July the 2nd, 2021 - Despite the fact that vaccination is going well and both infection rates and deaths are dropping, new variants of the virus continue to emerge, which is totally normal, but for some the constant headlines are becoming too much. Unfortunately, numerous Croatian accommodation cancellations have begun ever since headlines about new variants and new waves have begun to dominate once again.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Croatian Immunologist Stipan Jonjic from the Medical Faculty in Rijeka warned that there is a great risk that the illusion of normalcy, the biology of the virus and our mistakes will lead us to a catastrophic situation with coronavirus again in autumn, much like 2020.

The decision on the application of EU digital green certificates came into force in all European Union countries yesterday, and Ivana Pavic Simetin, Deputy Director of the CNIPH, said that the digital certificate is a tool that will become easier to apply over time and that it will be easier to get it as time goes on.

''One of the most logical ways to continue our life today is with this digital confirmation, and it will be easier for us to get together and do everything we like to do, like we did before,'' Pavic Simetin said while on Croatian Radio recently.

"Nothing important has changed for us except vaccination, which for now seems to be the only successful way to fight this. Viruses do tend to mutate and improve, by the end of the summer we'll probably have a few new variations. Thankfully, a variant that is completely resistant to vaccination doesn't appear to have occurred so far,'' Jonjic assured.

“However, there may be a variant that is practically completely resistant to this vaccination and then we have to look for other options. Of course, other options are new types of vaccines, new variants of vaccines that target the so-called preserved part of the viral genome, or proteome, against which the virus can do nothing, because if that part mutates, then that virus is gone. And a lot of work is being done on that,'' said Jonjic.

"Until we have a completely covered as many people as possible with vaccination and until we have a cure for COVID-19, we're left with conservative measures that are unpopular, and these are actually precautions, targeted measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic," Jonjic said, adding that he wasn't feeling optimistic, even admitting that he was feeling pessimistic with regard to the vaccination rollout and what might await us this autumn.

"I'm simply scared about this, I don't see a way that optimism will help," he said bluntly, HRT reports.

Barbara Markovic, vice president of the Croatian Association of Family Accommodation, said that due to media reports that the Delta strain would arrive in Croatia, which it already has, many would-be tourists are cancelling their Croatian accommodation for this summer season.

Pavic Simetin said that it wasn't the statements about new waves and new variants that were important, but the statistics and data.

"This is all precise data and we have to present it as we have it. Sequencing is done for us by the European Centre for Disease Control,'' she added.

Markovic said the only strategy is to motivate people to get vaccinated, but by no means shorten the tourist season with any direct dates.

"Doing the latter is how we end up seeing Croatian accommodation reservations cancelled. It's one thing to sit in the office at a comfortable 24 degrees, it's one thing to work in the field at plus 40 with guests,'' said Markovic, adding that the situation on the field is very sensitive and that tourists are inquiring about all statements made.

Pavic Simetin called on people once again to get vaccinated, adding that it is important to vaccinate children with chronic diseases and those who have people with chronic diseases in their families during the summer, and that they will prepare organised vaccinations before the beginning of the school year for kids, which will be based on the premise of volunteering.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and choose your preferred language.

July the 2nd, 2021 - The Croatian events industry has finally been given the green light to gradually return to some form of normal, following a horrendous period of uncertainty and depression as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, but at what cost?

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes, 100 people are allowed to be gathered together following yesterday's new changes, and even more people can come together if they have their digital certificates. This will finally facilitate the holding of various business and entertainment events, but provisions are in force that will significantly affect the financial structure of participants and organisers.

When it comes to the Croatian events industry, particularly business events, such as conferences and the like, it is still forbidden to set up sponsor stands, which is important for the income of the events. When it comes to ''fun'' events, clubbing will be a very expensive thing to engage in for guests this summer, because when entering each of these events they will need to prove that they have been vaccinated or pay for a fresh covid test each time.

As of July the 1st, the application of EU digital certificates for travel within the European Union also officially started, but the freedom of travel that these certificates were supposed to bring has already been called into question, as some countries have introduced quarantines due to the emergence of the Delta virus strain, rendering those apparently now somewhat empty promises void.

