May 30, 2020 - There is still much confusion about current entry requirements to Croatia. Why you cannot come and stay at your Croatian partner's home until June 15.
One of the many recurring questions I am seeing regarding travel to Croatia right now is whether or not a foreigner can come and stay with their Croatian partner in their partner's home. If Croatia is open for tourism and tourists of EU countries can cross the border and stay in hotels and Airbnb private accommodation, it would make sense that you could enter Croatia and stay at your partner's place.
Except you can't.
At least until June 15, when the EU plans to open.
Because technically Croatia is NOT open for tourism until June 15, apart from 10 countries named on May 28. To explain more, here is an answer I provided in the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.
George is a regular visitor to Croatia and wants to be with his unmarried Croatian partner and family, staying in their family home where he is a regular and popular guest. He is a UK citizen. I will get the ministry to confirm when they join the community, but this is my opinion (please note it is only my opinion). George is a regular visitor to Croatia and wants to be with his unmarried Croatian partner and family, staying in their family home where he is a regular and popular guest. He is a UK citizen. I will get the ministry to confirm when they join the community, but this is my opinion (please note it is only my opinion).
George wants to travel on June 7. Currently, he will not be allowed to do so because he does not have proof of paid accommodation, documentation saying he is a family member by marriage, or a business invitation. Here is the important distinction which confused me for a while.
While Croatia is saying it is open for tourism, technically it isn't until after June 15, apart from the 10 countries mentioned yesterday - Citizens of Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, and Germany can now enter Croatia without restriction.
Other EU nationals (inc UK) can enter IF they have an economic reason to come to - business meeting or paid tourism accommodation. The paid accomm is a technical workaround so that tourism can start, but it MUST come with the paid accommodation to justify the economic criteria.
So in George's case, he could come if he had paid accommodation proven, but not if he doesn't, as he has no legal family ties, and staying with his partner's family is not an economic activity.
Could he book one night Airbnb? That would bring him entry, and then move to his partner's place and wait until June 15 and all borders open? Possibly, but not sure how the authorities would react. And then there is the added complication that UK might go into lockdown due to bad corona situation.
So what's the answer to George's question. The short answer is I don't know, but I hope the long explanation as to how I still don't know gives a little more clarity to others.
FYI: The situation does differ though for foreign nationals who cohabitate with a Croatian national outside of Croatia (like in my case, Canada).
As per the reply from UZG COVID: “your unmarried spouse must present a Canadian document on cohabitation” to be allowed entry into the country prior to June 15.
As Novac writes on the 29th of May, 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and HBOR have prepared a new financial instrument called ''working capital for rural development", for which 130 million kuna has been provided, and loans will be approved directly by HBOR, with an interest rate of 0.5 percent, while users will be exempt from having to pay all fees.
This is a new programme for lending liquidity to farmers and processors of agricultural products and entities operating in the forestry sector whose business is being negatively affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) point out in their separate statements.
These loans will be approved directly by HBOR at a welcome interest rate of 0.5 percent, and loan users are exempt from needing to pay all fees normally charged upon approval (for example, fees for processing a loan application, for reserving funds, etc) as well as fees for the alteration of credit conditions, including early loan repayment fees.
Loan applications will be able to be submitted to HBOR as of Monday, June the 1st, 2020. The minimum loan amount stands at 190,000 kuna and the maximum is 1.52 million kuna.
These funds are approved for a period of up to five years (including a grace period of up to twelve months), or up to three years (including a grace period of up to six months) for loans in the amount of 760 thousand kuna or less.
The Ministry of Agriculture has pointed out that this new instrument will provide liquidity in the agricultural production, processing and forestry sectors in the short term, and also work to further encourage recovery after the public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funds will be able to be used to finance employee salaries, overheads and other basic operating costs, the procurement of raw materials and the settlement of liabilities to suppliers and other current operating costs. The funds cannot be used to settle existing credit obligations to commercial banks and other financial institutions, HBOR noted.
The total amount of funds intended for these loans amounts to the aforementioned 130 million kuna, and is provided by the conversion of part of another financial instrument called "investment loans for rural development" into the new financial instrument called ''working capital for rural development".
Loan applications will be being received until December the 31st, 2020, or until the total amount of available funds are used up, according to a statement from the competent ministry and from HBOR.
Last updated on October 24, 2020 - What are the conditions for your return home after a holiday in Croatia? Do you need to quarantine? This article is regularly updated with the most recent information.
