ZAGREB, 18 Nov 2021 - In the past 24 hours Croatia has registered 7,270 new COVID-19 cases and 63 deaths, the national COVID response team reported on Thursday.

There are 39,034 active cases in the country, including 2,513 hospitalized patients, 324 of whom are on ventilators.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, there have been a total of 558,270 registered cases of contagion and the death toll has climbed to 10,113. A  total of 509,123 people have recovered from the novel coronavirus, including 5,317 in the past 24 hours. Currently, there are 26,602 people self-isolating.

To date, 3,320,983 tests have been performed, with 17,230 samples taken in the past 24 hours.

As of 17 November, a total of 3,931,774 doses of a vaccine had been administered, with 51.63% of the total population, or 61.67% of the adult population, having been vaccinated.

On Wednesday alone, 33,122 doses of a vaccine were administered, with 18,574 people receiving the first dose.

To date, 2,095,085 people have received at least one dose of a vaccine, and 1,881,107 people, or 55.60% of the adult population, have been fully vaccinated.

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ZAGREB, 18 Nov 2021 - Croatia's Ambassador to Austria, Danijel Glunčić, was called to the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday over Croatian President Zoran Milanović's statement about the Austrian coronavirus policy, the Croatian Embassy has confirmed to Hina.

"I can confirm that I was called to the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs," Ambassador Glunčić told Hina, declining to reveal details of the discussion.

According to a statement from the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Glunčić was called over "highly unusual statements by the Croatian president," which were "sharply rejected".

"Comparing the measures against the coronavirus pandemic to fascism is unacceptable. It is our responsibility to protect the citizens of Austria and we are acting accordingly," the Austrian ministry said, as quoted by APA news agency.

"We clearly conveyed our surprise at these statements to the Croatian ambassador in Austria," said Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Austrian media quoted the Croatian president as saying after an audience with Pope Francis in the Vatican on Monday that the Austrian decision to impose a lockdown on unvaccinated people was "reminiscent of the 1930s" and called it foolish.

On Monday, Austria imposed restrictions on the freedom of movement for people who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 and those who have not recovered from the disease. These people are allowed to leave their homes only to buy food, visit a doctor or a pharmacy and go to work. Failure to comply with this measure is subject to a fine of up to €1,450.

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ZAGREB, 15 Nov 2021 - Minister of Labour and Pension System Josip Aladrović on Monday said that there is no rational reason to reject being tested for coronavirus, underscoring that employers would decide on the fate of those who refused to be tested.

"We can try and have understanding, for a certain period of time, for people who do not wish to get vaccinated. However, there is no rational reason to reject testing and I think that we all need to show responsibility here," Aladrović told reporters.

Speaking ahead of the introduction of COVID certificates in all state and public service facilities on Tuesday, Aladrović underscored that the healthcare and welfare sectors, where COVID certificates were introduced in October, had demonstrated a high level of responsibility, adding that he did not believe other systems could encounter any major problems for introducing the certificates either.

Asked what will happen to employees who refuse to be tested, Aladrović underscored that their employers would be the ones to decide.

"The related lay-offs so far have been at the level of statistical errors. I expect a vast majority of employees will be responsible, however, employers will be the ones to decide in cases of non-compliance," he said and added that this was in line with the law.

Commenting on ongoing protests against COVID certificates, he said that they were exclusively politically motivated. "It is really difficult to find any rational reason for the protests," the minister said, adding that he expected them to wane at one point.

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November 11, 2021 - At least two Zagreb faculties have decided to adopt tighter epidemiological measures, thus introducing the requirement for COVID certificates from their students. The Faculty of Philosophy is moving to online classes, while at the Veterinary School they will check the certificates before each lecture.

From Monday, COVID certificates became mandatory for employees in all state and public institutions, including educational institutions. While we are still waiting for details on their application for the school system, which, according to the announcement of minister Radovan Fuchs, should be known by tomorrow, it is known that school students will not have to get COVID certificates, reports Telegram.hr.

