April 18, 2020 – The restrictive measures currently in place because of the coronavirus pandemic will expire at midnight on Sunday. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic has thus asked Croatian ministers to prepare an overview of economic activities to restart the economy, after which epidemiologists will make recommendations on how to comply with the measures.
“Most epidemiological measures expire at midnight on Sunday, and we will certainly extend most of these measures. But we are definitely moving towards a phase where certain measures will come to an end,” said Chief of the National Civil Protection Headquarters and Minister of the Interior, Davor Bozinovic, on Friday for Jutarnji List.
He reiterated that Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic asked all Croatian ministers to prepare an overview of economic activities to restart the economy, after which epidemiologists would make recommendations on how to organize compliance.
Next week, therefore, the Government will discuss proposed measures to unlock the Croatian economy after restrictive measures to curb the coronavirus pandemic have been in place for almost a month.
The most anticipated relaxation measures are certainly those regarding tourism, especially given the pressure from some of our foreign markets, which would love to spend the summer in the Adriatic this year. In this regard, for the sake of domestic guests, it is proposed to open intercity traffic and then the borders towards our auto destinations, which, in the case of a good epidemiological picture, could have some visitors this year.
“It is important that the conditions of border crossings are as simple as possible because if people have to wait in traffic and fill in paperwork, this is not appropriate either in health or in tourist terms,” said the Jutarnji List interlocutors. When it comes to accommodation, it is suggested to open those closest to nature – primarily campsites – and begin with a segment of mobile homes with their own toilets so that guests do not mix often, and holiday homes and private renters will be open.
There are high hopes in nautical tourism, more precisely, the charter segment, which should also come to life among the first, because it was concluded that it could provide epidemiological conditions. It is also suggested to open cafes and restaurants, but to begin, only those who have terraces and who can provide sufficient distance between tables and guests.
Regarding the transport sector, Minister Oleg Butkovic will propose the introduction of the Zadar – Ancona catamaran line for freight, the gradual introduction of public transport in cities on a Sunday timetable, and the suburban railway around Zagreb gradually opening up under the same rule. The ministry is likely to suggest that, as in other European countries, trucking is carried out unaccompanied by police escorts along established corridors, and stopping would be allowed at predetermined areas.
Consideration is also being given to reducing the amount of tolls for Croatian citizens from 10 to 20 percent, the possibility of opening air routes within Croatia and relaxing travel arrangements to the islands.
Construction will certainly be one of the key branches of the economy this crisis year, and the Ministry has propsed three measures: accelerated digitization for obtaining all permits, faster flow of supplying construction materials, opening shops with construction materials, and solving problems with foreign labor power.
The Ministry of Agriculture proposes to pay HRK 350 million in incentives to the forestry industry for export, the same amount of incentives to the food industry with more than 250 employees, and to pay the first and second installment of the incentive for spring sowing.
The Ministry of the Economy will propose the gradual opening of non-food stores, with more models being discussed based on other European countries. Specifically, some countries have begun to open smaller stores as space is concerned, however, some activities are not as risky, even though they have large retail outlets, such as car dealerships, in which the daily flow of customers is low.
Consideration is also given to opening various trades, such as hairdressers, beauty salons, and massage parlors, with strict measures of distance, limiting the number of customers and wearing masks. For example, if a hair salon has four chairs, two customers will likely be able to stay at the same time. There will also be various services, tech stores, watchmakers, carpenters – all where there is no physical contact and where there is little flow of people. The opening of gyms and fitness centers is still pending.
In the cultural sector, the proposal will be to open bookstores. In the education and science system, one of the first measures to be relaxed will be to open scientific institutes and research laboratories, which should start working from the end of April in an appropriate form. As for returning to the classrooms of elementary and high school students, these decisions are entirely dependent on the assessments of the Headquarters and epidemiologists, so there are no specific dates.
However, it is suggested that final and diploma exams may still be taken in schools and colleges, especially where it is necessary to test the practical skills of students. The State Matura exam is likely to be written in June, and Minister Blazenka Divjak announced on Friday that the mandatory exams – Croatian and foreign language and mathematics – would be written from June 8 to June 29 in this case.
When it comes to the judiciary, the pace of relaxation of restrictive measures also depends on others – a prerequisite for discussions to begin is the resumption of public transport. If there is no transportation, it is pointless to invite the parties to court.
Another factor, says Justice Minister Drazen Bosnjakovic, is limiting the number of people who can stay in one room at the same time, and the sheer size of the courtrooms that are miniature in many courts, which is now being addressed by space allocation. To ensure that the work of the courts does not depend solely on loosening restrictions, the Ministry of Justice is developing a system of distance hearings.
This is in the wake of a request by the Croatian Bar Association to have hearings in civil cases via video link.
Minister Bosnjakovic says that it is necessary to see if the courts have computers with cameras and to check whether any legal interventions are required.
All courts were instructed to prepare larger premises in which trials could be held in compliance with spacing measures.
You can see the overview of economic activities below:
1. Public transportation according to Sunday timetable
It is proposed to open public transport and suburban rail according to the Sunday timetable, catamaran transport for cargoes between Ancona and Zadar, air transport within the country and relaxing measures towards the islands.
2. Opening borders for cars
It is proposed to open the borders to our auto destinations, which guests and tourists could come from, and the Ministry of Tourism believes that the conditions of crossing the border should be as simple as possible to avoid waiting in traffic.
3. Camps first to open
In the tourism sector, it is proposed to start first with the objects closest to nature – camps, i.e., mobile homes with their own sanitary facilities, then private accommodation and holiday homes. There is also nautical tourism.
4. Cafes with terraces start to work
It is also proposed to open cafes and restaurants, but to begin with, only those catering establishments that have terraces and can provide sufficient physical distance between the tables and the guests present would start.
5. Hairdressers will have to wear masks
The Ministry of the Economy is also moving towards relaxing small craft measures. Hairdressers and other salons could work concerning all measures of distance, with increased hygiene, limiting the number of customers and wearing protective masks.
6. New rules for crafts and showrooms
There are also plans to open other stores, such as technicians, watchmaking and carpentry shops, various repair shops, but also showrooms, where there is a slower daily flow of customers. Fitness centers and gyms are yet to be considered.
7. Taking exams at universities
Science institutes and research laboratories will first open in the education system – from the end of April. It is suggested that the final and graduate exams be taken in schools and universities, and the state matura exam will be taken in June.
8. Solving problems with foreign labor
It is proposed to urgently amend the acts for the digitalization of the licensing system, the faster flow of construction materials, opening all shops with construction materials, and the solution of problems of foreign workers at construction sites.
9. Bookstores first to open in culture
The Ministry of Culture will propose to open bookstores in consultation with clerks, and say they are in contact with other stakeholders in the culture to suggest what is realistic and what can be realized in a situation of prolonged restrictions.
10. Court hearings via video link
The Ministry of Justice is developing a system of remote court hearings via video link. All courts were also instructed to prepare larger premises where trials could be held, with due regard for physical distance measures.
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