Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz Says Huge Influx of Infections from Croatia
August 15, 2020 - Austrian authorities expect large crowds at the borders this weekend as travelers may shorten their holidays after Croatia was included on the list of high-risk countries.
Slobodna Dalmacija reports that local revealed Austrian citizens have decided to ignore the government's warning and are still going on holiday to Croatia. Namely, at the entrance to Slovenia from Austria near the Karavanke tunnel, there was a wait of up to three hours on Saturday morning. In the early afternoon, traffic stretched 17 kilometers.
Kronen Zeitung wrote that they had yet to see anything from the big wave of returnees from Croatia because it seems that Austrians still want to enjoy the beach today. At the entrance to Austria near Sentilj, they waited for about an hour on Saturday morning.
The Austrian Automobile Club (ÖAMTC) expects that traffic from the south could intensify in the evening on Saturday and during Sunday.
They report that traffic at border crossings at the entrance to Austria is moderate with shorter delays. At Karavanke, the entrance to Carinthia takes 35 minutes, and at Sentilj, about an hour. They also wrote that Slovenian authorities have tightened controls and that this is causing a stalemate.
The Austrian government decided to include Croatia on the list of high-risk countries on Friday after news of a record number of cases in Croatia. Travelers returning from Croatia must show a current negative test for coronavirus from Monday or undergo testing within 48 hours.
According to current information from the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, about 3,000 Austrian citizens are officially on holiday in Croatia. But at the same time, the authorities believe that this figure is many times higher.
"We start from the fact that there are a much larger number of Austrian citizens in Croatia," the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry also said that over 100 new cases of coronavirus infection had been reported in the last week alone, which were proven to have been brought from Croatian holidays.
Therefore, a larger number of inquiries related to travel to Croatia is expected from Monday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be assisted by 20 Bundeswehr soldiers on a special information telephone line.
"The military has soldiers at all times who are ready to help health facilities," said Defense Minister Claudia Tanner.
Soldiers are already helping to control entry into the country from the direction of Italy.
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said that after Croatia, further warnings regarding travel abroad are possible. This is especially true of the Spanish Balearics.
"We know that with these warnings and restrictions on freedom of travel, we are creating problems for many Austrians. But the summer of 2020 is not like other summers," Schallenberg told the public service ORF.
Journalists from the Kronen Zeitung also talked to Austrian tourists in Veli Losinj, who said that they were shocked by the decision of the Austrian government.
"We only came yesterday. I went to the beach without a cell phone to get as much rest as possible. When I came back, I had something to read. It just hit me," said Peter P. of Graz.
"We knew that there was a possibility that this would happen, but I did not think that the whole country would close immediately," he said, adding that he was returning home on Sunday and that he expected large traffic jams.
"There will be chaos on the roads, but it is great that the hotel was understanding and they will only charge us for as many nights as we spent here," he said.
They also spoke to a German couple who was hanging out with many Austrians on Losinj. They said that many would not interrupt their vacation in Croatia. One tourist had a special message for the Austrian Chancellor.
"Kurz would have to call me in person if he wanted me to come home," he said.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has called for stricter coronavirus controls for returnees at the borders.
"Health offices are not doing their job properly. The controls should be more thorough and faster," Kurz told the daily "Oesterreich" on Saturday.
The opposition Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) criticized Kurz and accused him of putting pressure on local health offices. Secretary-General Michael Schnedlitz said that instead of putting pressure on these institutions, the Vienna government should take action against the growing number of falsified negative coronavirus tests on returnees from the Western Balkans.
"It has long been known that many of these allegedly negative tests of returnees from the Western Balkans are false," Schnedlitz said on Saturday.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called for stricter control of holiday returnees due to the increase in the number of cases in Austria.
After staying in one of about 30 risk areas, people must have a negative test that is not older than 72 hours or must be in a 10-day quarantine.
“There have to be tighter controls,” Kurz said in Saturday’s edition of Oesterreich.
Kurz did not rule out the possibility of conducting coronavirus tests at the border, which would be the task of the health authorities.
Risk areas include mainland Spain and the Western Balkans, as well as Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Sweden and the United States.