For faculty students, on the other hand, at least in two Zagreb faculties COVID certificates will become mandatory. The Faculties of Veterinary Medicine and Philosophy in Zagreb sent a letter to their students informing them that they would have to have COVID certificates to enter their faculties. One of these two Zagreb faculties is the Faculty of Philosophy, which has switched to online classes from November 15 to 26, and after that, entrance will be controlled to ensure each student presents both a COVID certificate and an Index. The faculty will reimburse its employees for the cost of testing done by November 28th.

Veterinary students will not be able to attend any form of classes, nor stay on the faculty premises without a COVID certificate, decided dean Nenad Turk. In a letter to the students, he states that the certificates will be checked before each lecture and that the absence from classes due to the lack of a certificate will be the same as the absence due to other reasons and will have to be justified by medical reference, writes srednja.hr.

Students at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Zagreb, who cannot be vaccinated due to medical reasons, must submit proof of this to the office by tomorrow. They will be able to participate in classes with enhanced measures, according to the faculty. They emphasized that wearing masks is mandatory in all enclosed spaces of the faculty.

At the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, they conducted an anonymous survey among students and employees to see how many were vaccinated, and the reasons why they would or have been vaccinated, and the most common answer was: "to normalize life as much as possible." According to that survey, more than 90 percent of employees and about 70 percent of students were vaccinated or contracted COVID. "This ensures a favorable epidemiological situation at the Faculty," they said.

They also explained why they introduced mandatory certificates for students. “We also included students because we believe that students as adults and responsible persons must respect the same measures as all employees and guests of the Faculty, in order to avoid any discrimination and ensure consistency of prescribed measures, in order to protect all our employees and students and safe implementation of the teaching process”, said the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, and are waiting for instructions from the Ministry to decide who will cover the costs of testing.

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November 9, 2021 - Minister of Science and Education, Radovan Fuchs said that the Ministry of Science and Education is currently agreeing on a mechanism and method of testing for COVID in the education system, three options are being considered for testing teachers, and the exact method of testing will be known by Friday.

"A testing variant will be introduced for all who need to be tested. So, those who have covid-certificates will show certificates and will not need to be tested," the minister said.

The mechanism and method of testing are currently being agreed upon, and there are three options on the table, said Fuchs, testing teachers in authorized institutions, such as laboratories, testing in schools, and the possibility of self-testing, reports Index.hr.

"We will know by Friday, after taking into account all the pros and cons in terms of the possible and most effective. We will define and write this in the decision, as well as the decision to act and test in health facilities," Fuchs told reporters on the eve of the sessions of the National Council for Monitoring the Implementation of the Anti-Corruption Strategy.

It's about 120,000 people

He noted that this is a total of 120,000 people, when kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, and the higher education system are taken into account, and in the primary and secondary education system itself there are slightly less than 60,000 employees.

"If 45 percent of them are unvaccinated, and I don't know exactly how many got over it, then we're talking about testing about 30,000 people. That's not so little'', he noted. 

It must be taken into account, he added, that testing teachers should be done every two days, but also that it should be done before the teacher enters the classroom and starts teaching.

"It's not quite simple, but we intend to write it all down in the instructions so that there aren't too many problems," Fuchs pointed out.

He also said that testing of children is not being considered at the moment, but that it will be considered if necessary.

“Teachers are certainly responsible people,” he pointed out. "I don't think they'll just go by the 'I really care about my students and my kids' system. I believe most of them will, if necessary, conduct rapid antigen tests," he added.

Boras: The University will respect the decisions of the Headquarters

Rector of the University of Zagreb Damir Boras pointed out that the University cooperates well with the Civil Protection Headquarters and that it will "always strictly adhere to things concerning COVID", noting that the University can make an autonomous decision on the introduction of covid certificates.

The university has its own headquarters which is currently sitting and considering the possibility of introducing covid-certificates. "In any case, we must protect ourselves and we will respect the decisions of the Headquarters. So, there will either be covid-certificates, or vaccination certificates or prescribed testing," the rector said.

"My personal opinion is that everyone should be vaccinated. Of course, I accept that there is a right of people not to be vaccinated, but some categories of employees, professionals, no longer have that right. I would say, for example, that medical professionals made their decision when they started practicing medicine and since then they have to respect the profession, "Boras told reporters.

