Croatian Minister says talks on cross-border travel underway

ZAGREB, May 4 (Hina) – Minister of the Interior Davor Bozinovic said on Monday that talks had been held with representatives of the Tourism Ministry and representatives of hotel and restaurant owners on a possible easing of restrictions introduced to help curb the spreading of the novel coronavirus.

“We have to find a way to enable those activities to resume, which includes cross-border travel, without putting public health at risk. This is not a matter that will be resolved in a couple of days but we will discuss it and definitely find a solution,” Bozinovic said.

He added that talks would be held with trade unions to facilitate work for road haulers, who have announced protests over obligatory self-isolation, which hampers their activities.

On Monday, the Croatian Institute of Public Health issued instructions for persons entering Croatia which will be valid until 18 May 2020.

For persons entering Croatia for at 72 hours, along with an order of self-isolation which has been a mandatory requirement so far, an additional requirement will be to have a PCR test, which must be negative and no older than 24 hours.

Croatian Public Health Institute head Krunoslav Capak said that in defining recommendations for the resumption of normal school classes, care had been taken not to jeopardise the health of elderly people and they had been advised not to pick up their grandchildren at school.

Capak also said that recommendations for driving schools and music schools had been prepared but that those activities would be relaunched at a later date due to the gradual easing of COVID-19 restrictions.