As of Monday, returnees from Croatia will also have to present a negative test, Kurz said, adding: "There is a huge influx of cases from Croatia."
He added that the increase is not surprising given that holidays are underway.
"The current numbers are worrying," says Kurz. "We must do everything we can to stop the virus without introducing new comprehensive bans."
Nearly 230 new infections were recorded in Austria on Saturday, compared to a record 282 the day before.
Since the beginning of the epidemic, just over 23,000 people have tested positive for coronavirus.
For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.
Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages!
Secrets of Lopud: Europe's Tallest Palm Trees Shade Europe's Oldest Concrete Hotel
August 15, 2020 - Continuing our look at the secrets of the Elaphiti Islands near Dubrovnik, a visit to Lopud, home to Europe's tallest palm trees and oldest concrete hotel... with quite a history.
Depending on who you speak to, Croatia has between 1185 and 1246 islands in its pristine Adriatic Sea, but one thing is for sure after 18 years of living here - no two islands are the same, and each has its own speciality and uniqueness. Nowhere was this more evident to me than on my first visit to the islands of Kolocep, Lopud and Sipan near Dubrovnik, the so-called Elaphiti Islands.
Just half an hour by regular ferry from Dubrovnik, these enchanting islands are a world so far away from Dubrovnik that they offer the perfect holiday in Dalmatia - total relaxation on islands without cars (Sipan excepted), and yet a short boat ride away from the hustle and bustle of the UNESCO World Heritage Site that is Dubrovnik. All played a major part in the impressive history of Ragusa, the Dubrovnik Republic, an era where Dubrovnik shipbuilding and trading was globally famous, and whose riches filtered down into opulent stone villas in the city and on the islands.
The Lopud waterfront is magical. It has the feel of a civilised Dalmatian fishing town, a place of culture and heritage and yet one of relaxation and informality. Each of its waterfront buildings has several centuries of stories contained therein, but one building truly stood out as we wandered along. For this was a building not of stone, but of concrete, whose gardens were shaded by what is to claimed to be the tallest palm trees in all Europe.
They are certainly tall!
The Grand Hotel, which looked like this in better times, also had a European claim to fame to match the palm trees - it is the oldest concrete hotel in Europe. A curious thing to find on a Dalmatian island, perhaps, but Dalmatian islands are also home to the oldest public theatre in Europe and the birthplace of cricket in Europe outside the UK (wondering what else you don't know about Croatian islands - here are 25 things to know).
One of the things that I have learned with age in Croatia is that there is always a much better story about a building or attraction when told by a local than told by a guidebook. And so it proved on Lopud. I was introduced to a very handsome man in his late 50s or early 60s, as the man who knew the concrete hotel better than anyone alive. I will call him Mario.
For Mario was a legendary'galeb', the famous Dalmatian Casanovas who would prey on attractive young female tourists and give them an unforgettable summer experience.
For, it appeared, the Hotel Grand was the biggest galeb playground of all.
But let's start at the beginning, back in 1936, when the hotel was opened by its Czech owners after the bold architecture of Nikola Dobrovic, whose reenforced concrete hotel was his crowning work - and also the first concrete hotel in Europe. According to Mario, it was in the shape of a ship from above, complete with a tennis court on the roof, and it looked out to the Adriatic through those impressively tall palm trees, as well as ubiquitous bitter orange trees, for which Dubrovnik is famous.
Palm trees which continue to be protected today, as we noticed on our visit, as one worker injected the required chemicals into each tree to enhance their wellbeing.
When the Grand Hotel opened in 1936, it was quite a statement for tourism in the region, and the elite society from Prague flocked to Dalmatia to see what all the fuss was about. Those who were particularly well off even arrived by hydroplane.
Then came the Second World War, an end to tourism temporarily and a new use for the young concrete hotel - an internment camp for the Jews of the Dubrovnik region. Some 600-700 were interned there.
The glory days of this unique concrete hotel were undoubtedly the 1980s before the Homeland War. Life in former Yugoslavia was cheap, life was very liberal, and tourists came to visit knowing they would have a wonderful sun-soaked relaxing vacation at an affordable price.