New rules

As is now known, new epidemiological measures to prevent the transmission of the novel coronavirus, which mostly concerns gatherings and public events, came into force in Croatia on the 1st of July, 2021. As of that date, a ban on holding all public events and gatherings attended by more than 100 people in one place is in force, unless it is a public event or gathering attended only by persons with an EU digital covid certificate and with permission from the powers that be.

Public events and gatherings and ceremonies of all kinds may last until midnight, unless it is a public event or gathering attended only by persons with a covid certificate. The rules on the sale of alcohol remains in force, and catering and hospitality facilities will only be allowed to serve guests if they're seated. Facilities registered as night clubs, night bars, disco bars and disco clubs from the category of bars are allowed to work and serve all guests without restrictions on working hours, but only in open spaces and provided that entry to their premises is allowed only to persons who present a covid certificate.

Conferences and congresses attended by up to 100 people may be held in compliance with all of the current anti-epidemic measures, but the suspension of fairs and other forms of economic and tourist events or events where products are sold, exhibited or displayed indoors remains in force. This is exactly the provision for which the Croatian events industry and various event organisers have been trying to get an exemption over recent days.

"It's good that we can finally work with more than 25 people, which was valid until July the 1st for our industry, while, let's say, cultural events had much more relaxed measures, although these are very similar forms of gatherings. A significant problem, however, is that we won't be allowed to have sponsor stands, which can easily be organised in compliance with all of the measures. We've warned the representatives of the Ministry of Tourism several times about this, and they're our address in communication with the National Civil Protection Headquarters, but so far we haven't received any response from the Ministry,'' revealed Jasmina Bilac, President of the Business Tourism Association at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK).

In the entertainment industry, more or less all guests will have to pay for covid tests, because many younger people still haven't managed to get vaccinated.

Boris Suljic, the owner of the clubs on Zrce beach, points out that Novalja has prepared for that, and organised a kiosk for rapid tests that will be carried out by the Medico health institution from Rijeka.

“Entry to clubs will be possible for those who have proof that they've been vaccinated, have a negative test or have proof of having recovered. We've prepared at Zrce with a kiosk for rapid tests for guests, and so we'll function like that in the next fifteen days. Namely, until then, these measures are valid, we don't know what will happen next, and this lack of certainty continues to be the biggest issue for us,'' stated Suljic.

At more or less 100 kuna for a rapid antigen test for each entrance to the club, 550 kuna for a PCR test and 650 kuna for a rapid PCR test, guests aren't going to be particularly happy with this summer's offer from the Croatian events industry, which has been among the worst affected.

For more, follow our lifestyle section.

July 1, 2021 - Some good tourism news for the first half of this year, as 11.8 million overnights in Croatia have been recorded, mostly in Istria, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, and Split-Dalmatia County!

After a mostly tourism-less 2020, some reassuring news coming from the first six months of this year.

Namely, during the first six months of 2021, there were 2.6 million arrivals and 11.8 million overnight stays recorded in Croatia, i.e., 54 percent more arrivals and 53 percent more overnight stays than in the same period last year. At the same time, foreign tourists recorded 9.1 million overnight stays, while domestic tourists recorded 2.7 million overnight stays, reports HRTurizam.

These are the first data provided from the eVisitor system, which contains tourist traffic in commercial and non-commercial facilities and nautical charter (eCrew system).

Most tourist overnight stays were realized in Istria County (3.6 million), Primorje-Gorski Kotar County (2.2 million), and Split-Dalmatia County (1.8 million), followed by Zadar County (1.6 million overnight stays), Šibenik-Knin County. 732,000), and Dubrovnik-Neretva County (624,000).

Observing the results of destinations, the highest number of overnight stays since the beginning of the year was achieved in Rovinj (681,000 thousand), Zagreb (427,000), and Poreč (418,000). Looking at the markets, since the beginning of the year, the largest number of overnight stays was recorded by foreign guests from Germany (2.4 million), Slovenia (1.5 million), Austria (987,000), Poland (866,000), and the Czech Republic (681,000). According to the type of accommodation, most overnight stays were recorded in household facilities, hotels, and camps.

