ZAGREB, July 12,  2020 - Over the past 24 hours there have been 50 new SARS-CoV-2 cases in Croatia and one more death, and the current number of patients is 1,117, the national COVID-19 response team said on Sunday.

Currently 132 patients are hospitalised, including three on ventilators, while 4,861 persons are self-isolating.

Since February 25, when the first case was recorded in Croatia, 3,722 persons have been infected with the novel coronavirus, 119 of whom have died and 2,586 have recovered.

To date 93,571 tests have been done, including 763 over the past 24 hours.

Complying with the measures and directions imposed so far is key, as only by behaving responsibly can we reduce the spread of coronavrus infection, the team said in a press release. "Everyone must be aware of their responsibility for their own health, the health of their family and fellow citizens."

ZAGREB, July 12, 2020 - Contrary to expectations, Croatia has not fully closed its borders for citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, Jutarnji List daily said on Sunday.

Those with BiH or Serbian citizenship who are also citizens of an EU member state may continue to freely enter and stay in Croatia without restrictions, regardless of where they come from.

Although the number of new coronavirus cases in BiH and Serbia is rising exponentially, Croatia continues to allow some of their citizens to enter its territory, a move justified by the fight for the best tourist season possible.

According to the National Tourist Board, about 5,000 tourists from Serbia and about 11,000 from BiH are currently in Croatia. They applied to enter via the eVisitor app. Those numbers do not include weekend tourists from Herzegovina who come to spend one day on the Croatian coast.

There are about half a million foreign tourists in Croatia at the moment, mainly from Germany, Austria, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia. There are 92,000 Slovenians, for instance, and Germans account for 90% of last year's figure at this time.

Due to the drastic increase in coronavirus cases in Croatia, German media, notably the Bildt paper, have been campaigning against going to Croatia. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has called on Hungarians not to holiday on the Adriatic but on Lake Balaton.

For now, not one of the countries whose tourists generate the most arrivals in Croatia have put Croatia on their coronavirus red list or prescribed that those arriving from Croatia must self-isolate, the daily said.

ZAGREB, July 12, 2020 - Health Minister Vili Beros said on Saturday that Croatia uses one of the best tests for COVID-19 and that the government will try to ensure a more affordable cost of testing for citizens who want to do a test for their own purposes.

"Testing for COVID-19 for all Croatian citizens for whom, in doctors' estimates, there are indications is completely free of charge," Beros wrote in a Facebook post.

"One of the best tests, with a very high rate of reliability, is used in Croatia. It is somewhat more expensive, but the accuracy of the results is important to us. For all citizens who want to be tested for their own purposes, we will try to ensure a more affordable cost of testing," the minister said.

ZAGREB, July 12, 2020 - A man arrested for attacking Split Mayor Andro Krstulovic Opara has been released because it was not established that he participated in the incident, Split police said on Saturday night.

A criminal investigation into the attack is under way, police said.

According to local media, Opara was attacked in the street on Friday night by two youths who first insulted him, after which one of them hit him. The mayor said on Saturday he was feeling good and that nothing serious had happened.  

July 12, 2020 - German football star and Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has been spending his summer in Dalmatia, as he has for the last few years.

Dalmacija Danas reports that over the last few days, Neuer stayed in the Topalovic brothers' apartment in Brela, and as he is a passionate cycling fan, he did not miss the opportunity to cycle across central Dalmatia.

Last Thursday, he rode the section from Zrnovnica through Sitno, Dubrava, Gata, Omis, and all the way to Baska Voda. He even paid the drinks of patrons at a local cafe!

Croatian media has now learned that Neuer moved even further south in Dalmatia for the last few days.

Yesterday, Neuer stayed on the beautiful beach Prijezba on the island of Sipan. Wearing a water polo cap with the Bayern logo and the number 13, Neuer met with Niksa Dobud, a celebrated Croatian water polo player, Olympic champion and once the best center of the world.

