As of today, wearing protective masks is also recommended outdoors when it not possible to keep a distance of two metres, and those organising gatherings for more than 50 people will have to get permission from county teams, the national COVID-19 response team said on Monday.

The organisers will have to request permission at least five days before the event, the county team will make the decision within 48 hours, according to the epidemiological situation, and without their permission the gathering will not be allowed to take place.

Considering sports competitions, religious and art events, special measures of the Croatian Public Health Institute (HZJZ) apply to such gatherings. HZJZ head Krunoslav Capak said that up to 50 people would also be allowed to attend a funeral.

It is mandatory to wear protective masks in closed spaces, Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said.

Masks should also be worn outdoors where keeping one’s distance is not possible, such as in queues, and that recommendation has been put in place today.

“We cannot be satisfied with the epidemiological situation in Croatia even though it is not much different than in the entire Europe,” he said, adding that those two new decisions should reduce the spread of the disease.