The head of the national coronavirus management team, Davor Bozinovic, said on Friday that talks on so-called Covid-19 certificates were still under way at the EU level and that he hoped Croatia could start issuing them as of early June. 

Green digital certificates would be issued in PDF format and citizens would be able to apply for them via the e-Građani (e-Citizens) system or at some of 150 Croatian Public Health Institute (HZZO) offices.

The certificates will be interoperable and enable border checks and recognition of the documents testifying to their bearers’ vaccination against COVID-19, their having recovered from the disease or having tested negative.

“The political debate on the two regulations that define this issue is under way in the EU and it should be completed in a week or two, and their adoption is expected in mid-June,” said Bozinovic.

“Croatia is among the member-states participating in a pilot-project to define the technical solution, we support the proposals because this is important for Croatia for a number of reasons, including facilitating the freedom of movement,” Bozinovic said.

Health Minister, Vili Beros, said that so far more than 200,000 people had registered for vaccination via the CijepiSe platform and that more than 45,000 had been vaccinated. As for an investigation into the CijepiSe platform, Beroš said that the USKOK anti-corruption office had confiscated documents that relate to public procurement prior and during his term in office.

“All my efforts regarding the making of the platform were base don experts’ input. The ministry does not interfere in the work of services, but it answers for the lawfulness of operations. I believe there will be no problems in that regard because everything was done in line with the law,” said Beros.

He added that he had not been summoned by USKOK for an interview. The coronavirus management team also reported that Croatia would donate 20,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Bosnia and Herzegovina and 5,000 each to Kosovo and Montenegro.

“We want to help those who do not have vaccines. Croatia has them and will have more than it needs, so we are thinking about correcting the number of doses to be donated, and possibly slightly more than initially planned will be donated,” said Bozinovic.