A very useful resource to help us answer that question is Re-open Europe, so make sure you check that out first.
However, in addition to that, we decided to do some research of our own, as well as ask the VERY active new Viber community, Total Croatia Travel INFO for some help. We've managed to find the current travel information for most European countries, which you can find below. However, if your country is not covered, or if the rules have changed and we've missed that, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Quarantine, and we will add/edit (please include the official link).
All of the EU/EEA countries listed below (the EU, the UK, Switzerland, Norway, Lichtenstein, and Iceland) plus the US and Canada have the official decision linked under the country name:
Austria- as of August 17, Croatia has been placed on Austrian "high-risk list", meaning that all EU/EAA/Swiss citizens arriving from Croatia need to present a negative PCR test, not older than 72 hours, or self-quarantine until you get tested within 48 hours of entry into Austria.
Belgium has created three zones, Croatia has been placed on the Green list on July 28th, meaning that there are no limitations for passengers arriving from Croatia - NO QUARANTINE.
Bulgaria - There are currently no restrictions in place for Bulgarian citizens returning to Bulgaria from Croatia - NO QUARANTINE
Cyprus - Croatia is currently on the B list of countries, meaning greater epidemiological uncertainty. Travelers from the B-list countries need to show a negative test, taken 72 hours prior to entry. Citizens of Cyprus with permanent residence there are, however, exempt from that requirement.
Czechia - Croatia is on Czech list of countries with a low risk of COVID-19 - NO QUARANTINE
Denmark - Croatia added to Denmark's 'Orange list' as of August 28, which means that those returning to Denmark from Croatia are invited to get tested for COVID-19, or spend 14 days in quarantine
Estonia - citizens of Estonia and their family members are allowed to enter Estonia without any limitations. EU nationals are allowed to enter as long as they don't have any symptoms.
Iceland- everyone entering Iceland has to either get tested upon arrival or quarantine for 14 days. The citizens and residents of Iceland (update on July 30: and others entering Iceland) who choose to be tested upon arrival will have to take special precautions during the first five days after arrival in Iceland or until they can be tested for the second time.
Ireland- The Irish Authorities require anyone coming into Ireland, apart from Northern Ireland and a small group of "Green Countries" (Croatia not on that list), to self-isolate for 14 days.
Italy - On August 12, Italy introduced new rules for those entering their territory, if they've spent any time in the previous 14 days in Croatia, Greece, Spain, or Malta: they need to either present a negative test, not older than 72 hours, or get tested within 48 upon entry to Italy. No quarantine or self-isolation rules are mandated.
Latvia has a very complicated algorithm to determine who needs to self-isolate when arriving from which country, and currently, Croatia is on the list of countries where 14 days of self-isolation are mandatory upon return - both for Latvian and for Croatian citizens.
Lithuania - Lithuania has decided to remove Croatia from its list of epidemiologically safe countries. That means that the Croatian citizens are banned from entering Lithuania, while Lithuanian citizens entering their home country, after a stay in Croatia, will have to self-isolate for two weeks.
Liechtenstein follows the rules set by the Swiss government, so NO QUARANTINE.
Luxembourg - there are no limitations for EU citizens' entry into Luxembourg NO QUARANTINE.
Malta - Croatia is on the list of the safe 'corridor countries' created by the Malta government. Travel between Croatia and Malta is allowed if you've been in one of the 'safe countries' for 14 days before entering Malta (Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina not on that list) - NO QUARANTINE.
The Netherlands - as of July 21, Croatia is placed on the "Orange" list by the Dutch government, which means that both the Croatian nationals and the Dutch nationals returning to the Netherlands from Croatia are strongly advised to self-quarantine for 14 days (original decision, in Dutch)
Norway - Croatia is on the Norwegian "red list", meaning that anyone arriving in Norway from Croatia needs to quarantine for 10 days.
Poland - Persons crossing the borders of the Republic of Poland that are the internal EU borders do not have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine - NO QUARANTINE for arrivals from Croatia.
Portugal- no restrictions for entry into mainland Portugal, some restrictions in place for Madeira and Azores NO QUARANTINE.
Romania - Croatia is on the Romanian "Green list" - no limitations on entry, NO QUARANTINE.
