July 3, 2020 - The latest from the Croatian Ministry of Tourism on the CRO cards project.

Index.hr reports that although the CRO card was supposed to launch on July 1, we still do not know which employers ordered it for their workers. Two years after hearing Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli's statements about the CRO cards and that they will provide between 10 and 21 thousand new jobs and up to 11 billion kuna in new investments, the culmination of the project is seen in yesterday's statement by the Ministry of Tourism spokesperson, Sladjana Vignjevic, who told Index that they have nothing to do with the project.

Index writes that Cappelli’s Ministry was asked clear and specific questions: how many employers ordered CRO cards, where were the cards issued, were they ordered by state-owned companies and which, after which they were simply told that the Ministry of Tourism had nothing to do with the project. 

"Cards are issued, and where exactly - we have nothing to do with it. We have no information about how many cards were issued, and we have nothing to do with it. The Ministry of Tourism did not spend a single kuna on the CRO card project. We only have the information that they have begun. HPB is the first bank to go with this, so contact them with these questions. Banks are the ones who bear the costs of making the CRO cards. We only had a public invitation for all banks to apply for card issuance," Sladjana Vignjevic told Index.

Index also contacted Hrvatska poštanska banka (HPB), but has not yet received a response.

Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli has spoken about CRO cards several times this year. Cappelli said on April 17 that the CRO card would go to print in the next month.

"In June, we can start using it. It's about catering services, accommodation services and agency services. The value is 2,500 kuna, and it is tax-free for employers," Cappelli said.

Then, on April 27, after a video conference of EU tourism ministers on the situation in European tourism, Cappelli said that the CRO card was being prepared.

"The CRO card will be able to be used only in Croatia, HRK 2,500 non-taxable, we will see if we can do something extra in that regard and if additional discounts can be obtained," said Cappelli.

A couple of weeks ago, Cappelli stated that the CRO card will be used from July 1 and that due to the corona, its realization will be somewhat slower.

“But we firmly believe that with the end of the pandemic, this project, as well as the 'A Week's Vacation is Worth It' project will come to life,” Cappelli said on June 10, when he also said the first 30,000 cards had been printed.

Then, on June 14, in Opatija, Cappelli spoke again about the CRO cards. He stated that the possibility of using the CRO card had been extended to private accommodation, package deals and nautical tourism.

“About 40,000 cards are being printed, the first banks have signed a contract and everything starts on July 1,” Cappelli said.

And while it is clear from these statements that the Ministry of Tourism is managing the project, a ministry spokesperson now claims they have nothing to do with it. And doesn't know the answers to these questions.

The only thing that Vignjevic knew specifically was that the public sector is not included, that is, that employees in the public sector will certainly not receive a CRO card. Index reported about this earlier when Labor Minister Josip Aladrovic's attempt to persuade public-sector unions to agree to the payment of recourse on the CRO card instead of cash was refused.

Entrepreneurs also do not want the CRO card, which was confirmed by Hrvoje Bujas, president of the Voice of Entrepreneurs association. His association surveyed entrepreneurs and more than 90 percent of entrepreneurs said they would not give CRO cards to their employees.

Index spoke again with Bujas, who said that they never received an answer from the Ministry of Tourism as to who pays for the CRO card project, nor who ordered 40,000 cards.

"The CRO card has no benefit for either the employer or the worker; there is no idea. If the state, as Slovenia did, put 200 euro on everyone's card, then it would make some sense, and this makes no sense," Bujas said.

Another amazing thing about the CRO cards is the fact that, according to Cappelli's announcements, they were supposed to go into circulation on July 1, and the Association of Croatian Travel Agencies UHP has a meeting on this project at the Ministry of Tourism only next week.

Tomislav Fain, president of UHPA, told Index that they have a meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Tourism next week about additional clarifications for CRO cards.

"This is not a bad project, but in this crisis situation, we cannot expect employers to take those cards this year. I would, honestly, be happy if there are employers who will be able to pay it off. If it was a normal situation, I believe a large number of employers would pay the money on the CRO card, but now they certainly won’t," Fain told Index.

A big opponent of the CRO cards is Marin Medak, president of the National Association of Caterers.