Asked whether the University will give a stronger recommendation than before, Boras replied that the University has already given a strong recommendation, and it is to respect the decisions of the State Staff, which, he reiterated, communicates excellently and daily with members of the University Staff. The university was founded before the state ".

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November the 8th, 2021 - The Croatian Public Health Institute has published the latest detailed guidelines for schools as infection numbers soar and attempts are made with various new measures and ramped up vaccination to slow the spread and the pressure on the healthcare system.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Croatian Public Health Institute (HZJZ/CNIPH) and the Ministry of Science and Education have published detailed and updated instructions on the use of masks in primary and secondary schools for students, school and kindergarten staff and other adults during their stay there, to try to prevent and control the currently rapid spread of the novel coronavirus.

The updated instructions state in which situations protective masks are mandatory: for students from fifth grade of primary school onwards throughout their stay in school and during their stay in the classroom, even in the case of an institution where there is a gap (social distancing) ensured in classrooms between all persons (students, teachers, etc.) larger than 1.5 metres.

In addition to the above, masks are mandatory for high school students during their entire stay on school premises and during their time in the classroom, even when it comes to an institution where the distance in classrooms between all persons (students, teachers, etc.) is greater than two metres.

Masks are also mandatory for teachers and all other staff working in schools and kindergartens, as well as parents and other adults during any time spent in the school building and in kindergartens, as well as during any time spent in the classroom or with an educational group.

Exceptionally, vaccinated primary school teachers, as well as primary school teachers who have recovered from coronavirus in the past 12 months, don't need to wear a mask when in their own classroom or with their own educational group if they don't wish to.

For students from the first to the fourth grade of primary school (including the fourth grade) when passing through common areas or when in all situations of a shorter duration when students of one grade mix with students of another grade, they don't need to wear a mask if they don't wish to.

Classroom seating arrangements also need to be arranged to achieve the widest possible distance between students.

Early years and preschool children, as well as students with disabilities who are undertaking special programmes, don't need to wear protective masks.

Only a student and an employee whose individual state of health makes this impossible can be exempted from the obligation to wear a mask when at school, and the above is determined by the competent school doctor for the student or the family doctor (GP) for the employee.

Masks don't need to be worn during physical education (PE) and other similar health classes, nor do they need to be worn during other forms of physical activity and during meals, according to updated instructions published on November the 5th on the Croatian Public Health Institute's website.

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ZAGREB, 7 Nov 2021 - The Homeland Movement (DP) party on Sunday condemned the plan to require COVID certificates and testing for entry into the Croatian Parliament building, saying that under the Constitution power derives from the people and not from the national coronavirus response team.

"The Homeland Movement considers the announced violent introduction of so-called COVID certificates and testing in the Croatian Parliament by a para-state body called the national response team as the nullification of the will of the people expressed in elections and the most dangerous encroachment yet upon basic human and political freedoms, civil rights and the most important values of Croatian parliamentary democracy," the party said in a statement.

The DP said that decisions by the national coronavirus response team can by no means be above Croatian laws, in particular the Constitution, condemning any form of segregation of citizens on any grounds, including on the grounds of whether someone has been vaccinated or not.

"Despite the media hype and censorship, it is an undeniable fact that the virus is spread both by people who have been vaccinated and by those who have not, so this cannot be used as an argument by the response team to nullify the will of the people," the statement said.

The party said that relevant studies questioned the efficiency of the vaccines and that this was also confirmed by case numbers. "We are not saying that the vaccine helps or does not help, but why are those who are imposing it by force not willing to accept responsibility in the event of possible side-effects?"

The Homeland Movement expects the president of the republic, church dignitaries, and all members of Parliament, regardless of their ideological views, to oppose this "violent act that is being prepared."

"Those who fail this test must be aware that by doing so they take their part of historic responsibility for nullifying the fundamental values on which the modern and democratic Croatia is based," the party said.