Slovakia - Croatia will be removed from the Slovakian List of “Safe countries” on September 1st - travelers who visited Croatia need to self-isolate in Slovakia until they receive the negative RT-PCR test result for COVID-19 done in the Slovak Republic)
Slovenia - Slovenia modified their green and red lists on September 28, and 8 Croatian counties are on the red list (Brod Posavina, Dubrovnik-Neretva, Lika-Senj, Požega-Slavonia, Šibenik-Knin, Split-Dalmatia, Virovitica-Podravina, and Zadar counties, while the rest of them (including all that are bordering with Slovenia) are on the yellow list.
Spain has opened its borders to Spanish and other EU citizens without limitations - NO QUARANTINE.
Sweden has no limitations for entry for its own or any other EU citizens - NO QUARANTINE.
USA - Croatia is not on the American list of countries that are under travel restrictions. All passengers arriving in the US from Croatia are, however, advised to self-isolate for 14 days.
Canada has a mandatory 14-day quarantine for anyone entering Canada, including Croatian citizens.
The information is out there, and we can find it as a community. If you would like to help grow this list further, join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community and place the link.
May 29, 2020 - One of Croatia's leading producers of healthy food is turning its attention to assisting with the COVID-19 crisis. Meet the Securol hand sanitizer which could soon be supplying the needs of Croatia at a fair price.
Call me crazy, but the longer this coronavirus crisis goes on, the more hopeful I am for a better Croatia in the post-corona era.
Yes, there will be severe economic hardship for more of us, and yes, life will not be the same. But this unique situation has also fostered an environment that can bring real change, an environment where the innovative little (or not so little) has a chance to make an impact much larger than one might expect.
A bit like Croatia itself on the world stage - this tiny country which dared to dream has overperformed on the world stage in some many fields. The World Cup obviously comes to mind, but look too at what Croats have contributed to technology, invention, innovation, health and IT.
Croatians are beginning to demand change, as the Glas Poduzetnika initiative gathers pace. Meanwhile, some of the finest Croatian minds are coming up with local solutions to tackle the unique set of challenges Croatia is currently experiencing.
Which brings us to a small village not far from the Slavonian town of Donji Miholjac, which is surrounded by fields and fields of prime arable land.
And much of that land has been put to very good use since 1981 by a local company called Protect Pharma. And with the current crisis, Protect Pharma is using its decades of expertise and resources to begin production of a very sought-after product both now and for the foreseeable future.
Hand santizer.
I absolutely love EVERYTHING about this project, but rather than me tell you about it, let's meet Protect Pharma CEO Mladen Falamic, who tells us not only about his incredible food business, but also about how his new Securol hand-sanitizer could soon be servicing Croatia's needs at a very affordable and fair price. Croatian tech, innovation and quality for Croatia, and beyond.
With the crisis in full swing and lots of appeals and solutions vying for attention, establishing trust in a venture is of paramount importance. So let's start by establishing some credentials. Tell us who you are and what Securol is.
Firstly, it is not easy to explain who we are quickly, so a longer introduction is necessary to give a better understanding.
Protect Pharma Ltd. from Rakitovica near Donji Miholjac is a family-owned company which has been and continues to be successful in both Croatian and foreign markets. Our agricultural activities date back to 1981, and the production and processing of products started in 1989 known with the Fami brand.
As we have been engaged in agriculture - both processing and production - for many years, our knowledge and experience complemented by modern technology make us one of the major food industries in Croatia. When we began our agricultural production, we recognized the potentials of cultures that were not common in our area such as: garlic, chamomile, beans, peanuts and we were also doing the purchase of mushrooms and snails (in the early 1980s).
We cherish a long tradition in production of water, fruit and natural juices, syrups, pasta, spices, sauces, food seasonings, bread and bakery products, cakes, biscuits, additives for confectioneries and bakery, spice mixes etc. But as we always search for more challenges and follow the market demands, we are developing, exploring, creating innovations and more.
In an effort to transfer our unique achievements in healthy food and lifestyle to our customers, we developed a Green Life food, food supplements with health claims product line. Our long-standing tradition and experience in agriculture and food production have been transformed into the highest quality of Green Life product line. Green Life products are grown and produced in a completely natural way, which is affirmed by the certificates for these products (Croatian organic product HR-EKO-07, Austria Bio Garantie, Halal, Vegan, ISO 9001: 2015, HACCP, some are also Gluten-Free).
