March 26, 2020 - Murter and Betina are under quarantine as of yesterday.

Sibenik.in reports that the measure was passed because 8 of the 15 coronavirus cases in the area were recorded there. Mayor of Murter-Kornati Municipality Toni Turcinov described what life is like there today. 

“We have made several decisions to declare war against the coronavirus. The locals will be able to go out on the street, briefly, once a week, maybe twice, we are still deciding. Three shops are working, but since there are a lot of people who do not live there, they will also organize shifts. If necessary, we will release trucks with goods, and we have also raised three civil protection teams, one of which is tasked with taking medicines and other supplies in Lovisce, where there is a police blockade, as needed,” Turcinov said.

What the people of Murter were most concerned about yesterday is gasoline, because the gas station will no longer work.

What Turcinov is most looking forward to is the triage ambulance he has been seeking from the state for several days.

“The ambulance arrived and we located it near the church and kindergarten on a large plateau. They just plugged it in. We also have a team that looks after the elderly. We finally have everything we need and I have to commend all the locals for strictly adhering to the rules. The people of Murter have always been great fighters when needed, and so we will the fight against the coronavirus,” said the Murter Chief, noting that he is available by phone 24 hours a day.

In the neighboring Betina, which belongs to the Municipality of Tisno, all the shops are open, and the communal security officer Silivo Tomas is in charge of all the elderly and those who need any help.

As Chief Ivan Klarin said, there is no restriction on leaving homes in Betina, although the recommendation is to stay inside and only to go outside if urgent.

"We have put in place all measures that apply in the event of a quarantine," Klarin says.

Out of a total of 15 coronavirus cases in the area, eight are from the island of Murter, where 67 people are currently in self-isolation.

Follow our live updates on the coronavirus crisis.

The coronavirus crisis is gripping public health as much as it is the global economy. With threats of mass lay-offs possible in Croatia alone over the next three months, it's difficult to see what road this unprecedented situation with the COVID-19 outbreak could go down.

One good thing that has come out of all of this, is that the good hearts of many have come to the surface. Many Croatian companies have done their bit to donate to those in need, even in times of financial worry and a standstill for a lot of businesses, primarily those operating within the Croatian tourism industry, the country's strongest economic branch.

Infobip, a wildly successful Croatian IT company, has also made generous donations. With Dukat, a company operating within the food sector, making sure Zagreb's more vulnerable citizens, shaken from the recent earthquakes as well as the pandemic, are taken care of.

These aren't the only companies stepping up in this time of great need, and as Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 25th of March, 2020, the company Prvo plinarsko društvo (First Gas Company, or PPD), which operates within the Energia naturalis group (ENNA), recently generously donated seven respirators to KBC Zagreb to help them cope with weaker patients needing them during the coronavirus pandemic.

''The intention of the Energia naturalis group is to try to buy and donate a total of fifty respirators to Croatian hospitals, and the management of the group has directed its strength and abilities towards finding and purchasing them. The respirators purchased should be delivered to KBC Zagreb by the end of the week,'' a statement from the company read.

In addition to the measures taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus and protect its own employees, the ENNA group is actively fighting the "corona crisis" here in Croatia.

''It certainly isn't easy to get hold of a respirator at the moment, but we are convinced it is possible. We're also sure that many individuals and companies are doing the best they can to help in the situation we all find ourselves in, and in this way, with our knowledge and capabilities, we're joining their efforts,'' the company stated.

Make sure to follow our dedicated section for rolling information and updates on coronavirus in Croatia.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 26th of March, 2020, in addition to its regular donations to charities across the country, Zagreb's Dukat, the largest food donor in the Republic of Croatia, is also introducing an extraordinary donation worth a massive 225,000 kuna for Zagreb citizens affected by the earthquake and by the ongoing coronavirus epidemic.

Dukat, a large and well respected Croatian company has responded to the emerging needs for donations owing to the coronavirus epidemic and the earthquake that hit Zagreb and the surrounding area this week in a praiseworthy manner that many other companies across the country would do well to follow. 

The company will introduce extraordinary product donations to Caritas Croatia. In addition to its regular donations, which it has been organising and seeing through since back in 2015, Dukat will make an extraordinary donation of 30,000 litres of milk over three consecutive months, totalling, as previously stated, 225,000 kuna.

Donations will be distributed to citizens who are the highest risk during the coronavirus epidemic, but also to citizens who have suffered material damage in the recent Zagreb earthquakes which rocked the capital.

Despite the difficult circumstances and the significantly increased workload, Dukat's logistics is continuing to successfully transport its donated goods to all parts of the country on a very regular basis.

Dukat's role as a leader in food donation in Croatia has been confirmed for two years in a row with it having won the "Donor" award. Dukat earned its last recognition as the largest single food donor in Croatia back in 2018, when it donated 192 tonnes of dairy products, equal to a quarter of all donated food in the Republic of Croatia.