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November 6, 2021 - 'It is my right to have a virus, I did not and I will not be vaccinated or tested', said Homeland Movement MP Zlatko Hasanbegovic, as he announces that he will not comply with the new measures imposed by the government, and will stop attending parliament indefinitely.

As reported by Net.hr, Homeland Movement MP Zlatko Hasanbegovic said after the introduction of new measures that include covid confirmations that he would no longer come to Parliament.

"That is impossible. Even if the deputies themselves made such a decision by a two-thirds majority, it would be marginal, and to prevent us from coming to Parliament on the basis of an administrative decision of some headquarters is completely unacceptable. Someone will certainly file a constitutional complaint because of that. The Constitutional Court will rule. I have not and will not be vaccinated, and I do not want to be tested. It is my right to have the virus. As long as these measures are in force, my foot will not step into Parliament'', Hasanbegovic told Novi list.

Measures apply to everyone

Let us remind you, after the Headquarters yesterday prescribed that COVID certificates are valid for all civil and public servants, Parliament Secretary Davor Orlović said that these measures would also be applied to MPs. Simply put, anyone who wants to be in Parliament will have to be vaccinated, tested, or recovered from the virus.

"It is known what will be the way to enter the Parliament building, either on the basis of COVID certificates or the appropriate test. There is absolutely no difference between officials and employees. No details are known yet, next week the Parliamentary Presidency will discuss new measures'', Orlović said.

''We can’t separate MPs from others'', he added.

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ZAGREB, 4 Nov 2021 - Health Minister Vili Beroš announced on Thursday that the national COVID-19 crisis management team would introduce a new package of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, including wider use of COVID certificates, but there would not be a new lockdown.

"We are completely clear that we must react. A new package of measures is being hammered out and it will be presented at a press conference tomorrow. Epidemiologists will this time again put forward measures which will be agreed on with the goal of preventing the spread of the infection, a further rise in the number of new cases, and ensuring the stability of the health system," Beroš told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

He confirmed that the new measures included a wider use of COVID certificates, although he "certainly hopes that we wouldn't need a COVID certificate to go for a coffee or to a shopping center".

"There are a number of other measures with which we can try to prevent the further spread of the virus. We'll see everything tomorrow," said Beroš, noting that the new measures sought to strike a balance between restrictions and normal life.

He underscored that the citizens who had been vaccinated had been taken into account in the new package of measures.

"There cannot be a new lockdown. Those who are truly protected, those who have recovered from the infection and been vaccinated, we cannot restrict their lives," Beroš said.

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ZAGREB, 4 Nov 2021 - Five members of the government's scientific council -  Andreja Ambriović Ristov, Nenad Ban, Petra Klepac, Branko Kolarić, and Igor Rudan - warned on Thursday that measures against the COVID-19 epidemic are not sufficiently effective and should be adjusted to prevent the further rise in new infections.

"Croatia is faced with the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with a relatively low rate of vaccination compared to other EU countries. This wave is dominated by the Delta variant of the virus which is significantly more contagious than the variants in the preceding three waves, and somewhat more dangerous for all age groups. Any increase in the number of cases from week to week is a sign that the epidemiological measures in force are not sufficiently effective, so they need to be adjusted in scope to prevent the further large rise," the scientists said in a press release distancing themselves from statements by another member of the council, Gordan Lauc.

The scientists said that many countries in the world have shown with their example that it is possible to protect people's lives and preserve the healthcare system through crisis management, confidence in the profession, and the unity of society in understanding the situation, vaccinating as much of the population as possible and the timely introduction of a series of available anti-epidemic measures.

"That experience acquired is not being sufficiently applied in Croatia, while misinformation spread by incompetent people who systematically undermine the seriousness of this pandemic continues to be the main source of information for a large number of citizens. That is why over the next few weeks Croatia will record a very large number of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths and will become one of the countries in the world hardest hit by the pandemic," the scientists added. 

They called on citizens to inform themselves from experts and to adhere to measures that can prevent the spread of the contagion, urging those who haven't been vaccinated to do so and in that way help relieve the burden on the health system, which is currently in an extremely difficult situation.

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