View this post on Instagram

Always a pleasure to host you Champ? @manuelneuer @azevedo_wp @croatiafulloflife @adriatictours #dubrovnikwaterpoloisland #dubrovnikislands #sipanisland #prijezbabeach

A post shared by Priježba beach (@prijezbabeach) on Jul 11, 2020 at 12:38pm PDT

He even joined locals in singing a very popular Croatian song on the beach! 

To say Manuel is having a good time would be an understatement. 

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

July 12, 2020 — Croatia's Health Minister Vili Beroš in a wide-ranging interview with Novi List discussed the country's pandemic response, and the politics involved. 

How did you like this entry into politics?

Our entire list in the 10th constituency achieved a very good result. We won seven secure mandates, the eighth was close. What is most important to us is that the citizens of that part of our homeland recognized HDZ as the biggest guarantor of a more secure future for the country in the coming period and gave us the confidence to lead state policy and government.

Would the HDZ have had a much harder job without the coronavirus?

The coronavirus epidemic at one point almost paralyzed life in our country, as it did to a third of the world this winter and spring. We have dealt with it successfully so far, but we continue to fight the spread of the infection. Corona has changed the current way of life and behavior in public spaces, but also forced all of us to adapt to the new conditions. HDZ, like all parties, and all citizens, would live and work completely differently without the virus. Now that it's here, we need to know how to deal with it.

Has HDZ politicized the fight against the corona epidemic to its advantage?

The coronavirus was dealt with by our health professionals, top experts in the field of epidemiology and infectology, not politicians. The Croatian government knew how to manage in these moments of crisis, and the Civil Protection Headquarters operationally managed daily activities. The profession defined the answer, and politics recognized it.

What do you think about the opposition's claims that the HDZ endangered the lives of citizens by holding elections in the middle of the corona epidemic?

The opposition called for elections a year ago, and could hardly wait for them to take place. When they were announced, well, then it wasn't good again. Epidemiologists have estimated that this summer period is the most favorable from a health point of view as a time when elections with the least risk could be organized. The opposition also voted in favor of dissolving Parliament and holding elections. We see that the pre-election activities and the elections themselves did not significantly affect the epidemiological situation in the country.

What might the epidemiological situation look like in the fall and is a new lock-down possible?

We can only hope that autumn will be epidemiologically better than this spring. No one can say for sure, but our experience so far shows we know that a lot depends on the behavior of each of us. By adhering to self-protection measures, avoiding direct physical contact with strangers, maintaining distance, hygienic measures of persons and space, wearing protective masks in public transport, all this can reduce the risks of transmitting the infection. There should not and should not be a new lock-down, because no country's economy can survive for a long time, but if outbreaks appear, we could successfully localize them.

The possibility of banning gatherings indoors for more than 100 people is mentioned. Have you considered introducing a spatial norm per person instead, as some other countries have done? This would, in fact, continue life and business activities.

Our epidemiological experts and the Insitute of Public Health monitor the situation on a daily basis and recommend measures aimed at protecting human health, and yet enable, as much as possible in the new circumstances, to maintain the life and work activities of the population. It is not easy to balance it. But all of this cannot have the right result if each of us and all of us together do not adhere to the rules of conduct by which we protect ourselves and others. I would like to remind you that in the first months of the epidemic, our citizens contributed to great results with their responsible behavior, among the best of all countries. Encouraged by this, however, we all relaxed a little more than the situation allowed, so the virus began to spread again and the number of infected and sick increased. So, let's go back to the kind of behavior that guarantees us a more or less favorable situation so that we can live and work.

Compared to other countries, cancer is detected relatively late in Croatia, and mortality is high above the EU average. When will you adopt the National Cancer Program?

Adoption of the National Strategic Framework against Cancer 2020-2030 will include comprehensive monitoring, prevention and treatment of malignant diseases and will be improved with the inclusion and integration of tertiary prevention measures and optimization of health care for oncology patients. We expect the adoption of this document as soon as possible. Through the Action Plans, detailed action plans will be developed on a two-year basis, which includes the elaboration of needs for the procurement of diagnostic equipment. The strategic goal of this document is aimed at improving the health of citizens throughout life, reducing the incidence and mortality of cancer and prolonging and increasing the quality of life of cancer patients in the Republic of Croatia to the level of Western European countries.

