Cultural developments in Croatia and Mostar involve bookstore awards and new literary releases

In Croatia, the Ministry of Culture and Media has opened voting for the 2026 best bookstore awards. A total of 54 bookstores nationwide are competing across three categories: best independent bookstore, best antiquarian bookstore, and best bookstore within a chain. Five bookstores from Rijeka are among the candidates, including Knjižara Val in the independent category, and Hoću knjigu Tower Centar, Školska knjiga, and two Znanje Rijeka locations in the chain category. Winners will be determined by a combination of expert commission evaluations and public votes, with cash prizes ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 euros. Voting remains open until December 1, 2026.

In Mostar, a new book titled ‘O, zdrav nam, stiježe tisućljetni – Izabrane prigodnice’ has been presented. The collection features selected occasional poems by Silvije Strahimir Kranjčević, one of Croatia’s most prominent poets. Edited by Mirko Ćurić and published by Đakovački kulturni krug, the volume includes poems dedicated to various historical figures and cultural milestones. The presentation included discussions on the literary genre of occasional poetry and the cultural history of Mostar.