Type of Intervention: Guidance
Sectors Involved: Education, Health, Private Sector and Businesses, Transportation
Intervention Categories: Social and physical distancing measures; Reopening schools; Reopening offices, businesses, institutions, and operations; Allowing gatherings, businesses, and services; Allowing domestic travel
Level of Jurisdiction: National
Lead People/Agency: PM Andrej Plenkovic
Overview: PM announced the relaxation of restrictions in three steps: 27 April, 4 May and 11 May. Phase 1 (from 27 April) involves opening shops (except within shopping malls), and all services that do not require direct contact with clients. Public transport will be resumed. Museums, libraries and bookshops to reopen. Sports training may resume (only professional/top level) and some professional examinations may be held as well.
Phase 2 (from 4 May): healthcare institutions, including private clinics provided they adhere to epidemiological regulations to resume full operation (with some exceptions). Services with direct contact with clients (beauticians, hairdressers, barbers) allowed to reopen, with the adherence to epidemiological regulations.
Phase 3 (from 11 May) – shopping malls to reopen; ECE and primary schools (grade 1-4 only) to resume, and schools for children with special needs. Gatherings of under 10 people permitted. Laboratory practicals at universities to be permitted. Airline (domestic transport) and intercity buses/trains to resume operation. Cafes, restaurants to reopen but only open air terraces. Hotels may reopen too.
Conditions for e-permit approvals to be extended.
Full details here: https://www.jutarnji.hr/vijesti/hrvatska/plenkovic-objavio-detalje-velikog-plana-otvaranja-u-tri-faze-prva-pocinje-vec-u-ponedjeljak-evo-kada-krece-rad-skola-vrtica-kafica-frizera/10238896/
Other links: 1
Type of Justification: No explicit justification. Reading between the lines, Croatia seems to be following Austria’s and Germany’s lead.
Source of Evidence or Justification: International – government
Evidence/Justification: Croatian PM referred to the reproduction rate (he calls it “koeficijent zaraze” or coefficient of infection) of the virus having fallen under 0.8 as the key reason why restrictions may be relaxed. This announcement and explanation comes just a week after Angela Merkel’s explanation of the relationship between the reproduction rate and the pressure upon the national healthcare system. There are close historic cultural and economic ties with Germany and it would not be unusual for Croatian government to take Germany (and Austria) as models for policies and institutional organization.