UK Energy Costs
UK Students Voice Concern Over Proposal for Automatic Military Draft Registration
Rising Volatility Drives Uncertainty in UK Fuel and Petrol Prices
UK Moves to Deploy ‘Skyhammer’ Anti-Drone System to Strengthen Airspace Defense
New Analysis Explores UK Budget Mechanics in ‘Behind the Blue’ Feature
Man Arrested After Four Die in Channel Crossing Tragedy
UK Tightens Immigration Framework with New Sponsor Rules and Fee Increases
UK Foreign Secretary Highlights Impact of Intensified Strikes in Lebanon
UK Urges Inclusion of Lebanon in US-Iran Ceasefire Framework
UK Stocks Ease as Ceasefire Doubts in Middle East Weigh on Investor Confidence
UK Reassesses Cloud Strategy Amid Criticism Over Limited Support Measures
×