"This project is illogical and incomplete. The cost is passed on to the employer, that the employer gives a bonus. We do not support the way it is set. Well, I wonder who will be able to give it to workers, possibly state-owned companies. And yes, already in December we told the Ministry that we are against the project. Then it was arranged that if, for example, a restaurant wants to be included in the project, it must give discounts, so it was not profitable for us," concluded Medak.

So, the conclusion of all this is that the citizens still do not know how much the CRO cards project cost, who will get the 40,000 cards that were printed, and in the end - will anyone get them at all? Index only found out that the Ministry of Tourism, which proudly announced this project, had nothing to do with it.

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

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has seen many a business venture and investment grind to an unexpected halt, especially in the tourism sector which has been the hardest hit economic activity in Croatia. However, the virus and its spread hasn't stopped everything, and Brac will get something new this summer regardless of the current climate.

As Jozo Vrdoljak/Novac/Privredni writes on the 2nd of July, 2020, Boutique Camping Bunja was recently opened in Babin Laz Bay near Supetar on the beautiful island of Brac in Central Dalmatia. Supetar will thus, adapting to the current trends of solitary holidays, have a small four-star boutique camp in its arsenal this season.

The camp has fourteen modern mobile homes and 32 spacious pitches for campers and tents, of which the largest, most luxurious ones, cover from 70 to 130 square metres. In addition to the beach bar, massages on the beach, and a heated freshwater pool, Brac's new facility offers a children's playground, bike and kayak rental and more.

Along with its lush Mediterranean greenery, the camp's walls are built in the traditional Dalmatian drywall style to remain in keeping with the rest of the island.

The investment in the camp on Brac is worth a massive two million euros in total

"Camping is the perfect answer to the growing need of people to return to nature, which is currently the best and safest way to relax, so we have no doubt that Boutique Camping Bunja will get its guests, lovers of our island, even during these challenging times. There is a large selection of high quality private and hotel accommodation, which can be enjoyed by families with children, but also couples who will choose adult only hotels, and there are also attractive rural villas around the place,'' said Ivan Cvitanic, the director of the Tourist Board of Supetar.

Supetar currently has two camps - Bunja and the Waterman Beach Village with a total of 124 campsites and 57 mobile homes, which can accommodate 462 guests. Camping has been experiencing a real tourist boom in recent years, both globally and locally, and is an ideal form of holiday for all those who seek solitude and true coexistence with nature.

For more, follow our travel page.

HBOR will send a direct notification to the the beneficiaries of its direct loans on the conditions for extending the moratorium and the consent form that the loan beneficiaries will need to submit to HBOR.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 2nd of July, 2020, since business of varying kinds is still affected by the coronavirus epidemic, HBOR has extended its moratorium. All of HBOR's clients are allowed to use the moratorium for up to seven months, ie until the 30th of September, 2020. For clients who have a positive COVID score according to the FINA methodology (or can otherwise prove a decline in their income) it is possible to use the moratorium for up to ten months, ie until the 31st of December, 2020. Clients engaged in tourism are allowed to use the moratorium for up to sixteen months, ie until the 30th of June, 2021.

In March, in order to reduce the negative consequences of the COVID-19 epidemic, HBOR made it possible for its clients to reschedule loans and use the moratorium until the 30th of June, 2020, with the announced possibility of extension.

''The use of the moratorium, which we made possible as a first measure, has so far been accepted by almost 1,500 clients. Since Croatian businesses are still suffering from the economic consequences of the epidemic, and given the still difficult working conditions, it was possible to extend the moratorium and introduce new conditions for the repayment of due obligations,'' said Tamara Perko, President of HBOR.

As stated, HBOR will send a direct notification to its direct loan beneficiaries on the conditions for extending the moratorium and the consent form that the loan beneficiaries will need to submit to HBOR.

Liabilities under the loan principal covered by the moratorium will be repaid by the clients through an appropriate extension of the repayment period.

Clients who have been granted a HBOR loan through a commercial bank or a risk-sharing model, as well as those who use HBOR financing through leasing companies, should submit a request for a moratorium to their commercial bank or leasing company.

The rescheduling of credit obligations up to sixteen months

In addition to the moratorium, by introducing a measure of rescheduling existing credit obligations, HBOR enabled those using the service to extend the terms of use and the repayment of loans. For reprogramming up to six months, beneficiaries are exempted from paying the usual fees.

Liquidity loans - interest rates as low as 0% and possible insurance of 50% of the loan amount

Those beneficiaries also have favourable HBOR funds for liquidity lending at their disposal, which are approved in cooperation with commercial banks or directly for businesses from certain industries.