The award was given to Dukat in April 2019 at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium.

Make sure to follow our dedicated section for rolling information and updates in English on coronavirus in Croatia.

ZAGREB, March 26, 2020 - The EIB Group invested €569 million in Croatia in 2019, which is 12.2% more than in 2018, the Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, Dario Scannapieco, said in an interview with Hina published on Wednesday.

The European Investment Bank is the lending arm of the European Union. The EIB Group, owned by the member states, has two parts: the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund. The EIF fund specialises in finance for small businesses and mid-caps.

Last year's investments of €569 million in Croatia are equivalent to 1.05% of the country's GDP, and Scannapieco said that this reflected the bank's clear intention to remain one of the biggest investors in Croatia and one of the safest sources of accessible long-term loans for sustainable development of the Croatian economy.

Last year, the European Investment Bank supported Croatia's economic and social development with €466 million, a, increase of 5% compared to 2018, while the EIF fund invested €103.3 million, a rise of 60%compared to 2018.

The EIB has been working with Croatia since 1977.

Scannapieco emphasised that from 1977 to the end of 2019, the EIB's total investments came to €6.67 billion.

As for major projects supported by this institution in 2019, Scannapieco pointed out the funding of the second stage of the construction of a new building that will house the university clinical centre in the northern Adriatic city of Rijeka. The bank earmarked €50 million for that project.

He also noted €177 million for the digitisation of the school system in Croatia. The digitised system is facilitating remote learning introduced during the outbreak of the COVID-19 infection in the country.

Scannapieco pointed out the Croatian Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds as well as the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) as crucial partners with which the EIB had excellent cooperation.

For instance, the cooperation between EIB and HBOR enabled the investment of nearly €300 million in Croatian companies last year.

In 2018, the EIF, in cooperation with the Croatian government, set up the Croatian Venture Capital Investment (CVCI), which helped the EIF to invest €32.6 million in Croatia's innovative companies through the Fil Rouge Capital II.

When it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic, Scannapieco said that the response to this crisis had to be comprehensive and serious.

The EIB will make its resources, know-how and competence available to Europe, he said, recalling that the EIB has already offered a rescue package of €40 billion to cope with the fallout from the pandemic.

More business news can be found in the dedicated section.

ZAGREB, March 26, 2020 - EU member states have formally given their consent in writing for opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania, Croatia's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Goran Grlić Radman said on Wednesday, who considers that this is Croatia's success amid coronavirus and earthquakes.

"Croatia managed to do this in very difficult conditions, fighting with coronavirus and earthquakes in Zagreb," said Grlić Radman.

The European Commission is starting to work on the negotiation framework, which is expected by June, he said.

This morning, EU member states adopted the decision to open negotiations with Skopje and Tirana.

Blocking the two countries in October last year was "an unexpected decision", Grlić Radman said, pointing out the fact that Croatia had started working on the issue during preparations for its first presidency of the Council of the EU.

"Croatia has made all foreign-policy efforts to convince all member states that it was necessary to open negotiations with these two countries, because the European prospects of West Balkan countries, stability, and security, were in the interest of the EU. This is a great political success for Croatia," Grlić Radman stated.

The exact date when the negotiations would start is not known as yet, however, the minister thinks that the date is not important now, but that the important thing is to send a message to other West Balkan countries that it was worthwhile to work on their European prospects, meeting criteria, and accepting European values.

The EU-Western Balkans summit in Zagreb, the central event of the Croatian Presidency of the EU, will take place in May, and for now it will not be postponed or cancelled due to the coronavirus.

"The date still stands. We hope that we will have overcome this crisis by then. We are ready for May, and we are not thinking about cancelling it," stated the minister.

More news about Croatia and the EU can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, March 26, 2020 - Health Minister Vili Beroš said on Wednesday evening that currently 495 medical workers were in self-isolation, assessing that the health system was not in danger and recalling that medical workers had already been reassigned before.

Beroš made the statement in an interview with the HRT public broadcaster from the eastern city of Osijek, which he visited because local medical workers have been faced with a growing number of people infected with the novel coronavirus.

Twenty-six people have been found to be infected with the virus, two patients are on ventilators and need intensive care, Beroš said, adding that he visited the local health workers to check with them their protocol, which, he said, was appropriate.

Responding to the remark that a growing number of medical staff throughout the country are in self-isolation - more than 230 from Zagreb's Sisters of Charity Hospital alone - Beroš said that at the moment, the situation was not worrying because the national health system was flexible.

He recalled that previously a decision on mobilisation had been made and that it enabled the system to respond to current challenges.

The minister believes that after 14-day self-isolation, those medical workers would be able to continue working.