During June this year, there were 1.5 million arrivals and 7.9 million overnight stays, or 62 percent more arrivals and 61 percent more overnight stays than in June 2020.

Guests from Germany (1.6 million), Slovenia (1.2 million), and Austria (805,000) spent the most overnight stays in Croatia. Most tourist overnight stays were realized in Istria County (2.4 million), Primorje-Gorski Kotar County (1.5 million), and Split-Dalmatia County (1.3 million), while the most popular destinations were Rovinj (439,000 overnight stays), Poreč (266,000), and Vir (232,000).

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

ZAGREB, 1 July 2021 - In the past 24 hours, 103 coronavirus cases and three deaths have been registered in Croatia, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Thursday.

There are 525 active cases, including 151 hospitalized patients, 13 of whom are on ventilators, while 3,276 persons are self-isolating.

Croatia has registered 359,975 coronavirus cases to date, including 8,209 deaths and 351,241 recoveries, 71 of which in the past 24 hours.

To date, 2,153,014 persons have been tested for the virus, including 4,460 in the past 24 hours, and 2,568,877 vaccines have been administered, with 1,488,759 having received at least one dose and 1,080,118 both.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, including travel, border, and quarantine rules, as well as the locations of vaccination points and testing centers across the country, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.

July 1, 2021 - The Delta Variant in Croatia currently makes up 43% of cases, said HZJZ head Krunoslav Capak, who warned of a new wave and stricter measures in autumn. 

The goal of vaccinating 50 percent of adults with the first dose by July 1 has not been achieved, reports Dnevnik.hr.

"We set ourselves that goal of 55 percent of the population given the vaccines because we calculated how many vaccines we would get, and by that, we would vaccinate. However, interest has dropped, vaccination has slowed. Many people calculate that they do not want to be vaccinated now, but that they will be vaccinated later when they see the situation, which is bad because we cannot have this tourist season if we do not get vaccinated anymore," HZJZ head Krunoslav Capak told Nova TV and added that a new wave would come to us in the fall, and maybe even sooner because we have the Indian strain, which is present in Croatia with 43 percent% of cases since the last sequencing.

He announced stricter measures in the autumn.

"Certainly, there will be more restrictive measures if our numbers start to grow because, given that we have not been vaccinated enough, there is no other way to protect the health of citizens than to introduce stricter measures," Capak said.

Asked how he would encourage people to get vaccinated, Capak said:

"It's a difficult question. We counted on the common sense of our citizens. We thought - enough vaccines have been procured. We have communicated that 70-80 percent of the population needs to be vaccinated to solve this problem we have, which has stopped the global economy which stopped living in the world. The only way to get rid of it is to get vaccinated. We counted on it. However, we obviously miscalculated. Vaccination has slowed down, but I am still counting on being able to reach that level with the measures that we are introducing."

He also commented on problems with Covid certificates. Capak says that there were technical problems due to which some could not get a confirmation immediately, but these problems are continuously solved.

Capak also referred to trips abroad. He says there are no restrictions on Croats traveling across Europe. "We are green at the moment, except for two or three areas that have a high incidence problem," he said, adding that there are no restrictions on EU guests coming to Croatia, but they should have Covid certificates.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and choose your preferred language.

June 30, 2021 - Croatian Government members held a Cabinet session on Wednesday, after which Interior Minister Davor Božinović stated to the media about third-country nationals entering Croatia and the latest on digital Covid certificates.

New rules for the citizens of Serbia and BiH as well

"Everyone who has these certificates will be able to come and enter the Republic of Croatia without any restrictions," Božinović revealed. "All those who do not have a certificate will have to present a negative test not older than 48 hours, a certificate showing they recovered from COVID-19, or that they have been vaccinated. The news is that people from third countries no longer need to present a special reason for coming to Croatia," Božinović said, as reported by Index.hr.