And there was entertainment. Mario took us on a tour of his old haunting grounds, marvelling at the palm trees today as he had back then. There used to be so many bitter orange trees before, he explained, and the band was here. This was the nightlife of the island, and this is where the action happened. His fellow galebs were competition for the best girls on the night, great friends swapping stories over a morning swim the following day.
It was a carefree existence brought to an end in 1991 for the same reason as things stopped in 1939 - war.
The hotel, whose entrance has its architect's name carved in concrete, fell into disrepair, a shadow of its illustrious past.
Things might be changing finally, however. Italian investors bought the main hotel on the island, as well as the concrete Grand. Hotel Lafodia is the main accommodation option on Lopud, at the end of the bay, and nearby a concrete villa also designed by Dubrovic.
Plans are in place to renovate the famous concrete hotel, reducing the number of original rooms to provide more spacious accommodation for modern needs.
And while we wait, those tall palm trees will continue to sway gentle in the evening breeze, as they observe yet one more of some of the best sunsets in Europe.
Lopud is divine.
For more about travel in Croatia, visit the dedicated TCN section.
Giving Up On Tourism Season Would Be Irresponsible, Says HUT
ZAGREB, Aug 15, 2020 - The Croatian Tourism Association (HUT) has warned that giving up on the tourist season in the current economic situation due to recommendations by some neighbouring countries restricting travel to Croatia would be irresponsible towards the tourism sector and citizens.
"The foundation of this year's season has been a good epidemiological situation, and in the month and a half that we have had a favourable epidemiological situation across the country, we have shown that we can be winners in the Mediterranean," HUT director Veljo Ostojic told Hina on Saturday.
Statements that can be heard lately about the need to give up on the tourist season because of the imminent start of the new school year "are simply unacceptable to the tourist sector," said Ostojic.
"Giving up on the tourist season in the current economic situation would be irresponsible, not only towards those who work in that sector, which generates around 20% of Croatia's GDP but to all citizens. We believe that urgent action is needed to communicate facts through all available channels and to adopt measures to reduce the number of new infections," Ostojic said.
He noted that the situation in Istria and Primorje-Gorski Kotar counties is still more favourable than in many European countries, including the countries which generate the most tourist arrivals in Croatia.
"That fact should be constantly stressed in our communication with those key markets, including through diplomatic channels and the media," he said.
For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.
Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages!
Croatia Has 162 New Cases Of Coronavirus, Two More Fatalities
ZAGREB, Aug 15, 2020 - A total of 162 cases of the coronavirus disease have been identified in Croatia in the last 24 hours, two more patients have died and there are 1,062 active cases, the national COVID-19 response team said on Saturday.
Of the total number of COVID-19 patients, 106 are hospitalised, including ten who are on ventilators.
Since February 25, when the first case of the infection was confirmed, 6,420 people have contracted the disease. Of that number, 165 have died and 5,193 have recovered.
Currently, 3,702 persons are in self-isolation.
To date, 136,280 people have been tested for the virus, including 1,538 in the last 24 hours.
For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.
Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages!
Rainstorm Hits Zagreb, Prompts Dozen Interventions by Firefighters
ZAGREB, Aug 15, 2020 - A rainstorm accompanied by hail on Friday evening hit Zagreb, causing minor problems and prompting a dozen interventions by firefighting units.
The city firefighting service said that firefighters had mostly been called in to help pump out water from flooded facilities and remove trees felled by the storm.
Opatija Mayor Urges Croatian Government, Headquarters to Divide Country into Epidemiological Regions
August 15, 2020 - Opatija Mayor, Ivo Dujmic, asked the Croatian Government and National Headquarters to divide Croatia into epidemiological regions as soon as possible. Dujmic believes that the counties of Istria and Primorje-Gorski Kotar should not bear the consequences of the unfavorable situation in Split-Dalmatia County.
We have transmitted his post on Facebook in its entirety:
"Urgently divide Croatia into epidemiological regions"
"This way, I must express my dissatisfaction with the current situation, i.e., that the Civil Protection Headquarters is avoiding dividing Croatia into regions and thus save the tourist season in those counties that have a favorable epidemiological situation.