Our products are the result of many years of research, analysis, development and innovation, and as such, they follow the trends in the functional food industry, and with some products, we could say that we are setting trends. Green Life products are naturally grown and produced without flavour and color enhancers. Our new product line carries the role of functional food because besides having a high nutritional value, it has a beneficial effect on the general health of people.
As a business partner we guarantee the best, certified quality of raw materials and end products. Organically certified processing and drying of vegetables, fruits, oilseeds, cereals, spices and herbs, the development and production of products that have a positive impact on human health are just some of the activities our company performs. All our processing facilities, agricultural areas, as well as sales, accounting and administration are located in a small Slavonian village called Rakitovica. Rakitovica is located north side of the Karašica river, surrounded by vast fields and forests, and on the other, the north side, about 5 km away is the town of Donji Miholjac and the river Drava. The area of fertile Slavonia is ideal for organic agriculture and organic food production.
Our goal is to expand to new markets, and to become a market leader recognized in quality and authenticity.
Securol is one of the first sanitizing brands that emerged as a problem solution for the current situation. We usually produce other products and services, but Securol is a whole new area of our activities. We have all the basics needed to develop such a product in two weeks, and so we did. And we want it to last.
The corona crisis has caused lots of destruction but also brought some opportunity. How did you go from food products to sanitiser production?
To maintain clean and disinfected facilities, we have regular daily cleaning procedures, but when COVID-19 hit our area, at one point we could not buy sanitizers. There was a huge hole in market, but as we use alcohol for hemp extraction, we had a big quantity of alcohol in stock. So initially we developed and made sanitizer for our own purposes. Of course, people talked about it, and we got inquiries from pharmacies, the police, civil protection headquarters, and so on… So we did some more due diligence and in an extremely short period of time, we developed the brand Securol to be ready for the market and fully compliant with EU regulations.
At the moment you have 1600 bottles ready for sale and distribution, but you have the capacity to produce much more. Tell us about the capacity you have if you had all you needed. What are you missing and what do you need to get to optimal production levels?
The situation with our stock is changing from hour to hour, and at this particular moment, we have 1600 bottles of 50 and 100ml Securol 75, and a couple of thousand of 1000ml. As we usually produce and fill CBD oil in our lab, we use those machines so we can easily produce and fill, such as 10,000 small bottles per day. If we talk about 500ml and 1000ml, we can produce a “little bit” more, Something like 6.000 bottles of 1000ml per hour, and a third line is for bottles of 5 liters and then we can produce and fill like 15.000 liters per hour. In this very unique time in which we live there is a shortage of regular things, such as small bottles, or spray caps, some raw material, packaging material etc.
Can you give us some quality assurance that the sanitizer has been approved by the authorities?
Yes, the Safety Data Sheet has been approved by the Institute of Public Health in Croatia, a customs license to handle ethanol, an SGS certified production at the plant in Rakitovica.
We have a safety certificate verified by "Zavod za javno zdravstvo Andrija Štampar" and a permit from the Ministry Of Health for the product to be marketed.
Ok, now let's get practical. You have a great product needed by everyone in Croatia. How do you reach your market? What are the logistical challenges?
We want to be as close to people's hands and items as possible. That’s why we will sell Securol to our existing partners – retail chains, webshop platforms, possible direct delivery to customers at their homes or other places with our logistics partners. And we also want to use new innovative partners like Glovo or Bike Express as a bicycle delivery system, at least in Zagreb. In short, we will sell to our partners via webshops, physical stores and hopefully one nice distributor for the entire country. We also plan to sell to other markets in need, preferably through a distribution partner for an entire area or country. But first we plan to build the business only to work in Croatia and optimize our role in the crisis and maintain the opportunity to keep our plant open and working for the 30 workers there. We want to build this story to be a long-term brand and business, it is very important to us to keep control over our products and have them flexible for adoption if needed by specific partners needs, as in the market at home and the world.
What IS your market - retail, wholesale, institutions?
All of the above. First and foremost, we are a factory. But in times like these and also in general, we strive for the most optimal solutions with which we can have as many open doors as possible, but choose when to knock and get in.
Tell us a little about price and transparency.
This situation had created chaos, and prices have sky-rocketd. And as we are the creator of product – Securol, we are taking care to find the most reliable, higher-quality raw materials, the best packaging that is also fully possible to recycle packaging materials. But we also want to place a heavy emphasis on fair pricing. We have already made changes to our pricing when raw material price changes to lower, so we keep transparency based on raw material and packaging material market prices.