Your predecessor, Milan Kujundžić, is reproached for not reducing the waiting lists, which have now been increased even more due to COVID-19. How to solve this problem, especially considering the fact that the virus will not disappear in the near future?

The waiting list has been pushed into the background by the epidemic and the situation in the health care system. We are now returning to that problem and are already working intensively on it. It is certain that they can be shortened. We include all available facilities to enable patients to access the necessary diagnostic examinations and medical services as soon as possible. We will also establish a permanent system of informing patients and the public about the results we will achieve.

The total debt in health care is now higher than 8.5 billion kuna. And on the other hand the budget is filling slowly due to the consequences of the epidemic. When and how will you start repaying that debt and how to curb rising costs?

The amount you mention is the total debt, but the overdue is much smaller. But in any case, it is burdensome for the health care system. It piled up for years, but it was up to us to deal with it. First of all, it is important to enable the regular operation of hospitals and health care institutions and the supply of medicines, and then to create systematic preconditions for reducing debts and turning the health care system into a self-sustainable one. I have no illusions that this is easily achievable in a short time, but I am determined to start taking steps to address them. Any positive shift for me will be encouraging.

The HDZ election program states that three billion kuna will be invested in the modernization of the health care system. How realistic is this given the economic consequences of the corona epidemic?

Yes, in our election program it is planned to invest three billion kuna in the next mandate in public health. So far, we have kept our promises. I believe that, despite the corona crisis and its impact on economic developments in us and in the world, we will adapt our economy to the new conditions and raise our business efficiency. The health of the nation is important, we have the consent of all that was best seen during the epidemic, and that is why I believe that we will find ways for new investments to enter health care.

In this regard, is the construction of the National Children's Hospital in Zagreb and the revitalization of the Institute of Immunology realistic, which is also promised in the program?

The National Children's Hospital is one of the priorities that we will certainly address in our mandate. The earthquake in Zagreb in March only exacerbated the need to build new hospital facilities in the Croatian capital. We did not sit idly by. We have been intensively looking for solutions, not only for the children's hospital, and I believe that by the end of this year we will be able to say when the implementation of these projects will begin, including the revitalization of the Institute of Immunology. I am not talking about wishes, but about real and probable financial sources that do not rely on the state budget.

After the situation with the coronavirus is stabilized, the internal party elections in the HDZ will continue. Will you run for a party position?

We recently had internal party elections. It will continue as soon as conditions are created and at lower levels. Honestly, I'm not thinking about it now, because the situation with the coronavirus and all the open issues of public health in Croatia require the full engagement of me and my associates.

The election victory of the HDZ is not a surprise, but such a big difference between the HDZ and the SDP is. Why did it turn out in the end that the HDZ won as many as 25 more seats?

The highly personalized campaign that came to the fore in the confrontation between Andrej Plenković and Davor Bernardić was crucial. In addition, the results of this Government in the previous term, as well as the program we presented, were a clear sign to the citizens to whom to give their faith.

The HDZ majority in parliament is only 76 seats. Is post-election cooperation with the Homeland Movement and Most possible in order to increase that majority?

HDZ can talk to everyone who has the mandate of Croatian voters and a similar political program, out of respect for them and for the voters. Our goal is to reduce divisions and tensions in Croatian society. It would be good if others would expand the margin for conversation and even communication technologies a bit. Tensions should be calmed and constructive talks should be held.

After this experience, are you thinking about continuing to take politics seriously, in the sense that one day you will take over a department that would have nothing to do with health?

I entered active politics as an assistant minister of health, and then at the beginning of the year I took over the duty of the minister of health. The decision on changing the direction or action is made by the party president Andrej Plenković.

In the political corridors, the possibility is mentioned that you could be the HDZ candidate for mayor of Zagreb in the local elections in May 2021. Is there such a possibility?

In politics, as in life, one should go step by step. Last week, we finished the parliamentary elections, the constitution of the Parliament is coming, and then the new government. When the time comes for local elections, then we will talk about it. The decision on the possibilities of candidacy will be made by the party president and party bodies, but I am sure after the election success that the HDZ candidate for mayor of Zagreb will also be the winner.