I am primarily thinking of Primorje-Gorski Kotar and Istria counties, which have, by far, the most tourists in Croatia and, in addition, have a very favorable situation with the coronavirus. We must keep these good tourist figures, that is, take care of the existence of many families, entrepreneurs who depend on tourism, but also the budget of our cities, counties and the state itself.
I don't even have to say how many problems the citizens of Primorje-Gorski Kotar and Istria counties have who work in neighboring countries and go to Italy or Slovenia daily or weekly. Why do the new measures of the Headquarters apply to the whole of Croatia, i.e., why do our entrepreneurs have to bear the consequences of the bad epidemiological situation in Split-Dalmatia County?!
Therefore, I ask the Government and the Civil Protection Headquarters of the Republic of Croatia to urgently divide Croatia into epidemiological regions, i.e., green, orange and red regions, which would be a clear message to other countries, especially those on which our tourism depends. I also ask that the measures be determined by regions and not linearly for all counties.
We don't have time anymore; decisions must be made as soon as possible!”
For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.
Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages!
Daily: EU Provides €128 Mn For 23 COVID-19 Projects
ZAGREB, Aug 15, 2020 - The European Commission will provide support for 23 new COVID-19 research projects in the amount of €128 million as part of the response to the coronavirus pandemic, and Croatian scientists are participating in three projects, the Jutarnji List daily reported in its August 13 issue.
A total of 347 scientific teams from 40 countries are involved in the 23 chosen projects, including 34 participants from 16 countries outside the European Union. One of the projects is SHARE COVID, a study of social, health, and economic effects of COVID-19 on persons over the age of 50, in which Croatian scientists have also been involved.
The Faculty of Business and Economics in Zagreb is a partner on the project, and the work package dedicated to the quality of health care is led by Sime Smolic. The main goal of this project is to understand the unplanned effects of pandemic and devise improved health, economic, and social policies.
"In this project specifically we are monitoring how people over the age of 50 are coping with the effect of the lockdown and how it will affect them. Later, we will be able to compare these data with the 2008 crisis research, since we surveyed the same people then, so the data are comparable," Smolic said.
The second project on which Croatian scientists are working is a completely new project, Envision. The project is about smart digital monitoring of COVID-19 patients in real-time, which facilitates decision-making in intensive care units.
The third project involving Croatia is called unCoVer, and it is being implemented in cooperation with 29 European partners, while the project leader is the Institute of Tropical Medicine.
The funding will enable scientists to help contain the pandemic and its impact by strengthening the industry's ability to produce and use already available solutions, by developing medical technology and digital tools, by having a better insight into the behavioral and socioeconomic effects of the pandemic and by studying large groups of patients across Europe, the Jutarnji List daily said.
PHOTOS: Amazing Zagreb Street Art And Art Installations
August 15, 2020 - Before next week's return of street art and art installation event Okolo, we look at some of the amazing Zagreb Street Art they've gifted us
Zagreb street art and art installation event Okolo (Around) returns to the Croatian capital next week. The event, which is supported by Zagreb Tourist Board, will hold its third installment over 10 days between Thursday 20 August and Sunday 30 August.
In preparation for the event, we look back at some of their vibrant contributions to the streets, parks and public spaces in Zagreb. Incredible images of their past works should give visitors an idea of what to expect – it's one of the public art events of the year and it's well worth visiting during its occurrence.
Some of Okolo's painted Zagreb Street Art works have taken place on ground level and are so large, they are best seen by drone
Photos © Okolo
Okolo's art interventions don't always take place on a grand scale - they've sometimes appeared in miniature
Photos © Okolo
In the past, Okolo artists have used light projections to add 3D-looking geometric shapes on top of natural backdrops around the city. Zagreb Street Art interventions in the city centre thoroughfares take on a more tangible form
Photos © Okolo
Okolo artists responded to the 2020 earthquake with heartfelt Zagreb Street Art 
Photos © Okolo
Although not an Okolo project, some of the event's artists were involved in adding to the walls of Opatovina park, between Tkalčićeva and Opatovina ulica, during the COVID-19 lockdown. The new works were again supported by Zagreb Tourist Board
Zagreb Street Art Photos © Ernest Mazarekić / Art Park / Zagreb Tourist Board
Flights to Croatia: British Airways Reduces Zagreb Service
August 15, 2020 - The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for flights to Croatia with updates for Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik.
