Bulgaria and Croatia must make significant progress in terms of quality of institutions and governance. This was noted in a European Central Bank (ECB) piece on the two countries that last year joined the exchange rate mechanism ERM II, also known as “the Eurozone's waiting room”.

More than 2,000 buildings were damaged in a devastating earthquake that struck Sisak-Moslavina County on Tuesday and so far 1,000 inspections have been conducted and more than 5,000 applications for inspection have been submitted, Hina reports.

The EU Civil Protection Mechanism has been activated to assist Croatia in the aftermath of a 6.4 magnitude earthquake, following a request for assistance from Croatian authorities on 29 December, EC press service reported.

A strong earthquake hit Croatia on Tuesday, with some injuries reported as well as considerable damages to roofs and buildings southeast of the capital. The same area was struck with a 5.2 quake on Monday. At least seven people were killed and more than 20 were injured. “The search through the rubble is continuing,” police said in a statement.

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake hit central Croatia on Monday with an epicentre some 50 kilometres southeast of the capital Zagreb, Croatian state television reported, citing data from the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic has gone into quarantine after his wife tested positive for the novel coronavirus, local media reported on Saturday.

As the summer tourism season neared its end, Croatia recorded an increase in coronavirus infections and was put on some states’ ‘red lists’ of epidemiological unsafe countries. Croatia’s authorities said the country registered 136 new infections on Monday amid a rise in cases which has delivered a late blow to the summer tourism season.

The British government is set to drop today Croatia from its quarantine-free list, giving thousands of Britons just 30 hours to return to the UK to avoid having to self-isolate for 14 days, British media reported. At the same time Slovenia urged its citizens to return from Croatia by the end of the week or face an obligatory two-week quarantine after the number of Covid-19 cases there continued to rise there.

Italy's Health Minister Roberto Speranza on Wednesday has signed an ordinance requiring everyone returning to Italy from trips to Spain, Croatia, Malta and Greece to be tested for the coronavirus, ANSA reported. The aim is to stop major outbreaks being caused by the importation of contagion by returning holidaymakers.

The Croatian parliament approved on Thursday the new centre-right cabinet led by PM Andrej Plenkovic whose Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) won the most parliamentary seats in the general election held on 5 July. His coalition government is supported by two smaller liberal parties and representatives of the national minorities. Plenkovic headed the former HDZ-led coalition over the last four years.