July 26, 2020* - The Croatian Ministry of the Interior has updated its official border guidelines in English, German and Croatian.

INTRODUCTORY NOTES

Croatian nationals and their family members, regardless of their citizenship, are free to enter the Republic of Croatia, without the need to prove their reasons for entry, but they must present a document proving kinship with a Croatian national (e.g. birth certificate).
 
When entering the Republic of Croatia, nationals of Member States of the European Union, i.e. Schengen Member States and Member States associated with the Schengen area, as well as their family members (regardless of their residence), and third-country nationals who are long-term residents under Council Directive 2003/109/EC (of 25 November 2003 concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents) and persons entitled to reside under other EU directives or national law or persons who hold national long-term visas are not required to provide any special reason for their entry (business, economic, tourist, etc.), but can enter the country under the same conditions as before the COVID-19 outbreak, although still under epidemiological control and by mandatory compliance with general and special recommendations issued by the Croatian Institute of Public Health.
This also applies to nationals of the Principality of Andorra, the Republic of San Marino, the Principality of Monaco and the Holy See.
 
THIRD-COUNTRY NATIONALS

1.         If foreigners do not hold the citizenship of an EU/EEA Member State or the aforementioned countries, nor have regulated stay in those countries and travel from a non-member country due to urgent personal reasons, they must prove their reason for entering the Republic of Croatia upon arriving at the border crossing point which could be:

• urgent personal reasons – it is necessary to present valid documentation for example in case of:

- going to a funeral (e.g. death certificate, obituary)
- going to a treatment or accompanying the person going to a treatment (e.g. medical call, confirmation of a scheduled medical / dental examination, doctor’s recommendation)

 

• if you are the owner or lessee (also applies to leaseholders) of real estate, movable property or seagoing vessel (ship, yacht, etc.) in the Republic of Croatia, border control at the border crossing point in the Republic of Croatia must be accompanied by presenting the documentation proving the ownership of real estate / movable property in the Republic of Croatia (e.g. title deed/contract); members of the owner’s family will be allowed to enter upon presenting a valid document from which the kinship with the owner is visible.

A quarantine/self-isolation measure with health supervision for 14 days has been determined for these persons, with the possibility of shortening its duration to 7 days, if a person gets their nose and throat swabbed at their own expense seven days after entering Croatia and receives a negative PCR test result for SARS-CoV-2.
 
2.         If foreigners who do not hold the citizenship of an EU/EEA Member State or the aforementioned countries nor have regulated stay in those countries want to enter the Republic of Croatia due to:
 

• Business reasons or economic interest of the Republic of Croatia – it is necessary to present documentation proving the business reason for visiting the Republic of Croatia or the economic interest of the Republic of Croatia, such as an invitation to a meeting of an economic entity from the Republic of Croatia, proof of a board membership, proof of ownership or co-ownership share in a company registered in the Republic of Croatia, documentation on the agreed business obligation with a natural or legal person etc.

• Tourist reasons – it is necessary to present a confirmation of paid accommodation in one of the accommodation facilities in the Republic of Croatia (lease contract or lump sum payment of a camp, permanent berth contract in a nautical tourism port, etc.) and

• Education - it is necessary to present a proof of education / studying (e.g. index, certificate of an educational institution, etc.).

 
These persons are not subject to a quarantine/self-isolation measure if they present a negative PCR result of a nasal and throat swab for SARS-Cov-2 at the border crossing point, which is not older than 48 hours (counting from the time of taking the swab to arriving at the border crossing point).
Persons who do not present a negative PCR result are subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine / self-isolation measure.

(Additional clarification of this rule: Those whose test is older than 48 hours will be allowed to enter Croatia, but they will be issued a self-isolation order and will have to be tested again locally, at their own expense. Having an expired PCR test upon arrival will allow for a shortened period of time in self-isolation pending a negative result of a local PCR test. Those who do not provide a negative PCR test upon arrival will be ordered to quarantine/self-isolate for at least 7 days prior to taking a local PCR test.) 

