Croatia faces legislative scrutiny over tourism and hospitality laws

Croatia is navigating significant legislative developments regarding its tourism and hospitality sectors. In the Croatian Parliament, an initiative has been introduced to address the pressures of mass tourism, particularly in historic centers like Split. The proposal, championed by HSLS members, seeks to amend the Law on Catering Activities and the Law on Providing Tourism Services. Key measures include the introduction of a 'tourist police' and legal regulations to ban 'pub-crawl' tours, which are described as acting like 'traveling nightclubs' that contribute to vandalism and social disorder.

Simultaneously, the European Commission has requested clarification from Croatia regarding the proposed Law on Catering Activities. The Commission is investigating potential discriminatory effects concerning how landlords are treated based on their registered residence. Additionally, the Commission is reviewing the legality of mandatory re-categorization of accommodation facilities every ten years to ensure compliance with the EU Services Directive. The association 'Spasimo male obiteljske iznajmljivače – SMOi' has raised concerns that these regulations may unfairly impact small family landlords.