This means that from now on, citizens of Serbia and Bosnia & Herzegovina need to have one of three certificates to enter Croatia - one for vaccination, recovery, or a negative test.

Covid certificates as tickets to events

Božinović also spoke about the use of Covid certificates to enter events.

"As for the use of digital Covid certificates at the national level, their use will apply to clubs, concerts, events, and other manifestations that would gather more than 100 people," the minister said.

Covid certificates will also be issued at testing sites

"We have an additional novelty, and that is that all testing sites in Croatia, in addition to performing testing, will be able to issue digital Covid certificates. They will be published by HZZO and all its branches on the e-Citizens website. When you come to test, within those 15 minutes, you have to wait; you can get the Covid certificate. This will also be possible for foreign citizens. Anyone can obtain a digital Covid certificate," said Božinović.

Božinović says that local civil protection headquarters will control traditional gatherings.

“Whoever organizes these events should have an interest in maintaining the tradition, but, on the other hand, not allowing any of these manifestations to become the focus of the coronavirus,” he said.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and choose your preferred language.

ZAGREB, 30 June, 2021 - In the past 24 hours, 136 coronavirus cases and one death have been registered in Croatia, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Wednesday.

There are 496 active cases, including 159 hospitalised patients, 12 of whom are on ventilators, while 3,475 persons are self-isolating.

Croatia has registered 359,872 coronavirus cases to date, including 8,206 deaths and 351,170 recoveries, 57 of which in the past 24 hours.

To date, 2,148,554 persons have been tested for the virus, including 4,954 in the past 24 hours, and 2,573,481 vaccines have been administered, with 1,488,707 persons having received one and 1,084,774 both doses.

For more about covid-19 in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

June the 30th, 2021 - Ivana Pavic Simetin of the Croatian Institute of Public Health recently discussed the Croatian vaccination rollout, and even touched on the vaccination of children.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Deputy Head of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, Ivana Pavic Simetin, was a recent guest of N1 Studio live. She discussed the vaccination of people in Zagreb who hadn't been previously invited for the vaccine, and that other counties had already started carrying out the rollout in this way.

She stated that there are young doctors vaccinating people.

''We're vaccinating our citizens who haven't had the opportunity to be vaccinated so far, we're vaccinating them without them needing to provide any prior notice, without being invited, they just need to come and bring their health cards so that we can enter all the data for the digital certificate. It's going very well," Ivana Pavic Simetin said.

"So far, the vast majority of people who have a great will and motivation have been vaccinated, either because of illness or because of travel. There are a large number of citizens, 30 or 40 percent of them, who have nothing against vaccination, they even have a positive attitude towards it, but they lack motivation. They think that it isn't convenient today, so tomorrow or the day after tomorrow and a month or two will pass. To reach such groups, we must come to them.

A good example are the covid buses that travel through rural areas and vaccinate people,'' she explained, also appealing to people waiting for autumn to be vaccinated, saying that then, if the fourth wave comes, it will be too late because they won't be protected. As for vaccinating children, she says that it is currently recommended that children aged 12 and older be vaccinated if they themselves have a chronic illness or if they have someone in the household who is at risk.

"If someone has a desire for their child to be vaccinated, and they don't fall into these two categories, they can exercise the right to that, but for now there is no organised vaccination of children. First, because they've broken up from school and it would be difficult to gather them together, and in children there are either no symptoms or they are very mild and there is much more experience in vaccinating adults in the world than there is in children.

By the beginning of the next academic year, we'll prepare everything, study the literature and if there is something more organised to come, it will happen in autumn. If there are indicators that all children should be vaccinated, it will be carried out in schools, with whole classes, as it is typically done with every other vaccine,'' she explained.

"It is not good for public figures to send out messages about not getting vaccinated.''

She also spoke about Croatian footballer Ivan Perisic, who according to the latest information didn't get vaccinated, and is now positive for COVID-19.

