Restriction of Assembly and Other Necessary Epidemiological Measures and Recommendations

September 30, 2021 — On 18 June 2021, the Civil Protection Headquarters of the Republic of Croatia issued a Decision on necessary epidemiological measures restricting gatherings and introducing other necessary epidemiological measures and recommendations to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 through gatherings. 

Necessary epidemiological measures come into force on September 30, and are determined until October 15, 2021. 

Considering the epidemiological situation and possible transmission of COVID-19 disease, all persons in the Republic of Croatia are obliged to adhere to strict physical distancing measures, all prescribed anti-epidemic measures, special recommendations and instructions of the Croatian Institute of Public Health and necessary epidemiological measures prescribed by this Decision.

** A strict measure of physical distancing requires the avoidance of close personal contact at a distance of at least 2 meters indoors and 1.5 meters outdoors. If it is not possible to maintain a physical distance of at least 2 meters indoors and 1.5 meters outdoors, it is mandatory to use face masks or medical masks.

Children under the age of twelve who come to gatherings or ceremonies where only persons holding an EU digital COVID certificate and come with parents / guardians who hold an EU digital COVID certificate are exempted from the obligation to have an EU digital COVID certificate. **

The necessary epidemiological measures required by this decision are :

• ban on holding all public events and gatherings attended by more than 100 people in one place, unless it is a public event or gathering attended only by persons with an EU digital COVID certificate , for which the competent civil protection headquarters of the local government has given consent *;
• public events and gatherings and ceremonies of all kinds may last up to 24.00 hours, unless it is a public event or gathering attended only by persons with an EU digital COVID certificate , for which the competent local self-government headquarters has given its consent * ;
• at funerals, last farewells and funerals, condolences to the bereaved must not be expressed in close contact, and cemetery administrations are obliged to monitor compliance with anti-epidemic measures;
• limitation of working hours for bakeries and shops for bread and bakery products up to 24.00 hours;
• ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages between 24.00 and 6.00;
• restricting the operation of catering facilities and family farms that provide catering services in such a way that food, drinks, beverages and sweets can be served only to guests sitting at tables, in strict compliance with prescribed epidemiological measures and special recommendations and instructions of the Croatian Institute of Public Health. the time can be determined from 6.00 to 24.00 hours;
  • catering facilities may deliver, ie deliver food, beverages, beverages and sweets in compliance with all anti-epidemic measures in one of the following ways:
    • by personal collection in front of the entrance to the catering facility without entering it
    • delivery from the catering facility with your own delivery vehicle
    • delivery from the catering facility on the basis of a business cooperation agreement concluded between the caterer and a third party (legal or natural craftsmen), which are registered and entered in the Register of food business entities
    • the so-called “drive in” mode;  
  • exceptionally from the anti-epidemic measure, catering facilities such as night club, night bar, disco-bar and disco club from the category “Bars” are allowed to work and serve all guests without working hours, but only in open spaces and provided that the entrance to their premises allowed only to persons holding an EU digital COVID certificate (guests, staff, contractors, etc.).
• holding private ceremonies and gatherings of all kinds (including wedding ceremonies) in catering and other facilities is allowed in compliance with all prescribed epidemiological measures, if the ceremony is not attended by more than 30 people;
  • It is exceptionally allowed to hold wedding ceremonies with more than 30 people, with the obligatory delivery of a notice of the wedding ceremony stating the place, time and approximate number of persons who will be present to the competent county civil protection service via e-mail county centers 112 found in Annex 1 ), no later than 3 days before the event and compliance with special recommendations and instructions of the Croatian Institute of Public Health and if all persons who will be present at the wedding ceremony have an EU digital COVID certificate ;
  • the organizer of the wedding ceremony is obliged, before entering the space where the wedding ceremony is held, to check whether all persons who will be present at the wedding ceremony have an EU digital COVID certificate ;
  • for the holding of wedding ceremonies that are in accordance with the above, it is not necessary to obtain the prior consent of the competent civil protection headquarters and they do not have to end by 24:00;
• the opening hours of the casino, slot machine clubs and betting points can be determined from 8.00 to 24.00;
• strict adherence to anti-epidemic measures in gyms and fitness centers ;
• strict adherence to anti-epidemic measures when holding workshops, children’s playrooms and providing entertainment and recreational services indoors (birthday parties, amusement and family parks, etc.);
• suspension of all amateur cultural and artistic performances, programs and events indoors;
• holding of fairs and other forms of economic and tourist events or events where they sell, exhibit or display products in enclosed spaces is allowed only in compliance with the recommendations and instructions of the Croatian Institute for Public Health and if the organizer to ensure that the spaces in which are held may enter only persons holding an EU digital COVID certificate (exhibitors, visitors, technical staff, etc.), except for the display of products and equipment that are an integral part of congresses, conferences and similar gatherings held with the possession of EU digital COVID certificates;
• conferences and congresses attended by up to 100 people may be held in compliance with all prescribed epidemiological measures and special recommendations and instructions of the Croatian Institute of Public Health;
• sports competitions and trainings can be held only without spectators and with strict adherence to all prescribed epidemiological measures and special recommendations and instructions of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, and the organizers are obliged to ensure that all athletes and necessary technical staff adhere to prescribed epidemiological measures;
  • exceptionally, sports competitions may be held in the presence of a maximum of 100 spectators if the following conditions are met:
    • the county public health institute in whose territory the competition is held drafting an epidemiological framework i
    • the county civil protection headquarters in the area where the competition is held approves the holding of the competition in the presence of spectators;
  • exceptionally, sports competitions may be organized in the presence of more than 100 spectators, without the epidemiological framework and the approval of the competent county headquarters, if all spectators and technical organizational staff present at the competition have an EU digital COVID certificate ; the organizers of such competitions are obliged to submit a notice of the competition stating the place, time and approximate number of persons who will be present to the competent county civil protection service by e-mail of county centers 112 no later than 3 days before the competition;
  • the fulfillment of the set conditions is obliged to be controlled by the organizer of the competition.
• foreign language schools are obliged to perform their activities in strict compliance with the prescribed epidemiological measures;
• Driving schools can  theoretically be held only online or otherwise to maintain long-distance contacts, driving lessons can last a maximum of 45 minutes with mandatory measurement of body temperature before entering the car, a break between two candidates must be a minimum of 10 minutes to ventilate and disinfect the car and records must be kept of all participants in driving lessons;
• recommending that religious rites be broadcast whenever possible through radio, TV or other means that will allow believers to attend a religious rite without coming to religious sites;
• recommendation to local and regional self-government units not to organize and facilitate public events and gatherings of a large number of persons, unless only persons holding an EU digital COVID certificate will participate in a public event or gathering .

