August 1, 2020 – This year’s 305th Sinjska Alka, which will take place on August 9, will be limited to a maximum of 1,000 spectators, and tickets will not be on sale, says the Alka Knights Society.
Slobodna Dalmacija reports that this news was decided by the Board of Directors of the Alka Knights Society. The Alka administration concluded that, due to prescribed and recommended epidemiological measures caused by the COVID 19 pandemic, it will organize this year’s Alka much different than before, which includes a significant reduction in the number of seats in the stands.
The number of spectators will be limited to all three final performances, the Bara, Coja and Alka itself. How the tickets will be distributed and for how many spectators, the Alka administration will decide later, all in agreement with epidemiologists.
Representatives of the Alka Knights and the Civil Protection Headquarters of Sinj spoke about the organization of this year’s Alka with the leadership of the National Civil Protection Headquarters, i.e., with the Director of the Headquarters and Deputy Prime Minister Davor Bozinovic and his associates.
Due to the escalation of new coronavirus cases in the Sinj area, epidemiologists believed that this year’s Alka should be held without an audience.
In the Alka ranks, it was estimated that at best, every second or third seat could be used in the stands. Epidemiologists are by no means inclined to do so, so they accepted that there should be a maximum of a thousand spectators in the Alka stands, properly distributed.
Keeping the distance will also be reflected in the composition of the ceremonial Alka Lodge. There will certainly be places for the main guests: President Zoran Milanovic, who is also the patron of the 305th Alka, President of the Croatian Parliament Gordan Jandrokovic, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and the most prominent representative of the military and church authorities, as well as hosts Stipe Jukic, President of Alkar Knights Society, and Kristina Krizanac, Mayor of Sinj.
These seven persons, who should have a place in the first row, will occupy only a small part of the spacious ceremonial lodge, as there will certainly be other dignitaries, but in much smaller numbers than in previous years.
The Board of Directors of the Alka Knights Society calls on the citizens of Sinj and the Alka region, as well as the arriving guests, to implement the recommended epidemiological measures with full responsibility so that the 305th Alka festivities are held in a festive, albeit specific atmosphere, and so that due to the irresponsible behavior of individuals, they would not become the focus of the spread of the virus.
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