May 10, 2021 – Could social distancing-free concerts in Croatia begin next month?

In a recent radio show, Croatian Minister of Culture and MediaNina Obuljen Korzinek talked about allowing live events without the need for social distancing during the summer and the hurdles Croatia needs to overcome in order to make them possible.

Croatian Minister of Culture and Media Nina Obuljen Korzinek took part in a radio show by HRT recently. She talked about the expected return of concerts and other events to pre-pandemic conditions. According to her concerts without social distancing and mandatory masks might start happening again as soon as June. However, she also warned the decision to allow them will depend on the rate of vaccination among the citizens.

Live entertainment and event industries are suffering under the conditions of the COVID19 pandemic. Recent numbers of new infections allow cautious optimism as we draw closer to the summer. Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go to return these industries back to pre-COVID numbers.

What Can We Expect this Summer?

Minister Obuljen Korzinek pointed out that under current measures a maximum of 250 people can attend an event indoors, while the maximum number of participants for outdoor events is 500. Last summer, the number went up to 1000 people in outdoor events. While she expects even more lenient measures this summer, any decisions to announce them will have to wait for lower numbers of new infections and serious cases on a national level.

While vaccination rate is the most important factor in the push to combat the pandemic, the minister suggested young persons under the age of 18 might be allowed to attend concerts without being vaccinated. In these cases, they would instead do a rapid antigen test just before the event. Organisers can set up testing areas within or adjacent to the venues.

The Ministry is keeping an eye out for experiences with live events in other countries. Recently, we saw test concerts in Barcelona and Liverpool. Staying in touch with foreign colleagues and exchanging experiences is proving invaluable in this pandemic.

What remains is for the public to follow the measures in place and wait for the positive changes coming in the future.

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 centres across the country, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.