PM: Virus is still here, we have to comply with epidemiological measures

"In the last few days we have been recording again an increase in the number of new cases of the infection and those are mostly Croatian nationals who have arrived from some of the neighbouring countries. That should serve as a warning to us to continue to comply with epidemiological measures," Plenkovic said.

He said that it was most important that of the currently active 117 cases, only 18 were hospitalised and that none were in critical condition or on ventilators.

"These circumstances are significantly different from those at the onset of this epidemic," he said.

Plenkovic noted that more than 200,000 tourists were staying in the country.

Recalling the reasons for calling parliamentary elections for July 5, he said that the intensity of respiratory diseases such as COVID-19 was the lowest in the summer months and that the government had wanted to have renewed legitimacy in the autumn, when epidemiologists believe there could be a second wave of the infection.

"Our life with the virus continues, we have to be aware of that. We all have to adapt and get used to that fact. We will do our best to contain the virus as much as possible. We have to be ready for possible new hotspots but we also have to take care activities in the business sector and tourism continue," he stressed, noting that the fight against COVID-19 was evidently a middle-distance race and that it would take some time.