ZAGREB, 27 Sept 2021 - Croatian Bureau of Statistics (DZS) director Lidija Brković said on Monday that self-enumeration, which was supposed to end at midnight on Sunday, was extended until midnight today because yesterday the system was slow "due to extremely high interest."

She told the press that over 100,000 citizens had self-enumerated since 3 pm on Sunday and dismissed journalists' claims that the system crashed yesterday.

Due to the prolongation, the second stage of the population census will begin on Tuesday, instead of today, with 8,000 census-takers visiting households across the country. Despite the prolongation, the census is expected to end on 17 October as planned.

Since 13 September, over 1.42 million citizens have completed census questionnaires online on their own, which Brković said surpassed expectations. The City of Zagreb accounts for over 50% of them.

She said 4,000 census-takers did not have a COVID certificate and that free testing would be ensured for them three times a week.

Brković added that citizens were free to ask census-takers to show them their certificates as well as DZS accreditation.

For more about the 2021 self-enumeration, be sure to check the official website HERE.

For more about Croatia, CLICK HERE.