Germany Declares Four Croatian Counties Safe for Traveling
March 5, 2021 – As of March 7, 2021, four Croatian counties – Istria, Krapina-Zagorje, Požega-Slavonia, and Bjelovar-Bilogora – won't be on the German list of risky areas anymore.
As reported by Romeo Draghicchio, the Croatian National Tourist Board director in Germany, the German Robert Koch Institute of Health removed four Croatian counties from the list of risk areas. Counties that, according to German estimates, are no longer risky are: Istria County, Krapina-Zagorje County, Požega-Slavonia County, and Bjelovar-Bilogora County.
Accordingly, the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs also lifted the negative warning for travel to these counties. This means that when returning to Germany from the mentioned four Croatian counties, a negative PCR test does not have to be presented and no quarantine is required.
The said decision shall enter into force on March 7, 2021.
The news is also listed on the Croatian Interior Ministry's (MUP) website.
"According to the notification from the Robert Koch Institute and the Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Federal Republic of Germany, dated March 7, 2021, the following counties are not on the list of risky areas: Istria, Požega-Slavonia, Bjelovar-Bilogora, and Krapina-Zagorje. A warning has been issued for other counties and the City of Zagreb, asking citizens not to travel if it is not necessary," reads the notice on the MUP's website.
In these four Croatian counties, a small number of people infected with coronavirus were recorded today. Krapina-Zagorje County has seven new infections today, Požega-Slavonia County six, and in Istria and Bjelovar-Bilogora County, only one case of coronavirus infection has been recorded.
The Istria County Civil Protection Headquarters continues to call for caution and responsibility in order to maintain a favorable epidemiological situation in that Croatian county.
For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.
Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages.
All of Croatia On the German Red List of Risky Areas
October 30, 2020 - On Friday, the German government put all of Croatia on the German red list of epidemiologically risky areas, based on the recommendation of the central epidemiological institute Robert Koch.
As Index.hr reports, so far four Croatian counties – Istria, Zadar, Šibenik-Knin, and Primorje-Gorski Kotar – were not on the German red list. On Friday, October 30, 2020, all of Croatian counties were put on the red list and declared risky.
This means that 14-day self-isolation is valid for returnees to Germany from Croatia, which can be avoided by a negative test for coronavirus that is not older than 48 hours. Tests for returnees from high-risk areas are free, but tests from the country of return are also recognized.
Only six days ago, on Saturday, October 24, 2020, the city of Zagreb and four more Croatian counties – Karlovac, Osijek-Baranja, Varaždin, and Bjelovar – were put on Germany's red list.
As of Friday, Germany has also put Slovenia, Hungary, Cyprus, and Bulgaria on the list of epidemiologically risky countries.
Except for two municipalities, Austria is also on the list, and with the exception of Calabria, all of Italy, too. For the first time, one Greek province is also on the list of risky areas.
A municipality or city with more than 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the last week is known as a risk area. Meanwhile, most parts of Germany have also been declared risky. In Germany, the ban on the operation of catering facilities and cultural and sports institutions will be in force from Monday, November 2, 2020. Tourist travel within Germany is also prohibited.
Despite the fact that almost all of Europe is a risky area for German citizens, the German government insists on open borders and opposes closure as was the case during the spring lockdown.
For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.
Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages.
City of Zagreb and Four More Croatian Counties are on Germany's Red List
October 24, 2020 - As of Saturday, the city of Zagreb and four more Croatian counties are on Germany's red list. Namely, Karlovac, Osijek-Baranja, Varazdin, and Bjelovar-Bilogora counties.
T.portal reports that other Croatian counties were on the list already. Thus, almost the entire territory of Croatia, with the exception of Istria, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Zadar, and Sibenik-Knin counties, is a risk area.
Returnees from these areas are subject to 14 days of self-isolation after arriving in Germany and reporting to local health services. A negative coronavirus test excludes mandatory self-isolation.
Based on the recommendation of the Central Epidemiological Institute Robert Koch, the German government placed the whole of Poland and Switzerland, as well as almost all of Austria, with the exception of Carinthia, on the list of risk areas.
