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Germany adds coronavirus-hit Croatian areas to quarantine list

Germany on Thursday added popular tourist destinations along Croatia's coast to its list of high-risk coronavirus areas as infection numbers rise again during the holiday season.

Published: 20 August 2020 12:35 CEST
Germany adds coronavirus-hit Croatian areas to quarantine list
A coronavirus test centre at Munich airport. Photo: DPA

The designation for Croatia's Sibenik-Knin and Split-Dalmatia county announced by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases means travellers returning to Germany must take a free mandatory Covid-19 test and face a period of quarantine.

The RKI also updated its advice on other countries on its list which you can find here.

“Luxembourg and in Romania the counties of Ialomita, Mehedinti and Timis are no longer considered as risk areas,” the RKI added in its travel guidance.

Currently, most countries in the world are classed as risk areas by Germany, including the USA and Brazil. 

READ ALSO: Germany orders coronavirus tests on risk zone arrivals from Saturday

Germany earlier on Thursday reported 1,707 new cases of the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, the highest daily toll since April.

The country has fared better than many European neighbours in suppressing the virus so far but like elsewhere, the number of cases has jumped significantly over the summer holidays.

Much of the rise has been blamed on returning holidaymakers as well as parties and family gatherings.

READ ALSO: When will Americans be allowed to travel to Germany again?

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EUROPE

Brussels warns Italy to rein in public spending amid pandemic

Most EU member states should continue to invest to support the continent's economic recovery, but heavily-indebted Italy should rein in public spending, the European Commission warned on Wednesday.

Published: 24 November 2021 16:07 CET
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi expects the country's GDP to recover in the coming year. Photo: Alessandra Tarantino / POOL / AFP

“The economy is bouncing back from the recession, driven by a rebound in demand across Europe,” EU executive vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis said.

“But we are not out of the woods yet. The economic outlook remains riddled with uncertainty,” he said, warning that the coronavirus is still spreading, prices are rising and supply chains face disruption.

Despite these unpredictable threats, European officials predict a strong recovery, and want eurozone governments to maintain their “moderately supportive fiscal stance” to support investment.

EXPLAINED: How Italy’s proposed new budget could affect you

Italy, however, remains a worry. Its public debt passed 155 percent of its GDP last year, and Brussels is worried that it is still budgeting to spend too much next year.

“In order to contribute to the pursuit of a prudent fiscal policy, the Commission invites Italy to take the necessary measures within the national budgetary process to limit the growth of nationally financed current expenditure,” the commission report said.

The commission did not say by how much Italy’s spending plans should be reduced, and its recommendation is not binding on the government.

The European Union suspended its fiscal discipline rules last year, allowing eurozone members to boost their public spending to help their economies survive the Covid-19 pandemic.

But the European commissioner for the economy, former Italian prime minister Paolo Gentiloni, said governments should now “gradually pivot fiscal measures towards investments”.

“Policies should be differentiated across the euro area to take into account the state of the recovery and fiscal sustainability,” he said.

“Reducing debt in a growth-friendly manner is not necessarily an oxymoron.”

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, a former European Central Bank chief, has said Italy’s economy is recovering after the pandemic-induced recession.

Draghi forecast economic growth this year of “probably well over six percent” in a statement on October 28th.

Italy’s GDP rate grew by 2.6% in the third quarter of 2021.

While economists don’t expect Italian GDP to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels until 2022, ratings agency Standard & Poor has revised its outlook for Italian debt from stable to positive.

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