Exclusive Interview: EU Presidency Tourism Minister on Border Openings, Air Bridges and More

June 3, 2020 – TCN meets the current EU Presidency Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli who kindly agreed to answer questions on the current travel situation in Croatia and the EU.

There is a lot of talk about the internal borders being opened on June 15, but I can’t find an official announcement. Are EU internal borders opening on June 15?

We are aiming to reopen internal borders on June 15 or June 16, but this has not yet been 100% confirmed. An announcement will be made shortly. There is also a big meeting of EU members scheduled for June 19. While we all want tourism to start, the epidemiological situation must be under control. Even when we do open borders, I would expect some countries to have restrictions. We are working towards a date of June 15. This opening of borders will be for all EU states, not just those in Schengen.

What about external EU borders and continental flights?

We are currently working with the airlines towards an opening of external borders on July 1, but ONLY for countries which have a good epidemiological situation.

If an American is already living or travelling in Europe, can they currently visit Croatia?

Yes. If they can get to the Croatian border and fulfill Croatia’s entry requirements, they are very welcome. We have had 316 Americans entering the country in recent days.

There has been speculation about air bridges from the UK to other tourism countries, including Croatia. Can you tell us more?

No. I have been involved in no such discussions, yet.

What is the situation for people wanting to drive to Croatia from across Europe. Are there any problems?

I have heard of a couple of isolated incidents, but in general, there is no problem. My strong advice is to register your details at https://entercroatia.mup.hr/ This is a service that we developed very quickly so that we can facilitate smoother travel for our guests, a quicker border crossing, and the ability to contact our guests in the event of a virus outbreak. If you are driving to Croatia, fill in this form and you will receive a confirmation from the Croatian police. Show that confirmation and proof of paid reservation, and you will have no problem.

I hope this clarifies some of your readers’ questions. I hope you all have a wonderful stay in our beautiful country. You are all very welcome.

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