Certainty is one of the things most sought after in this increasingly uncertain world. How soon do you deliver?
Yes it is… and it is important to be calm and precise. We already started deliveries last week, and expanding our network of partners constantly.
How do people order, and how do they get involved if they want to support your bottles, either financially, or perhaps with supply of empty bottles, for example?
Easy. Orders are by email, partners, webshops, local stores, etc…
Yes, there is the option of involving our partners to provide us bottles they prefer to use, and it already works. We are also developing new brands for our partners abroad.
You can get it all in our webshop on our web page. Both end consumer and wholesale buyers can get it there. You can get it all in our webshop on our web page. Both end consumer and wholesale buyers can get it there.
Consumers can't pay for now with credit cards. But one can pay the postman on receipt or simply through an invoice.
Big buyers simply write an email to us with their company info and inquiry about the product and delivery.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Now meet Mladen in a video interview organised, filmed and edited by Gustavo Vilera. Mladen is a really inspirational guy, and a symbol of the new Croatia 2.0.
As N1 writes on the 28th of May, 2020, the Croatian Institute of Public Health recently published its recommendations for how weddings should be held, stating that the maximum number of people that can be present indoors is 300, and in open spaces - 500.
"The ban on public events and gatherings consisting of more than 40 people has now been lifted, and from today on, the number of people who can be present at certain public events and gatherings will be determined by the recommendations and instructions of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, along with other anti-epidemic measures," they write.
This means that in the future, it will be possible to organise weddings as well as funerals that could also have been organised throughout the duration of the anti-epidemic measures, but when only a few people were allowed to participate in them.
Changes for weddings
The Croatian Institute of Public Health has published detailed recommendations for how weddings should be arranged. As expected, some of the recommendations remain standard - reminding people about maintaining a high level of personal hygiene and keeping a distance of a metre and a half between each other. The use of masks for staff serving people at weddings has also been recommended.
As for the maximum number of people allowed to gather at weddings, it depends on the size of the space. However, there are maximum numbers listed. Up until June the 15th, 100 people were allowed to gather indoors and 150 could gather outdoors. As of June the 15th onwards, those figures rise respectively to 200 and 250. And as of July the 1st, they'll rise again to 300 and 500, respectively.
More detailed recommendations for holding weddings celebrations have been published.
"When inviting guests, the organisers and the newlyweds must inform the guests about the measures in place and give them instructions and information. It is recommended that guests over the age of 65 or those suffering from chronic diseases are not invited to the wedding celebrations," the notice reads.
Distance on the dance floor
An interesting take on Sophie Ellis-Bextor's hit, you might think, but it's a bit more serious than that. The Croatian Institute of Public Health has also recommended that all seats be marked at the beginning. People, it is stated in the recommendations, should not gather in groups, but should go to their own places immediately upon entering the hall.
"It has been recommended that guests sitting in the farthest part of the room when looking in from the position of the door enter first. It is recommended that guests from the same household be seated at the same table. It is also recommended that the seating arrangement be accurate and unchanged during the entire wedding celebration,'' they state in the recommendation.
As for musical performances, a distance of four metres between the audience and the performer is recommended.
Special instructions have also been prescribed for the keeping a distance on the dance floor
"The number of people who can stay on the dance floor at the same time depends on the size of the podium and it is recommended to provide a space of four square metres per person. During more intense dances and similar activities, it is recommended that people maintain a physical distance of two metres, except between people who are members of the same household or those are usually in close contact,'' they announced.
For more on coronavirus and the Croatian Institute of Public Health, follow our dedicated section.
ZAGREB, May 28, 2020 - EU and US ministers on Thursday discussed security and judicial issues during the pandemic as well as visa reciprocity, which is being actively worked on "in this format, but also bilaterally," Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said after a video conference.
US citizens can travel to all EU countries without visas, whereas four EU member states - Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus - still need visas to enter the US.
"We are working on that issue very actively in this format, but also bilaterally. We hope for progress when it comes to the visa waiver programme," Bozinovic said. He presided over the EU-US virtual meeting together with Justice Minister Drazen Bosnjakovic.
The meeting was held online instead of physically in Dubrovnik as planned before the health crisis.
Ministers of the interior talked about cyber crime, terrorism, the spread of extremist propaganda, disinformation, travel restrictions and other security challenges.