According to the latest list, almost all of Italy is a high-risk area, while the Canary Islands have been removed from the list.
At the same time, Denmark closed its border with Germany due to the increase in the number of new infections in Germany.
Merkel called on citizens to reduce contacts
In her regular Saturday video message, German Chancellor Angela Merkel reiterated her call on citizens to reduce the number of personal contacts as much as possible and to adhere to hygienic measures and rules for wearing protective masks.
Police in Berlin today is intensively checking compliance with measures such as wearing masks in pedestrian zones and a ban on pouring and selling alcohol after 11 pm.
In recent days, Germany has seen a sharp rise in the number of new infections, which exceeded 11,000 on Thursday and Friday.
For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.
Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages.
Germany Adds Lika-Senj County to Red List
September 24, 2020 - The Robert Koch Institute red list now includes the French regions of Center-Val de Loire, Brittany and Normandy, Lika-Senj County in Croatia, and Notranjsko-kraška region in Slovenia.
Novi List reports that on Wednesday, Germany added regions from 11 European countries to the list of high-risk areas, including Lika-Senj County, rejecting the last hope of reviving tourism at a time when many countries are threatened by a second wave of coronavirus.
The Robert Koch Institute list includes major tourist destinations such as the French regions of Center-Val de Loire, Brittany and Normandy, Lika-Senj County in Croatia, and the Notranjsko-kraška region in Slovenia.
The list also includes the capitals of Ireland, Portugal, and Denmark, the Dutch province of Utrecht, the Austrian state of Vorarlberg, most of the Czech Republic, the county of Gyor in western Hungary, and Romania's Covasna.
The inclusion in the list of risk areas usually follows when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes recommendations against necessary trips to the region in question.
Germany warns against traveling to regions in the European Union where more than 50 are infected per 100,000 people per week.
Due to the spread of the epidemic, Germany has so far included Dubrovnik-Neretva, Požega-Slavonia, Šibenik-Knin, Split-Dalmatia, Brod-Posavina, Virovitica-Podravina, and Zadar counties on the list of epidemiologically risky areas in Croatia.
Declaring an area risky means that those returning from vacation must be tested for coronavirus and remain in self-isolation until they receive a negative test result.
On Wednesday, Croatia recorded 204 new cases, and the number of active cases in Croatia is 1,268. Among them, 278 patients are in hospital, of which 27 are on a ventilator. From Tuesday to Wednesday this week, 6,387 people were tested.
For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.
Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages
New Travel Warning: Germany Puts Zadar County on the Red List
September 3, 2020 - In the latest corona travel news, Germany puts Zadar County on the red list of risky countries.
Index.hr reports that the German Government has added Zadar County to the new list of epidemiologically risky areas and warned its citizens not to travel to the area due to the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.
The warning does not constitute a ban on travel to these areas
On Wednesday, the German Robert Koch Institute added Zadar County to the list of risky areas, in addition to the popular tourist destinations of Sibenik-Knin and Split-Dalmatia counties, the dpa agency reported.
The warning also does not constitute a travel ban on these areas, but suggests passengers reconsider their plans. In addition, it allows passengers to cancel trips at no additional cost.
Germany considers countries or regions where 50 or more cases of infection have been reported in seven days to be high-risk areas
Germany considers high-risk areas to be countries or regions where 50 or more cases of new coronavirus infections per 100,000 inhabitants have been reported in seven days.
Declaring an area risky means that those returning from vacation must be tested for coronavirus and remain in self-isolation until they receive a negative test result.
On August 20, the German Foreign Ministry issued a warning for travel to Sibenik-Knin and Split-Dalmatia counties due to the increased number of new coronavirus infections.
Who has put Croatia on the red list so far?
So far, Croatia has been put on the red list by Austria, the UK, Slovenia and Cyprus.
Unlike those countries that declared the whole of Croatia a red zone, Germany put only two Dalmatian counties in the red, which yesterday they extended to the third - Zadar County.
For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.
Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages
Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.
