Bozinovic Says Restriction On Work Of Nightclubs To Be Extended
ZAGREB, Aug 19, 2020 - The head of the national COVID-19 response team, Davor Bozinovic, said on Wednesday that the regulation banning the work of night clubs after midnight would definitely be extended considering that most new cases of infection are young people who have visited night clubs, notably in central Dalmatia.
"The ban will definitely be extended, we'll see if there is room for some modifications because there have been attempts to bypass the ban through restaurants and bars, which are allowed to work after midnight," he said, noting that inspectors would continue checking up on those establishments.
Croatia is not an unsafe country
"Of course Croatia is not an unsafe country in any segment of security," he said in a comment on Slovenian government spokesman Jelko Kacin's claim that Croatia is an unsafe country due to a surge in the number of new COVID-19 cases.
He said that it was a fact that the number of new infections in Croatia was growing but that Croatia was also one of the few countries whose tourism did exist in the current pandemic, with figures for July and August equalling up to 70 and 80% of last year's results.
"There is greater movement of people, people tend to relax when on holidays so the increase in new infections is not unexpected," he said.
He said that most of some 100,000 visiting Slovenians were staying in Istria, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, and Lika-Senj counties, which together had ten new infections in the last 24 hours.
He said that those guests felt safe in Croatia. "In order to convince them to return home, as soon as possible, one is possibly fomenting tension but we are confident that tourism trade will continue and that visitors will continue coming from all the countries that have now started to call on their nationals to come back home."
Bozinovic noted that the epidemiological situation was good in regions where tourists were staying, except for a few counties in central Dalmatia.
Germany could put us on the red list as well
Asked if he believed it was a matter of days when Germany, too, would put Croatia on a list of unsafe countries, he said that it was possible.
"That is possible but I would like to say that they all know very well the situation in our counties, in tourist destinations, and I'm confident every country will have to make effort to explain its decision to its nationals because less than 1% of tourists staying here have become infected," said Bozinovic.
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Night Clubs Where Coronavirus Appears Will Be Shut Down
ZAGREB, Aug 12, 2020 - In the past 24 hours, Croatia registered 130 new cases of the coronavirus and there are currently 686 active cases in the country, the national COVID-19 response team informed on Wednesday and added that night clubs where the disease emerges will be shut down.
"There are no particular new hot spots at the moment. People are returning from vacations and we have quite a few young people infected with the disease. The average age of newly infected people is 34 and these are mostly young people who have attended certain gatherings at different locations," said Krunoslav Capak, the head of the Croatian Institute for Public Health.
When it comes to night clubs and hospitality venues, Capak underscored that new recommendations have been issued for night clubs according to which all closed premises in clubs should be closed and patrons need to gather in open areas of clubs.
Dance floors should be closed down and tables should be set up at a physical distance of 1.5 metres and that will all be checked by members of civil protection authorities.
Stepping up checks and inspections
Inspections will be stepped up. Epidemiological and health inspectors will have the authority to shut down a venue if they determine that someone had been infected there. They will be able to reopen the venue after disinfection and all employees have been tested for the virus. That recommendation has been sent to all local authorities who will inform club and hospitality venue owners.
"That however does not refer only to hospitality premises but to everyone. If it is determined that someone has been infected in whatever premises, such as banks or museums, they too will then be closed. This is a temporary measure and will be in force until it is determined that it is no longer necessary," said Capak.
With regard to the most recent cases of the infection in night clubs, Capak said that there was no precise data of how many people were infected in them "however, a good portion of them are related to several night clubs." There are a lot of cases of the infection connected to clubs on Pag, Vir, in Makarska, Novalja and Vodice.
Capak underlined that at the moment no one who attended the celebrations in Knin (on 5 August) and Sinj this past weekend has contracted the virus.
As far as infected foreign citizens are concerned, there have been 28 reports through the European information system of infected tourists who have been from four countries, mostly from Austria, Italy, Germany and Slovenia. "We have a few foreign citizens who have been infected, fewer than 15," he said.
HZJZ Recommends Ban on Indoor Nightclubs
ZAGREB, Aug 12, 2020 - The Croatian Public Health Institute (HZJZ) on Tuesday amended its recommendations for nightclubs, suggesting that its owners organise their work in the open and prevent the stay of their guests indoors in order to prevent the spreading of the coronavirus.
The HZJZ said its latest recommendations for nightclubs were in line with the current situation regarding the coronavirus disease in Croatia.
Nightclubs that cannot organise their work in the open are allowed to continue operating as cafes.