''It isn't good for anyone to send out messages about not being vaccinated, especially public figures. Djani Stipanicev contacted us because he's a supporter of vaccination, and musicians also do the same see how many people will be able to come to their concerts with their digital confirmation documents. We already had several well-known names who have supported us in the vaccination process, for example Goran Ivanisevic was vaccinated in our country, Zvonimir Boban was also there.

We're in constant contact with sports federations, we have special agreements with them, they need to be tested a lot because of all the competitions, so they know that they can contact us and we'll arrange vaccinations for them the same day or the day after. All public health institutes have put vaccination in the first place. It isn't difficult at all to get vaccinated,'' she concluded.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and choose your preferred language.

June 30, 2021 - A look at the new COVID-19 measures in Croatia from July 1. 

New epidemiological measures will take effect tomorrow, July 1. 

More freedom for all with Covid passports
It is important to point out that as of July 1, there is no ban on the number of people gathered for events for people who have digital EU certificates.

The new measures mostly refer to gatherings of people who have an EU digital certificate -  there are no restrictions on the number of people gathered in this sense, nor will there be restrictions placed on the duration of such gatherings.

The organizers of such events will have access to a mobile application through which they will be able to read the QR code from the digital EU certificate. However, the consent of the local civil protection headquarters will be required for such events.

Bozinovic emphasized that for other cases, in which the Covid status of persons will not be controlled, there remains a limit of 100 persons, and a limit on the duration of the event up to midnight. 

These are all measures that are in force from tomorrow
- ban on holding all public events and gatherings attended by more than 100 people in one place, unless it is a public event or gathering attended only by persons with an EU digital covid-certificate, and the local civil protection headquarters of the local self-government gave consent
- public events and gatherings and ceremonies of all kinds can last up to 24:00, unless it is a public event or gathering attended only by persons with EU digital covid-certificate, and the competent civil protection headquarters of the local government gave consent
- at cemetaries, during last farewells and funerals, condolences to the bereaved must not be expressed in close contact, and cemetery administrations are obliged to monitor compliance with anti-epidemic measures
- working hours limit for bakeries and shops selling bread and bakery products until 24:00
- ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages from 24:00 to 6:00

Cafes can only serve you if you are sitting
- restricting the operation of catering facilities and family farms that provide catering services so that food, beverages, and sweets can be served in the outdoor service area, and only to guests sitting at tables, in strict compliance with prescribed epidemiological measures and special recommendations and instructions of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, and working hours can be determined from 6:00 to 24:00
- catering establishments may deliver, i.e., deliver food, beverages, and sweets in compliance with all anti-epidemic measures in one of the following ways: by personal collection before entering the catering facility without entering the facility, delivery from the catering facility by own delivery vehicle, delivery on the basis of business cooperation agreements concluded between the caterer and a third party (legal or natural-craftspeople), which are registered and entered in the Register of entities in the food business, the so-called "drive-through" way
- exceptionally from the anti-epidemic measure, catering facilities and family farms which, in accordance with the decision of the competent administrative body, prepare and serve guests hot and cold dishes and desserts, are allowed indoors, with strict adherence to general epidemiological measures and special recommendations of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, 
- exceptionally from the anti-epidemic measure, catering facilities such as night clubs, night bars, disco-bars and disco-clubs from the Bars category are allowed to work and serve all guests without restrictions on working hours, but only in open spaces and provided only for persons holding an EU digital covid-certificate (guests, staff, contractors, etc.)

