Due to the current situation arising from the coronavirus outbreak, a certain number of third-country nationals on short-term stay (a stay of maximum 90 days in a period of 180 days) cannot leave the Republic of Croatia within the time limit prescribed by the Schengen Borders Code, for objective reasons.

In accordance with the recommendations provided by epidemiologists, Ministry of the Interior (MUP) would like to instruct all foreign nationals who find themselves in such a situation to deliver their data primarily by e-mail (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or by calling the number provided on the website of the competent police administration, so that they could be stored, thus avoiding potential problems on border crossing points when leaving the Republic of Croatia.

-We kindly ask you not to come to police stations or administrations in person, unless you have been invited by an official person over the phone – MUP stated.

Accordingly, such foreign nationals will not be subject to any measures prescribed by the Aliens Act.

The Chinese company China road and bridge corporation (CRBC), whose workers are building Peljesac bridge has decided to help Croatia in their fight against coronavirus.

The company paid 800 thousand kuna today, March 31st, into an account opened by the Government of the Republic of Croatia.

CRBC says this donation is a help to the Croatian government and Croatian citizens in the fight against the spread of the Covid-19.

In addition to the money, the company sent humanitarian aid to Croatia in the form of protective medical masks and 20 thousand gloves. Packages are already on the way from China to Croatia.

Petrol prices at gas stations all over Croatia are cheaper since midnight.

According to the Ministry of Economy, the average price of gasoline (Eurosuper 95) fell from 8.63 to 8.23 kuna. The average tank of 50 liters is now about twenty kunas cheaper – Poslovni.hr reports.

Diesel is cheaper too. From 8.53 kuna its price dropped 8.35, so the average container is cheaper by about ten kuna.

The autogas price also dropped, last week the average price was 3.58 kuna, while now it is 3.50 – Poslovni.hr reports.

Danijel Subasic, silver goalkeeper of the Croatian national team and former player of the Croatian football club Hajduk, donated 500 thousand kuna to hospitals in Zadar and Split – 24sata reports. 

As part of Hajduk's campaign "Let's Breathe as One", the club, headquarters, players, veterans, former players and sponsors raised 200 thousand in one day for the Split hospital, with donations rising to over 400 thousand kuna yesteray.

Part of this, 100 thousand kuna, was donated by Danijel Subasic. But that wasn't his only donation, according to 24sata, he also donated 400 thousand kuna to the Zadar hospital, joining Luka Modric who donated a bit over 100 thousand euros to the same hospital.

Two weeks ago, Subasic returned from Monaco to Zadar, and on the first day after the expiration of his preventive period in self-isolation, he went to the bank to pay donations to the Split and Zadar hospitals.

The first part of professional protective and medical equipment acquired by UNICEF arrived in Zagreb as a respond to the current coronavirus crisis. Today, four tons of equipment including 30 thousand of professional medical masks (FFP2 and FFP3) have been delivered from UNICEF's Copenhagen warehouse. There were also 30 thousand protective gloves, 18 thousand protective suits and aprons, four thousand bags for safe disposal of medical waste, 2 500 protective caps, 130 pairs of protective rubber boots.

Since the growing needs and challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, UNICEF continues the campaign and invites partners, media, businesses and citizens to get involved and support the campaign with their donations.

Donations will:

- purchase respirators and medical equipment for the most vulnerable patients;

- buy protective equipment for healthcare professionals (protective suits, FFP2 and FFP3 masks, gloves and more);

- buy disinfectants and hygiene supplies;

- provide expert guidance on protecting against the spread of a pandemic, as well as panic and fake news;

- support distance education;

- provide psychosocial assistance to the most vulnerable children and their families.

You can donate:
- at the website www.unicef.hr/zajedno-protiv-koronavirusa/

- by payment to a UNICEF account
HR1723600001501092524
reference number 2063-989

Regina Castillo, head of the UNICEF Office for Croatia, said:

-The coronavirus affects each one of us. Every family, every parent and every child. UNICEF works tirelessly and dedicatedly to provide the best possible care for children and families in Croatia, especially for the most vulnerable ones. Now, more than ever, we are counting on our common solidarity, generosity and willingness to support our mission. What we do today will have a tremendous impact on our future.

Luka Modric donated 790 thousand kuna to the hospital in his hometown, Zadar. These funds will be used to buy a mobile x-ray – Index.hr reports. 

At the Zadar hospital, they confirmed that they would place the device in the COVID ward. They also added that Luka Modric immediately contacted them after the coronavirus appeared in that area, asking what they needed.

-We have decided for a mobile X-ray, which has a COVID-19 mark and is intended for the diagnosis of patients with coronaviruses. The device has been ordered, Modric will pay for it today and is expected to be delivered in a month and a half - they said from the Zadar hospital for Index.hr.

This is not Modric's first donation. Just recently, the captain of the Croatian national football team donated money to hospital in Petrova in Zagreb, which was damaged in an earthquake last week.

Smugglers are finding different ways day by day to smuggle their goods across the border and make profit. One such incident was also reported on Saturday when an unknown aircraft in the air was used in a tobacco smuggling – Vecernji.hr reports. 

According to information from the Vukovar - Srijem County Police Department, on Saturday, at around 5.30 pm, the police observed and monitored the movement of an unknown aircraft in the air over Gradiste during surveillance of the implementation of the ban on leaving the residence. 

At the same time, they noticed a passenger car with Vinkovci license plate, which obviously avoided their control. Checking out this suspicious driver, police officers stopped a car and a 45-year-old driver from Vojinci. When inspecting the car, police officers found eight PVC sacks of tobacco, without surveillance stamps of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Croatia, totaling 79.25 kilograms. The 45-year-old was immediately arrested and brought to a criminal investigation, taking into account the implementation of the COVID-19 virus protection measures – Vecernji.hr writes. 

The Police added that after the criminal investigation had been completed, it was suspected that the 45-year-old, on March 28th, at about 6 pm, drove the personal car into the industrial zone in Gradiste and placed the eight sacks of tobacco in the trunk of the car. The sacks were thrown out of an unknown aircraft. The driver then pulled away from the industrial area in the direction of Gradiste where he was stopped by police. According to the allegations from the Police, the Airspace Management Unit of the Republic of Croatia registered the unauthorized entry of an unknown aircraft into the airspace of the Republic of Croatia from the direction of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

With all the coronavirus situation happening all over the world, including quarantines, isolations and many other news that overwhelm us, we almost forgot that Easter is approaching. However, Desa Dubrovnik reminded us that this holiday is coming with ther short and sweet education video - showing how to weave a palm branch. 

Catholics love neatly made palm branches, which they carry in churches at the beginning of Holy Week, on Palm Sunday, symbolizing the celebration of Jesus entrance into Jerusalem.

Desa Dubrovnik has been teaching our fellow citizens how to weave palm branches at their workshops during the week before Palm Sunday for many many years, ever since the 90's.

However, since we all need to stay at home now, and Desa Dubrovnik didn't want to end this wonderful tradition, they shared this video where you can learn how to do it. It's the perfect time to be creative, isn't it?