The HZJZ has also banned dance floors, recommending that instead seating areas with tables and chairs be set up, with a distance of 1.5 metres between them.
The latest recommendations were made in light of the appearance of new coronavirus hot spots, notably in nightclubs along the coast.
Nightclubs in Split
Imperium Restaurant & Lounge
Gat Sv. Duje b.b.
A five minute walk along the harbourfront you’ll find this megaclub on the first floor of the ferry terminal. As a tribute to its location, the contemporary interiors are inspired by a luxury cruise liner; and with the waters edge just a few feet below and and towering ferries just a stone’s throw away, you truly feel as if you are in one. Spanning its floors is a Mediterranean restaurant, two dancefloors, two wrap-around bars, and a terrace with unobstructed bay views. A relatively quiet spot on weekends but they host popular concerts and DJ events on weekends. The event dictates the crowd but expect to be rubbing shoulders on the dancefloor with everything from girls in their teens all the way to midlifers and bikers.
Tropic Club
Bačvice b.b.
The complex on Split’s popular Bačvice beach turns into a thumping party destination after sunset. Tropic’s 180-degree views over the Adriatic just meters away is matched with contemporary interiors, VIP booths, fascinating neon light effects, and fruity cocktails. Depending on the night, house, techno, and Croatian tunes are on the DJs agenda.
Mediteranium Lounge Bar & Restaurant
Put Firula 6
Purple velvet interiors, dimmed lights, Gucci bags and stilettos; welcome to Mediteranium, a lounge and restaurant catering to the city’s elite. Its Saturday night, Sex and the City night and the money crowd have secured their VIP table with vodka and mixers ready to take you into the night as the resident DJ spins local and international hits. Away with the daytime seating and cocktail tables scatter the floor to set the scene for sporadic cliques to form and mingle. Nestled in the forest above the Ovčice beach, the panoramic vistas onto the Adriatic islands can be enjoyed from inside and on the large outdoor terrace.
Treće Poluvrijeme (known as Kuka)
Zrinko-frankopanska 17
Kuka has become a Split institution; the go-to place when all the other clubs start fading out. The last resort. A discreet door on the side of the Cankarjeva parking lot leads you into Kuka, an underground club, a black hole if you will, playing nostalgic hits from yesteryear to a mixed crowd of clubbing orphans. Kuka closes in summer.
Gundulićeva 26
Not a hangout for hunchbacks like the name suggests but for unpretentious hipster youth who like their alternative rock, indie rock, jazz and blues. This off-season mini-club is located on the first floor of a commercial complex near the center.
Put Firula bb
Luxury SUVs take up the curb so the Hugo Boss suits and designer heels can flock to this little boutique club.This black and white club with a mezzanine gallery is THE place to mingle with elite intellectuals, local sports personalities and celebrities. Its little sister, Egoist, next door attracts a similar crowd for daytime coffee chats.
Poljudsko šetalište b.b
Vanilla Club is an all-age fashion parade where crowds range from the 20s to 40s. Its location in the city’s public pool complex is a 20 minute walk out of town, or a five minute taxi drive away. The large indoors centers around a massive 360-degree bar where mixologists work their craft and countless buckets of booze travel over the counter to the VIP section. This post-midnight venue play international hits until 2AM whereafter the music takes a more local persona. In summertime, a huge pool-side terrace connects the club with the outdoors.
O’Hara Music Club
Uvala Zenta 3
To avoid the tourist frenzy at the Bačvice complex, head another two bays away from town to find this seaside local hideout playing every genre under the stars; from reggae and hip hop to Dalmatian tunes mixed with the sounds of the splashing Adriatic. O’Hara's idea to merge a pub club with the best of rock, new age tunes and international DJs results in a varied music loving crowd.
Kameleon Day & Night Club
Petra Zoranića 16, Solin
Located in Solin just a short drive from the city center, Kameleon is housed in the Guliver Energija complex and caters to gym fanatics during the day and party-goers by night. This joint really exuberates a funky club vibe with an impressive neon light show and an active event calendar throughout the year. They are particularly known for their After Work Parties on Thursdays but other popular events such as Diktatori, Deep South, Bubblegum also fill up the party calendar.
Hemingway Bar
VIII Mediteranskih igara 5
Five Hemingway Bars exist across Croatia and they have gained quite a popular following amongst highbrow society. With contrasting black boudoir-like interiors and white exteriors, this cult seaside club attract the younger elite of Split. Many must-be happenings fill the winter calendar and come summertime, the massive terrace with private VIP tents hosts filled-to-the-rim events featuring international DJs and animators in the mix.