He said that currently 495 medical workers were in self-isolation, adding that at the moment the functioning of the health system was not jeopardised.

Beroš said that owing to their subspecialties, a number of specialists from Zagreb's KB Dubrava Hospital had previously been reassigned to the Sisters of Charity Hospital and that this would also be done in the future if necessary.

More coronavirus news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

The Director of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, Krunoslav Capak, has expressed his disappointment with the attitude of some in the country in the face of this epidemic, and warned of even more stringent measures should such behaviour continue.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 26th of March, 2020, Health Minister Villi Beros lost his nerve for the first time since witnessing the unfolding of the ongoing coronavirus crisis. He certainly had a reason for this because the news spread that medical professionals didn't have masks of the same quality as politicians. But other information emerged, which he called false.

The numbers for coronavirus in Croatia took off at an unprecedented speed. It took a month from the first person to become infected with the virus, few would then have predicted that the figure would reach 442 within a mere 30 days. It is excellent that 22 of those coronavirus patients have completely recovered. But unfortunately it did take the life of someone else, too.

"If you'd asked me about this on February the 25th, I'd have been more optimistic about the forecast. We did everything we could do, we introduced some measures and we were the first in Europe, but this virus is unpredictable, it's very complicated and we happen to have the numbers we now have, but it's still good considering our environment,'' Krunoslav Capak pointed out in conversation with RTL before adding:

"I'm disappointed with the behaviour of Croats, the measures prescribed by the headquarters are being violated in all possible ways. We're receiving information on breaches [of the measures and of self-isolation] every day, but we urge citizens to help us out, too,'' he stated.

Therefore, even stricter measures can be expected, although the ones we're currently living under are already stringent enough.

"Yes, it's possible for us to ban more the movement of more than two people and stop more than two people going into shops at once. Likewise, we can introduce much stricter controls in cooperation with the police. It seems to me that this is a scenario awaiting Croatia, we need to increase our control,'' Krunoslav Capak asserted.

He also referred to those who were keeping things close to their chests and not revealing that they had been in contact with infected persons, which we have witnessed multiple times now.

"If anyone knows that they've been in contact with an infected person and they've failed to not inform the people they need to, then they're intentionally doing so, which is a misdemeanor," Capak warned, referring to the quarantine imposed on Murter:

"Quarantine is the ultimate measure and in this case it seemed appropriate to epidemiologists. This prevents the further spread of the virus and it's easier to carry that out on the islands,'' he concluded.

Make sure to follow our dedicated section for all you need to know about coronavirus in Croatia.

March 26, 2020 - As more official coronavirus advice becomes available in English, some contact numbers, clarification on 'place of residence' and who issues passes to move between cities in Croatia.

I am not the only person who is happy to see the official Koronavirus.hr website now partially available in English, although my relief is due to different reasons. 

With very little information out there, many people have been relying on TCN for their COVID-19, and while the increased interest is very welcome, the huge increase in responsibility was not. Thankfully, the TCN team has responded magnificently, and I am immensely proud of what they have produced in the last few very trying days. If you want to see what running a news portal is like in crazy times like this, you might enjoy Realities of Running an English News Portal in the Corona Era.

Although the English information available on the official site is limited, it does cover the important stuff. 

Here is where you can find al the important phone numbers.

There is also a latest news section. You can, of course, follow the TCN live feed, which is updated every 15 minutes. 

And the page seems to give a little clarity to one of the biggest confusions so far - what exactly does 'place of residence' mean? This is what was published late on March 24, 2020.

The Civil Protection Authority announced new measures aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus, with Interior Minister Božinović revealing that citizens are not allowed to leave their respective local government units.

And here is some clarity on one more important issue - Who issues passes to move between cities in Croatia? The answer in full below:

Need the pass to move between cities? Check here who will issue it to you.

The Croatian National Civil Protection Headquarters issued yesterday the Decision to Ban on Leaving the Place of Residence within the Republic of Croatia. 
The ban does not apply to:

• transport and movement necessary for the supply of the areas - passes issued by the responsible persons in the legal entity;
• daily migrations of employees in services important for providing health and veterinary care; delivery of medicines and medical supplies; maintenance of municipal services; water supply and drainage; gas and electricity supply; security services - passes issued by responsible persons in the legal entity;
• media reporting - passes issued by responsible persons in the legal entity;
• residents who require emergency medical care - passes issued by the family doctor (GP);
• for vital family reasons, such as the care of children and the elderly; or the purchase of food and basic necessities - passes issued by the authorized (local) civil protection headquarters;
• commuting, if work is necessary and cannot be done from home - passes issued by responsible persons in the legal entity;
• emergency and operational services involved in preventing the spread of coronavirus - passes issued by responsible persons in the legal entity

To follow the latest on COVID-19 in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section.