Gatherings of more than 30 people if all have a Covid certificate
- holding private ceremonies and gatherings of all kinds (including wedding ceremonies) in catering and other facilities are allowed in compliance with all prescribed epidemiological measures if the ceremony is not attended by more than 30 people
- it is exceptionally allowed to hold wedding ceremonies with more than 30 people, with the obligatory notice of the wedding ceremony, stating the place, time and approximate number of persons who will be present to the competent county civil protection service via e-mail county centers 112 is in Annex 1), no later than 3 days before the event and compliance with special recommendations and instructions of the Croatian Institute of Public Health and if all persons who will be present at the wedding ceremony have an EU digital covid-certificate
- the organizer of the wedding ceremony is obliged, before entering the space where the wedding ceremony is held, to check whether all persons who will be present at the wedding ceremony of the EU have a digital covid-certificate
- for holding wedding ceremonies that are in accordance with the above, it is not necessary to obtain the prior consent of the competent civil protection headquarters and do not have to end by 24:00
- opening hours of casinos, slot machine clubs, and payment points for betting can be determined from 8:00 to 24:00, with a ban on the provision of catering services in their premises
- strict adherence to anti-epidemic measures in gyms and fitness centers
- strict adherence to anti-epidemic measures when holding workshops, children's playrooms, and providing entertainment and recreational services indoors (birthday parties, amusement and family parks, etc.)
- suspension of all amateur cultural and artistic performances, programs, and events indoors
- suspension of fairs and other forms of economic and tourist events or events where products are sold, exhibited or displayed indoors
- mandatory use of face masks or medical masks at fairs and other forms of economic and tourist events or events where products are sold, exhibited or displayed in open spaces
- conferences and congresses attended by up to 100 people may be held in compliance with all prescribed epidemiological measures and special recommendations and instructions of the Croatian Institute of Public Health

Sports and other
- sports competitions and training can be held only without spectators and with strict adherence to all prescribed epidemiological measures and special recommendations and instructions of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, and the organizers are obliged to ensure that all athletes and necessary technical staff adhere to prescribed epidemiological measures.
- exceptionally, sports competitions may be held in the presence of a maximum of 100 spectators if the following conditions are met: the county public health institute in whose territory the competition is held develops an epidemiological framework, and the county civil protection headquarters in the area where the competition takes place approves
exceptionally, sports competitions may be organized in the presence of more than 100 spectators, without the epidemiological framework and the approval of the competent county headquarters, if all spectators and technical organizational staff present at the competition have an EU digital covid-certificate; the organizers of such competitions are obliged to submit a notice of the competition stating the place, time and approximate number of persons who will be present to the competent county civil protection service by e-mail of county centers 112 no later than 3 days before the competition
- the fulfillment of the set conditions is obliged to be controlled by the organizer of the competition
- foreign language schools are obliged to perform their activities in strict compliance with the prescribed epidemiological measures
- driving schools can theoretically be held only online or otherwise must maintain long-distance contacts, driving lessons can last a maximum of 45 minutes, with mandatory measurement of body temperature before entering the car, a break between two candidates must be a minimum of 10 minutes to ventilate and disinfect the car and records must be kept of all participants in driving lessons
- recommendation that religious rites, whenever possible, be broadcast via radio, TV, or in any other way that will allow believers to attend a religious rite without coming to religious facilities
- recommendation to local and regional self-government units not to organize and facilitate public events and gatherings of a large number of persons, especially organized viewing of football matches during the European Football Championship, unless only persons holding an EU digital covid- confirmation.

Organizers of public events that will be attended only by persons holding an EU digital covid-certificate are obliged, no later than 7 days before the event, to notify the headquarters of the local self-government unit of the intention to organize such a gathering, in whose area such a public event, i.e., gathering, will be held and request prior consent for holding.

The competent civil protection headquarters is obliged to respond to the request for the issuance of prior consent within 3 days of its receipt. Prior consent can only be given for public events and gatherings where all participants will have an EU digital covid-certificate.

Source: Index.hr

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and choose your preferred language.

ZAGREB, 29 June, 2021 - In the past 24 hours, 70 coronavirus cases and three deaths have been registered in Croatia, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Tuesday.

There are 418 active cases, including 181 hospitalised patients, 11 of whom are on ventilators, while 3,679 persons are self-isolating.

Croatia has registered 359,736 coronavirus cases to date, including 8,205 deaths and 351,113 recoveries, 74 of which in the past 24 hours.

To date, 2,143,600 persons have been tested for the virus, including 5,506 in the past 24 hours, and 2,545,040 vaccines have been administered, with 1,482,581 persons having received one and 1,062,459 both doses.

For more about COVID-19 in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.