"Cross-border challenges in the current conditions, I would say, not only haven't decreased but are even more pronounced than before in some areas," said Bozinovic.
The dialogue with the US should continue and it is necessary to "further strengthen the transatlantic partnership to which the EU has always attached high importance," he added.
Ministers of justice discussed contact tracking apps and urgent and extraordinary measures for ensuring the functioning of judicial systems in emergencies, quarantines and isolation.
May 29, 2020 - After the National Civil Protection Headquarters lifted the ban on gatherings of up to 40 people in Croatia, on Thursday, the Croatian Institute of Public Health (CNIPH) specified the maximum numbers.
Therefore, Jutarnji List reports that, based on the recommendations of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, 300 people are allowed indoors, while outdoors, that number has risen to 500.
Of course, as explained earlier this week, this is due to the favorable epidemiological situation and the small number of active cases, and the minimal or no number of new cases.
Regarding the recommendations, the CNIPH provided brief guidance. Thus, a distance of one and a half meters is recommended, except for people who live in the same household or otherwise socialize. Also, four square meters of space should be counted per person.
Among other recommendations, the CNIPH states that the mouth, nose and eyes should not be touched with the hands, hand disinfection is not mentioned, but indoors, mouth and nose masks should be worn by people who think they could develop more severe forms of the disease if they become infected with COVID-19.
It is not specified which categories of people these are, but considering the previous warnings, this should refer to the elderly, and people with a weaker immune system, i.e., the chronically ill.
Another big announcement on Thursday was that the borders have been fully reopened by Croatia to citizens of no less than ten countries.
Citizens of Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, and Germany can enter Croatia without restriction.
“According to our comparative analysis of the epidemiological situation, those are the countries with either similar progress as Croatia or the trends are such that we can adopt such a decision and enable the arrival of those countries’ citizens during the tourist season, with the appropriate epidemiological recommendations and the special application that has already been made,” Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic told his cabinet.
To read more about news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
May 29, 2020 - The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for flights to Croatia with updates from Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik.
Slobodna Dalmacija reports that Spanish airlines Iberia and Vueling announced on Thursday that they would return some flights from Madrid and Barcelona to foreign destinations, including Dubrovnik and Split, from July 1, after those flights were suspended due to the coronavirus.
Since the state of emergency was declared in Spain on March 14, Iberia has only operated foreign flights to London and Paris so that passengers can reach their destinations in an emergency. Tourist travel is banned, and border police check the documents and certificates of those rare foreign passengers at airports.
But after the Spanish government announced on Monday that it would allow foreign tourists to arrive in the country from July 1, Iberia and Vueling announced the gradual return of their flights.
In July, Iberia will fly between Madrid and Dubrovnik, which will be one of its 15 foreign destinations. It will introduce an additional 28 destinations in Europe and North Africa in August.
"In order to restore customer confidence, we will not charge penalties for changing tickets purchased from today until June 30, for flights until December 31," Iberia said in a statement posted on its website on Thursday.
Iberia also had flights between Madrid and Zagreb and Zadar, but it is unknown at this time what will happen with them. The company did not respond to the inquiry until the news was published.
Iberia's operations in July and August will be at 21 percent of capacity compared to previously forecast this summer, and in the event of increased demand, capacity could increase to 35 percent.
Flights between Madrid and Split can also be booked via Iberia's website from July 1, and passengers will be transported by Vueling Airlines.
Iberia and Vueling, in fact, have a joint owner, the company International Airlines Group.
"We can confirm that we will gradually return flights from Barcelona to Dubrovnik and Split from July," said Vueling's spokesman Xabier Martinez Serrano.
Flights from Spain to other continents have been suspended until further notice.
"We also plan to return long-haul flights to distant destinations when the situation allows it and when quarantine and travel restrictions are lifted," Iberia said.
Spain, one of Europe's most affected countries by the coronavirus, currently has closed borders, so only foreign cross-border workers, aircrew, truck drivers, healthcare professionals and patients ordered for surgery or people with a certificate of emergency entry are allowed to enter the country.
The Spanish government is easing measures of limited population movement through four phases (0 to 3) and trying to bring the country to a "new normal" by the end of June.
The largest and hardest hit cities Madrid and Barcelona are in phase 1 and most of the territories are in phase 2.
Iberia will also increase the number of domestic flights in Spain from July 1, because now its planes fly from Madrid only to the Canary and Balearic Islands, Barcelona, Bilbao and the northern provinces of Asturias and Galicia.