Passengers entering Croatia without the obligation of self-isolation shall comply with the following measures during the first two weeks of their stay in Croatia:
During the first 14 days after entering the Republic of Croatia, exits from accommodation are limited only to the necessary ones: performance of work if it is a business reason for entering the Republic of Croatia, or of necessary activities with the continuous intensified implementation of hygiene measures: https://www.hzjz.hr/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Recommendations-and-Instructions_EN-1.pdf
 
In order to shorten the procedure at the border crossing point, we advise you to fill the announcement in advance at https://entercroatia.mup.hr.

TRANSIT 

Passengers in transit may travel through the Republic of Croatia provided that it is possible to enter or transit through the neighbouring country. During transit, the shortest traffic routes should be used without undue delay, including the motorway where possible. It is necessary to leave the Republic of Croatia as soon as possible and no longer than 12 hours from the moment of entry, which will be checked by the border police.
 

July 12, 2020 - On Tuesday, July 7, the White House hosted a half-day Summit on Safely Reopening America’s Schools focusing on reopening America’s schools in safe ways that respect the holistic health and learning needs of America’s students. The Summit included state and local leaders, health professionals, teachers, administrators, parents, and higher education institution leaders from across the USA. The live broadcast of this event was attended by nearly 700 attendees. Among them was Srećko Mavrek, a Croatian educational expert based in New York, who has officially represented Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education at the UN Department of Global Communications. Communications since 2016.

“In the weeks ahead, educators and government officials at the state and local level will have to make important decisions about when and how to safely reopen America’s schools. Therefore, it was very important to initiate the national dialogue about safe reopening. Everyone agrees that students should return to the classrooms as soon as possible, but there are also several main disagreements regarding the safety concerns, learning models and financial issues. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released detailed guidance to ensure school officials understand how to prepare for, prevent transmission of, and react quickly to coronavirus cases within an education system,” said Mavrek.

“President Donald Trump and the federal government demand that schools must reopen, and they must be fully operational, i.e. five days of classes per week. He added that America’s Coronavirus mortality rate is down tenfold from the peak of the crisis.  Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said the Administration expects children to be back in their learning environments this Fall and urged decision-makers to think practically about the consequences if children do not return to the classroom this year. She added that is best to leave to education and community leaders to determine how the schools will reopen.”

“Their opponents argue that premature full school reopening could lead to further spread of the coronavirus. They therefore support different models of blended learning, i.e. a few days at school plus a certain number of distance learning days. On Wednesday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza unveiled their "Blended Learning" plan for the city's 1.1 million public school students. The mayor noted that most schools will not be able to have all students in school at the same time. Classrooms will be limited to about nine to 12 students. That's instead of the average class size of 30 students. Chancellor Carranza said that the plan to bring students back into school buildings requires the use of PPE and social distancing. He added that parents can choose only distance learning and that later in the year they will be able to request a transition to combined teaching. Parents will have opportunities throughout the year to transition their child into one of the in-person models. If any family wants to switch from the "Blended Learning" to "All Remote Learning" they may do so at any time.That doesn't necessarily mean that schools will reopen because Governor Andrew M. Cuomo also announced on Wednesday that New York State will decide during the first week of August whether schools will reopen in the Fall. "

 “Distance learning was introduced because of the extraordinary circumstances and it was a big shock for students, teachers and parents to adapt to such a sudden hard situation. I think that students with learning difficulties lose the most because many of them cannot cope with distance learning or stay behind because of various factors. On the other hand, distance learning can be beneficial for students who can learn at their own pace. Some of my college students did very well last semester. In addition, the question is how further social isolation and lack of social interaction will affect students’ mental and social health. The situation is uncertain for now, but it is quite certain that the federal states and some large school districts will independently decide on the safe reopening of schools and learning models. I think there will be a lot of complications with the organization of the blended schedule because there are many unresolved issues, e.g. how to learn and teach while wearing face masks, how to effectively plan scheduling for the Fall, how will school districts handle the question of student transportation, and if there will be enough teachers needed for reduced classes," said Mavrek.

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