Individuals/businesses can apply for loans for working capital through banks according to the risk-sharing model with banks (through the working capital loan programmes Working capital Measure COVID-19 and Working capital for entrepreneurs in wood processing and furniture production) and through framework loans to banks. Funds under the risk-sharing model are approved with an interest rate of as little as 0% on half of the loans from HBOR sources, and liquidity loans based on framework loans to banks boast an interest rate lower by 0.75 percentage points when compared to the regular one.

Working capital loans for rural development are approved directly by HBOR, as are loans for businesses working in tourism for which applications were received by the 5th of June, 2020. By that date, HBOR received a total of 556 applications, half of which have already been processed, and loans in the total amount of more than 250 million kuna have already been approved.

In addition to favourable loan funds, HBOR has introduced a new loan portfolio insurance programme for exporters' liquidity. This programme enables the faster and easier approval of new funds to preserve the liquidity of exporters and indirect exporters.

For more, follow our business page.

Ever wondered just how the works on the long awaited Peljesac bridge are actually progressing? This huge structure is a strategic project for not only Croatia but for the EU, as it will finally connect this European Union territory, removing the need for a border crossing through Bosnia and Herzegovina when travelling between the extreme south of Dalmatia and the rest of the country.

The removal of the need to quickly cross into and then out of a non-EU country, Bosnia and Herzegovina, carries an enormous amount of weight for both Croatia and the EU as a whole, and despite issues raised by various Bosnian politicians and the standstill caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Peljesac bridge continues to rise.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 2nd of July, 2020, a total of eleven cameras were installed on five construction sites.

If you're wondering about the progression of the works on Peljesac bridge and you don't live close to it to be able to take a look for yourself, you can now watch via a web platform. Peljesac bridge's construction site can now be seen not only from any part of Croatia, but also from any part of the world via the web platform connectedcroatia.eu/povezanahrvatska.eu.

Namely, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure launched this page to inform the public about the progress of contracted projects co-financed by EU funds, and the aforementioned cameras were installed at the most important areas of the construction site to monitor the daily progress and the current status of work on them.

In addition, new photos are published every day, writes Večernji list.

A total of eleven cameras were installed at five construction sites. The construction of Peljesac bridge itself is covered by two cameras, one from the mainland, the other from the peninsula, and the same number are placed on the access roads.

Three cameras have been installed on the railway construction site from Dugo Selo to Krizevci, and two cameras have been placed on the reconstruction of the Brajdica railway station. The ferry port of Tkon and the western part of the port of Cres are both filmed by one camera.

For more, follow our lifestyle page.

July 2, 2020 - The Slovenian government has put Croatia on the "yellow" list of epidemiologically less secure countries due to the increase in the daily number of coronavirus infections, said government spokesman Jelko Kacin in Ljubljana.

UPDATE JULY 4: 

Croatian citizens who want to go to Slovenia from today (July 4) must show a negative test for coronavirus not older than 36 hours, made in the European Union, to a Slovenian border police officer. If they do not have it, they will be handed a decision on 14-day self-isolation at the border.

If they have nowhere to self-isolate in Slovenia, they will not be allowed to enter that country, Slovenian Interior Minister Aleš Hojs explained yesterday.

If they pass through Slovenia in transit without stopping, they must pass it within 12 hours. These new measures are valid for our citizens after Slovenia put Croatia on the yellow list, which means that it is not an epidemiologically safe country. Apart from Croatia, the Czech Republic and France have been on the Slovenian yellow list since midnight.

This means that both Czech and French tourists who go to Croatia on holiday in Slovenia will have to pass without stopping, and at the Slovenian border attach proof that they are going to Croatia. Hojs said that all border crossings to Croatia remain open, but all those who are aware that after entering Slovenia will have to self-isolate, will be able to enter the country only through four border crossings with Croatia - Gruškovje, Obrežje, Metlika and the airport in Ljubljana.

This new restrictive measure, Slovenian government spokesman Jelko Kacin admitted at a press conference yesterday, was introduced by Slovenia because of its citizens who lied to border police officers when they entered Slovenia that they were in Croatia, but were actually returning from Serbia or Bosnia and Herzegovina. They did this to avoid the 14-day quarantine they are required to go to on their return from those countries. Kacin admitted that the number of people infected with coronavirus in Slovenia has increased precisely because of such people. In an attempt to prevent this, the Slovenian authorities are introducing restrictive measures that will make Croatia one of the biggest victims.