Organizers of public events attended only by persons holding an EU digital COVID certificate are required, no later than 7 days before the event, to notify the headquarters of the local government unit of the intention to organize such a gathering, indicating the place and time of the event and the expected number of people present. in whose area such a public event, ie gathering, will be held and request prior consent for holding.

The competent civil protection headquarters is obliged to respond to the request for the issuance of prior consent within 3 days of its receipt. Prior consent can only be given for public events and gatherings where all participants will hold an EU digital COVID certificate .

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* Anti-epidemic measures do not apply to :

• professional artistic performances and programs that can be attended only upon presentation of a ticket, and seats are provided for all visitors;
• cinema screenings;
• exhibitions in museum, gallery and other exhibition spaces;
• holding religious ceremonies;
• sessions of representative bodies.

Stricter epidemiological measures than the measures prescribed by this Decision may not be prescribed for professional artistic performances and programs, cinema projections and exhibitions in museums, galleries and other exhibition spaces. If a special decision for the area of ​​an individual unit of local and regional self-government for professional artistic performances and programs, cinema projections and exhibitions in museums, galleries and other exhibition spaces determines a stricter epidemiological measure than the measures prescribed by this decision, this decision shall apply. 

At these gatherings, the number of persons present is limited given the size of the space, so that for each person present must be provided at least 4m2 net area, in strict compliance with all prescribed epidemiological measures and special recommendations of the Croatian Institute of Public Health and the obligation to ** The
 
organizers of the gathering are obliged to ensure that the premises where the gatherings are held are regularly ventilated, that no more than one person is present at the gathering. allowed number and that all present adhere to all prescribed epidemiological measures and special recommendations and instructions of the Croatian Institute of Public Health. **
 
** The above provisions do not apply to gatherings if only persons holding an EU digital COVID certificate participate in the gathering . The organizers of such gatherings are obliged to submit a notice of the meeting stating the place, time and approximate number of persons who will be present to the competent county civil protection service by e-mail of county centers 112 no later than 3 days before the rally.

The fulfillment of the set conditions is obliged to control the organizer of the gathering.
 
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Employers are required to:

• prohibit the arrival at work of workers who have fever and respiratory problems, especially dry cough and shortness of breath;
• reduce physical contact between employees, whenever possible;
• introduce sliding working hours, where possible;
• organize work in shifts, ie groups, where possible
• reduce the number of physical meetings to a minimum;
• regularly ventilate the areas where workers reside and stay.

 
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** All civil protection headquarters of local and regional self-government units are instructed to carry out continuous intensified monitoring of compliance with epidemiological measures prescribed by this Decision, and especially necessary epidemiological measures related to the prohibition and manner of public events and gatherings and restrictions on catering facilities. and family farms providing catering services.

All civil protection headquarters of local and regional self-government units are instructed to give prior consent for holding all public events and gatherings with more than 100 people in one place, in accordance with this Decision.

The control of the implementation of this Decision will be carried out by the officers of the Directorate of Civil Protection, inspectors of the State Inspectorate, police officers and civil protection.

If a special decision for the area of ​​an individual unit of local and regional self-government determines a milder epidemiological measure than the measures prescribed by this Decision, this Decision shall apply. **

The decision enters into force on September 30, and the necessary epidemiological measures are determined until October 15, 2021 (translation by Google Translate).