Ministers for restoration of tourist trade and travel in EU in stages

Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman (Photo: Goran Stanzl/PIXSELL/EU2020HR)

ZAGREB, May 18 (Hina) – EU foreign ministers agreed on Monday that it was necessary to gradually restore tourism trade and travel in the EU, Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman said on Monday, underscoring that caution was required regardless of the favourable epidemiological situation in Croatia.

“It is in Croatia’s interest as a tourist country to have tourists and full hotels but we need to see how we can do that,” said Grlic Radman after a video conference held at the initiative of his German counterpart Heiko Maas.

The foreign ministers of Croatia, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain agreed that it was necessary to gradually reinstate tourism activities and travel within the European Union.

They agreed to a joint declaration in which they call on “all entrepreneurs in the tourism sector to introduce cautionary measures and protect tourists once they will be able to arrive,” said Grlic Radman.

He underlined that safe travel and safe return home for visitors should be ensured.

Grlic Radman said that optimism existed considering the favourable epidemiological situation but that caution was still necessary.

“Croatia is opening up but we are still cautious,” he added.