As of July 4, all foreign citizens entering Slovenia, who were on vacation in Croatia, will have to give Slovenian border police officers proof that they have been in Croatia. Invoices for paid sojourn tax, hotel invoice or registration via the Enter Croatia application will be recognized. In order to avoid quarantine in their own country, all Slovenes returning from vacation at the Croatian Border Police will have to prove that they were in our country.

Those who own real estate in Croatia will be able to avoid going into self-isolation by providing proof of ownership, and all others by paying bills in Croatian restaurants and bars in Croatia or by confirming the paid sojourn tax. For example, those who transported someone to the Zagreb Airport will have to enclose an invoice for paid parking at the airport or an invoice from the bar where they had a drink.

Checks on proof of residence in Croatia will enormously increase congestion on the Croatian-Slovenian border, admits the Slovenian Minister of the Interior. But he succinctly explained that it is not a problem for all those waiting for quarantine to wait an hour longer at the border.

The new Slovenian regime at the border will also create great pressure on Croatian border police officers and create large crowds at the entrance to Croatia from the direction of Slovenia. Especially since the decision is starting to apply for the weekend. Regardless of the new Slovenian measures on the Croatian side, new measures were introduced at four border crossings - Bregana, Macelj, Rupe and Plovanija in order to reduce the time of crossing the border and enable better flow.

Special lanes have been established for foreign tourists who have applied to come to Croatia via the Enter Croatia application. In front of the border crossings, there are special traffic signs and lines have been drawn that direct these tourists to the part of the border crossing intended for them.

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Index.hr reports that as he explained at the press conference, the decision was made by the government on Thursday, and the measures will take effect on Saturday at midnight.

So far, Croatia has been on Slovenia's "green" list of epidemiologically safe countries.

Apart from Croatia, the Czech Republic and France have now been relegated to a lower category of safe, while Belgium and the Netherlands have been included in the higher "green" list of safe countries.

The decision for Slovenes staying in Croatia means that when they return home, they will be able to expect the border police to ask them exactly where they stayed, which they will be able to prove, for example, with a hotel bill, but they will not be quarantined.

Those returning from Croatia will have to substantiate their route at the border with evidence or give confirmation that they have a vessel or real estate in Croatia "because there have been too many attempts to deceive in that sense," Kacin said.

Apart from the increase in the number of infections in Croatia, as Kacin suggested, the measure was also adopted because there have been many cases recently when Slovenian citizens and those with permanent residence in Slovenia coming through Croatia or Hungary stated that they were in those countries, even though they were in Serbia or Bosnia and Herzegovina, which are on the "red" list of epidemiologically safe countries.

Kacin again called on Slovenes living abroad to avoid crowds and respect epidemiologically prescribed measures, and especially to avoid nightclubs and mass parties because they are a potential source of infection.

When asked what putting Croatia on the "yellow" list means for Croatian citizens, Kacin said that they would be able to come to Slovenia freely if they have real estate or booked tourist accommodation.

A few days ago, Kacin explained what it means to be on the "yellow list". "If the country is placed on the yellow list, then a Slovenian citizen or foreigner with permanent or temporary residence in Slovenia, if they come from the EU or the Schengen area, enters Slovenia without quarantine. For other persons, a 14-day quarantine is mandatory," he said, but also stated that there are 15 exceptions to that decision.

Details of the decision to move Croatia from the "green" list of safe countries to the "yellow" will be announced on Friday after the session of the Slovenian government, Health Minister Tomaz Gantar told Slovenian television on Thursday evening.

According to Gantar, a new government decision and the tightening of epidemiological measures are needed as part of the deteriorating situation in the region, but also in Slovenia, where more and more new local infections are being transmitted after the virus was imported, especially from "red list" countries such as Serbia, North Macedonia, BiH and Kosovo.

From those countries, everyone who enters Slovenia must be in a 14-day quarantine. Quarantine decisions will be issued at the border with Croatia.

For those Slovenes who continue to go to Croatia as tourists, "it is not planned for now" that they would need a binding 14-day quarantine, and for now, this only applies to those who were in the countries on the "red" list where the epidemiological situation is critical, or very bad, Gantar explained.