Croatian Aviation reports that OneWorld alliance member British Airways will reduce the number of weekly flights to Zagreb in September this year.
British Airways currently operates daily between London (Heathrow Airport) and Zagreb, on A319 and A320 aircraft. Given the occupancy of the passenger cabin and reduced demand, the company decided to reduce the number of weekly flights on the said route in September this year.
From September 1 on the London - Zagreb route, British Airways aircraft will operate six times a week, every day except Wednesday, while from September 7, there will be five flights per week on the route. Namely, the flight will be additionally canceled on Tuesdays.
Changes are certainly still possible, but unfortunately not in the direction of increasing weekly flights, especially with the fact that the number of patients with COVID-19 in the Republic of Croatia is growing significantly.
Other British Airways routes in Croatia (to Dubrovnik, Split and Pula) have no operational changes so far.
Croatia Airlines currently offers three flights a week on the route Zagreb - London Heathrow throughout September (Monday, Wednesday, Friday), but the flight schedule for next month has not yet been finalized.
Furthermore, Croatian Aviation reports that Aeroflot has completely canceled the Moscow - Split route, to which it planned to return in August, and there are no announced flights to Dubrovnik or Zagreb.
Before the pandemic, Russian Aeroflot operated daily on the Moscow (Sheremetyevo Airport) - Zagreb route, both in summer and winter.
The line was suspended at the time of the pandemic and has not resumed until now. However, according to the announcements from the airline, there will be no direct flights between the two capitals this year. The company plans to make a significant restructuring after the crisis, and according to current announcements, we can expect a direct air connection between Moscow and Zagreb only in April 2021.
Aeroflot even announced the launch of its seasonal route Moscow - Split in August this year, airline tickets were already on sale, but given the regulations at the state borders, it was to be expected that flights would be canceled, which eventually happened.
The third Aeroflot line in Croatia, the one to Dubrovnik, was withdrawn from sale in March, so Croatia will not have a direct connection with the capital of Russia this year.
In the summer flight schedule, the Croatian national carrier operates on the Zagreb - St. Petersburg line, but that line was also canceled for this year.
Aeroflot's last visit to Croatia was on May 2 this year, when a B777 aircraft landed at Zagreb Airport for the first time, transporting medical equipment from China via Moscow to the Croatian capital.
For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.
Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages!
Cinemas In Croatia Reopen After 5 Months
August 15, 2020 - You'll be able to go to the movies again from Thursday 20 August
After almost five months of closure, Croatia's cinemas are reopening their doors. The country's largest cinema chain, CineStar, will begin showing films again on Thursday 20 August, with the second-largest, Cineplexx starting their screenings six days later.
The Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) released epidemiological recommendations for multiplex cinemas on Monday. There will be a necessary one seat gap between each group visiting the cinemas, which will automatically occur in all bookings made in advance online and on the day at the box office. A distance of 1.5 meters must be observed in the hall or lobby in the cinemas between each group. The measures are expected to reduce cinema capacity to 50%.
Other cinema epidemiological recommendations include:
- Regular hand disinfection, coughing into the elbow or handkerchief.
- Masks are not mandatory in the hall.
- Air conditioning is permitted but must be thoroughly cleaned.
- A distance of 1.5 meters or one place must be observed by people inside the halls.
- Every other seat will be empty; families and people from the same household can sit next to each other.
- Customers should leave the screenings "one by one", with visitors closest to the exit coming out first.
- The start of screenings to be staggered to reduce large groups congregating in lobbies at the same time.
- It is recommended to keep the details of visitors buying tickets online.
- Protective barriers and ensuring contactless payment are mandatory when buying at the box office.
