Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said on Wednesday that new restrictions would go into force on Monday for Croatia's Adriatic, which is in an orange zone, and that digital COVID certificates would be required to attend events.

Speaking for Nova TV commercial broadcaster, Bozinovic said the new restrictions would apply to the coastline “which is currently orange and where incidence is rising, albeit not as much as in other Mediterranean countries. Croatia is doing well in comparison with others. However, the numbers are rising and we have to do something to prevent at least some events from turning into super spreaders.”

He said local COVID crisis management teams would be responsible for organising events with 50 to 1,000 people and that the digital COVID certificate would be required for attending. “I’m sure that if that will be complied with, we can practically continue normally with the summer, but under control.”

As for the many events and fairs being organised along the coast with many people present, Bozinovic said they should be applied for and that local COVID crisis management teams should decide whether they could control them and then allow them to take place.

It’s in our interest that as many tourists arrive in Croatia as possible, but also to create the conditions so they can feel safe and so that the infection does not spread extensively, he said.