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July 2, 2020 - In line with the new world circumstances, European Patient experience & Innovation Congress also decided to move their gatherings online.

For this reason, once a month until February 2021, there will be one webinar which will talk about health and innovation. The first webinar was held in June with the topic New Markets, New Patient Expectations, with excellent speakers Irving Stackpole (Stackpole & Associates, Inc.) & Elizabeth Ziemba (Medical Tourism Training). For all of you who did not participate, you can watch a video of the webinar here.

July 9th at 2020 at 1:00 PM EDT / 6:00 PM CET will bring us a new online treat with outstanding guests. The topic of the webinar is The Patient Experience & Outcome Measures through which, Chris Graham from Picker Institute and Karin Jay from Planetree International, will take you.

Chris Graham is the CEO of Picker Institute Europe, a leading international charity that exists to promote and improve person-centered care. A researcher by background, Chris has particular expertise in measuring, understanding, and using people’s experiences of healthcare and has worked with partners around the world to develop approaches to patient feedback.

Karin Jay is Senior Vice President at Global Services-Planetree where she is working to expand the network of Planetree Affiliates internationally, and provide consultation to key stakeholders on the implementation of Planetree’s relationship-centered model of care and international certification criteria. Prior to joining Planetree, Karin spent 22+ years working in the accreditation and international quality/patient safety arena.

She will be talking about Restoring Consumer Confidence by Partnering with Patients and Families. This session will explore what we are learning about healthcare delivery from our patients, and how we can try to restore the confidence of patients, families, and the community through deep and meaningful partnerships.

Chris will talk about Why measure people’s experiences? His session will look at the role that measuring and understanding experiences can play in ensuring that care services are person-centered, including the barriers to effective use of experience information and how these can be overcome. 

Don`t miss this fantastic online event. Find more info and apply today at the European Patient experience & Innovation Congress website.

ZAGREB, July 2, 2020 - The Health Ministry's State Secretary Tomislav Dulibic informed the government on Thursday that there were a few cases of tourists diagnosed with COVID-19 in Pula and Zadar, and that they had been provided with epidemiological treatment, which was why there was no further spread of the virus.

"When it comes to tourists, there are a few cases of (coronavirus) infections in Pula and Zadar, they have been treated epidemiologically, and this is a negligible number taking into consideration the total number of visitors," Dulibic said.

In Croatia, in the past 24 hours, 81 out of 981 tests performed for COVID-19 have returned positive. Also, there have been two deaths in connection with the infection.

The active hotspots of the infection are the eastern town of Djakovo where the infection was imported from Kosovo and Zagreb where 48 newly infected persons have been in connection with the infection in night clubs.

ZAGREB, July 2, 2020 - Six million passengers entered Croatia in June, which is 40% less than for the same month last year, Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic informed on Thursday.

In May, 2.13 million entries into Croatia were recorded and in June that number as 6.6 million, which is an increase of 210%, Bozinovic specified during the cabinet meeting adding that the trend was on the rise and that it can be attributed to the relaxation of lockdown measures.

Enter Croatia app - 90% of tourist announcements

Bozinovic underscored that in May entry into Croatia was made possible for citizens of 10 EU member states while citizens of third countries are still obliged to prove the purpose of their visit.

"In an effort to reduce waiting time at border crossings due to the collection of epidemiological information and to be in a position to connect every foreign citizen who enters Croatia, the Enter Croatia app-enabled completing the necessary information online prior to arrival and since May 28, almost 1.1 million foreign passengers used this app. About 90% of these applications are of a tourist nature," said Bozinovic. 

Passengers who complete the necessary form prior to arrival will use the special lane

The ministries of interior and tourism and the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) branch in the Czech Republic have agreed to submit passenger lists ahead of their arrival by bus in order to allow for better traffic flow. Similar agreements will be arranged with HTZ's branches in other EU member states, he said.

He added that special lanes were being opened at border crossings for people who complete the necessary forms ahead of their arrival.

Bozinovic informed that a ship arrived from China on June 26 carrying 194 tonnes of medical and protective equipment valued at $10.2 million.

''Equipment is currently being distributed to polling committees in cooperation with the State Electoral Commission but also to all care facilities following a request by the Ministry for Demography, Youth and Social Policy," said Bozinovic.