The head of the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ), Krunoslav Capak, said on Monday that the messages from Sunday's rally held by anti-mask protesters had been met with all-around condemnation.

“This is the best penalty and preventive measure for the insane things we could hear yesterday. I think that it is good that all the normal people could see the sort of things we are surrounded with,” Capak said.

During the rally a dozen speakers criticised the national COVID-19 response team, politicians and the media, saying that face masks were not protective, that families were paid to sign a statement saying that their loved ones had died from coronavirus, and the pandemic was referred to as “the so-called pandemic.” The organisers of the protest also claimed that the measures were political and aimed at “spreading panic and creating benefits for the ruling party and not the people.”

During today’s news conference of the national response team, Capak said that tougher rules to combat the virus could be imposed at county level, and added that currently stricter rules were in place for instance in Varazdin and Medjimurje counties.

Capak said that the central commemorative march on the occasion of Vukovar Remembrance Day, 19 November, would be held in a reduced format.

All events will be at a reduced capacity and in line with the anti-COVID epidemiological measures, he said.