Furthermore, Croatian Aviation announced that Austrian Airlines announced the relaunch of international routes, after all the company's planes were grounded for almost 90 days.
The establishment of international flights is expected from June 15, and in the first week of operations, Dubrovnik Airport is among the destinations.
Austrian Airlines will fly from June 21 on the Vienna-Dubrovnik route twice a week (Wednesdays and Sundays). An A321 aircraft with a capacity of 200 passengers has been announced.
As of June 24, Austrian is introducing the Vienna-Split route, which will run 4 times a week (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays). A321 aircraft have also been announced on this route.
In a recent statement, the company announced that it would initially operate its routes with smaller capacity aircraft (Embraer 195 / DashQ400), so a change of aircraft type to Dubrovnik and Split is still possible.
Austrian Airlines is currently preparing a flight schedule for July and will be announced soon, it is expected that the company will return the Zagreb-Vienna route in July.
Finally, Croatian Aviation announced that it is re-establishing another international route. From Monday, June 8, Croatia Airlines will fly between Zagreb and Zurich.
From that date, Zagreb and Zurich will be connected four times a week (Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays) with a DashQ400 aircraft with a capacity of 76 passengers. As of June 15, daily flights between the largest cities in Switzerland and Croatia are on sale.
The plane will depart from Zagreb at 09:10, the expected arrival in Zurich is at 10:45. The return flight will take off from Zurich at 11:45, and the expected landing in Zagreb is at 13:10.
After June 15, the introduction of several international lines to Croatia is expected, given that the borders of many countries should be opened from that date.
From June 8, Croatia Airlines will operate on international routes from Zagreb to Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Zurich, along with domestic routes to Split and Dubrovnik.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 28th of May, 2020, all of us have become caught up in a whole new era. New rules, reduced economic trends, cancelled orders. But some saw the crisis as an opportunity. Here's the story of the Croatian company Mihokovic Metal Solutions as an example of excellent adaptation to the new situation.
The Croatian company, a metal producer called Mihokovic Metal Solutions is currently positioned as one of the leaders in the industry of metal processing and wholesale production of metal products in the Republic of Croatia. It supports various industries: transformer production, the IT and automotive industries, the marketing and fashion industries, interior and exterior furnishing, and for the last year they have been working for the needs of robotics, medicine and even the military.
The business has been growing concretely over the past 25 years, and short deadlines, many orders, and little time to develop non-profit metallurgy products have kept it away from products like the one it has now turned to amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The crisis that hit the whole world also made doing business difficult for this Croatian company.
''Almost 45% of our production stopped overnight. The primary focus was on the company’s survival and on job preservation. The direction in which we thought was: what can we produce in the short term that isn't currently being covered and for which there is an obvious need in the market?’ explained Marina Mihokovic, director of marketing and sales in the company.
The answer was interesting: Metal racks for disinfectants.
With the new regulations introduced by the National Civil Protection Headquarters, all branches and premises with a large flow of people at the entrance must install disinfectants. But how exactly is up to them. This primarily regards banks, hotels, bakeries, supermarkets, cafes, and all those who want to maintain a high standard of protection for everyone present.
''We receive the largest orders from distributors and manufacturers of disinfectants and large clients who have multiple branches. We started with two key models: one you mount on the wall and one that is self standing. Through numerous collaborations, we've developed several models with useful accessories: we have a model with holders for masks and gloves, a model that is adapted to various sizes of antiseptic bottles, a model with a people counter and one with a temperature reader,'' added Mihokovic.
Production soon boomed in Croatia, but the first orders from abroad only started recently.
''From the moment we produced the first line of racks, inquiries started coming in to us from all sides. It was clear that we needed to instantly expand the capacity of that part of production to more shifts. We're now well-established, and we approach each client individually, adapting to their needs, their business context and the premises in which they operate,'' concluded Mihokovic.
This Croatian company is a true example of quality leadership and timely adaptation to market needs, even in what is currently an unenviable, extremely difficult period for business.
Citizens of Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, and Germany can enter Croatia without restriction. As though corona never happened.
“According to our comparative analysis of the epidemiological situation, those are the countries with either similar progress as Croatia or the trends are such that we can adopt such a decision and enable the arrival of those countries’ citizens during the tourist season, with the appropriate epidemiological recommendations and the special application that has already been made,” Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic told his cabinet.
