August 28, 2020 - After new measures were introduced in Split-Dalmatia County, Dubrovnik-Neretva County asks for the same.
Index.hr reports that on Thursday, the Dubrovnik-Neretva County Headquarters proposed to the National Headquarters the adoption of measures, including limiting the number of participants in weddings, funerals and commemorations to 50 people, while celebrations can only be organized with families of up to 20 participants.
In addition, performances, religious ceremonies and other facilities should be held in addition to all epidemiological measures if they are outdoors, and if they are indoors, a mask should be used and kept at a distance of two meters.
The organizers of the gathering and the owners of the catering facilities are responsible for the implementation of the measures and must implement them more intensively, and the local civil protection headquarters are also in charge of that.
The measures would apply from Monday, August 31, for a period of 14 days.
The Chief of the County Headquarters, Josko Cebalo, expects that the National Headquarters will accept the proposal and make a decision on Friday.
"The goal is to protect the health of the population and preserve the economy, primarily the tourist season. In our county, more than a quarter of tourist traffic occurs before and in the post-season, so it is important to maintain a stable situation so that the season lasts as long as possible," Cebalo explained.
He noted that the measures were supported by representatives of chambers of commerce and crafts.
"With the opening of the economy and the start of the tourist season, we expected higher risk of increasing the number of infected. Experience has shown that larger gatherings, family and weddings and public events, are potential hotspots," Cebalo said.
He announced a meeting with local government leaders on Friday to discuss whether another measure needs to be proposed.
Visiting RTL Television's Dnevnik tonight, Krunoslav Capak expressed satisfaction with the increased involvement of local headquarters in combating COVID-19, because "they can most easily spot what is happening to them and where the problem is and how they can prevent further spread of the coronavirus, which is much harder to see from the National Headquarters."
"I think it is going in the right direction, except for Brod-Posavina and Split-Dalmatia counties," he said. "Today, the National Civil Protection Headquarters received additional proposals from Medjimurje and Dubrovnik-Neretva counties, and it is expected that there will be more tomorrow, after today's meetings of local headquarters of some counties, which announced the submission of their complete proposals on Friday," added Capak.
"Tomorrow, the Headquarters will carefully consider this. In any case, we will always support the local headquarters, but we must make sure that these measures must be consistent for all of Croatia," said the director of the CNIPH.
And while new measures are being announced, existing ones are still being debated. Specifically, on the closure of gyms in Split-Dalmatia County. That measure, which came into force on Thursday, has raised a lot of questions. The Voice of Entrepreneurs Association asked the Headquarters to prove that gyms are hotspots.
As a guest on RTL, Capak said that he did not know how many people in the gyms became infected.
"Look, if there is a history of someone getting infected and there is no other way than being at the gym, that would be proof. I have to admit I didn't make it, as I was out of the institution all day today, and I didn't get to talk to colleagues from Split-Dalmatia County. But I'm sure they had a reason to do what they did," Capak said.
The question, therefore, arises as to whether the National Headquarters, which accepted the proposed measures of the local headquarters, asked for more concrete evidence at all. From what Capak said, it could be concluded that they did not. Capak even says he’s sure they had a reason to do so.
Capak added that gyms and fitness centers are important for people's health.
"If we see that the situation is improving, we will recommend that this measure be opened as soon as possible because these are institutions that help us preserve and acquire health," he said.
When asked if someone was inside a nightclub, restaurant and gym, then how could you prove they were infected at the gym, Capak said it was hard to tell.
"But with a good epidemiological history, this is possible. Especially if several infected people were in one place, and they were not, say, in the same club, but were in the same place, it is possible to determine. And now I can not say whether it was like that," Capak said.
In the meantime, the Voice of Entrepreneurs are demanding that the government pay salaries and contributions to workers who cannot work because gyms are closed.
"Our message is clear. If you want to close us down or limit our business, gentlemen in the Government, then you have to pay for it, not only with measures to preserve jobs, but also with additional ones - to preserve the companies you are closing or restricting business in the name of force majeure. Without companies, there are no employees," said Hrvoje Bujas, president of the Voice of Entrepreneurs association.
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